For this I rely on previously created masks and effects in my height graph. This is a divide and conquer strategy, going from large to small, from major features to small subtle nuances.Īs soon as I have a solid foundation in my main graph (usually it’s height) I start doing the albedo and gloss values. I think this is a very important step because it requires you to analyze and dissect your reference. I try to integrate each of these aspects into my substance separately, focusing only on one aspect at a time. I then identify all the aspects of my reference material: large pores, small pores, medium blobs, bubbles, puddles, etc. For my mud or tar substance, these were the large blob shapes and shapes that suggest a slow flowing movement. In those cases starting with the albedo graph can be very beneficial.Īnyway, at the very beginning I focus on the large shapes or the defining aspect of the material. But there are other materials that might rely more on realistic color values and not every albedo detail requires heavy representation in your height map, e.g. Examples for this would be mud, bricks, tiles, or maybe fabric. This is especially important for materials where shapes and normal map shading play a key role in the material’s appearance. Then I will usually focus on the generation of a realistic and believable height map. At this point I usually have a clear understanding of what I need and what my substance needs to be capable of.Īt this point I create my base PBR values for the substance. ![]() Additional images serve more as secondary references. ![]() These show the main features that I want to achieve with my material. Finally, I carefully pick between one and four main reference images. Video footage often provides more insight on how a surface reacts to light when viewed from different angles. ![]() These are usually high-resolution photos or video material. When gathering references, I start by collecting as many references as I can. This knowledge helps guide my search for reference material. As I said before, it is really helpful to understand the theory of how materials are created, which effects apply to them, and so on. The next step is to gather references and do research on the material. For the tar and lava substances in Robinson I started by talking with the Environment Artist to find out what he had in mind and how he wanted to use the substances in his level. Especially with complex materials it really helps to understand what the material is supposed to do in the level. Productionĭepending on the complexity and the briefing for the task, I might start by speaking to the person requesting the material. ![]() This makes repeating details or patterns a much bigger issue, whether it be repetition inside your substance or how your substance tiles on larger areas. Also, in nature you usually have much more chaotic and less repetitive patterns than in a human-made material. In those cases it’s best to make a decision about what kind of conditions, forms, and shapes you want to cover with your material and to really focus on those aspects instead of trying to cover everything, while mastering nothing.įor me this usually leads to more realistic results. Mud, lava, or soil come in so many different forms that a single procedural material can’t completely cover it. Here the main challenge is to carefully select your references and set clear goals. Natural materials, on the other hand, display uncountable variety of form.
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