Smooth appearance

The surface appears continuous without prominent coarse grain.

Visual traits

• Continuous surface
• Subdued roughness
• Orderly tone

Expected changes

• Surface irregularity is less likely to be prominent
• Tonal change is more likely to appear continuous

Definition

Smooth appearance suppresses visible fine irregularity so a surface reads as continuous. It does not determine a particular substance, process, light source, or physical material property.

In more detail

It keeps contours and tonal change while making grain and roughness inconspicuous. Color, reflectance, and translucency remain separate choices.

Includes

• Visually continuous surface
• Subdued irregularity and roughness

Excludes

• A particular material
• Mirror-like reflection
• Blurred contour

What this does not imply

• A particular material
• gloss
• or translucency
• Blur or low resolution

Variability

Color, reflectance, and tonal contrast can be adjusted separately.

Usage

• Reduce visible roughness
• Specify material and gloss separately

Distinguish similar expressions

• Use soft tonal gradation when the intended effect is tonal softness

Typical uses

• Make surfaces of figures
• objects
• or natural forms appear smooth

Possible failure modes

• Contours become blurred
• The surface becomes uniformly plastic-like