Texture

A texture is a two-dimensional image applied to a surface. Wrap an oak pattern over a flat rectangle and it becomes a floor; wrap a concrete photo over a box and it becomes an exposed concrete wall. Because it adds rich surface appearance without changing the geometry, it is one of the most basic tools in 3D modelling.

Types of texture

In everyday speech “texture” usually means the colour image, but in a PBR workflow one material is built from several textures: colour (albedo), roughness, normal, bump or displacement maps. Each carries a different property of the surface. When they are derived from the same source, they line up perfectly.

Getting textures right

• Scale: match the real size; a giant brick or a tiny floorboard gives the game away at once.
• Repetition: on large surfaces the repeat should not be noticeable; use variation or larger maps.
• Resolution: surfaces close to the camera need more pixels.
• Alignment: wood grain and tile joints should run the way they would on site.

For practical advice on finding and applying them, see SketchUp textures.