Tuesday, July 13th, 2021 Posted by Jim Thacker

Pilgway ships 3DCoatTextura


Pilgway has released 3DCoatTextura, a new sub-€100 cut-down edition of its 3DCoat software aimed at texturing 3D models created in other DCC applications.

The software enables artists to paint PBR texture maps at resolutions up to 16k, and preview the results in a real-time physically based viewport under HDRI lighting set-ups.

3DCoatTextura 2021 was released yesterday alongside 3DCoat 2021, a long-awaited major update to the software, and a new library of readymade PBR materials for users of both editions.

A cut-down version of 3DCoat for texturing 3D models imported from other software
3DCoatTextura itself is a cut-down version of 3DCoat containing the software’s texture painting and rendering features, but not its sculpting or retopology tools.

Users can paint PBR texture maps following a standard metalness-roughness workflow, at resolutions up to 16k, working either directly on the 3D model or a UV-unwrapped 2D view.

The software can also bake geometry-based maps like ambient occlusion and curvature. The baking process is GPU-accelerated, and includes “an array of light baking options”.

Designed to be accessible to Photoshop users as well as users of other 3D painting apps
Like 3DCoat itself, 3DCoatTextura is intended to be accessible to artists used to traditional 2D texturing workflows, as well as with other 3D texture painting applications like Substance 3D Painter.

It features a ‘Photoshop-centric’ interface, and a similar layer-based workflow and tools.

The software can import custom Photoshop brushes in .abr format, and users can send paint layers between the two applications with “simple hotkey combinations”.

Includes viewport and final-quality rendering features
For previewing textures in context, 3DCoatTextura provides real-time physically based viewport with support for HDRI lighting set-ups and depth of field.

Although most users will probably simply export texture maps for use in other DCC software or game engines, the software can also be used for final-quality rendering and supports render passes.



Limited written documentation, but there are video tutorials and a trial edition
We can’t find a detailed feature comparison table between 3DCoat and 3DCoatTextura, but according to the online FAQs, 3DCoatTextura contains 3DCoat’s Paint and Render rooms, and nothing else.

The written documentation on the product website is pretty minimal, but there is a series of video tutorials covering the equivalent features in 3DCoat iself.

If you want to try the software before you buy, you can download a 30-day trial, which continues in an export-restricted non-commercial ‘unlimited learning mode‘ once the trial period elapses.

Pricing and system requirements
3DCoatTextura 2021 is available for Windows 7+ and macOS 10.13+. Unlike 3DCoat itself, it isn’t available for Linux, and doesn’t currently come with any integration plugins for other DCC software.

The software is compatible with Wacom graphics tablets and pen displays; with Microsoft’s Surface devices, including both the Surface Pen stylus and multi-touch; and with 3Dconnexion controlers.

For individual artists, perpetual node-locked licences cost €95. Subscriptions cost €9.85/month, or you can ‘rent to own‘ a node-locked licence via six continuous monthly payments of €19.70.

For studios, perpetual node-locked licences cost €359 and perpetual floating licences cost €399. Subscriptions cost €19.85/month for both node-locked and floating licences, or €189/year for node-locked licences and €209/year for floating licences. All prices exclude tax.

Subscribers also get a fixed number of credits per month that can be used to download readymade PBR materials from Pilgway’s online library.

For details of educational pricing and free non-commercial student licences, check out the product website. At the time of writing, the software is available at a launch discount.

Read more about 3DCoatTextura on the product website