PHYSICALLYBASED

A database of physically based values for CG artists

About

This database is a compilation of physically based values from various publications, manufacturer documentations, and measurements contributed by users. Each entry has at least one link to a reference, so it's possible to verify their validity.

The database is separate and is built as an open API. It can be integrated into applications in the form of plug-ins or presets, as web apps, or any other form that makes sense.

There are many great material libraries available out there, and this isn't a material library in that sense, but rather a reference to validate against.

This website, and the database, are maintained by Anton Palmqvist.

Contribute

You are more than welcome to contribute to the database, and there are several ways to do so!

  • If you want to suggest a new entry, or a correction, consider creating a pull request, or an issue, on Github.

  • If you want to implement this into a DCC application, or anywhere else, don't hesitate to contact me through the form below for more information.

  • If you have any feedback about terminology, accuracy, or anything else that you can think of, also use the form below.

Cite

If you'd like to cite something from the database, feel free to cite the individual contributors specified under "References" for each entry.

If you'd like to cite the website itself, feel free to use this snippet:

Palmqvist, A. (2026) Physically Based - The PBR Values Database Available at: https://physicallybased.info/ (Accessed: 31 January 2026).

Acknowledgements

This site is made with Gatsby static site generator and is using Plausible analytics, FontAwesome icons, and fonts from Google Fonts. It's hosted on Netlify and doesn't use cookies of any kind.

It also makes use of the following open source projects:

Contact

Feel free to send feedback with suggestions, corrections, and bugs.

I consent to my name, email, and message being collected for the purpose of responding to my inquiry. The data will be stored for 30 days, to give enough time to respond. It is not used for marketing and will not be sold to a third party.

These reference values are based on the most accurate data available at the time, and are continually updated whenever new measurements are available. Depending on the material and the property you're after, there is more or less variability to take into account. Use these values as a starting point, or as validation for your existing materials, and then tweak further using your artistic freedom.

Data from https://api.physicallybased.info/v2