Updated on Oct 27, 2023 ยท 6 mins read

Top 10 CGI Material Libraries for Blender

Christopher Enriquez
Christopher Enriquez

Architecture & Content Writing

Top 10 CGI Material Libraries for Blender

Blender can be considered as one of the best free available software in the market today. Its ability to create high-fidelity digital visuals makes it an indispensable tool for creatives involved in modeling, rendering, and creating animations. As an artist, nothing is more fulfilling than creating your materials and assets. However, with the growing demand for fast and highly realistic outputs, readily available and downloadable 3d models is an indispensable component in projects. Material libraries are often compiled by a community of CG artists and independent modelers where some are available free to download while some rely on subscription and donations. Here are some of the top ten places on the web to aid you on your next project:

1. Poly Haven (Free)

Polyhaven.com is an open-source platform that is a good source of models, materials, and textures that is readily available for download. Aside from being a free source of 3D models for Blender, you will not need to have an account to make a download, making it easy to use and beginner-friendly. A creative commons license makes it suitable to use for commercial projects as well. A website made by a community of artists for artists makes this website a good venue if you are looking to begin your artistic journey. As it is a free 3D website, you can always contribute by donating through Patreon for a price of a cup of coffee.

2. Poliigon (Free/Paid)

This website is a treasure trove for artists who are particular about their textures. The textures come with their 3D maps giving the 3D artist a smooth experience in creating photorealistic setups. Created by Andrew Price, the man behind Blender Guru, you can be sure of the range and quality of models available here. Although most of the good stuff is behind a paywall, you can check their 30-day trial and check if it is worth the fees. Stay on the lookout for some of their free 3D models as well.

3. AmbientCG (Free)

AmbientCG boasts a wide range of materials and assets available from their online library. The brainchild of Lennart Deme, this website has 1574 assets to date and is available in different formats. Here you can easily download backgrounds and PBR (Physically based rendering) maps in PNG formats as well. There are HDR skies backgrounds available as well as SBSAR flexible substances which can be easily customized. The materials can also be viewed through SketchFab which is a great tool in having a preview of materials, especially for VR and AR content.

4. CG Bookcase (Free/Paid)

CG Bookcase offers a selection that covers the basic materials needed in typical scenarios. With more than 200 PBR textures available and six new textures released every week, the selections are ever-expanding. Common finishes available can range from domestic needs such as kitchen counters up to landscape needs such as tree barks among other 3D models available. Dorian Zgraggen, its founder, envisioned the CG Bookcase to be a platform that can help anyone become an artist. However, for a price of a dollar or two, paying for the subscription service is worth it.

5. Architecture Inspirations (Free/Paid)

A great resource for those working with urban, architectural, and interior scenes. Some materials are free; however, a Pro account is desirable if you are looking to work on projects requiring higher resolutions. With tutorials from beginner basics, on3D assets to 3D material texturing, the website is still definitely worth the visit.

Boost Your Blender Experience with Vagon

Working with CGI material libraries in Blender becomes a lot more manageable and enjoyable with Vagon. Our cloud-based platform provides the necessary computing power to handle high-resolution materials and complex scenes effortlessly. With Vagon, you get a high-performance cloud PC that ensures quick material previews and faster rendering times. Try out different materials from various libraries without any slowdown, right from your current device.

6. Textures.com (Free/Paid)

If you are one whose niche is in creating unique and fantastical spaces, this one is the website that answers your needs. Boasting a diverse set of 3D models, Textures.com has in its arsenal some of the exotic sets and 3D assets available. From blistered paint, lava, and arid desert, you can download what suits your need and imagination. You can use your free credits per day to buy, download free, or pay for high-resolution textures available on site.

7. Blend Swap (Paid)

A subscription-based website, the Blender materials available here are top-notch and varied. The only caveat is the paid subscription required and the material categorization can benefit from an upgrade.

8. Blendermada (Free/Open-source)

Blendermada is a superb resource for those working with Blender software and materials. With a blender plug-in available or just an instant download from its site, Blendermada is often favored by 3D artists. Ease of use and material modification alongside a large community makes Blendermada a good option for those who wanted to dabble in the world of 3D rendering.

9. BIS (Open-source/Blender plug-in available)

A service storage add-on for Blender, BIS allows you to collect, consolidate, and manage your materials. You can also make your materials private or share them in public. There are up to 400 materials available to download for free and being able to curate your own set of materials makes this a good resource for your future projects.

10. BlenderKit (Free/Paid)

A new platform, BlenderKit is a plugin that has an online database of materials and tools that can be directly loaded to Blender. The number of available textures and brushes in Blenderkit is also of decent range and quality. What is likable is the ease of the navigation of materials easily categorized by type. Its web interface is structured in a way that you can recognize how it looks to encourage more Blender users to participate and join the community.

Although one cannot argue that having a huge selection of materials is nice and helpful, nothing can beat a personalized and curated set of models and textures. As important as it is to have choices, it is also crucial to have a personal one where one can easily pull favorite models from. Especially on times when we are in a rush in finishing projects, databases with plug-in tools are highly preferred.

Render Projects Faster in Blender 3D

Get your high performance cloud PC with 1-hour usage included in 7 days trial.