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Kubilay Altındiş and Sefa Konuk

Have you ever wondered how the textures of 3D objects in games or movies are created? We have prepared a great course for you, starting from the basics of creating textures and materials using Adobe substance sampler and progressing to professional levels together.

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Have you ever wondered how the textures of 3D objects in games or movies are created? We have prepared a great course for you, starting from the basics of creating textures and materials using Adobe substance sampler and progressing to professional levels together.

Throughout the course, I aimed to reinforce your learning with appropriate stimulating tools using my professional knowledge and teaching background. From time to time, we will look at other programs (Example: Photoshop, Blender, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine, Unity.) or we will enrich our learning material by using 2D & 3D animations, graphics or visuals.

You will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter.

At the end of the course, whether you are a beginner hobbyist, have an infrastructure or a professional, you will definitely find something to improve yourself in the course.

Starting from the interface of Substance Sampler, we will learn all its content and use it in our applications. We will also review all the parameters of this program, which also has a large command library such as texture generators and filters. In short, this course is a Substance Sampler user manual from A to Z.

Our samples consist of the most frequently used materials in the sector. If you repeat the applications and become familiar with them. You will be able to produce countless different materials using your own creativity.

As an instructor, I am not only very knowledgeable about design, but also about educational techniques, as I took formation and pedagogy courses at the faculty of education.

Our Course includes:

  • What are the materials and their types?

  • What's the texture and their types?

  • Import & Export the textures

  • Creating shaders in Blender, Unreal Engine and Unity

  • Tweak the exposed parameters in Substance Painter and wrap your model with your texture.

  • Texture generators

  • Filters and types

  • Sample examples

  • and resources...

After the course you'll be able to:

  • work as Texture Artist, 3D Material Artist, Shader Artist

  • use Substance Sampler projessionally.

  • create your own materials, textures, masks and generators.

  • can rule the User Interface and the workspaces you'll use

  • stay updated in Substance Sampler

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What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction
Material Creation Basics
Materials
Textures
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Aims to reinforce learning with stimulating tools, using professional knowledge and a teaching background, which may help learners grasp complex concepts more easily
Covers creating shaders in Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity, which are industry-standard tools for game development and 3D rendering
Includes sample examples of frequently used materials, which allows learners to repeat applications and familiarize themselves with industry practices
Teaches how to tweak exposed parameters in Substance Painter, which allows learners to wrap their models with custom textures
Requires learners to use Adobe Substance Sampler, which may require a subscription or purchase, potentially posing a barrier to entry for some students
Explores using other programs such as Photoshop, Blender, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine, and Unity, which may require learners to have prior experience or access to these tools

