V-Ray for Maya
Materials
This page introduces the different material types in V-Ray for Maya.
Last updated 13 May 2026
This page introduces the different material types in V-Ray for Maya.
Overview
There are a number of different materials for use with V-Ray for Maya. These materials are quite versatile and can be used in various ways to achieve different looks as needed, from simulating simple surface properties like plastics and metals to replicating complex uses, such as translucent objects, subsurface materials like skin, and even light-emitting objects. Keep in mind that materials look different under different lighting*.
The materials can be found in all places in the Maya user interface where standard Maya materials are located. A few of these places are listed below.
UI Paths
Image courtesy of Tuna Unalan
V-Ray Materials
Common Materials
The most widely used V-Ray materials.
VRayMtl
View
VRayAlSurface
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VRayCarPaint2Mtl
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VRayFastSSS2
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VRayFlakes2Mtl
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VRayLightMtl
View
VRayHairNextMtl
View
VRayToonMtl
View
VRayStochasticFlakesMtl
View
Utility Materials
This section contains V-Ray materials suitable for various realistic and creative effects.
VRayDisplacementMtl
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VRayBlendMtl
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VRayMtl2Sided
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VRaySwitchMtl
View
VRayMtlWrapper
View
VRayBumpMtl
View
VRayMtlRenderStats
View
File Based Materials
This section contains file-based V-Ray materials.
VRayScannedMtl
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VRayMtlGLSL
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VRayMtlOSL
View
VRayMtlMDL
View
VRayMaterialX
View
Legacy Materials
This section contains legacy V-Ray materials which have newer versions and/or are no longer relevant
VRayPointParticleMtl
View
VRayFlakesMtl
View
VRayVRmatMtl
View
VRayMeshMtl
View
VRayCarPaintMtl
View
Materials Tools and Utilities
These are a number of tools and utilities that allow various material related tasks to be accomplished. For more information, see the Internal Tools page.
Working with Materials
Follow this tutorial to learn what are the essential steps when applying materials to your scene. We show you how you can easily create and modify materials in V-Ray for Maya. Plus, demonstrate how you can use Chaos Cosmos, our extensive library of ready-to-render materials, to shade your scene in just a few clicks.
youtu.be
Notes
- In Maya 2024, the Default lighting has an increased intensity. This leads to V-Ray materials appearing brighter when lit with the Default lighting. You can reduce the intensity of the lighting manually or use V-Ray Lights to achieve a more natural look.