Photorealistic Materials and Textures in Blender Cycles - Fourth Edition

Master texturing and rendering to create realistic materials in Blender like a pro by exploring the various tools and workflows and understanding the underlying mechanism of realismKey FeaturesUnderstand the underlying workings in Blender that allow the creation of materials and texturesMasterfully render and present your 3D artwork by simulating highly realistic environments, lights, and visual effects in CyclesPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionBlender is one of the most versatile tools in the 3D software industry, and with a growing audience and constantly expanding set of features, it has become more powerful, useful, and in demand than ever before. This updated fourth edition of Photorealistic Materials and Textures in Blender Cycles is an all-inclusive guide to procedural texturing, rendering, and designing materials in Blender, covering all aspects of the 3D texturing workflow.The book begins by introducing you to Blender’s material nodes and material property functions, and then helps you create photorealistic textures by understanding texture maps and mapping them to 3D models. As you advance, you’ll learn to design high-quality environments and lighting using HDRIs and Blender’s lighting options. By exploring, breaking down, and studying the underlying mechanics that allow you to develop these elements, you’ll create any material, texture, or environment and use it to improve your artwork and present them in a professional way. Finally, you’ll discover how to correctly set up scenes and render settings, and get to grips with the key elements of achieving realism.By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a solid understanding of materials, textures, shading, lighting, rendering, and all the critical aspects of achieving the highest quality with your 3D artwork.What you will learnCreate realistic materials in Blender using material nodesUnderstand physically based rendering (PBR) materials to create high-quality texturesComplete a 3D model design with materials by correctly mapping texturesHarness Blender’s texture painting features to create custom texturesCreate realistic lighting and HDRI environments for your modelsControl, animate, and optimize the 3D camera to prepare your scenesRender your scenes into beautiful artworkWho this book is forIf you want to learn how to create high-quality materials, textures, and renders to enhance your Blender skills and become a professional 3D artist, then this book is for you. Game developers, 3D artists, architects, animators, freelancers, and other professionals who aim for realism, quality, and aesthetics will also find this book useful. Although no previous material or texturing knowledge is required, a basic understanding of the Blender UI and modeling experience will help you make the most of this book.Table of ContentsCreating Materials in BlenderIntroducing Material NodesMapping Images with NodesAchieving Realism with Texture MapsGenerating Texture Maps with CyclesCreating Bumpy Surfaces with Displacement MapsUV-Unwrapping 3D Models for TexturingBaking Ambient Occlusion MapsIntroducing Texture PaintingCreating Photorealistic Textures on a 3D ModelLighting a Scene in CyclesCreating Photorealistic Environments with HDRIsPreparing the Camera for RenderingRendering with Cycles