How can you avoid common texturing mistakes?

1 Low resolution textures

One of the most obvious texturing mistakes is using low resolution textures that look blurry, pixelated, or stretched. Low resolution textures can make your models look cheap and unprofessional, and they can also affect your performance and memory usage. To avoid this mistake, you should always use high resolution textures that match the size and scale of your models. You can also use tools like Photoshop or Substance Painter to create or edit your textures, and use filters or sharpening to enhance their quality.

2 Inconsistent lighting and shading

Another common texturing mistake is using inconsistent lighting and shading on your textures. This can create unrealistic or unnatural effects, such as shadows that do not match the light direction, highlights that are too bright or dull, or colors that are too saturated or desaturated. To avoid this mistake, you should always use consistent lighting and shading on your textures, and match them to the environment and mood of your scene. You can also use tools like Blender or Maya to create or adjust your lighting and shading, and use HDR maps or image-based lighting to create realistic reflections and illumination.

3 Mismatched seams and UVs

A third common texturing mistake is having mismatched seams and UVs on your textures. This can create visible or ugly lines, gaps, or distortions on your models, especially on curved or complex surfaces. To avoid this mistake, you should always use seamless textures that wrap around your models smoothly, and avoid using tiled or repeated textures that can create patterns or repetition. You should also use tools like 3ds Max or ZBrush to create or edit your UVs, and use unwrapping or projection methods to minimize distortion and stretching.

4 Lack of detail and variation

A fourth common texturing mistake is having lack of detail and variation on your textures. This can make your models look flat, boring, or unrealistic, and miss the opportunity to create interest and depth. To avoid this mistake, you should always add detail and variation to your textures, such as scratches, dirt, rust, wear, or grunge. You can also use tools like Quixel Mixer or Substance Designer to create or generate your textures, and use layers, masks, or blending modes to mix and match different textures and materials.

5 Ignoring normal and specular maps

A fifth common texturing mistake is ignoring normal and specular maps on your textures. Normal maps are textures that create the illusion of depth and detail on your models, by simulating the bumps and grooves of the surface. Specular maps are textures that control the shininess and reflectivity of your models, by defining the areas that are more or less glossy. Ignoring these maps can make your models look flat, dull, or plastic, and lose the realism and quality of your textures. To avoid this mistake, you should always use normal and specular maps on your textures, and match them to the color and bump of your base texture. You can also use tools like CrazyBump or Normal Map Online to create or convert your normal and specular maps, and use bump or displacement maps to add more detail and realism.

6 Forgetting about scale and proportion

A sixth and final common texturing mistake is forgetting about scale and proportion on your textures. This can make your models look out of place, unrealistic, or disproportionate, and break the immersion and consistency of your scene. To avoid this mistake, you should always consider the scale and proportion of your textures, and match them to the size and shape of your models. You can also use tools like Unity or Unreal Engine to create or test your textures, and use reference images or measurements to check the scale and proportion of your textures.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?