Synthetics (plastic, rubber)
Render plastic and rubber by matching highlights, reflections, color, and edge softness to each surface.
What it is
Synthetics are man-made materials with varied surface behavior. Hard, glossy plastics show sharper reflections, while soft, matte plastics spread light. Rubber usually appears duller or satiny, with broader highlights and softer value changes.
Glossy plastic keeps strong local color beneath its highlights. Reflection edges are crisp but can break around small bumps and molding lines. Matte plastics and many rubbers blur reflected light. Thin or stretched rubber can brighten at the edges, while compression folds create darker bands with soft transitions.
Use these distinctions for objects such as toys, phone shells, keyboards, cables, car interiors, shoe soles, sci-fi armor, and rubber gaskets. Identify each part's material and render its highlights, shadows, reflections, and edges accordingly.
Why it matters
Material-specific light behavior separates hard plastic, soft plastic, and rubber. Weak control can make plastic look like dull clay or make rubber resemble metal, reducing the distinction between rigid parts and flexible joints.
You can check it when
- ✓Paint the same simple shape as glossy plastic, matte plastic, and rubber. Change the highlights, reflections, and edge softness for each version.
- ✓Keep strong local color in plastic midtones and shadows while placing highlights over the surface without turning it gray.
- ✓Show rubber with broader highlights, softer transitions, and less mirror-like reflection than nearby plastic.
- ✓In a multipiece prop, distinguish hard plastic from rubber in both color and grayscale.