Embedded Files
You Need to Know
If you are new to the 3D texturing process then chances are you’ve heard some terms
being tossed around that you might not fully understand. This article will go over some of
the most common texturing terminology you are likely to encounter so you will be more
comfortable when deciding which map to use or what was that term they just referenced?
Texture Mapping
Texture Mapping
To create a surface that resembles real life you need
to turn to texture mapping. This process is similar
to adding decorative paper to a white box. In 3D,
texture mapping is the process of adding graphics to
a polygon object. These graphics can be photographs
to original designs. Textures can help age your
object, and give it more appeal and realism.
Shading
Shading
A shader describes the entire material on an
object, how the light is reflected, how it’s absorbed,
translucency and bump maps, which you will learn
about a little later on in this post. Shaders and
textures can often times be confused, but a texture
is something that gets connected to a shader to give
the 3D object its particular look.
UV Mapping
UV Mapping
A UV Map is a 3D model unwrapped into a flat 2D layout.
Each face of the 3D model is placed onto this 2D space. This tells the software where each part of a texture should appear on the model.
Think of it like unfolding a cardboard box so that all of its sides are laid out flat.
This makes it easier to correctly apply textures and details to a 3D model.
Specularity
Specularity
Specularity controls how strongly a surface reflects light.
Higher specularity makes a surface look shiny and reflective, while lower specularity makes it look dull or matte.
For example, polished metal would have high specularity, while concrete would have much lower specularity.
This helps show what type of material an object is made from.
Normals
Normals
A Normal is an invisible line that points out from the surface of a 3D model.
It tells the software which way a face is pointing and which side is the front.
If a Normal is facing the wrong direction, the face may appear invisible or display incorrectly in a game engine or render.
Making sure Normals face the correct direction is important before texturing, exporting or rendering a model.
Albedo MAP
Albedo MAP
An Albedo Map controls the base colour of a material.
It shows the surface’s colour without lighting, shadows or reflections.
For example, if you are creating a wooden table, the Albedo Map would contain the colours and patterns of the wood.
Normal Maps
Normal Maps
A Normal Map adds the appearance of extra surface detail without adding more polygons to the model.
It can make a low-poly model appear to have details such as bumps, grooves, wrinkles or small shapes.
Normal Maps are commonly used in games because they allow models to look more detailed while keeping the polygon count low.
They usually appear blue and purple because they use RGB colour information to tell the software how light should react to the surface.
Height
Height
A Height Map adds raised and lowered details to the surface of a material.
It uses a black and white image to control the height of the surface.
White = higher areas
Black = lower areas
Grey = areas in between
Unlike a Normal Map, a Height Map can be used to change the shape of the surface, rather than only creating the illusion of detail.
Transparancy Map
Transparancy Map
A Transparency Map controls which parts of a material are visible or transparent.
It uses a black and white image to control this:
White = visible
Black = transparent
For example, a fence can use a Transparency Map to create the gaps between the links, instead of modelling every gap in 3D. This can save time and reduce the number of polygons needed.
Metallic
Metallic
A Metalness Map controls which parts of a material look like metal.
It usually uses black and white values:
White = metal
Black = non-metal
For example, a model could use a Metalness Map to make screws, handles or other metal parts look different from materials such as wood or plastic.
ROUGHNESS MAP
ROUGHNESS MAP
A Roughness Map controls how shiny or matte a material looks.
It affects how light reflects from the surface.
Low roughness = smooth and shiny, like polished plastic.
High roughness = rough and matte, like stone or chalk.
Roughness Maps help different parts of a material react differently to light.
Baking
Baking
Texture Baking saves information from a detailed 3D model or scene into a texture map.
This can include information such as lighting, shadows and surface details.
Baking is useful in games because some details can be saved into textures instead of being calculated every frame.
This can help improve game performance while keeping the model looking detailed.
Resources
Resources
Page updated
Report abuse