23 Killer Substance Painter Tutorials That Will Shock You

Today I share some Substance Painter Tutorials that will speedup your learning.

Most tutorials are free.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Understand PBR

Before learning substance painter, you must know about PBR if you don’t know. Substance Academy shares a great guide to understanding PBR.

The first guide contains PBR Theory and the second guide contains PBR Practical.

First Guide Contents

• Light Rays
• Transparency and Translucency
• Diffuse and Secular Reflection
• Color and BRDF
• Energy conservation
• Fresnel effect
• Metal and Non-Metal
• Linear Space Rendering
• Key Characteristic of PBR

Second guide contents

• What are PBR and its benefit for Artist
• Metal/ Roughness Workflow
• Dielectric F0
• Base/Metal/Roughness creation Guideline
• Secular/Glossiness workflow
• Resolution and Texel Density Pro and Cons
• AO/Height and Normal Map Creation Guideline

Don’t just read, understand PBR.

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/tutorials/courses/the-pbr-guide-part-1″ target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Check out the PBR Guide[/su_button]

2. Substance Painter shortcut

If you want to work faster in Substance Painter then you need to remember some shortcuts.The substance has already shared a detailed shortcut key on his website.

It’s hard to remember all the shortcut keys, so you can remember the essential shortcut that you mostly used.

You can also edit some shortcut keys. If you accidentally edit a shortcut or wanna reset the shortcut just right-click on it.

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/documentation/spdoc/shortcuts-172818917.html” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Check out Shortcut Keys[/su_button]

3. Texture Map Baking

Beginner artists always struggle to bake good texture maps. 

They just hit the bake texture map button without touching any setting that results in the worst texture map.

If you are struggling to bake a good map. Then you must check all the settings before baking texture.

Most people struggle to bake a good normal map. In this course, you learn all about texture maps.

This course solves all texture map problems.

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/tutorials/courses/Substance-3D-Painter-Baking-Parameters” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Lean to Bake Texture Maps[/su_button]

4. Bake Clean Normal Map

Sometimes substance painter creates the worst normal map.

If you are facing the same problem, again and again, you are doing the wrong way to bake a normal map.

In this video tutorial, they will show you how to bake a nice and clean normal map.

5. Substance Painter for Beginners

JL Mussi shares a great substance painter tutorial for absolute beginners. They teach you all the basics of Substance Painter.

If you do not touch Substance Painter before then I recommend this course for you.

6. Substance Painter Introduction

In this course, you will learn basic texturing inside substance painter. If you are a beginner, this course is recommended for you. This course is divided into five parts.

Course Details:-

• Material and Masking
• Filter and Generators
• Brushes and Painting
• Adding Decals
• Export and Rendering

7. Blending Mode

In Substance Painter, you must blend the layer to create smart material. If you are a master in blending mode, you can create better smart material.

This is important; don’t skip this course, if you don’t know how textures are blended.

In this course, you will learn about eight blending modes that will help you to create good texture inside substance painter.

Blending Mode:-

• Add and Subtract
• Multiply and Divide
• Min and Max
• Add, Sub and overlay

8. Level and Histogram

Mostly beginner artists adjust the slider without knowing, how this setting works. Most beginner user also does not know when to use levels and histogram.

If you are in the same category then this course is specially designed for you.

Course details:-

• Understanding histogram and Levels
• Low, mid, and high levels
• Levels out
• Levels Recap
• Levels Values
• Histogram operations

9. Texturing an Asset from Start to Finish

If you are a weapon or prop artist, this course is for you. In this course, you will learn everything from baking texture maps to final rendering.

In this course, you will learn to create PBR material creation, hard surface alpha, tips, and tricks to speed up the texturing process in Substance Painter.

If you don’t have any 3d models, they will also provide the source file just for texturing practice.

10. Substance Painter crash course

This is another great crash course to learn Substance Painter from scratch. It’s a crash course to understand the entire substance painter’s basic feature.

In this course, the instructor textures an Exsteel flamethrower from scratch. They also give your source file for free

11. 3d Character Texturing

When texturing a 3d character, you need extra work to create skin texture. If you are not doing right, you waste your time.

I see that most beginners artist failed to create realistic skin textures due to a lack of knowledge.

In this course, 3D Character Artist Magdalena Dadela shares his workflow to create hyper-realistic skin texture.

Course Details:-

• Setting the scene
• Skin detailing
• Skin texturing tips
• Base color creation
• Refining the layer
• Skin modifier

11. Old and Dustry Lantern Texturing

This is an outdated course but it is still good to understand Substance Painter.

In this course, you will learn to texture a lantern in substance painter.

The one thing I love about substance academy, they provide source files free for practice.

