Today I begin adding some textures to my character. I started out with some basic block colors, on the sections of my character that don't require too much detail.

Then I decided to create a high quality skin texture using Photoshop. I wanted to make my texture a small file size to save on loading and increase performance. In order to do this I also need to make my texture tileable. So I made it around 200px square and then filled a layer with a mid tone green orc skin color. Next I found a royalty free image of a frogs back, I then cut this image to a relevant size and moved it over my color and lowered the opacity. This gave the skin a nice texture but I also need the texture to be consistent for where it may be impossible to perfectly match up UVs. In order to make my texture more consistent I then duplicated the frog layer three times and rotated each layer and lowered the opacity. Next I used a few different brushes to remove any out of place colors and textures and I finally changed the offset of the texture in order to repair the harsh edges and make it a tileable texture.

It was important to make the texture as consistent as possible, because when my UV's unfold on to the texture there will usually be a gap between one side and the other. This can create a crease line on the model, by having a good consistency of color and texture it helps to hide and blend in any texture edges that cannot be connected.

Next I created a new set of UV's for my model in order to match up the texture more accurately and to controls which side of my model will have any unavoidable creases. As you can see from my UV map the crease lines will be on the bottom of the stomach where it folds inside, out of view and on the very outside of the arms. As I know my texture is tileable and could be split in to four smaller squares with each square being the same I can position the UV map so that the arms match up in the top and bottom square in order to cover up the crease on the arm. This worked slightly but not perfectly due to the different angles on the arm edge, however I moved around the UV map until I was happy with its position and the edges where hard to identify.

Next I repeated this process for both my characters legs with the same texture, I enjoyed this process and I'm happy with how it looks. Next I will design some gloves for my character so I can create them in 3D as well as some new improved heads.