Smoother surfaces will keep specular reflections focused and they will appear to look brighter or more intense when viewed from the proper angle. Rougher surfaces will have highlights that are larger and appear dimmer. This changes light direction, but the light intensity remains constant. However, most surfaces are irregular and the reflected direction will vary based on the roughness of the surface. It follows the law of reflection, which states that on a perfectly planar surface, the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. The light ray is reflected off the surface and travels in a different direction. “Specular reflection” refers to light that has been reflected off the surface. When working in a PBR workflow, an artist must note the base reflectivity or minimum amount of colour and light reflected.
