Ambient occlusion is the soft shading that occurs naturally in a scene as objects block ambient light from reaching certain surfaces. The interactive visualization below demonstrates this concept. Move the sliders to control the number of scattered ambient light rays and the disance between the sphere and the ground. Observe which areas of the sphere and ground are illuminated by ambient light (blue) and which are in ambient occlusion shadow (red).

Understanding and applying ambient occlusion significantly increases the realism and depth of both 3D renders and traditional artwork as it helps create a more natural distribution of light and shadow.