What’s the role of ambient occlusion in enhancing depth?

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What’s the role of ambient occlusion in enhancing depth?

Asked on Dec 15, 2025

Answer

Ambient occlusion (AO) is a shading method used in 3D design to simulate how light interacts with surfaces, enhancing the perception of depth by creating soft shadows in crevices and areas where objects are close together. It adds realism by mimicking the subtle shadowing that occurs in real-world environments, improving the overall visual quality of the scene.

Example Concept: Ambient occlusion calculates how exposed each point in a scene is to ambient lighting, darkening areas less exposed to light, such as corners and tight spaces. This technique enhances depth perception by adding contrast and subtle shadowing, making objects appear more grounded and realistic.

Additional Comment:

AO is often used in combination with other lighting techniques for a more realistic effect.
It can be baked into textures or applied in real-time, depending on the workflow.
While AO enhances depth, it should be used judiciously to avoid overly dark or unrealistic shadows.

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