Abstract: In the composition of virtual scenes, besides three-dimensional geometric models, the most important element is the appearance of object surfaces. Physically-based modeling and realistic rendering of materials are crucial means to ensure the realism of virtual scenes. However, due to the diversity and complexity of real-world material appearance, research on realistic materials has been a hot and challenging topic in the field of computer graphics. In this paper, we summarize numerous relevant works on material appearance, categorizing them into two main aspects: appearance modeling and realistic rendering of materials. Furthermore, material models are divided into two major categories: general material models with board representational space and special material models tailored for materials such as hair and fabric. Material rendering methods are also classified into two types: point-sampling optimization for offline rendering and material pre-filtering for real-time rendering. Finally, three potential directions for material research are pointed out: neural network materials, wave optics materials and a unified standard of material, providing insights for future research in this field.