scene-materials

Scene Setup & Materials

Use the blender MCP tools to execute Python code inside Blender. All scene and material operations are done via bpy calls sent through the MCP.

Lighting Setup

Three-Point Studio Lighting

Standard professional setup: key light (main), fill light (soften shadows), rim light (separate subject from background), and a soft overhead.

import bpy, math

def add_area_light(name, location, rotation_euler, energy, size=2.0):
    bpy.ops.object.light_add(type='AREA', location=location)
    light = bpy.context.object
    light.name = name
    light.rotation_euler = rotation_euler
    light.data.energy = energy
    light.data.size = size
    return light

# Key light — strong, 45° front-left above
add_area_light('Key', (4, -4, 5), (math.radians(60), 0, math.radians(45)), energy=800)

# Fill light — softer, opposite side
add_area_light('Fill', (-4, -3, 3), (math.radians(50), 0, math.radians(-40)), energy=200)

# Rim light — behind subject, creates edge separation
add_area_light('Rim', (0, 5, 4), (math.radians(-45), 0, math.radians(180)), energy=400)

# Overhead soft light
add_area_light('Overhead', (0, 0, 8), (0, 0, 0), energy=150, size=5.0)

HDRI Background (Poly Haven)

Download an HDRI from polyhaven.com (e.g., studio_small_08_4k.exr) and apply it:

import bpy

world = bpy.context.scene.world
world.use_nodes = True
nodes = world.node_tree.nodes
nodes.clear()

bg = nodes.new('ShaderNodeBackground')
env = nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexEnvironment')
out = nodes.new('ShaderNodeOutputWorld')

env.image = bpy.data.images.load('/path/to/hdri.exr')
bg.inputs['Strength'].default_value = 1.0

links = world.node_tree.links
links.new(env.outputs['Color'], bg.inputs['Color'])
links.new(bg.outputs['Background'], out.inputs['Surface'])

Material Archetypes

Apply using Cycles principled BSDF. All materials target fully opaque results (no transparency).

Titanium (compressor blades, spools)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('Titanium')
mat.use_nodes = True
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.62, 0.60, 0.58, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 1.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.25
bsdf.inputs['Specular IOR Level'].default_value = 0.5

Nickel Superalloy (hot section, turbine)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('NickelSuperalloy')
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.72, 0.68, 0.60, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 1.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.35

Stainless Steel (casings, structural)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('StainlessSteel')
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.80, 0.80, 0.80, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 1.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.15

Carbon Composite (fan blades)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('CarbonComposite')
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.08, 0.08, 0.08, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 0.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.45
bsdf.inputs['Specular IOR Level'].default_value = 0.3

Copper Alloy (combustion components)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('CopperAlloy')
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.72, 0.45, 0.20, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 1.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.30

Chrome (spinner, polished surfaces)

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('Chrome')
bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes['Principled BSDF']
bsdf.inputs['Base Color'].default_value = (0.95, 0.95, 0.95, 1.0)
bsdf.inputs['Metallic'].default_value = 1.0
bsdf.inputs['Roughness'].default_value = 0.05

Assigning Materials to Objects

import bpy

def assign_material(obj_name, mat_name):
    obj = bpy.data.objects.get(obj_name)
    mat = bpy.data.materials.get(mat_name)
    if obj and mat:
        if obj.data.materials:
            obj.data.materials[0] = mat
        else:
            obj.data.materials.append(mat)

Render Quality Settings

Enable ambient occlusion and screen-space reflections for realistic metallic shading:

import bpy

scene = bpy.context.scene
scene.render.engine = 'CYCLES'

# Ambient occlusion via Cycles world shader (baked into render)
scene.world.light_settings.use_ambient_occlusion = True
scene.world.light_settings.ao_factor = 0.3

# Cycles light-bounce settings for realistic metals
scene.cycles.use_fast_gi = True
scene.cycles.glossy_bounces = 4
scene.cycles.diffuse_bounces = 4

Saving Scripts

Before executing any scene or material script via the MCP, save it to scripts/ in the project directory (e.g. scripts/setup_studio_lighting.py). This keeps your work reproducible and allows re-running or adjusting the setup without re-generating it from scratch. Update CLAUDE.md with any project-specific material names or lighting choices that differ from the defaults here.

