Need some texturing tips for my M4
polycounter lvl 8
I dont post here much, but i need some help 
Im not a very good texturer.. Animating and modeling is more of my thing.
So im currently working on an M4 ive made, and i need to create a realistic texture for it. Here's what i have so far.
Basically its 2 metal base textures (one lighter than the other) with a mask between them to simulate metal surface wear
I also have some dirt and smaller scratches on it.
Now im just wondering what tips some of the more experienced 2d artist here may have to make this texture look less like a gray blob with lighter gray blobs here and there, and more like a worn M4.
example:
http://images.defensetech.org/wp-content/uploads//2009/11/M4-afghanistan.jpg
Im not a very good texturer.. Animating and modeling is more of my thing.So im currently working on an M4 ive made, and i need to create a realistic texture for it. Here's what i have so far.
Basically its 2 metal base textures (one lighter than the other) with a mask between them to simulate metal surface wear
I also have some dirt and smaller scratches on it.
Now im just wondering what tips some of the more experienced 2d artist here may have to make this texture look less like a gray blob with lighter gray blobs here and there, and more like a worn M4.
example:
http://images.defensetech.org/wp-content/uploads//2009/11/M4-afghanistan.jpg
Replies
Check out Racer445's AK texturing tutorial. That will definitely help you. Just google it, the internets know what you are looking for.
will definately watch it again though, since it is indeed a while since i watched it
looking at that soldier's M4 from that distance... the only real noticeable wear is on the edges near the clip, top of the gun, protruding parts, ect... and in reality, most of that brightness is coming from the light reflecting off the metal and not so much the metal being scratched. a good metal spec map almost sells it more than the diffuse
even being SUPER light-handed with wear and scratches results in awesome results.. My biggest mistake starting on texturing metal was going all out crazy with scratches and stuff, where in reality, small amounts of well-placed wear is much more believable.
Just get more ref, study them, and reproduce what you're seeing. I know that doesn't sound helpful on its face but it really is that straight forward. There really isn't any trick past learning to see and reproducing what you see.
But for a more helpful hint, try googling pictures of IDF M4s. The Israeli Defense Force puts so much more wear on their rifles compared to what a lot of American guns get, they're useful for studying beater gun finishes.
for instance, check out the comical levels of wear on this IDF rifle:
original size: http://dover.idf.il/NR/rdonlyres/AAF4FBC8-C658-4E4B-95CB-2CBCC12B603D/0/weaponryphotos_cropped_big.JPG
I know you're not going for quite that worn out, but it's still a very useful picture. The lower receiver is practically 'in the white' (term for no finish applied to a gun component), but there are still hints of the original finish in the most recessed areas. On the upper, constant wear has produced near steel wool-like scuffing all along the forward assist and the carry handle. That's the kind of thing you want to do.
Just to build on what Gauss is saying, what's really gonna sell your texture is the specular map. Using his example above, the un-worn areas where the finish is still applied should be much darker on the spec maps and the worn down areas will be quite a bit brighter; the difference in specularity is largely responsible for giving that worn look. On otherwise shiny metals you do the same thing for stuff like grease build-up, oil smudges, finger-prints, etc. Your diffuse should be a lot more subtle and definitely not all splotchy-like.
block out your materials first. just use flat colors on your diffuse, spec, and gloss to get your base colors and highlights looking the same as your reference. look at LOTS of reference pictures and figure out what looks cool and pull from there. there are plenty of great looking photos of AR based rifles out there with super awesome materials, it's a shame nobody ever does it well. here's some particularly cool ones i have on hand:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1725586/guns/AR-15_Sporter_SP1_Carbine.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1725586/guns/M16A1_brimob.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1725586/guns/XM177M16od.jpg
start with that, then you can start picking and adding shapes.
Seconded. When I was in the Marines, having my M16 look like that IDF one would have gotten me written up and all liberty taken away for . . . you know, forever. I never heard of it happening, but we also were always threatened that mistreatment of our rifles was an offense we could be court-marshaled for.
I used the same M16 for nearly four years, and it got buried in sand, scraped along the ground, thrown against trees, submerged in water, and slapped around during drills and line training, and it was a rifle near 20 years old when I first got it, and it never looked like that IDF rifle. What are the Israelis doing to them? Putting them in spin dryers full of rocks?
A lot of the work on a texture on a gun is in the specular map. A near solid color diffuse with the appropriate wear in the right places can work wonders when you apply a specular that is very subtly rainbow colored like an an oil slick and has fine scratches not visible in the diffuse.
I know it is cool to have guns that look like they survived the end of the world, but less is more.
My biggest problem now is that i have no idea how to achieve effects like gradual wear (hard scratches are easy since i have some nice brushes for those) but stuff that comes over years and years of weather and handling the gun (rubbing hands on it etc) and faint rust as seen on the lower reciever in gauss's picture.
anyways.. ill be sure to post here again if i get stumped :P you guys have proved very helpful
The other interesting aside about the IDF rifles (last of this I swear) is you'll notice in the picture there's a bungie cord on the jungle clip. This is a mandatory policy of removing the mag from the rifle when a soldier is in high population areas, so they just use the bungie cord to strap it to the side of the gun (no doubt contributing to the wear).
Anyway, like I said they're a good one to remember if you want to look at ref pics of AR-15 pattern rifles that look like they've been attacked with a sand blaster.
There is a huge difference in combat ready time between flicking a switch with your thumb and seating a magazine and having to rack the charging handle to chamber a round.
I guess the IDF is just playing super politcally correct to avoid any incidents, but still . . . crazy.
Racer445 created Full Weapon Creation Tutorial on 07-08-2009 06:12 PM
tutorial is no longer available. something will be said soon.
Last edited by Racer445; 12-28-2010 at 08:51 AM..
Racer, would you be willing to put the file back up in exchange for paypal monies?
Never point the weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
Keep the weapon on safe until you intend to fire.
Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
But I guess their elaborate bungie-strapped mag works too.
BTW, Racer has a nice metal texturing tutorial at CGTuts+. You can find it here: http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/photoshop/how-to-hand-paint-convincing-metal-textures/ It's not specifically for weapons, just hand-painting metal textures in general but I certainly think it applies to this particular model
perfectblue, i don't have the videos anymore. besides they do more harm than good.
QFT
@Race445
The tutorials I've seen from you are awesome. Literally some of the best I've seen, and touching on subjects few others do. I understand being embarrassed by some things being incorrect or a bad way to do things, but I wonder whether it is better to know a flawed way of doing something than not knowing how to do it at all.
Anyway, I'm another person waving monies at you for more tutorials.
Judging by the comment on your website, there will be some good tutorials up eventually? Any ETA on these?
Otherwise I might buy this, as I have ZERO texturing experience.
CGTuts also has quite a few texturing tutorials, including an amazing tutorial by Xoliul on modeling and texturing a hot-rod that hand-painting metal textures and such.
Youre too hard on yourself.. Your AK and Sub-d tutorials are the only reason i was capable of making the m4.. Albeit the tutorials might not be entirely accurate, they still give a good idea of the principles of sub-d modeling, and they are also the best free tutorials ive found out there.
As for that eat3D tutorial, Ill really look in to buying it.. been looking for a texturing book or tutorial set for quite a while but only found some with bad reviews.