Tutorial 8: Texture and Pattern Effects

Step 1

Add Knurling

Add Knurling from the Texture category. This creates a classic diamond-grid pattern — the same texture found on metal tool handles and knobs for grip.

Key parameters:
- Depth — how deep the knurl grooves are (try 0.5–2 mm)
- Divisions U / V — number of diamond rows around and along the object. Higher values create finer knurling.

Start with moderate divisions and adjust until the diamond size looks right for your object scale.

Step 2

Add Faceted Triangles

Remove or disable Knurling. Add Faceted Triangles. This effect divides the surface into triangular facets, creating a geometric, low-poly appearance:

Key parameters:
- Depth — how much the triangle centers push outward (or inward for negative values)
- Divisions — controls the triangle density. Lower values create larger triangles.

The result resembles a faceted gemstone or low-poly 3D model style.

Step 3

Add Synth Weave

Disable the previous effect. Add Synth Weave. This creates an interlocking woven pattern — like fabric or a basket weave transferred onto the 3D surface:

Key parameters:
- Depth — displacement depth of the weave threads
- Scale — size of the weave pattern
- Additional parameters control the thread thickness and spacing

The weave pattern has an over-under interlocking structure that gives it a textile-like quality.

Step 4

Add Line Pattern

Disable the previous effect. Add Line Pattern. This creates directional line-based displacement:

Key parameters:
- Depth — strength of the line displacement
- Count — number of lines
- Direction — whether lines run horizontally (around the object), vertically (along the height), or diagonally

Line Pattern is versatile — horizontal lines create corduroy-like texture, vertical lines create flutes, and diagonal lines create spiral patterns.

Step 5

Try horizontal and vertical lines

1. Set the direction to horizontal with a high line count — the surface looks like a stack of rings or a corrugated tube

Step 6

Add Ridges & Grooves

Disable the previous effect. Add Ridges & Grooves. This creates parallel ridge patterns — think of the grip ridges on a bottle cap or the grooves on a vinyl record:

Key parameters:
- Depth — ridge height
- Count — number of ridges
- Width — how wide each ridge is relative to the groove between them

Ridges & Grooves produces cleaner, more defined ridges than simple sine waves because the wave shape has flat tops and bottoms rather than smooth sine curves.

Step 7

Add Gear Teeth

Disable the previous effect. Add Gear Teeth. This creates a mechanical gear-tooth profile around the circumference:

Key parameters:
- Depth — tooth height
- Teeth — number of teeth around the circumference
- Additional parameters may control tooth shape (involute, trapezoidal, etc.)

The result looks like a gear or sprocket. Combined with a short, wide profile, you can create decorative gear-shaped objects.

Step 8

Layer textures

Texture effects can be combined for complex surfaces:

1. Knurling (depth 0.5 mm) + Line Pattern vertical (depth 0.3 mm) = knurled surface with vertical accent lines

Keep depths low when combining — two effects at 1 mm each stack to 2 mm total displacement, which may overwhelm the design.

Step 9

Apply texture to specific regions

Use V Start / V End to apply texture only where needed:
- Knurling from V Start 40 mm to V End 90 mm — grip section only, smooth base and rim
- Gear Teeth from V Start 0 to V End 15 mm — teeth only at the base
- Line Pattern at different height ranges with different directions — horizontal flutes on the body, vertical flutes on the rim