Learn texturing

PBR texturing, explained.

Clear, practical guides to physically based rendering and 3D texturing — what each map does, how the workflow fits together, and how to do it yourself. No jargon walls.

Start here · The manual

Getting started with Mixos

The complete Mixos guide, with screenshots and interactive demos: import a mesh, unwrap UVs, bake maps, paint and layer PBR materials, add masks and decals, then export render-ready textures — free, in your browser, no install.

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A vintage rangefinder camera textured in Mixos — black leather grain, brushed metal body, and a glass lens — rendered in the browser viewport

PBR fundamentals

What the maps mean

What is PBR? Materials and maps explained

PBR (physically based rendering), explained simply: what PBR materials are and what each map does — base color, roughness, metallic, normal, height, AO.

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Albedo vs base color: what's the difference?

Albedo vs base color, explained: why the terms are used interchangeably, the difference in the metalness workflow, and what the map should contain.

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Normal map vs bump map: what's the difference?

Normal map vs bump map: both fake detail without extra geometry but store it differently. When to use each, and how height maps relate to both.

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Roughness and metallic maps, explained

What roughness and metallic maps do in PBR: roughness sets reflection sharpness, metallic marks what's metal. How they work together and common mistakes.

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ORM maps explained (channel packing)

What an ORM map is: one texture packing ambient occlusion (R), roughness (G) & metallic (B) to save memory — and why Unreal & Godot use it.

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How-to guides

Do it yourself, step by step

How to texture a 3D model

A step-by-step guide to texturing a 3D model: import your mesh, set up PBR materials with layers & masks, add wear, and export render-ready maps.

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How to bake an ambient occlusion (AO) map

How to bake an ambient occlusion map: what AO baking does, the steps to bake from your mesh, common pitfalls, and how to use the AO map in PBR.

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How to make seamless (tiling) textures

How to make seamless textures that tile without visible seams: methods from offset-and-fix to AI generation and triplanar projection — and how to test.

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Learn by doing.

Every concept here is one you can try in the browser right now. Import a model, paint real PBR materials, and export render-ready maps — free to author.

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