Mathematica 9 is now available
THIS IS DOCUMENTATION FOR AN OBSOLETE PRODUCT.
SEE THE DOCUMENTATION CENTER FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
Mathematica > Visualization and Graphics > Graphics Options & Styling > 3D Graphics Options >

Specularity

Specularity[s]
is a graphics directive which specifies that surfaces of 3D graphics objects which follow are to be taken to have specularity s.
Specularity[s, n]
uses specular exponent n.
  • Specularity is added to diffuse reflection and glow components to determine the final rendered color of a surface.  »
  • With specularity s a surface is taken to specularly reflect a fraction s of light that falls on it from simulated light sources.
  • The specular exponent n defines how sharply the intensity of reflected light falls off away from the mirror-reflection direction.  »
  • The default specular exponent is 1.5. Higher values lead to more sharply defined reflections, typical of shinier materials. Values above 10 produce definite "specular highlights".
  • The intensity of simulated light at an angle theta from the mirror-reflection direction is taken to be cos^n(theta). When theta>90 degrees the intensity is zero.
  • Specularity[s] takes the reflected light to have the same color as the incident light from light sources.
  • Specularity[col] specifies that the RGB components of the incident light should be multiplied by the RGB components of col.  »
A typical specular color:
Specify the specular exponent:
Specify the color of specularity:
A typical specular color:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
 
Specify the specular exponent:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
 
Specify the color of specularity:
In[1]:=
Click for copyable input
Out[1]=
Set diffuse, glow and specular surface colors:
Using specular surface for plots:
Specularity[s] is equivalent to Specularity[GrayLevel[s]]:
Specularity[color] is equivalent to Specularity[color, 1.5]:
Specularity is strongly affected by Lighting:
Specify Lighting to use different colors for diffuse and specular surfaces:
Specular colors are mixed with surface colors:
Specularity may not be apparent in flat-faced surfaces:
Metallic balls:
New in 6
Ask a question about this page  |  Suggest an improvement  |  Leave a message for the team