Applying surface shading to a 3D object


    By changing a 3D object's surface properties, you can create a wide variety of appearances, from dull and unshaded matte surfaces to glossy and highlighted surfaces that look like plastic.

    Tip icon You can also map 2D artwork to each surface of a 3D object. (See Mapping artwork to a 3D object.)

    Illustration of Examples of different surface shading choices with these callouts: A. Wireframe B. No shading C. Diffuse shading D. Plastic shading
    Examples of different surface shading choices A. Wireframe B. No shading C. Diffuse shading D. Plastic shading

To apply a surface property to a 3D object:

  1. Select the 3D object.
  2. Double-click the 3D effect in the Appearance palette to open the 3D Options dialog box.
  3. Click More Options in the dialog box to display the Surface options.
  4. Choose one of the following shading surfaces from the Surface menu:
  5. Note: If the object only uses the 3D Rotate effect, the only choices available are Diffuse Shading or No Shading.

    • Wireframe to outline the contours of the object's geometry and make each surface transparent.
    • No Shading to add no new surface properties to the object. The 3D object has the same color as the original 2D object.
    • Diffuse Shading to make the object reflect light in a soft, diffuse pattern.
    • Plastic Shading to make the object reflect light as if it were made of a shiny, high-gloss material.
  6. To display the object's hidden backfaces, select Draw Hidden Surfaces. The backfaces are visible if the object is transparent, or if the object is expanded and then pulled apart.
  7. Note: If your object has transparency and you want the hidden backfaces to display through the transparent front faces, apply the Object > Group command to the object before you apply the 3D effect.

  8. If you chose Diffuse Shading or Plastic Shading, you can set the following lighting options:
    • Light Intensity to control the light intensity. Enter a value between 0 and 100.
    • Ambient Light controls the global lighting, which changes the brightness of all the object's surfaces uniformly. Enter a value between 0 and 100.
    • Blend Steps controls how smoothly the shading appears across the object's surfaces. Enter a value between 1 and 256. Higher numbers produce smoother shades and more paths than lower numbers.
  9. If you chose the Plastic Shading surface, you can also enter the following values:
    • Highlight Intensity to control how much the object reflects light. Higher values create a shinier-looking surface than lower values, which produce a matte surface.
    • Highlight Size to control the size of the highlight from large (100%) to small (0%).

    To add lights and adjust each light's properties, see Lighting an object.