Lighting & rendering · Intermediate

Subsurface scattering

Light soaking into skin, wax or marble and glowing out nearby

Also called SSS

What is subsurface scattering?

Subsurface scattering is light entering a slightly see-through material, spreading around inside it and leaving from a nearby point. It is why skin, wax, milk, marble and leaves glow softly instead of looking like painted plastic. In 3D, it is a material setting that makes these surfaces believable.

Think of it like this

It is like holding a flashlight against your fingertip: the light seeps through and makes the whole tip glow red.

Where it fits in a 3D project

  1. Create
  2. Surface
  3. Rig
  4. Animate
  5. Render
  6. Export

Surface: Giving the shape its color and material: UVs, textures and shaders.

How subsurface scattering works

  1. 01Light hits the surface, and part of it passes inside.
  2. 02Inside, it scatters and changes color, warming toward red in skin.
  3. 03It exits a short distance away from where it entered.
  4. 04A radius setting controls how far light travels before leaving.

Subsurface scattering vs translucency

PropertySubsurface scatteringTranslucency
Light pathSpreads inside, exits nearbyPasses through thin surfaces
Best forSkin, wax, marble, milkLeaves, paper, lampshades
CostHigherLower

Use subsurface scattering for thick, soft materials and simple translucency for thin sheets that light shines through.

Where subsurface scattering is used

  • Realistic skin on characters
  • Candles, soap and food
  • Marble, jade and other stone

Beginner tip

Match the scattering radius to the real size of your model. If the scene is in the wrong units, skin turns waxy or glows like a lantern.

Terms related to subsurface scattering

Subsurface scattering FAQ

What is SSS in 3D?
SSS stands for subsurface scattering, the effect of light passing into a soft material and spreading before it exits. Most modern material setups have an SSS weight and radius you can turn up.
How do I use subsurface scattering for skin?
Turn on a small amount, give red a larger radius than green and blue, and keep it subtle. Too much makes a face look like wax; too little makes it look like plastic.
How do I add subsurface scattering in Blender?
In the Principled BSDF shader, raise the Subsurface weight and set the radius and scale to match your object’s size. It renders most accurately in the path-tracing engine.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Browse all 3D terms