GlossaryWhat is Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?

What is Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?

Laura Weidner
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Last updated:
December 4, 2025
In this glossary article:
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GlossaryWhat is Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?

What is Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?

Laura Weidner
-
Last updated:
December 4, 2025

Definition Physically Based Rendering (PBR)

Physically Based Rendering (PBR) is a material and rendering approach that uses the physical properties of surfaces - such as albedo (base color), roughness (micro-roughness) and metalness. As a result, materials react consistently and realistically in any lighting setup. For brands, this means uniform product looks across all channels without having to readjust light and shaders every time. Our kitchen case shows what this looks like in practice: LEICHT IDEA - PBR-faithful kitchen renderings (CGI).



The most important PBR maps

  • Albedo (Base Color)pure color information without light/shadow.
  • Normal MapSimulates surface structure for light calculation without increasing geometry.
  • Roughness Mapcontrols micro-roughness → how much highlights "smear" or are clearly reflected.
  • Metalness (Metallic) Map: defines whether a pixel is metallic (reflects energy differently).
  • Ambient Occlusion (AO): darkens crevices/edges to enhance contact shadows.

You can also find a guide about the most important PBR materials at Adobe/Substance 3D PBR Guide.



Examples of PBR Maps

PBR texture set of a fabric material: BaseColor, Ambient Occlusion, Height, Normal, and Roughness Map – shown side by side.
Overview of tileable PBR maps - from left to right: BaseColor (Diffuse), Ambient Occlusion, Height, Normal, Roughness. This creates consistent materials in real-time renderers & CGI. You can easily check whether your PBR textures are really seamlessly repeatable with our tileable texture checker.



Which PBR map do I need for rendering?

Material type Required Maps Nice-to-have Skip
Brushed metal Albedo, Metalness, Roughness, Normal AO, Displacement Specular/Glossiness (when Metalness workflow)
Leather / Fabric Albedo, Roughness, Normal AO, Height (folds), Cavity Metalness
Glass Albedo (slight), Roughness (0–0.1), Opacity Emissive (Backlight) Metalness, AO
Lacquered wood Albedo, Roughness, Normal AO, Specular (if Legacy) Metalness (except for metal parts)



More information about textures & material creation: Material & Surface Digitization as well as Surface Visualization.

3D Visualization of a bright living room with brown leather sofa and view of the surrounding nature through large windows

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Practical Examples & Media

This is what Physically Based Rendering (PBR) looks like in everyday life: Using the same map types (Albedo/Base Color, Roughness Map, Normal, Metalness), we create realistic material properties for wood, fabric and glass - consistently across all product series

PBR rendering of a dark wooden chair with a woven backrest; plastic grain due to albedo and normal map, matte roughness swallows gloss
Wood & Weave: Albedo, Normal, and Roughness Maps bring out grain and pores – without baked-in highlights.





PBR close-up of a beige fabric sofa; Roughness variation provides a soft sheen, the normal map emphasizes the fabric structure.
Fabric weave in close-up: Roughness controls the degree of gloss, the normal map makes the threads visible – ideal for detail shots in e-commerce.





PBR rendering of a cabinet with a glass front; realistic reflections and refractions, metalness/roughness define the metal frame.
Glass & Metal in Interaction: Transmission/IOR for the glass, Metalness + Roughness for frames and fittings – physically consistent (3D product images for interlübke with PBR material)



Workflow at Danthree

  1. Scan / Digitization – Surfaces (wood, fabrics, metals) are scanned or procedurally generated.
  2. Map Creation – Albedo, Normal, Roughness, Metallic, AO etc.
  3. Look-Dev & Shader-Setup - Integration of the maps in the render engine.
  4. Test Render – Checking different lighting setups; Adjustments to Roughness/Metalness.
  5. Approval & Asset Library – Material migrates to your central 3D asset library.

More about the process: 3D Visualization Studio and 3D Modeling.



Advantages for Brands & Marketing

  • Consistent Look & Feel: A material looks the same in every rendering – whether it's an interior, packshot, or AR app.
  • Efficiency & Scalability: Once created, PBR material libraries can be reused in all projects.
  • Realistic Representation: Physical parameters create believable highlights, shadows, and color reproduction.
  • Multi-Channel Output: Web, Print, Configurator – all from the same PBR asset base.

PBR vs. classic Shading (Specular/Glossiness)

Aspect PBR (Metal/Roughness) Classic (Diffuse/Specular/Glossiness)
Physically Accurate High Lower, often artistically tweaked
Consistency across different lighting setups Very high Manual adjustments needed
Number of maps Standardized (5–6) Variable, sometimes proprietary
Pipeline standard glTF 2.0, USD, modern engines Legacy workflows

More basics about lighting & rendering: Ray Tracing



FAQ - What is Physically Based Rendering (PBR)?



What's the difference between PBR and classic shading?

Classic shading often uses Diffuse/Specular/Glossiness and requires manual tweaking for each lighting setup. PBR uses physical parameters (Roughness/Metalness, etc.), making materials react consistently everywhere. You can find more background information in the NVIDIA GTC Talk: Physically Based Shading in Practice.



What's the minimum number of maps I need for PBR?

Albedo, Roughness, Metallic, and Normal are considered the basics. Ambient Occlusion is optional but can improve contact shadows. You can find an overview of the parameters in Adobe Dimension: Standard Materials (PBR-Parameter)



Can I convert existing materials to PBR?

‍Yes. Diffuse becomes Albedo, and Specular/Glossiness can be converted into Metal/Roughness. Conversion tables or tools in your 3D software can help with this.



Where can I get PBR textures?

Either through your own digitization (scan/photogrammetry) or from libraries. Pay attention to license rights and the consistency of the maps. You can also find information on the standardized PBR set at Khronos glTF 2.0