How do you learn and improve your Substance Designer skills with online resources and communities?

2 Explore the library

One of the best ways to learn and improve your Substance Designer skills is to explore the library of materials and assets that are available online. You can access thousands of free and paid materials, filters, functions, and presets from Substance Source, the online platform of Allegorithmic. You can also browse and download materials from other users on platforms like ArtStation, Gumroad, and Substance Share. These resources will inspire you, show you different techniques and styles, and help you build your own library.

3 Experiment with nodes

Another way to learn and improve your Substance Designer skills is to experiment with nodes and see how they affect your material. Nodes are the building blocks of your material, and they allow you to manipulate inputs, outputs, colors, shapes, patterns, and effects. You can try different combinations, settings, and connections of nodes and observe the changes in the 2D and 3D views. You can also use the built-in nodes or create your own custom nodes with the function editor.

4 Follow the experts

You can also learn and improve your Substance Designer skills by following the experts and professionals who use the software for their projects. You can find many talented artists and designers who share their work, tips, and insights on social media, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube. You can follow their accounts, watch their videos, read their articles, and learn from their experience and feedback. Some of the experts you can follow are Daniel Thiger, Josh Lynch, Rogelio Olguin, and Wes McDermott.

5 Join the community

You can also learn and improve your Substance Designer skills by joining the community of other users and enthusiasts who share your passion and interest. You can join online forums, groups, and discord servers where you can ask questions, get answers, share your work, give and receive feedback, and participate in challenges and contests. You can also network with other users, make friends, and collaborate on projects. Some of the community platforms you can join are Substance Forum, Reddit, Facebook, and ArtStation.

6 Keep practicing

The final and most important way to learn and improve your Substance Designer skills is to keep practicing and applying what you learn. You can practice by creating your own materials, recreating existing materials, or following tutorials and courses. You can also practice by working on personal or professional projects that require Substance Designer skills. The more you practice, the more you will improve your skills, confidence, and creativity.

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?