ThomasR <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> For example, I'd like to understand how the color of a simple object with a
> simple pigment in a simple configuration is calculated

  The simplest bare-bones scenes in POV-Ray use the Phong reflection model
(not to be confused with "phong highlights" of the finish block, altough
it's related):

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phong_shading

  The article gives the values from which you should be able to construct
a BRDF of said model.

  (Of course POV-Ray implements additional lighting models which can be
used in addition to, or instead of, the Phong reflection model, such as
the stochastic inter-reflection of surfaces algorithm by Greg Ward (named
"radiosity" in POV-Ray, although it's not to be confused with the algorithm
of the same name used in scanline rendering) and photon mapping.)

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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