AI Model Recommendations

This documentation is for update 2.0+, applied to 5.4+.

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.

Juggernaut XL
Model Name
Model Type
Why it's Recommended for PBR
Where to Find It

Realistic Vision v6.0

SD 1.5

Excellent photorealism and fine details.

DreamShaper

SD 1.5

Versatile, great for complex prompts.

Juggernaut XL

SDXL

Top-tier SDXL model for detail.

RealVisXL

SDXL

Maximum realism for photorealistic textures.

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.

Stylized
Realistic
Model Name
Model Type
Why it's Recommended for Stylized Textures
Where to Find It

Rev Animated

SD 1.5

Clean, vibrant, illustrative style.

ToonYou

SD 1.5 / SDXL

Cartoonish or Ghibli-esque style.

Animagine XL

SDXL

High-quality, polished anime style.

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.

VAE Name
Model Type
Why it's Recommended
Where to Find It

vae-ft-mse-840000-ema-pruned

SD 1.5

Industry standard; prevents washed-out colors.

sdxl_vae.safetensors

SDXL

Official VAE for best SDXL results.

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.

1024x1024
2048x2048
Upscaler Name
Model Type
Why it's Recommended
Where to Find It

4x-UltraSharp

Universal

Adds significant sharpness and detail.

4x_NMKD-Siax_200k

Universal

Popular, high-quality, clean results.

SwinIR_4x

Universal

Natural detail restoration for organics.

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).

SDXL Depth Control Net

ControlNet Models (for SD 1.5)

ControlNet Model
Use Case for PBR

control_v11p_sd15_normalbae

Essential for 3D shape/depth.

control_v11f1p_sd15_depth

Controls height differences (walls, tiles).

control_v11p_sd15_canny

Defines hard outlines (grout, planks).

control_v11p_sd15_softedge

Defines soft shapes (fabric, grain).

You can find the official SD 1.5 ControlNet 1.1 models on Hugging Face.

ControlNet Models (for SDXL)

ControlNet Model
Use Case for PBR

control-lora-depth-rank256

Controls height and structure.

control-lora-canny-rank256

Enforces strong structural lines.

control-lora-recolor-rank256

Guides color for patterned textures.

You can find these and other official SDXL ControlNet LoRAs on Hugging Face.

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.

LoRA Name
Model Type
Why it's Recommended
Where to Find It

Add More Details

SD 1.5

Enhances micro-details and sharpness.

epiCRealism Helper

SD 1.5

Guides models towards photorealism.

SDXL Detail Tweaker

SDXL

SDXL version of "Add More Details".

Texture-Specific LoRAs

Both

Improves results for specific materials.

You can find these and many more LoRAs on websites like Civitai. Remember to check which base model (SD 1.5 or SDXL) they were trained on.

Last updated

Was this helpful?