Product Scene Presets

Self-contained camera + lighting + world setups for common professional product visualisations (engines, traction batteries, electric drive units, premium product showcases). Each preset assumes the subject is centered at the world origin with its bounding box roughly fitting in a 2 m cube — scale or reposition the subject before applying, or scale the lights/camera proportionally afterwards.

Shared helpers

import bpy, math

def _clear_scene_lights():
    for obj in [o for o in bpy.data.objects if o.type == 'LIGHT']:
        bpy.data.objects.remove(obj, do_unlink=True)

def _add_area(name, location, rotation, energy, size=2.0, color=(1, 1, 1)):
    bpy.ops.object.light_add(type='AREA', location=location)
    light = bpy.context.object
    light.name = name
    light.rotation_euler = rotation
    light.data.energy = energy
    light.data.size = size
    light.data.color = color
    return light

def _set_camera(location, target=(0, 0, 0.5), lens=50):
    scene = bpy.context.scene
    cam = scene.camera
    if cam is None:
        bpy.ops.object.camera_add(location=location)
        cam = bpy.context.object
        scene.camera = cam
    else:
        cam.location = location
    cam.data.lens = lens
    # Aim at target via TRACK_TO on a temporary empty
    bpy.ops.object.empty_add(location=target)
    aim = bpy.context.object
    aim.name = 'CamAim'
    for c in list(cam.constraints):
        cam.constraints.remove(c)
    track = cam.constraints.new('TRACK_TO')
    track.target = aim
    track.track_axis = 'TRACK_NEGATIVE_Z'
    track.up_axis = 'UP_Y'
    return cam

def _set_world_solid(color, strength=1.0):
    world = bpy.context.scene.world
    world.use_nodes = True
    nodes = world.node_tree.nodes
    nodes.clear()
    bg = nodes.new('ShaderNodeBackground')
    out = nodes.new('ShaderNodeOutputWorld')
    bg.inputs['Color'].default_value = (*color, 1.0)
    bg.inputs['Strength'].default_value = strength
    world.node_tree.links.new(bg.outputs['Background'], out.inputs['Surface'])

Engine / Turbine — Dramatic Hero

For aero engines, ICE engines, gearboxes, turbines. Dark moody backdrop, strong directional key, hard rim for silhouette, low warm fill. Camera low and tight for hero feel.

def setup_engine_hero():
    _clear_scene_lights()
    _set_world_solid((0.015, 0.015, 0.02), strength=0.3)

    # Cool key from upper-front-left
    _add_area('Key',  ( 5, -3, 6), (math.radians( 55), 0, math.radians( 35)),
              energy=1500, size=3.0, color=(1.00, 0.98, 0.95))
    # Hard rim from upper-back-right (separates from black background)
    _add_area('Rim',  (-3,  5, 5), (math.radians(-50), 0, math.radians(-160)),
              energy=900,  size=1.5, color=(0.85, 0.92, 1.00))
    # Warm low fill — gives depth to undersides without lifting blacks
    _add_area('Fill', (-4, -3, 1), (math.radians( 75), 0, math.radians( -50)),
              energy=180,  size=4.0, color=(1.00, 0.82, 0.62))

    # 85 mm lens, 3/4 angle, slightly below subject mid-height
    _set_camera(location=(7, -7, 1.8), target=(0, 0, 1.0), lens=85)

Traction Battery / EV Component — Clean Industrial

For battery packs, inverters, motors, electronics, white-paper renders. Bright neutral environment, broad soft top light, low-contrast fill from all sides, faint shadow for grounding. Camera slightly elevated, mild perspective.

def setup_battery_clean():
    _clear_scene_lights()
    _set_world_solid((0.85, 0.86, 0.88), strength=1.2)

    # Large soft overhead — primary illumination
    _add_area('Top',   (0, 0, 6), (0, 0, 0),
              energy=600, size=8.0)
    # Front fill — flatten shadows
    _add_area('Front', (0, -5, 2), (math.radians(80), 0, 0),
              energy=300, size=5.0)
    # Side wraps — eliminate dark sides
    _add_area('Left',  (-5, 0, 2), (math.radians(80), 0, math.radians(-90)),
              energy=200, size=4.0)
    _add_area('Right', ( 5, 0, 2), (math.radians(80), 0, math.radians( 90)),
              energy=200, size=4.0)

