Messing with shader options

Pictured above is a very quick "gem shaped" object that's been duplicated, on a plane which exists for testing reflections.  The gem on the right was textured by using a ramp shader preset 'glass' tinted red, and on the left is my attempt to recreate it using a phong. 

I much prefer the reflection created by the ramp shader, but I prefer the reflection within the phong as well as the overall color of it.

Textures and lighting for the bouncing ball

Quick post showing the bouncing ball tutorial with textures and lighting added to the scene. The hoop is a simple color texture, the floor pattern is achieved with a grid style texture with added noise in multiple dimensions, and the ball is an imported file drawn in paint.