To open the Shader Editor, you can either use a WorkSpace for shading

or swap an existing division in your interface with the Shader Editor. For

instance, you can use the Timeline area from the default user interface

and open a Shader Editor (Figure 5.5).

Figure 5.5 - Shader Editor

With the Shader Editor, you will see blocks of information for materials

that receive the name of Node. You connect Nodes like a workflow of

information from left to right. For materials, you always have the last

Node on a chain as the "Material Output," and what comes before this

Node will depend on the material you create.

A few important facts about Nodes:

Each Node could have input and output sockets that are those

circles on the side of each Node. For instance, you will see

Shaders having both input and output. The "Material Output" Node

only has input sockets.