In Canvas Studio, an environment is the global backdrop and lighting reference that every object in your scene samples, provided their material allows for it. Technically, it’s an infinitely large “sky dome” (or cubemap) that provides two things: 1) the visible background you see when geometry doesn’t fill the frame, and 2) an environment map that the renderer uses for image-based lighting (IBL). When a PBR material needs ambient radiance or specular reflections, it looks up pixels from this map, so swapping the environment will change how metals gleam, how plastics pick up color, and how shadows fill. Environments are selected in the Scene tab of the backend settings, and further options appear in the Contextual Options Panel once the Scene section of the Outliner Panel is clicked: these include blurriness, intensity and rotation for the environments.
Cube Loader – imports a six-sided skybox (right, left, top, bottom, front, back) in JPG or PNG format and wraps it around the scene for instant background imagery and basic reflections.
HDR – applies a 32-bit equirectangular or cubemap texture that provides high-dynamic-range reflections and diffuse lighting, adding realistic color bounce and specular highlights.
Ultra HDR – pushes image-based lighting further with tone-mapping presets and optional bloom, giving glass, metal, and water an extra pop while keeping shadows filmic and rich.
Linear Fog – fades objects with a straight-line gradient based on distance; perfect for dusty deserts, indoor haze, or simply hiding far-away geometry in stylized scenes.
Exponential Fog – multiplies the fade by an exponential curve, creating a denser, more atmospheric roll-off that mimics heavy mist or deep ocean murk.
Mix and match these environment tools to ground your assets in a convincing world. Drop in a cube map for quick context, upgrade to an HDR for physically based reflections, and finish with just the right fog curve to push mood, depth, and visual clarity exactly where you want them.