Adding Subsurface Scattering (SSS)

Subsurface Scattering (SSS) is an effect that allows light to pass through and bounce around inside an object. This effect can be useful to generate a realistic skin material or for making an object feel soft.

Examples of Subsurface Scattering

Material Setup

There are two types of material that you can use. Which are the texture type and the color type. If your skin texture uses solid color for the skin, you can use the color type. If not, use the texture type.

Texture Type

For the texture material type, duplicate the Skin material and make it a single-user copy by clicking the numbered icon on the material data-block menu. After that, rename the material to Skin_SSS_Tex or any name you want.

Click on the numbered icon to make the material a single-user copy

Rename the duplicated material to MAT-Skin_SSS_Tex

Once you do that, go to the shading tab and make sure that the Image Texture -> Color output is connected to the Principled BSDF -> Subsurface Color input.

Connect the Image Texture > Color output to the Principled BSDF > Subsurface Color input

Color Type

For the color material type, create a new material by clicking on the + icon next to the material slot list and then the New button on the material data-block menu. Rename it to Skin_SSS_Color or any name you want and then change the Principled BSDF -> Base Color input to the color of your skin in the image texture.

Click on the + icon to add a new material slot

Click on the New button to add a new material

Rename the material to MAT-Skin_SSS_Color

Change the Principled BSDF > Base Color input to match your texture skin color

Assigning Material

Once you created the material, you must assign it to the mesh. You can replace the whole skin material with the SSS version. But if you want to selectively assign parts of the mesh to have an SSS effect, here's how you do it:

• Select the faces you want the Subsurface material to be assigned and go to Edit Mode.

Select the mesh you want and go to edit mode

• In Edit Mode, select the faces that you want the Subsurface material to be assigned.

Select the faces you want SSS to be added

• Now add the Subsurface material in a new material slot and assign it to the selected faces by clicking on the Assign button. To enable SSS on the material, change the Principled BSDF -> Subsurface input to any value you want (I recommend setting it to 0.5 or lower).

Click on the SSS material and click on the Assign button

Set the Principled BSDF > Subsurface input to any value you want