# Materials

Materials can impact both project size and rendering performance, especially when using advanced visual effects. 

Here are some tips and recommendations to help optimize material usage:

* **Remove unused materials** – if you've experimented with materials during scene creation, some objects may have multiple materials assigned. Remove any unused or unnecessary materials to reduce project size.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2FRTwl6DqMwSlpwvPWQUWc%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a1682aa2-88ef-4231-8c28-c9866093c4cc" alt="" width="279"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

* **Optimize Opacity usage**\ <br>

  * When using [**Opacity**](https://help.vectary.com/documentation/design-process/materials-and-textures/basic-materials/opacity), prefer the **Mask** method whenever possible. It has minimal performance impact and can often deliver better visual results.\ <br>
  * The **Blend** method can significantly affect performance, especially when transparent objects are placed in front of other geometry.\ <br>
  * Avoid covering large areas of the screen with **Blend**-based opacity to maintain smooth rendering.<br>

  <div align="left"><figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2FICl9PEl4mX3LY2z89k6R%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=b1ddcde3-a347-4541-90b3-2d8260ab2932" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p><br><br></p></figcaption></figure></div>

* **Use** [**Subsurface**](https://help.vectary.com/documentation/design-process/materials-and-textures/advanced-materials/subsurface) **cautiously** – this property has a medium impact on performance. Try not to apply it to materials that occupy most of the screen.\ <br>

* **Refraction usage** – [Refraction](https://help.vectary.com/documentation/design-process/materials-and-textures/advanced-materials/refraction) can be very demanding. If used on large objects or elements that take up a lot of screen space, it can dramatically reduce performance. Use sparingly.\ <br>

* **Clearcoat** – in certain cases, [Clearcoat](https://help.vectary.com/documentation/design-process/materials-and-textures/advanced-materials/clearcoat) may have a moderate effect on performance. Avoid using it extensively across the scene, especially on full-screen elements.