The next phrase of 3D Modelling would be texturing, which has many aspects to consider, such as materials and texture maps. Depending on which materials are used, the types of texture maps that can be applied change. For example, some materials like Blinn in Maya already have Specular Maps by default. Other materials like the Arnold materials have different attributes.
However, the Arnold textures can be rendered out using an Arnold light in the Arnold renderer, without which the geometry won't show up. There are also many different types of texture maps, which can all be used to add different effects to a model.
Diffuse Maps:
Diffuse Maps are the colour of a model. With all the other maps on top of them, the colours used are usually solid colours without much variation. The shading of a model usually comes from the Normal/Bump Maps and Specular Maps, which is why this map doesn't feature any of it. The material applied to the model can also assist in adding shading to a model.
Normal/Bump Maps:
Normal/Bump Maps add things like shading and scratches to a model. They usually appear as purple image files, as they work in RGB (red, green, and blue) to dictate which direction the light should be bouncing off a model.
Specular Maps:
This Map describes where the shine on a model will be. It appears as a black and white map, with the white being the shiniest parts.
Emissive Maps:
Emissive Maps are used on certain areas of a model to make components glow.
In Substance Painter, there are other channels of Texture Maps that can be used as well:
Albedo/Colour:
An Albedo is Substance Painter's version of a Diffuse Map.
Roughness:
A Map similar to a Normal/Bump Map.
Clarity:
A black and white map that can be used for masking other texture layers.
Ambient Occlusion:
Ambient Occlusion is also something that can be used as a mask. It's essentially a layer of shadows that can be used to add grime and depth to a model. The simplest way to explain it is as a marble, Roman statue, which are shaded in the same way in real life. As a mask, it can be used to rub away a layer of paint to add age to a model.
Curves:
A type of map that picks up on the curves of a model.
Thickness:
Is used to pick up on the thicker parts of a model.
Metal:
This map is used to add a metallic texture to components of a model. This, doubled with a Roughness Map can act as a Normal/Bump Map.
Position:
This Map isn't used for texturing, and instead to differentiate between multiple piece of geometry to see where they connect. The components are each assigned a different colour, which can be used to identify them.
There is also such a thing as a Displacement Map, which realistically creates geometry depending on how a model is moved or positioned. Because of this, it's very large in size, and cannot be used in games. The alternative is Normal/Bump Maps, which, as stated above.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to texture any of the models I've created. This is a real shame, but if I could've textured them, this is how I would've done it:
Revolver:
The materials I would use for the revolver are Blinn and Phong for the metallic parts, and Lambert for the wooden handle. Phong and Blinn already have specular, but Lambert does not. The channels I have to work with are colour and normal/bump, so that's what I'd need to create in Substance Painter.
Then, in Substance Painter, I'd start by colouring it with an Albedo, and then adding roughness and metal to describe the texture of the model. I could even try and add some scratches and rust to add more character to the model. I could also use Ambient Occlusion to mask out places for the rust to be, which would limit it to the crevices, making it more realistic.
I could also use an Ambient Occlusion map to mask away some lacquer on the wooden handle, which may have chipped in places around the edges of the geometry. Substance Painter also allows Normal Maps to be applied as stamps, so I could create some lines of Celtic runes in Photoshop and apply them along the edges of the revolver's barrel and frame.
Here's an example of how that could look. I made this using copyright free images off the web and converted them into a Normal Map using Photoshop. Below are the image links:
Tower:
The tower would be Lambert, but I would cut out the window and make them Phong to give them more of a shine. In Substance Painter, I would colour the tower dark grey to look like stone and then use a Normal Map stamp of stone-brick to create all of the textures. This could easily be created from a photo, and applied to all sides.
The bevelled sections of the balconies could contain some more runic inscriptions as the revolver, which would help tie the two together.
Door:
The main door would be a lambert, with the handles being Phong. The main door would then be textured to look like wood, with some sort of Celtic design/motif in the bevels of the doors. The handles would also have some sort of design on them, and would have Roughness and Metal Maps applied to them.
Depending on if I wanted the door to look ancient, I could add rust to them in the same way as stated above for the revolver. The door could also be made to look more weathered in places in the Albedo by adding patches of duller colours. If I did this on a separate layer, I could duplicate it and use it as a mask if I added a layer of 'shine' to the door, having the duller sections exempt from it.
Despite not being able to texture, I still had fun researching into the different parts of a texture and what goes into creating them. If I get the chance to texture a model in future, I'll definitely be more prepared to tackle it than I was before.
Link to the Autodesk website's page about surface materials:
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