1. In a computer, a method of efficiently representing scalar appearance attributes in a mesh data model of a multi-dimensional object for use in rendering graphics images, the method comprising the steps of: grouping sets of contiguous, adjacent corners at vertices of a conceptual mesh that share identical scalar appearance attributes into wedges; specifying a plurality of wedge records to represent the wedges in the mesh data model; and specifying scalar appearance attributes in association with the wedge records in the mesh data model.