> 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.*