How do you create realistic materials and textures for your 3D models?

Materials are like outfits for 3D objects, deciding how they appear—smooth, shiny, see-through, or a combination. To tweak these looks, we use math or images along with materials. These images are called textures, and they're like pictures in a 3D world. Textures do many jobs in 3D software, similar to how we use images in Photoshop—as layers, overlays, or brushes. And it's essential to know that textures aren't just for materials; they're handy in various ways in the 3D world.

Materials: In 3D modeling, materials define how an object interacts with light. They encompass properties like color, reflectivity, transparency, and more. Textures: Textures are 2D images applied to 3D models. They add detail and realism, like the grain on wood or the roughness of concrete.

A material is a display of various channels (base color, reflectivity, metalness, normal, transparency, emissivity) that define how an object interacts with light. Textures are 2D images that can be used in these channels of the material. Through textures you can add greater realism to the material, a variety of values in roughness or metallicity and surface displacement.

PBR textures are almost ubiquitous now, and most 3D software is striving for realistic textures. There are dozens of archives from BlenderKit and Poliigon to Substance Painter for creating realistic materials, but in the end, the real key to realistic materials is lighting, composition, and the render engine. Some engines are great with near-perfect realistic materials like Unreal, Octane, and Cycles, while Eevee is going to take significantly more adjustments and refinement to get the PBR realism you are seeking.

Define Properties: Understand the physical properties of your object. Is it metal, plastic, or fabric? Adjust color, reflectivity, and other parameters accordingly. Use Material Editors: Most 3D software has material editors. Dive into these to tweak settings. Experiment and preview changes to see how materials react to light.

The best way to create realistic materials is by understanding how those materials work in real life. PBR materials are based on real physics and you can use this information to make your material very similar to reality. You also need to properly adjust the lighting and rendering.

Making materials for 3D models is like choosing the look of your 3D objects. You can do it in two ways—procedural (using rules) or non-procedural (by hand). Most modern 3D tools support a method called PBR, making it easier. Some tools, like Blender, let you paint textures directly. If not, you can use programs like Substance or Mari. Also, remember to unwrap your model—it's like turning a 3D shape into a flat surface. One more thing to think about is the render engine. There are two types: biased and unbiased. Just pick the one that suits what you're making!

Texture Maps: Create texture maps for different properties (color map, normal map, etc.). Tools like Photoshop or Substance Painter are great for this. Detail Matters: Pay attention to details. High-resolution textures can make the difference between a good and a jaw-dropping 3D model.

UV Mapping: Understand UV mapping – it's like unwrapping your 3D model onto a 2D plane. Proper UV mapping ensures textures are applied accurately. Texture Channels: Learn to apply different texture channels. For example, a specular map defines shininess, while a displacement map adds depth.

In order to apply textures (which are naturally 2D images) to a 3D model, you first need to flatten said model to match. This process is called Unwrap, or UV Mapping. If we didn't, our texture would be deformed as it tried to adopt the 3D shape (it's like wrapping a ball in wrapping paper. It will never look good on you)

You have to consider: - Texture resolution, for this you must also take into account how protagonist the object is in your scene. - Make the most of UV Tiles to avoid wasting space. - Do not create unnecessary materials

Resolution Consideration: Optimize texture resolution. Use higher resolutions for close-up shots and lower resolutions for distant objects. Compression Techniques: Explore compression techniques. Formats like JPEG or PNG can be compressed without sacrificing too much quality.

Material and texture optimization is a vast topic. Consider the following: Texture resolution and formats, Compression Techniques, Material Instances, LOD, Texture Atlases, Shader Complexity, efficient Unwrapping. In gaming, be cautious about optimizing textures. One method is mapping non-color maps into different channels of a single texture. For example, a PNG will have four channels: RGB and alpha. R can be Roughness, G can be Metallic, B can be Specular, and alpha can be transparency.

A great way to improve your skills in creating textures is to research how real-world materials are categorized and identified using scientific properties. Translucent materials will have a specific IOR, while density and heat will effect smoke materials, etc. As you develop a stronger understanding of how real-world materials react to lighting and atmosphere, it will become more innate to create stylized versions of those materials that fit into cartoon or clay material versions.

Online Tutorials: Platforms like LinkedIn Learning and YouTube offer a plethora of tutorials. Learn from industry experts and follow along with practical examples. Feedback Loop: Share your work with the LinkedIn community or other forums. Constructive feedback is a goldmine for improvement. Experiment and Iterate: Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try recreating real-world materials. The more you play, the more you learn.

You must practice a lot of time. If possible, a little every day. Base yourself on online tutorials. Publish your work to receive feedback.

Online tutorials and courses from youtube or udemy or any other website. Look for references and tests things out. Ask for feedback online.

Materials don't always have to be realistic; it depends on the project. For a surreal project, realism might not be the goal—make it believable instead. Shading is just one part; lighting is equally crucial. Achieving realism is a balance of various factors. Technical expertise is valuable, but creativity and imagination are the true keys. Remember, it takes time to master these skills.

I always use Adobe Substance 3D Painter and Zbrush For texture. I used these two according to the model(sometimes texture would be realistic, sometimes just abstract).

Stay Updated: Follow industry trends on LinkedIn. 3D software evolves, and new techniques emerge. Stay in the loop to keep your skills sharp. Networking: Connect with fellow 3D artists on LinkedIn. Join groups, participate in discussions, and learn from the experiences of others in the field. Portfolio Showcasing: Build a killer portfolio showcasing your material and texture work. This is your visual resume; make it impressive.