Question

How are you all handling AI-generated textures for 3D models and game assets without losing the hand-made feel?

I've been doing a small stylized environment project (a mossy ruined chapel, low-poly-ish, meant for a Unity scene) and I hit the classic texturing wall: modeling went fast, but painting every stone, plank and roof tile by hand was eating whole weekends. So I started experimenting with an ai texture generator workflow and I have mixed feelings I'd love to discuss with other artists here.

What has worked for me so far:
1. Using my own concept sketch or a photo I took as the reference image, instead of a pure text prompt. The results stay much closer to my palette and brush style.
2. Generating at a larger size and then checking tileability by offsetting the image 50% in Krita/Photoshop. Almost every output needs a little clone-stamp cleanup at the seams.
3. Treating the result as a base color (albedo) only, then building roughness, normal and AO maps separately. AI outputs often "bake in" lighting and shadows, which looks wrong once the engine lights the model again.
4. Painting over the final 20%. A few hand strokes on edges and worn corners make it read as mine instead of generic.

The tool I tested most was this ai texture generator: https://imgtoimg-ai.com/usecase/ai-texture-generator

I picked it mainly because it does image-to-image, so I could feed in my own sketch.

Where I'm still stuck, and where I'd really like opinions:
- How do you remove baked-in highlights so the albedo is truly flat? Do you desaturate/level the shadows, or regenerate with a different prompt?
- For stylized (hand-painted, Ghibli/WoW-like) work versus realistic PBR, do you think AI textures help more in one style than the other?
- Texel density: do you generate one big sheet per material, or small tiles and use trim sheets?
- Ethically and for portfolios, do you disclose that a texture started from AI? I've been noting it in my breakdowns, but I'm curious what art teachers or studios here expect.

If anyone wants, I can share a before/after of the chapel walls once I fix the seams. Thanks for any tips, and I'm happy to answer questions about the parts of the workflow that did work.

Answer 1

Step 1: Pick up a pencil.
Step 2. Stop wasting water and just draw.

Answer 2

ai generated answer

Answer 3

I feel like a have a answer, but I am kinda confused on what ur looking for- is this a like actual irl project ur making or is it virtual, I just need a little more clarity

Answer 4

One huge thing I’ve learned with use of AI, use it to elevate your own work, not create something entirely "new" (in AI’s eyes).

1. I’m not so sure on this part, as I’m not in art and moreso a development type. So I’ll let the artsy people have this one.

2. As for whether AI prefers one style over another, it doesn’t. Most models are fed from online data, meaning you can give it a specific needed style and it will use image data from that style/online to create it.

3. If you can have it deviate the textures by generating a large mask, and use that to create the trim sheets, you could have it “be yours” but be randomly generated as well. As for whether to use one large sheet of textures or use smaller textures to build it, that choice is solely based on your preference. I’d say use a larger sheet since you would be mapping it onto “one big wall”, you can avoid having multiple modeled bricks and separated textures by doing it in that manner.

4. While I don’t like the idea of AI being used in artwork or such matters, if it’s to generate a texture or pattern that’s not as bad as an art piece generation. So no, I don’t believe you would have to declare it AI unless specifically stated.

Most art teachers/professors don’t like AI being used for generation, but most also see it as a variable from stealing other people’s work. If you had made a couple brick textures already and fed it to the AI model, in theory it’s still primarily your own textures being used to generate new ones.

Answer 5

just draw bro. ai is never a good look for a project if ur planning on putting it out to the public. also it's just lazy imo. any artist looking at ur work will not recommend it, me included.

Answer 6

im not

Answer 7

then lets delete the responses

Answer 8

oml

Answer 9

im confused