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Reviews summary

Substance sampler: foundation to professional texturing

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in using Adobe Substance Sampler for texture and material creation. Students appreciate the comprehensive coverage of the user interface and the detailed explanations of various tools like generators and filters. The course structure, starting from basics and moving through practical examples, is frequently cited as a major strength, making it suitable for beginners. While many find the sample projects useful for hands-on practice, some professional users suggest the integration sections for Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity could be more in-depth. Overall, the reviews indicate a highly positive reception, particularly praising the clarity and depth for those new to the software.
Generally clear, pace suits beginners.
"The instructor explains concepts very clearly and at a good pace for someone learning the software for the first time."
"Explanations are easy to follow, even when covering technical aspects of generators and filters."
"Some parts feel a bit slow if you already have basic 3D software knowledge, but it ensures beginners don't get lost."
Hands-on examples reinforce learning.
"The sample projects like the muddy ground and brickwall were fantastic for applying what I learned about generators and filters."
"Working through the material creation samples solidified my understanding of the workflow."
"I enjoyed following along with the practical examples; they are relevant to real-world usage."
Great starting point for new users.
"As someone completely new to texturing, this course took me from zero knowledge to being able to create my own materials."
"It truly lives up to the 'Zero to Hero' title for the Substance Sampler portion. Excellent for getting the fundamentals right."
"I felt confident using the software after completing the first few sections on basics and core tools."
Thorough explanation of the software UI.
"The course starts with a very detailed walkthrough of the Substance Sampler interface, which was incredibly helpful for a beginner like me."
"I really appreciated how every panel and tool in the UI was explained clearly before diving into complex topics."
"The breakdown of the user interface in the initial modules made getting started much less intimidating."
Brief coverage of external software.
"While the integration parts for Unreal and Unity are mentioned, I wish they went into more detail on setting up complex shaders."
"The Blender section was helpful, but felt a bit rushed compared to the Substance Sampler content."
"Could use more in-depth examples on using the exported materials effectively in different engines."
"The focus is definitely on Sampler itself; the integration parts are more of a brief overview."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Substance Sampler: Zero to Hero in Textures and Materials with these activities:
Review Blender Shaders
Refresh your knowledge of Blender shaders to better understand how materials created in Substance Sampler can be implemented.
Browse courses on Shaders
Show steps
  • Open Blender and review the shader editor.
  • Experiment with different shader nodes.
  • Try creating a simple material from scratch.
Read 'Practical PBR'
Gain a deeper understanding of PBR principles to enhance your material creation skills in Substance Sampler.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Practical PBR'.
  • Read the chapters on material properties and lighting models.
  • Experiment with the techniques described in the book.
Create a Material Study
Solidify your understanding of material properties by creating a series of material studies in Substance Sampler.
Show steps
  • Choose 3-5 different real-world materials to replicate.
  • Gather reference images of each material.
  • Recreate the materials in Substance Sampler.
  • Document your process and results.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Texture Generation Exercises
Improve your proficiency with Substance Sampler's generators by completing a series of focused exercises.
Show steps
  • Select a specific generator (e.g., Brickwall, Floor Tiles).
  • Experiment with different parameters to create variations.
  • Try combining multiple generators to create complex textures.
Build a Material Library
Develop a personal library of reusable materials to accelerate your texturing workflow.
Show steps
  • Create 10-15 unique materials in Substance Sampler.
  • Organize your materials into a logical folder structure.
  • Document the key properties of each material.
  • Test your materials in different rendering environments.
Advanced Substance Sampler Techniques
Explore advanced techniques in Substance Sampler by following online tutorials and workshops.
Show steps
  • Search for tutorials on specific topics (e.g., custom filters, AI-powered features).
  • Follow along with the tutorials and experiment with the techniques.
  • Adapt the techniques to your own projects.
Contribute to a Material Library
Share your knowledge and skills by contributing to an open-source material library.
Show steps
  • Find an open-source material library project.
  • Create a new material in Substance Sampler.
  • Prepare the material for submission according to the project's guidelines.
  • Submit your material to the project.

