Method and apparatus for digitizing the appearance of a real material

A system and method of determining data representing a mapping of optical signals described by image data of a reflecting surface of a structure to a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is provided. At least first, second and third light sources are provided, comprising a broadband point light source, a spectrally variable point light source and a movable linear broadband light source, respectively. First, second and third images are acquired, corresponding to each light source. Surface geometry data describing a three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is acquired. Based on the image data and the surface geometry data, reflecting surface mapping data describing a mapping between the reflections described by the first image data, second image data and third image data, and the three-dimensional surface geometry of the reflecting surface is determined.