What are PBR 3D models?

Here's an introduction to PBR models:

• Know What PBR Stands For: PBR stands for Physically Based Rendering. It's a method of shading and rendering in 3D graphics that aims to create more realistic textures and surfaces by mimicking the flow of light in the real world.
• Understand PBR Principles: The primary goal of PBR is to model the interaction between light and materials in a way that's consistent with the physical laws of the real world. It considers properties such as albedo (base color), metallic (metal-like behavior), roughness (surface detail), and others.
• Use PBR Materials: PBR materials are often defined by two workflows: Metallic/Roughness and Specular/Glossiness. In the Metallic/Roughness workflow (commonly used in engines like Unreal Engine and Substance Painter), materials are defined by their metallic and roughness values. In the Specular/Glossiness workflow (used in engines like Unity), materials are defined by their specularity and glossiness.
• Implement PBR Models: To use PBR models in your 3D graphics, you'll need to use a software or rendering engine that supports PBR, like Blender, Unity, Unreal Engine, etc. Import or create your PBR materials and apply them to your 3D models within these programs.
• Enjoy Realistic Results: The advantage of using PBR is the high level of realism it can achieve. PBR materials react realistically under various lighting conditions, making them ideal for creating believable 3D scenes.

Understanding and correctly implementing PBR can be challenging but will dramatically improve the realism of your 3D graphics, making it well worth the effort.

Also read “How are PBR 3D models used and what are the most common use cases?”