    # 50 mm, slightly elevated 3/4 view, mild perspective
    _set_camera(location=(5, -5, 3), target=(0, 0, 0.5), lens=50)

Electric Drive Unit — Technical Showcase

For integrated EV powertrains: motor + inverter + gearbox as one assembly, e-axle, stator/rotor cutaways. Cool clean environment to emphasize machined aluminium housings and precision surfaces, moderate contrast (more than a battery render, less than an engine hero), subtle warm rim to lift metallic tones. Medium-tight framing to convey compactness.

def setup_electric_drive():
    _clear_scene_lights()
    _set_world_solid((0.10, 0.12, 0.14), strength=0.6)

    # Cool top-key — crisp highlights on machined surfaces
    _add_area('Key',  ( 3, -4, 5), (math.radians( 55), 0, math.radians( 30)),
              energy=1100, size=3.5, color=(0.95, 0.98, 1.00))
    # Warm rim — separates aluminium housing from cool background
    _add_area('Rim',  (-4,  3, 4), (math.radians(-45), 0, math.radians(-150)),
              energy=500,  size=1.5, color=(1.00, 0.88, 0.72))
    # Broad under-fill — reveals ribbing and casting detail without flattening
    _add_area('Fill', ( 0, -5, 1), (math.radians( 80), 0, 0),
              energy=220,  size=6.0, color=(0.90, 0.94, 1.00))
    # Side accent — shows the inverter/gearbox interface
    _add_area('Side', ( 5,  0, 2), (math.radians( 80), 0, math.radians( 90)),
              energy=180,  size=3.0)

    # 70 mm, slightly elevated 3/4 view — compact and integrated look
    _set_camera(location=(5.5, -5.5, 2.5), target=(0, 0, 0.6), lens=70)

Premium Showcase — Studio Hero

For premium consumer products, marketing renders, packaging shots. Gradient backdrop, strong key with softbox feel, sharp rim, subtle reflection plane, lower camera angle.

def setup_premium_showcase():
    _clear_scene_lights()

    # Gradient world — light top, dark bottom
    world = bpy.context.scene.world
    world.use_nodes = True
    nodes = world.node_tree.nodes
    nodes.clear()
    bg   = nodes.new('ShaderNodeBackground')
    grad = nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexGradient')
    coord = nodes.new('ShaderNodeTexCoord')
    mapn  = nodes.new('ShaderNodeMapping')
    out   = nodes.new('ShaderNodeOutputWorld')
    mapn.inputs['Rotation'].default_value[1] = math.radians(90)
    grad.gradient_type = 'LINEAR'
    bg.inputs['Strength'].default_value = 0.5
    links = world.node_tree.links
    links.new(coord.outputs['Generated'], mapn.inputs['Vector'])
    links.new(mapn.outputs['Vector'], grad.inputs['Vector'])
    links.new(grad.outputs['Color'], bg.inputs['Color'])
    links.new(bg.outputs['Background'], out.inputs['Surface'])

    _add_area('Key',  ( 4, -4, 5), (math.radians( 50), 0, math.radians( 45)),
              energy=900, size=4.0)
    _add_area('Rim',  (-3,  4, 4), (math.radians(-50), 0, math.radians(-150)),
              energy=600, size=1.0)
    _add_area('Fill', (-3, -3, 2), (math.radians( 70), 0, math.radians( -45)),
              energy=120, size=5.0, color=(0.95, 0.97, 1.00))

    _set_camera(location=(6, -6, 1.2), target=(0, 0, 0.6), lens=70)

Choosing a preset

Subject	Preset
Aero / car engine, turbine, gearbox	setup_engine_hero
Traction battery pack, cell module, PCB	setup_battery_clean
Electric drive unit, e-axle, motor + inverter	setup_electric_drive
Consumer product, marketing hero	setup_premium_showcase

All presets pair well with the matching Cycles settings in the Render Quality Settings section above and the metallic materials defined earlier in this skill.

Shadow-Catching Ground Plane

import bpy

bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_plane_add(size=20, location=(0, 0, 0))
plane = bpy.context.object
plane.name = 'ShadowPlane'

mat = bpy.data.materials.new('ShadowCatcher')
mat.use_nodes = True
mat.cycles.is_shadow_catcher = True
plane.data.materials.append(mat)