# Materials show up black sometimes

**URL:** <https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** obj-format\
**Created:** [October 21, 2018, 11:31am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582 "2018-10-21T11:31:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mithradantor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/mithradantor/32/2979_2.png) [@mithradantor](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/mithradantor)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 11:31am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582/1 "2018-10-21T11:31:08Z")

</div>

Hi guys,

my webviewer is finished(ish) and is working flawless. Only downside is that when I download a model (from any website) in OBJ format with .mtl file, or I download a non-OBJ format and export it with 3ds Max 2018 to OBJ file with .mtl file, the material is black when showing it in the browser.

Some models do work perfectly fine, while some others show only black.

are there some steps that need to be taken before (which ever program i.e. Blender or 3ds Max, Vray, Scanline et cetera) needs to take before the materials will be correctly visible?

Does anyone know how this comes?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mugen87](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/mugen87/32/5645_2.png) [@Mugen87](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/Mugen87)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582/2 "2018-10-21T13:32:19Z")

</div>

If it’s the same problem like mentioned right here ([Object not loading when using MTLLoader](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/object-not-loading-when-using-mtlloader/4575/2?u=mugen87)), I suggest you post a question at the 3ds max forum. For some reasons, the respective OBJ/MTL exporter produces a black diffuse color. `three.js` parses and renders these files according to the (unofficial) standard.

[http://paulbourke.net/dataformats/obj/](http://paulbourke.net/dataformats/obj/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mithradantor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/mithradantor/32/2979_2.png) [@mithradantor](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/mithradantor)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582/3 "2018-10-21T16:48:24Z")

</div>

Just my luck then hahaha… but good to know, thanks for your answer, now I dont have to look any further 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FrankSilvaHM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/franksilvahm/32/117_2.png) [@FrankSilvaHM](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/FrankSilvaHM)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582/4 "2018-10-21T17:01:18Z")

</div>

Switch to glTF 2.0… Never look back.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mithradantor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/mithradantor/32/2979_2.png) [@mithradantor](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/mithradantor)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/materials-show-up-black-sometimes/4582/5 "2018-10-21T17:03:18Z")

</div>

Good one, I’ll look into that 🙂