Stylized textures are a fundamental art style in game development that prioritizes artistic expression over photorealism. From indie hits to AAA titles, stylized art has become increasingly popular for its timeless appeal, performance benefits, and unique visual identity.

But what exactly makes a texture "stylized"? How do you create them? And why are so many developers choosing this approach?

Defining Stylized Textures

Stylized textures are artistic representations of surfaces that emphasize design, color, and form over realistic accuracy. Instead of trying to replicate how materials look in real life, stylized textures interpret reality through an artistic lens.

Stylized vs Realistic Textures

Aspect	Stylized Textures	Realistic Textures
Goal	Artistic interpretation	Photorealistic accuracy
Detail Level	Simplified, essential details	High detail, complex surfaces
Color Approach	Artistic, vibrant, expressive	Accurate, measured, natural
Aging	Ages well, timeless	Can look dated as tech improves
Performance	Generally lighter, more efficient	Resource-intensive
Art Style	Unique, memorable identity	Aims for universal realism
Production Time	Can be faster with right workflow	Often time-consuming

Types of Stylized Textures

1. Hand-Painted Textures

The most traditional approach, where artists paint textures directly, often in tools like Substance Painter or Photoshop. This style is common in games like World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Sea of Thieves.

• Visible brush strokes
• Painterly quality
• Strong color blocking
• Artistic interpretation of materials

2. Cel-Shaded / Toon Textures

Inspired by animation and comics, these textures use flat colors with distinct shading bands. Popular in games like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Borderlands, and Jet Set Radio.

• Flat color areas
• Hard shadow transitions
• Outline rendering
• Cartoon-like appearance

3. Low-Poly Stylized

Embraces geometric simplicity with flat-shaded or gradient textures. Seen in games like Monument Valley, Firewatch, and many mobile games.

• Minimal texture detail
• Geometric shapes emphasized
• Solid colors or simple gradients
• Clean, modern aesthetic

4. Stylized PBR

Uses physically-based rendering principles but with artistic liberties. This is the approach used on StylizedTextures.com and in games like Fortnite, Valorant, and Genshin Impact.

• PBR workflow (albedo, roughness, normal maps)
• Simplified but believable materials
• Artistic color choices within PBR rules
• Balance between style and realism

Why Choose Stylized Textures?

1. Timeless Visual Appeal

Stylized games age gracefully. While realistic games from 10 years ago often look dated, stylized games like The Wind Waker (2002) still look beautiful today. The artistic approach transcends technological limitations.

2. Performance Benefits

Stylized textures typically require:

• Lower resolution textures
• Fewer texture maps
• Simpler shaders
• Less memory usage
• Better performance on lower-end hardware

3. Unique Visual Identity

A strong stylized art style makes your game recognizable in a market full of realistic titles. Players can spot games like Fortnite, Team Fortress 2, or Valorant from their distinctive visual approach.

4. Faster Production

After establishing your art style and pipeline, stylized assets often take less time to create than photorealistic ones. Without the constraint of real-world accuracy, you gain more creative freedom and faster iteration cycles.

5. Broader Appeal

Stylized art creates a more approachable aesthetic that resonates with wider audiences, including younger players and those drawn to colorful, imaginative worlds.

6. Easier to Maintain Consistency

Clear art direction guidelines make it simpler to maintain a consistent visual style across large teams or throughout a game's development cycle.

Creating Stylized Textures: Key Principles

1. Simplify, Don't Oversimplify

Capture the essence of a material with fewer details without making it look cheap or unfinished. Every detail should serve a purpose.

2. Exaggerate Important Features

Make wood grain more pronounced. Make stone cracks more visible. Exaggeration improves readability and adds character to materials.

3. Use Color Creatively

Don't be bound by realistic colors. Stylized textures often use:

• Saturated, vibrant colors
• Harmonious color palettes
• Color temperature for mood
• Complementary colors for contrast

4. Maintain Readability

Textures need clarity at various distances and lighting conditions. Test in-game early and frequently.

5. Establish Clear Art Direction

Before creating textures, define your style rules:

• Level of detail
• Color palette
• Edge treatment (soft vs hard)
• Weathering and wear approach
• Contrast levels

6. Think About Shapes and Silhouettes

Stylized art emphasizes clear, readable shapes. Textures should support and enhance the geometry's silhouette rather than compete with it.

Tools for Creating Stylized Textures

Substance Designer

Substance Designer is excellent for creating procedural stylized materials. You can:

• Build tileable stylized materials
• Create variation through parameters
• Generate multiple color variants quickly
• Export materials for any engine

Substance Painter

Substance Painter is perfect for hand-painted stylized textures:

• Paint directly on 3D models
• Use custom brushes for style
• Layer-based workflow
• Smart materials for consistency

Photoshop / Krita

Traditional 2D painting tools remain popular for creating stylized textures, especially for hand-painted styles.

Blender

Blender offers powerful procedural texture creation through its shader nodes, plus painting tools for hand-painted work.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mixing Art Styles

Inconsistency undermines stylized art. Commit to your chosen style across all assets. Mixing realistic and stylized elements rarely produces good results.

2. Over-Detailing

More detail doesn't equal better quality. Stylized art requires restraint and knowing what to omit.

3. Ignoring Fundamentals

Stylized work still requires solid art fundamentals. Composition, color theory, value, and form become even more critical when working with simplified visuals.

4. Forgetting About Performance

While stylized textures are generally more efficient, you still need to optimize. Use appropriate texture resolutions and compression.

5. Not Testing In-Game

Textures that look great in your software might fail in-game. Test with proper lighting and at gameplay distances.

Famous Games Using Stylized Textures

Getting Started with Stylized Textures

Step 1: Study References

Examine games and art you admire. Analyze what makes their style effective. Build mood boards and style guides.

Step 2: Define Your Style

Write down your art direction rules. What level of detail? What color palette? How much exaggeration?

Step 3: Start Simple

Begin with basic materials like stone or wood. Master fundamentals before moving to complex surfaces.

Step 4: Iterate and Test

Create multiple versions. Test in your target engine. Gather feedback from others.

Step 5: Build a Library

Create reusable materials and establish patterns you can apply across different assets.

The Future of Stylized Textures

Game technology advances continue to shape stylized art:

• Hybrid Approaches: Combining stylized art with advanced rendering techniques
• AI-Assisted Creation: Tools that help maintain style consistency
• Real-Time Ray Tracing: Stylized materials with advanced lighting
• Procedural Generation: Creating infinite stylized variations

The key is that stylized art isn't about technical limitations—it's an artistic choice that offers unique advantages and timeless appeal.

Conclusion

Stylized textures offer more than visual appeal. They're practical tools for creating memorable, performant, and timeless games. Whether you're an indie developer or part of a AAA studio, understanding stylized texture creation expands your creative options.

Stylized art remains accessible to artists at any skill level. Photorealistic accuracy isn't required. You need artistic vision, consistency, and solid fundamentals.

Ready to start? Explore our free texture library, study the source files available to Patreon members, and develop your own stylized art style. Start creating and iterate on your vision.