Creative Integration for 3D Environments: From Modelling to Rendering

Abstract

The rationale for the project was based on the use of three key tools: Blender, Substance Painter and Unreal Engine. Blender was selected for its free, open source nature and its large development community. This cross-platform software enabled modelling, sculpting, UV mapping, texturing, animation and video editing. Its dynamic and customisable interface, together with the use of shortcuts, facilitated the workflow. In addition, the modifiers and sculpting mode offered advantages in the efficient creation of models without altering the original mesh.Substance Painter was mainly used for texturing, excelling in working with PBR materials and providing the possibility to paint directly on the 3D model. Its layer-based system, with tools such as brushes, masks and erasers, allowed a high level of detail to be achieved. The user could import models from Blender and apply complex materials non-destructively. Finally, Unreal Engine was incorporated as a real-time rendering and visualisation engine. Its ‘Lumen’ technology offered dynamic global illumination, improving visual quality through diffuse interreflections. This Blender > Substance Painter > Unreal Engine pipeline was considered optimal for its seamless integration and efficiency, taking advantage of the best of each tool for the development of high quality 3D environments.