How to Get Material Libraries and Standards Right
A shared collection of materials with consistent naming, parameters and appearance.
Imogen Clarke
The key figures
- Naming
- consistent names make materials findable
- Parameters
- shared conventions keep values comparable
- Validation
- materials should be checked against real samples
- Portability
- materials may need to work across renderers
Why this is worth getting right
Shared libraries keep products looking consistent and save rebuilding the same metal or plastic repeatedly.
Do this, not that
Do
- Build a named library of core materials
- Validate materials against physical samples
- Document parameter conventions
- Version the library with change notes
- Test materials in every renderer used
Don’t
- Materials rebuilt per project
- Names that describe nothing
- Libraries never checked against reality
- Materials that only work in one renderer
When to bring in help
Our advice Bring in help when product ranges need consistent materials.
Where this comes from
- Academy Software Foundation — MaterialX
- Adobe Help Center — Substance 3D Painter User Guide
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
We take on 3D Design & Development work for teams who want it done once, properly. Tell us what you are building and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right studio for it. Start a project.
Where to go next
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
