---
title: "Surface Tangent"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/html/COM_REDSHIFT3D_REDSHIFT4C4D_NODES_CORE_SURFACETANGENT.html"
section_path: "The Node Editor > Redshift Nodes > Redshift Utility Nodes > Surface Tangent"
element_id: "COM_REDSHIFT3D_REDSHIFT4C4D_NODES_CORE_SURFACETANGENT"
description: "This page refers to the Surface Tangent node of the Redshift renderer in Cinema 4D. It outputs the surface tangent direction — useful for controlling …"
---

# Surface Tangent

> **Note:** **What is it about?**
>
> This page refers to the **Surface Tangent node** of the Redshift renderer in **Cinema 4D**. It outputs the surface tangent direction — useful for controlling anisotropic highlights or building custom vector-based shading setups.

## Overview

The Surface Tangent node has one purpose, to control the direction of anisotropic reflections when connected to an OpenPBR material. The OpenPBR material accepts a Surface Tangent in the Anisotropy Tangent ports for both Specular reflection and Coat reflections.

## Example Graph

Connect a Surface Tangent to the Anisotropy Tangent in the Specular or Coat inputs of an OpenPBR material.

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| ![Image: C4D_Surface_Tangent_Ex_UI.png](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/en-us/Content/_REDSHIFT_/Resources/Images/InSnippets_Redshift/Shaders/RS_OpenPBR/C4D_Surface_Tangent_Ex_UI.png) |