Rendering Translucent Materials - Beyond the BRDF


Henrik Wann Jensen
Stephen R. Marschner
Marc Levoy
Pat Hanrahan

Stanford University

Abstract

This animation demonstrates a new practical BSSRDF model for rendering translucent materials. Translucent materials, such as marble, milk and skin have a soft and smooth appearance that cannot be simulated with standard lighting models. We illustrate the importance of correctly rendering translucency, and show how this can be used to eliminate the traditional hard computer graphics look. The model is described in detail in the SIGGRAPH'2001 paper "A Practical Model for Subsurface Light Transport".

Reference: Henrik Wann Jensen, Stephen R. Marschner, Marc Levoy and Pat Hanrahan: "Rendering Translucent Materials". SIGGRAPH'2001 Electronic Theater.

This animation is available on my animations web page.


Last update: September 17, 2001
Henrik