modo 601
Texture Painting Tutorial

modo 601 Texture Painting Tutorial shows you how to use the painting tools in modo 601 to create photorealistic textures in modo from scratch. The instructor, Richard Yot, helps you master the use of modo’s painting engine by leading you through three detailed step-by-step projects. These three projects detail techniques for creating custom hand-painted textures that give photorealistic results.

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The four videos in this course cover virtually all of the modo Paint Tools including brush tips, inks and the various nozzles; they also include techniques of using presets. Also covered are features of the modo Shader Tree that are relevant to the texture painting workflow, such as masking between different materials, creating groups and using multiple texture layers. Extensive use of the Preview Renderer and adjustment of key rendering parameters is made as various texture maps are built up for final renders. Sculpting tools in modo are also utilized in one project to enhance surface realism. The use of Adobe Photoshop in conjunction with modo is also shown, as is the texture baking workflow within modo.

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Prior knowledge of modo on your part is helpful, though you need not have any background in the paint system inside modo to understand the tutorials. Photoshop is used during the course along with a Wacom tablet, so for a complete learning experience you may want to have access to these tools while working through the tutorials. Please note that the tutorial does not cover UV editing techniques, as the course is focused on painting workflow.

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Video Segment 1: Introduction

This first video segment is an introduction to the Paint Tools in modo. Recommendations for setting up System Preferences in modo that affect painting are explained to optimize your painting experience. The most used tools in the Brushes tab are explained in detail, along with Falloffs, layers in the Shader Tree and the use of Blending modes. At the conclusion of this video, you will have a basic overview of modo’s painting tools in preparation for completing the three projects that are the next three video segments.

Video Segment 2: Oil Drum Project

The first project is introduced in this video. Richard Yot leads you through the process of crafting custom textures for a weathered oil drum, which is supplied as a 3D model. To achieve a corroded look, procedural brushes and their controls are utilized; the resulting textures are finished in Photoshop to demonstrate one common workflow. Displacement maps are then created with modo’s painting tools for a bubbled 3D effect. Gradually, layer by layer, the top and sides of the corroded oil drum are hand painted and combined for a realistic final result.

Video Segment 3: Tree Frog Project

In this video, we paint a model of a frog perched on a branch using solely the Paint Tools within modo. Custom brush creation is demonstrated as well as the time-saving use of symmetric painting and extensive use of Image Inks. Using multiple layers in the Shader Tree, we incrementally build up the wet skin of the frog. Bump, Roughness and Reflection Strength maps are painted to further increase realism across the frog’s body. Specular and Bump maps are then painted in combination with Masks to create a completely different material for the frog’s eyes. The texture baking workflow in modo is leveraged to create a single composite texture for rendering efficiency or for export to other tools in your pipeline.

Video Segment 4: Leather Chair Project

In this final project, we use a supplied model of a desk chair (originally modeled by Brent Chamberlain) that we enhance with a bespoke leather seat material of our own creation. Here the focus not on the creation of diffuse color, but on controlling reflections by creating a series of layered maps with subtle yet important contributions to the final result. Reflection maps are painted in modo with custom Image Ink brushes; Image Ink brush creation is also demonstrated in combination with masking techniques. modo’s Sculpting tools are employed to create and enhance folds and seams in the leather cushions. Vector Displacement is tackled as part of the texturing process, and Texture Replicators are used to distribute randomized textures that avoid any appearance of tiling.