Career center

Learners who complete Substance Sampler: Zero to Hero in Textures and Materials will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Texture Artist
A Texture Artist crafts the visual surfaces of 3D models, ensuring they look realistic and appealing in games, films, and other visual media. This work involves creating and applying textures, which define the color, bumpiness, and reflectivity of surfaces. This course helps you understand what textures are and which ones can be used for what purpose. The course also covers creating materials, importing and exporting textures and working with Blender, Unreal Engine and Unity. For anyone looking to become a Texture Artist, this course introduces you to the fundamentals of material and texture creation.
Material Artist
The Material Artist is responsible for creating the surfaces of 3D models, defining how light interacts with them. They craft realistic and stylized materials, which determine the look and feel of objects in a virtual environment. In this course, you will learn what materials are and the most common material types, and you will create shaders in different programs. In short, this course is a Substance Sampler user manual from A to Z. This detailed approach is why this course is useful for aspiring Material Artists.
Shader Artist
A Shader Artist specializes in creating shaders, which are programs that dictate how light and color interact with surfaces on 3D models. They are essential for achieving specific visual effects and ensuring models look realistic or stylized. This course covers creating shaders in Blender, Unreal Engine, and Unity, as well as shader creation basics. For those aiming to become a Shader Artist, this course can help you learn the fundamentals of shader creation and manipulation.
3D Modeler
A 3D Modeler creates three-dimensional models of objects and characters for use in video games, films, and other media. They need a strong understanding of form, anatomy, and texturing. Those who take this course will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, and what a material is basically. The samples consist of the most frequently used materials in the sector. If you repeat the applications and become familiar with them, you will be able to produce countless different materials using your own creativity. All of this is why a potential 3D Modeler would take this course.
Game Artist
A Game Artist creates visual assets for video games, including characters, environments, and user interface elements. This work demands creativity and a strong understanding of art principles. In this course, you will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. In short, this course is a Substance Sampler user manual from A to Z, which is why this course is so helpful for Game Artists.
Technical Artist
The Technical Artist bridges the gap between artists and programmers, creating tools and workflows that improve the art creation pipeline. They help optimize art assets for performance and ensure they function correctly within the game engine. This course helps you learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. If you repeat the applications and become familiar with them, you will be able to produce countless different materials using your own creativity, which is why this course may be valuable for Technical Artists.
Digital Artist
Digital Artists use computer software to create various forms of art, including illustrations, animations, and visual effects. This requires a strong understanding of art principles and proficiency in digital art tools. You will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically, and the most common material types you may encounter. Samples consist of the most frequently used materials in the sector. If you repeat the applications and become familiar with them, you will be able to produce countless different materials using your own creativity. All of this is why this course can be useful for Digital Artists.
Visual Effects Artist
A Visual Effects Artist creates effects for films, television, and other media. This role requires both artistic skill and technical knowledge. This course teaches you what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. For those who want to become Visual Effects Artists, this course can help build a foundation in materials and textures.
Architectural Visualizer
An Architectural Visualizer creates photorealistic renderings and animations of architectural designs. They use 3D modeling and rendering software to showcase the visual appeal of buildings and spaces. As the course teaches you about creating textures and materials, it may be helpful for an architectural visualizer to take this course. You will also learn the basics of textures and material creation.
Motion Graphics Designer
A Motion Graphics Designer creates animated graphics and visual effects for various media, including commercials, websites, and video games. This course may be helpful for a Motion Graphics Designer. You will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. This course also covers how to create shaders.
Product Designer
A product designer conceptualizes and designs new products, focusing on both aesthetics and functionality. This role often involves creating 3D models and prototypes to visualize designs. Having an understanding of materials and textures may assist the product designer. You will also learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. All of this is why this course may be useful for Product designers.
Graphic Designer
Graphic Designers create visual concepts that communicate ideas, inform, or captivate consumers. They may work on layouts, logos, and other marketing materials, both in print and digital formats. By understanding textures, a graphic designer may be able to improve their work. The graphic designer may find this course useful, as this course helps you understand what textures are and which ones can be used for what purpose.
Web Designer
A Web Designer is responsible for the visual appearance and usability of websites. Understanding textures and materials may assist the web designer in improving their designs. It also covers creating materials, importing and exporting textures and working with Blender, Unreal Engine and Unity. The Web Designer who wishes to learn more about textures may find this course useful..
Illustrator
An Illustrator creates images for a variety of media, including books, magazines, and advertising. While the course may not directly cover illustration techniques, the knowledge of textures and materials could be helpful for creating more realistic or stylized illustrations. You will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. Aspiring illustrators may find this course useful to their career.
Interior designer
The Interior Designer plans and designs interior spaces of buildings. They focus on aesthetics, functionality, and safety. While not directly related, an understanding of materials and textures could inform their design choices.You will learn what textures are, which texture can be used for what purpose, what the material is basically and the most common material types you may encounter. This course may be useful for Interior Designers.

Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Substance Sampler: Zero to Hero in Textures and Materials.
Provides a comprehensive guide to Physically Based Rendering (PBR), which is essential for creating realistic materials. It covers the theory behind PBR and provides practical examples of how to create PBR materials in various software packages. This book valuable resource for understanding the principles behind Substance Sampler and creating high-quality textures.

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