Course Details:-

• Bake texture map
• Base Paint material creation
• Rust creation
• Smart material and layer instancing
• Brush, Paint effect, projection, and cloning tools
• Understand anchor points
• Masking materials
• Dirt and Glass material creation
• Rendering and Exporting Maps

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/tutorials/courses/getting-started-with-substance-painter-2018/youtube-mBn_1otOHZ8″ target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Old Lantern Texturing in SP[/su_button]

12. Emissive Material Creation

Do you know, you can create emissive material in substance painter in just two minutes.

It’s helpful for sci-fi assets, Interior, or any other type of project that includes lighting.

13. Fabric Texture Creation

You can create fabric texture using a substance painter. This is a great course for fashion designers.

After completing this course, you will be able to create fabric, strips, tear effect, thread structure, etc.

Course details:-

• Building reference board
• Base fabric creation
• Thread structure
• Color pattern creation
• Stripes creation
• Wear effect
• Clumps and fold

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/tutorials/courses/Creating-a-flannel-Smart-Material-in-Substance-Painter” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Fabric Texture Creation Guide[/su_button]

14. UDIM in SP

This is a simple course to understand how you can use UDIM inside substance painter.

If you don’t know anything about UDIM, don’t worry FXGuide shares a detailed guide to understanding UDIM.

Course Details:-

• UDIM project creation
• UDIM image sequence
• Baking maps for UV tiles
• Painting across UV tiles
• Export Texture for UDIM project

15. Substance Painter for 3D Printing

If you are interested to print your 3d model, then this guide is for you.

To print the substance painter file, you need a Substance painter, Blender, Netfabb, and Mimaki 3DUJ-553 color printer.

If you are not using the blender, you can use another 3d sculpting program like Zbrush.

[su_button url=”https://substance3d.adobe.com/tutorials/courses/Preparing-a-Substance-Painter-file-for-color-3D-printing” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none” rel=”follow”]Prepare SP file for 3d Printing[/su_button]

16. Substance Painter Fundamentals

This is a great course by FlippedNormals to understand the substance painter fundamentals.

After completing this course, you can create a different type of texture and make the beautiful render

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/introduction-to-substance-painter/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Substance Painter Fundamentals[/su_button]

17. Texturing a game character

Texturing a character is very challenging. But if you have a good teacher, you can easily texture character.

In this course, the artist shares his workflow to create a believable skin texture.

You will learn map baking, smart material, generator, and many more things in this single course.

After completing this course, you can texture any character.

Course Details:-

• Retopology and UV Unwrapping
• Skin texturing and clothing
• Hair Card creation and more.

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/game-character-texturing/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Learn Game Character Texturing[/su_button]

18. Game Props texturing fundamental

In this course, the instructor shares his workflow to modeling and texturing game props.

He shares tips and tricks that are helpful for you to achieve a realistic result.

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/game-character-texturing/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Learn Game Props Texturing[/su_button]

19. Game Weapon Texturing

This course is designed for beginners to learn weapon texturing fundamentals.

Course details:-

• Weapon handle texturing
• Texturing a metal
• Detailed hand painting
• Custom brush and custom cloth Shader creation

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/gun-modeling-techniques/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Weapon Texturing for Beginners[/su_button]

20. Modeling and Texturing a Militry Radio

In this military radio creation course, the instructor shares various tips and tricks for beginners.

You will learn the complete process to texture any hard surface asset.

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/militry-radio-creation/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Learn Hard Surface Texturing[/su_button]

21. Texturing a Mech Robot

This is a combined course of modeling, UV Mapping, and texturing. This is a very good course from senior weapon artist Tim. 

He always creates AAA quality work. So if you follow his tutorial, you can also create an AAA quality mech robot.

Course Details:-

• 15hrs of full HD Video
• Modeling, UV Mapping and texturing
• Essential reference files
• High poly and low poly mesh

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/mech-robot-tutorial/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Mech Robot Creation Tutorial[/su_button]

22. Sword and Mace tutorials

This is another great course by chamfer zone. This course is also combined to learn modeling to final render.

In this course, you will learn 3d modeling, UV Mapping, and of course, texturing.

Course Details:-

• Base layer material creation
• How to use procedural texture
• Mask and generators
• How to use the emissive channel

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/sword-and-mace-tutorial/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]Sword and Mace Tutorial[/su_button]

23. AK47 Gun Texturing

If you are looking for highly realistic gun texturing tutorials or want to know the process then it’s a great course for you.

In this course, you will learn everything that you need to create hyper-realistic gun textures.

This course is also a combined course and you will learn from modeling to rendering ak47 Gun.

The instructor also shares his tips and tricks that are helpful for any weapon and props artist.

[su_button url=”https://www.cginspiringartist.com/ak47-gun-texturing/” target=”blank” style=”default” background=”#2D89EF” color=”#FFFFFF” size=”7″ wide=”no” center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: hand-o-right” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” text_shadow=”none”]AK 47 Gun Creation Tutorial[/su_button]

Now it’s your turn

So I share some of the best free and premium substance painter tutorials. 

Which tutorial do you like the most, let me know in the comment section.

If any one of your friends struggling to learn Substance Painter, help them by sharing this article.