Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

   
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Introduction 
 
Hello and welcome to this tutorial where you will learn how to do a stylized PBR box, this 
tutorial will show you in 3 parts how to model, sculpt and texture completely an asset. Please note that 
this is my way of doing it, but tons of ways exist in order to achieve the production of a stylized props, 
things could be improved and i’m far to know everything. 
 
This tutorial will help you understand how to stylized an asset, from its shapes to the colors, 
how to synthesize it in order to have something clean and nice looking. We will be using softwares such 
as Maya, Zbrush, Marmoset, Substance, Photoshop and Unreal Engine. 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

Modeling 
 
 
 
Usually before starting my modeling, I try to define from the concept what elements I’ll need, 
some that may be repetitive, or that are the main shapes. Since I’m doing a simple props here, I had no 
concept and went immediately toward modeling the shapes that I had in mind. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Here you can see that I have my angles, metallic beam and wooden planks. 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
Using some soft selection (B key in maya)​ I’m deforming them in order to have some nice curves, I 
try to never have straight lines or primitives shapes. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Once I’m fine with those shapes, I’m starting to build my box out of it. For the sake of this 
tutorial we won’t use anything like mesh atlas/ texture atlas, won’t have any tileable texture or 
symmetric stuff, everything will be unique. 
 
I usually use this blockout as a basis for my retopology, so it’s a win win situation where most of my 
topology will be done before even starting to do the sculpt! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 

 
Here i’m modeling the bottom part of the main frame 

 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 
 
The modeling of the base is here, i’m not happy about this cubic shape because i’m always trying to 
apply some little stylization rules, that’s why we are going to deform it. Before doing so, what you can do 
is duplicate it, in order to have a ‘save’ of your mesh in the scene. 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
Hot tip 1 : Shapes and Composition Help! 
 
● I usually try to design my elements with trapeze shapes, those got 
some strong and nice direction and helps to give some flow to 
your shapes. 

 
 
● I also try to respect some Small/Medium/Big composition rules. 
● The ⅔ rule is also cool in order to bring some balance in your 
objects! 
● Always try to avoid parallels lines. 
 
 
 
Those little rules helps me to have what we call ‘force lines’ that will help will readability in game. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
In order to deform my mesh, i’m going to use a tool in Maya called ​Lattice​. With that, I’ll be able to have 
some nice and clean deformations, in order to respect my little rules. (You can also do it by hand with a 
soft selection of your mesh if you want to.) 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

You can setup as much lattice divisions you need and then modify your mesh easily by​ selecting the 
lattice points ! 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

Here i’m finally happy with my shape and I can go on the last step that I usually do : Preparing 
the mesh for sculpting! 
 
The final step is pretty simple and revolves around adding some non chamfered bevels in order 
to do a Smoothed Mesh version of my box that will be clean before exportation toward Zbrush. 
What I do is selecting the exterior edges of my mesh, and bevel them with the ​Chamfer turned off. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 
By enabling the ​Smooth Mesh preview in Maya (3 key, you can play with the 1,2,3)​ you can see that 
my beam is now thick and nice looking! Beveling helps you define what material your mesh will be, if its 
metallic give it a lower value, if it’s something like wood, I usually go a bit high to have something thick 
and sexy. 
 
 
 

 
Here you can see without, with bevel and with the Smooth Mesh preview. 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
Here it is before.
 
 
As you can see everything looks low and not appealing, it got some hard edges and feels a bit boring, 
what we want to do is to play with the bevels as ‘controls’ of your ​thickness​. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
And once you enable it, everything is ​Thick​, with some nice smoothed edges and it is almost ready to go 
into Zbrush! 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
The last step that we need to do, is to convert the ​Smooth Mesh preview​ into true quads, and then 
export it !  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
In order to do so, what you need to do is select your mesh (duplicate it before, delete history etc etc) 
and go to ​Modify -> convert -> Smooth mesh preview to polygons. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 

 
 
 
 
Here are the different versions of our little box, from the simple blockout, toward something that is 
clean, ​thick​, smooth and ready to go into Zbrush!  
Now you simply have to select your box, and export selection in .Obj in order to start the sculpting 
process! 
 

 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Sculpting 
 
 
Simply import your .obj into Zbrush, and what I do is divide my mesh in order to have a nice topology, I 
also do an auto polygroup. You can also dynamesh in order to have the cleanest start in order to sculpt, 
just think about ​not merging everything together. 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
When everything is finally ready, I start to blockout my shapes in the woods, using some Orb 
brush called Slash_Curve, I try to have some nice flow/shapes and usually have a pretty big brush 
size,also don't forget to​ enable the backface mask (Brush -> Auto Masking -> Backface Mask)​ Else, 
you will be sculpting on both side of your plank, and you won’t like it. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
I blockout all of those wooden shapes, and then i’ll detail them a bit more later, its kinda hard 
to explain the sculpting process but i’m thinking that it's mostly understanding where to put pressure, 
and where you wanna have your hard/soft edge flow, have area that are deeper than others and have a 
good mix off all of those parameters. 
 
 
When i’m done with the planks, I start to do the metallic part, and in order to give them some 
age and destruct them a bit I grab my old friend the ​Trim Lasso Tool​! 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
I usually apply some damage to my object, trying still to respect the rules that i’ve been setting up 
before (Hot tip)! When doing the detailing, please also think about how you want your object to look 
like, and try not to add too much noise! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
When i’m done with the Lasso tool, I come and smooth it out a bit, I also add some little detailing with 
some flat brushes. I also always try to keep in mind that i’m doing something that is clean, easily 
readable from a distance and ​Thick​., it’s always better when it’s ​Thick​. 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
I then come and do the same on the wood, adding some more details, maybe some wood nods and 
other damaged parts. 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
As a little finishing note, I add some damages on the wood again, but also some little layering in 
my metals with a ​lasso mask + move brush​, I also add some little dent and holes in it, in order to give 
it some texture and interesting point of interest for the eyes. I always try to keep synthesize, most of the 
time, ​less is more​! 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
And that is the end of the part about modeling and sculpting, we will now go into the ​Retopology and 
UV​ part ! 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stylized PBR Props 
Modeling and Sculpting 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Outro 
 
 
 
Thanks for joining me in this small tutorial that I hope helped you! 
While you are reading this you can check out my portfolio : ​https://www.artstation.com/romaindurand 
And if you have any questions, feel free to contact me : ​romaindurandart@gmail.com 
 
I always quickly want to talk about Artside, a video game art school where i’ll be part of the teaching 
team, if you want to learn about it feel free to have a look here : ​https://artside.school/fr/ 
 
 

About Me 
 
 

 
 
I’m Romain Durand, French, born in dijon. I’m 20 years old and specialized in 3D Environment Art, and 
in love with the stylized art style ! I’ve been working in the video game industry for more than 3 years 
and had the luck to work on games like Spyro Reignited Trilogy and with companies like Toys for Bob, 
Airborn Studios, Spiderling Games and more!