Published at Oysterworld blog
When it comes to creating textures for relatively low poly models in game, you have the freedom to fake detail when necessary. The idea is to create an illusion with your paint work and make it seem like the object you are creating a texture for has far more geometry and detail than it actually does in polygons. This is not far from Street Art Illusions where it tricks viewers in seeing a massive hole in the ground where there is just flat road.
Some artists seem to like following the edge of the polygons of their UVs when they paint their textures, this may be because it seems right to follow when you've modeled them purposely to be the edge of a material/object, but a few tricks can improve the shape and look of the object- especially if the surface they are on is relatively flat.
I've created a padlock with an unfinished texture to show you the difference it makes to cut corners (literally and not figuratively).
The freedom of this style is you can paint all the detail you want in spite of the geometry. When painting your texture, try your best to treat it as a painting, and not worry so much about the what geometry you have modeled. It will most likely turn out better than you expect.
When it comes to creating textures for relatively low poly models in game, you have the freedom to fake detail when necessary. The idea is to create an illusion with your paint work and make it seem like the object you are creating a texture for has far more geometry and detail than it actually does in polygons. This is not far from Street Art Illusions where it tricks viewers in seeing a massive hole in the ground where there is just flat road.
Some artists seem to like following the edge of the polygons of their UVs when they paint their textures, this may be because it seems right to follow when you've modeled them purposely to be the edge of a material/object, but a few tricks can improve the shape and look of the object- especially if the surface they are on is relatively flat.
I've created a padlock with an unfinished texture to show you the difference it makes to cut corners (literally and not figuratively).
The freedom of this style is you can paint all the detail you want in spite of the geometry. When painting your texture, try your best to treat it as a painting, and not worry so much about the what geometry you have modeled. It will most likely turn out better than you expect.
