Types of Textures, How to Apply and Places Where to Get Them

Have you ever taken a close look at a character from your favorite video game or cartoon? Have you noticed that their clothes are wrinkled, their skin has tiny bumps, and their hair appears to be soft? All those minor touches that make them appear almost real. That is the wonder of textures.

Think of textures as special wrapping paper. Consider starting with a plain cardboard box—it’s kind of boring, right? But with the correct texture, that box can transform into a gnarled pirate treasure chest, a rugged castle wall, or even a soft, fluffy monster.

What Are Textures Made of?

Textures might seem fancy, but they're actually pretty simple. They're just photographs, similar to the ones on your phone. But instead of photos of your friends or your dog, texture painters create unique graphics that can transform a 3D model pattern into anything—a wooden table, a rusted metal robot, a field of fluffy grass—you name it. 

Some textures even feature extra characteristics, such as bumps and ridges, that make them appear (and nearly feel) realistic.

Types of Textures

3D textures: Image source: CGTrader.

Let us take a deeper look at some of the most frequent varieties.

1. 3D Textures

These are the most basic and adaptable textures available. They apply color and patterns to the surface of your 3D object. Think of them like photographs; they can display a solid color, a precise image of wood grain, or anything else you can imagine!

Examples and Applications:

• Architectural Visualization: Wood grain textures for furniture, marble textures for floors.
• Video Games: Realistic environmental elements, like grass and stone paths.
• Product Design: Simulating materials such as fabric, leather, or metal on 3D prototypes.

2. PBR Textures (Physically Based Rendering)

Okay, the term sounds technical, but the concept is straightforward. PBR textures allow your 3D models to react to light in the same way that objects do in the real world. A metal PBR texture makes your model glossy and reflective, whereas a stone PBR texture can make it look wet or dry, depending on the lighting. These textures are awesome for making things extra realistic.

Examples and applications:

• Game development: Creating more immersive and realistic game environments.
• Virtual reality (VR): Enhancing the sense of presence with materials that behave naturally under various lighting conditions.
• Film and animation: For props and sets that need to integrate seamlessly with live-action footage.

3. Animated Textures

If you want to give your models some movement, animated textures are recommended. They are like miniature videos that play directly on their surface. You can consider a flickering campfire or a moving river—anything that moves. They help bring your 3D creations to life with ease and they make them look real too.

Examples and applications:

• Video Games: Animated water for rivers and seas, flickering flames of a campfire.
• Interactive Media: Background animations for immersive experiences, such as moving clouds or rippling water.
• Advertising and Marketing: Eye-catching animations on product models, such as shimmering surfaces or flowing liquids.

How to Put Textures on Your 3D Models

To add textures, you beed to begin with the basics. The foundation mesh functions as your model's skeleton, defining the overall shape you want to build. You can create it from scratch in 3D modeling software or begin with a pre-made shape to get a head start.

There are various tools that you can use in the process, but we recommend using SelfCAD. SelfCAD is a powerful 3D design software that allows you to create 3D models and even apply textures. It has a user-friendly interface and you don’t need to have previous experience in 3D modeling to use it. The video below shows how to apply textures to your 3D models in SelfCAD and even do UV mapping.

To learn mapping and applying custom textures, you can check the video below.

Unwrapping

Unwrapping is not about removing anything from your model. Special techniques allow us to picture your 3D model's surface as fully flat. This "unwrapped" version functions similarly to a map, allowing you to determine exactly how the textures will fit on the final model. A rigorous unwrapping effort ensures that the textures seem smooth and amazing.

Where to Find Textures

The internet is a treasure trove of awesome 3D textures. You can find tons of amazing download options from the following websites.

1. Poly haven: Poly haven offers a wide selection of high-quality, PBR (Physically Based Rendering) textures, including diffuse, normal, displacement, and specular maps, all available for free download.

2. CC0 textures: CC0 Textures provides a vast library of high-resolution textures, licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 license, allowing for unrestricted use in both personal and commercial projects.

3. Textures.com: It offers a vast collection of textures for various materials, including wood, metal, fabric, and stone, available in different resolutions and formats.

4. Poliigon: Poliigon offers a premium selection of photorealistic textures, including surface imperfections, procedural materials, and HDR environment maps, ideal for creating lifelike renders.

5. SketchUp texture club: SketchUp texture club provides a curated collection of textures specifically tailored for architectural visualization, interior design, and 3D modeling, available for free or with a premium membership.

6. Texture ninja: Texture Ninja offers a collection of free textures, including seamless textures, brushes, and alpha masks, suitable for various applications, from game development to graphic design.

Superpowers for Your Models

Okay, maybe textures don't give your models literal superpowers, but the feeling is pretty close. Learning how to use textures transforms your creations. Suddenly, you can make your own incredible video game characters with crazy outfits and unique details. 

Want to build a magical forest for an animation? Textures are how you make the trees look realistic, and the sunlight dappling through the leaves looks just right. Even designing awesome toys starts with 3D models, and textures bring them to life with cool colors and patterns. The possibilities are seriously endless.

---

Enjoy powerful modeling, rendering, and 3D printing tools without the steep learning curve.

Need to learn 3D modeling? Get started with interactive tutorials.