Nuanced Metals II

Here is a tutorial on how to improve the realism of metals (and other similar materials). Compare the left and right images. Which looks more real? The right you probably say and would be right. The way light reflects off the surface is more correct. This tutorial explains how to achieve this.
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Controlling your light intensity through material parameters

Here are two videos which show how to control the lighting in a scene by adjusting several material channels. The diffuse and ambient amount channels govern how much light is absorbed or reflected back to the viewer. These videos show how to use them.
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