> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.shadersource.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.shadersource.io/assets-and-plugins/texture-tools/how-to-use-5.4+/ai-generation-job-overview/ai-model-recommendations.md).

# AI Model Recommendations

This guide provides a list of recommended AI models, VAEs, ControlNets, and LoRAs specifically for generating high-quality, realistic PBR textures with the AI Generation Job. The right combination of these assets can significantly improve the detail, realism, and consistency of your materials.

**Note:** Workflows and models are generally not cross-compatible between Stable Diffusion 1.5 (SD 1.5) and SDXL. Ensure the models you choose match the base model of your selected workflow.

## 1. Main Models (Checkpoints)

The Main Model is the foundation of your generation. For PBR textures, you want a model that excels at photorealism and fine detail.

<figure><img src="/files/9Z2FL2hFKTxXlh6nDpdj" alt=""><figcaption><p><strong>Juggernaut XL</strong></p></figcaption></figure>

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>Model Name</th><th>Model Type</th><th>Why it's Recommended for PBR</th><th>Where to Find It</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Realistic Vision v6.0</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Excellent photorealism and fine details.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/4201/realistic-vision-v60-b1">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>DreamShaper</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Versatile, great for complex prompts.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/4384/dreamshaper">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Juggernaut XL</strong></td><td>SDXL</td><td>Top-tier SDXL model for detail.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/133005/juggernaut-xl">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>RealVisXL</strong></td><td>SDXL</td><td>Maximum realism for photorealistic textures.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/139562/realvisxl-v40">Civitai</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

### 1.1 Notable Mentions for Stylized Textures

While the models above focus on realism, the following checkpoints are excellent for creating stylized, hand-painted, or non-photorealistic (NPR) textures suitable for games like Valorant, Fortnite, or Genshin Impact.

<div><figure><img src="/files/ZA6IogAcmdyPrMiVVjei" alt=""><figcaption><p>Stylized</p></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="/files/sD7Lk38ddYzMnlfzVK58" alt=""><figcaption><p>Realistic</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>Model Name</th><th>Model Type</th><th>Why it's Recommended for Stylized Textures</th><th>Where to Find It</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Rev Animated</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Clean, vibrant, illustrative style.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/7371/rev-animated">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>ToonYou</strong></td><td>SD 1.5 / SDXL</td><td>Cartoonish or Ghibli-esque style.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/30240/toonyou">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Animagine XL</strong></td><td>SDXL</td><td>High-quality, polished anime style.</td><td><a href="https://huggingface.co/cagliostrolab/animagine-xl-3.0">Hugging Face</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## 2. Custom VAEs

A VAE (Variational Autoencoder) translates the AI's internal "latent" image into the final pixel image. A good VAE prevents washed-out colors and enhances fine details.

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>VAE Name</th><th>Model Type</th><th>Why it's Recommended</th><th>Where to Find It</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>vae-ft-mse-840000-ema-pruned</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Industry standard; prevents washed-out colors.</td><td><a href="https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/sd-vae-ft-mse-original/tree/main">Hugging Face</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>sdxl_vae.safetensors</strong></td><td>SDXL</td><td>Official VAE for best SDXL results.</td><td><a href="https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/sdxl-vae/tree/main">Hugging Face</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## 3. Upscale Models

An upscaler increases the resolution of your generated image. These models are generally compatible with both SD 1.5 and SDXL outputs.

<div><figure><img src="/files/sD7Lk38ddYzMnlfzVK58" alt=""><figcaption><p>1024x1024</p></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="/files/UvQ1NOmXukIlNJurt38e" alt=""><figcaption><p>2048x2048</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>Upscaler Name</th><th>Model Type</th><th>Why it's Recommended</th><th>Where to Find It</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>4x-UltraSharp</strong></td><td>Universal</td><td>Adds significant sharpness and detail.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/116225/4x-ultrasharp">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>4x_NMKD-Siax_200k</strong></td><td>Universal</td><td>Popular, high-quality, clean results.</td><td><a href="https://openmodeldb.info/models/4x_NMKD-Siax_200k">OpenModelDB</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>SwinIR_4x</strong></td><td>Universal</td><td>Natural detail restoration for organics.</td><td><a href="https://openmodeldb.info/models/SwinIR">OpenModelDB</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## 4. ControlNet Models

ControlNet models are essential for guiding the generation process to create specific structures. **You must use ControlNet models that match your base model version (SD 1.5 or SDXL).**

<figure><img src="/files/p93mravRCfqYu0mCtaLc" alt=""><figcaption><p>SDXL Depth Control Net</p></figcaption></figure>

**ControlNet Models (for SD 1.5)**

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>ControlNet Model</th><th>Use Case for PBR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>control_v11p_sd15_normalbae</strong></td><td>Essential for 3D shape/depth.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>control_v11f1p_sd15_depth</strong></td><td>Controls height differences (walls, tiles).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>control_v11p_sd15_canny</strong></td><td>Defines hard outlines (grout, planks).</td></tr><tr><td><strong>control_v11p_sd15_softedge</strong></td><td>Defines soft shapes (fabric, grain).</td></tr><tr><td><em>You can find the official SD 1.5 ControlNet 1.1 models on</em> <a href="https://huggingface.co/lllyasviel/ControlNet-v1-1/tree/main"><em>Hugging Face</em></a><em>.</em></td><td><br></td></tr></tbody></table>

**ControlNet Models (for SDXL)**

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>ControlNet Model</th><th>Use Case for PBR</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>control-lora-depth-rank256</strong></td><td>Controls height and structure.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>control-lora-canny-rank256</strong></td><td>Enforces strong structural lines.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>control-lora-recolor-rank256</strong></td><td>Guides color for patterned textures.</td></tr><tr><td><em>You can find these and other official SDXL ControlNet LoRAs on</em> <a href="https://huggingface.co/stabilityai/control-lora/tree/main"><em>Hugging Face</em></a><em>.</em></td><td><br></td></tr></tbody></table>

## 5. LoRAs for PBR Texturing

LoRAs (Low-Rank Adaptations) are small files that inject a specific style or concept. They are not cross-compatible; a LoRA made for SD 1.5 will not work with an SDXL model, and vice-versa.

<table data-full-width="false"><thead><tr><th>LoRA Name</th><th>Model Type</th><th>Why it's Recommended</th><th>Where to Find It</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Add More Details</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Enhances micro-details and sharpness.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/58390/add-more-details-detail-enhancer-tweaker-lora">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>epiCRealism Helper</strong></td><td>SD 1.5</td><td>Guides models towards photorealism.</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/132538/epicrealism-helper">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>SDXL Detail Tweaker</strong></td><td>SDXL</td><td>SDXL version of "Add More Details".</td><td><a href="https://civitai.com/models/122359/detail-tweaker-lora-sdxl">Civitai</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Texture-Specific LoRAs</strong></td><td>Both</td><td>Improves results for specific materials.</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

*You can find these and many more LoRAs on websites like* [*Civitai*](https://civitai.com/)*. Remember to check which base model (SD 1.5 or SDXL) they were trained on.*


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.shadersource.io/assets-and-plugins/texture-tools/how-to-use-5.4+/ai-generation-job-overview/ai-model-recommendations.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.