When I first jumped into 3D design, words like “PBR texturing” and “UV mapping” sounded like rocket science. Now? They’re some of my favorite tools — and this futuristic treasure chest is proof.

PBR (Physically Based Rendering) lets materials react to light the way they would in the real world — metals shine, rough surfaces stay gritty, and everything feels more real. Learning it meant figuring out how light, roughness, and metallic surfaces all work together to make something pop off the screen.

Then came UV mapping — basically unwrapping a 3D model like a present and laying a texture over it just right. It wasn’t easy at first (hello, stretched textures), but after enough practice, I finally got a clean, crisp map that made the details sing.

For this chest, I created custom PBR materials: sleek metallics for the body, bright gold for the treasure, and subtle scratches using normal maps to add realism without weighing down the model.

The result? A chest that looks like it belongs in a video game — packed with detail, shine, and a whole lot of love (and, okay, a little bit of frustration).