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What is SSS?

DDCreateDDCreate Posts: 1,404
in New Users

I know it stands for Sub Surface Scattering but what is it's function? What is it good for? I'm not looking for a technical definition exactly. Just more of an idea of what it is typically used for, what the benefits or draw backs are. I have some products that offer SSS settings and I was curious if I was missing out on better renders.

Thanks!

Comments

  • SixDsSixDs Posts: 2,384

    In the real world Subsurface Scattering refers to the property of human skin (and certain other materials) to absorb light and literally scatter it about beneath the surface. Since skin is composed of multiple layers of translucent material, some light passes through the outer layers to those beneath where it is eventually reflected and refracted. In 3D use it is an attempt to replicate this effect to produce more realistic skin on the models.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    SixDs said:

    In the real world Subsurface Scattering refers to the property of human skin (and certain other materials) to absorb light and literally scatter it about beneath the surface. Since skin is composed of multiple layers of translucent material, some light passes through the outer layers to those beneath where it is eventually reflected and refracted. In 3D use it is an attempt to replicate this effect to produce more realistic skin on the models.

    Skin, most plastics, wax, cloth...basically anything that is translucent.  Metals and things like glass/crystal don't have it (although some things like opals, do). 

    In 3D terms, think of it as depth controlled translucency for 'thick' things.

  • Roman_K2Roman_K2 Posts: 1,253
    mjc1016 said:
    Metals and things like glass/crystal don't have it (although some things like opals, do).

    Ahhh!

  • pwiecekpwiecek Posts: 1,582

    Does DS support SSS now?

    Is the DS version different from the poser version?

  • scorpioscorpio Posts: 8,484
    pwiecek said:

    Does DS support SSS now?

    Is the DS version different from the poser version?

    DS has supported SSS for a long time now actually it supported it before Poser did. 

  • steve23eris_570cfb27fasteve23eris_570cfb27fa Posts: 22

    So if I may ask on the same subject, I see settings for sss on some models of 25%, 50% and 75%  - how does one decide on whic to use ?  For most 'realistic', is 75% best ?

    Thanks

    Steve

  • srieschsriesch Posts: 4,241

    I thought there was a Poser subsurface shader for which the materials designed for it don't work (or don't work that way) in DS, plus a separate SubSurface shader (like the SubSurface goop shaders, etc.) unrelated to it.  Is that incorrect?  I'm wondering if I need to go digging in my trash bin for all the SSS settings I deleted thinking they were Poser-only.

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