Diffuse / Color
Sets the color.
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3D MaterialsIntermediate
Blinn
Classic diffuse/specular material
Creates a classic 3D surface material with diffuse color, specular highlights, transmittance, lighting/shadow response and Material ID.
Blinn
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
Blinn is a dependable general-purpose Fusion material for Text3D, Shape3D, extruded geometry and imported 3D objects. It combines base color, highlight control, transparency and scene-light interaction in one compact shader.
Overview
What Blinn does
Blinn is a dependable general-purpose Fusion material for Text3D, Shape3D, extruded geometry and imported 3D objects. It combines base color, highlight control, transparency and scene-light interaction in one compact shader.
Mental model
Think of Blinn as a straightforward painted surface: Diffuse is the paint, Specular is the highlight, Transmittance controls light passing through the surface, and the lighting switches decide how the material participates in the scene.
Common uses
Simple 3D text and logo materials
Glossy or semi-gloss surfaces
Transparent or tinted surfaces
Material-ID based post-processing
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
MaterialInput
Material or texture data applied to the 3D object.
Blinn
Fusion node
MaterialOutput
The completed Blinn material for a Fusion 3D object or material chain.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Diffuse / Red
Adjusts the red channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Diffuse / Green
Adjusts the green channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Diffuse / Blue
Adjusts the blue channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Diffuse / Alpha
Adjusts the alpha channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Diffuse / Opacity
Sets the overall opacity of the material or object.
Specular / Color
Sets the color.
Specular / Red
Adjusts the red channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Specular / Green
Adjusts the green channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Specular / Blue
Adjusts the blue channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Specular / Intensity
Sets the light intensity.
Specular / Exponent
Controls highlight size and sharpness.
Higher values create a smaller, tighter highlight.
Transmittance / Attenuation
Controls the color and detail of light passing through semi-transparent material.
Transmittance / Red
Adjusts the red channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Transmittance / Green
Adjusts the green channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Transmittance / Blue
Adjusts the blue channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Transmittance / Alpha Detail
Controls how the material transmits light through the surface.
Transmittance / Color Detail
Controls how the material transmits light through the surface.
Transmittance / Saturation
Controls how the material transmits light through the surface.
Receives Lighting
Controls whether the material responds to scene lighting.
Receives Shadows
Controls whether the object or material receives shadows.
Two Sided Lighting
Allows both sides of thin geometry to receive light.
MaterialID / Material ID
Assigns the Material ID written to the render passes.
Material IDs can be used later to isolate surfaces in compositing.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Connect Blinn to the material input of a 3D object.
- 2
Set Diffuse before tuning the highlight.
- 3
Add and position scene lights.
- 4
Adjust Specular Intensity and Exponent for the required finish.
- 5
Enable transmittance only when transparency is intentional.
- 6
Assign a Material ID when the surface needs separate downstream treatment.
Typical node chain
3D Object→
Blinn→
Merge3D→
Renderer3D
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Glossy 3D title
A neutral Blinn material gives Text3D a controlled studio highlight.
Text3DBlinnMerge3DRenderer3D
Material-ID pass
Use a unique Material ID to isolate the surface after rendering.
BlinnRenderer3D Material IDColorCorrector
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Expecting highlights without a 3D light source.
Pushing Specular Intensity so far that white surfaces clip.
Confusing opacity controls with physically transparent shading.
Production notes
Practical tips
Start with moderate specular values and improve the lighting before exaggerating the material.
Use Two Sided Lighting only for thin or open surfaces that need it.
Assign Material IDs early in complex scenes.
Related nodes