Creating Japanese Kimono Fabric in 3D

Introduction 

My name is Elizaveta Ivanova. I am a 3D artist in the game industry and have participated in such projects as Alien: Rogue Incursion, Enlisted, War Thunder, and others. I graduated with a master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations in the field of design and fashion. My knowledge of the visual arts and graphic design helps me in my professional development as a 3D artist. Currently, I focus on creating materials and texturing, striving to enhance my skills in these areas.

Japanese Kimono Fabric Collection

Visiting an Edo-period kimono collection exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum inspired me to create this project. The exquisite patterns and delicate embroidery amazed me with their beauty.

I attempted to recreate the complex fabric patterns of kimono using procedural methods in Substance 3D Designer, as well as create kimono models in Marvelous Designer. This is how the Japanese Kimono Fabric Collection project began.

At first, I began to search for the main reference for the project. I chose an Outer Robe (Uchikake) with Mandarin Oranges and Folded-Paper Butterflies from the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The main sources of inspiration were museum exhibits and artistic illustrations. Additionally, fabric textures such as silk, brocade, and jacquard were selected to convey their visual properties. Special attention was paid to patterns, embroidery, and color variations. To present the kimono in a traditional manner, it was decided to create a stand and decorative holders, which, in turn, helped emphasize the drapery and fabric patterns. The study of kimono presentation in museums and their lighting influenced the final rendering of the images.

Marvelous Designer

The Marvelous Designer software was used to ensure accurate fabric simulation. I created kimono patterns, adjusted the fabric's physical properties, and simulated natural drapery to achieve a realistic fabric appearance. In the first stage, a basic kimono pattern was created and placed on a traditional stand.

Next, a simulation of the kimono on a posed model was carried out, taking into account fabric tension, natural folds, and material movement.

Adding Detail in ZBrush

After exporting the models from Marvelous Designer, I refined them in ZBrush. I added fine folds, paying special attention to the junctions of different parts of the kimono to make them look more realistic.

Using alpha maps of various seams, I created the effect of stitched edges with fabric tension along the seam lines. On the glossy surface of the model, the folds may seem exaggerated, but once the fabric material is applied, this effect will be softened in later stages, and the folds will achieve the desired appearance.

To visualize the final kimono material better, the completed model with a prepared UV map was imported into Substance 3D Designer. This step facilitated the placement of embroidery elements on the fabric in alignment with the reference.

For the creation of the main fabric in my project, Oranges and Butterflies, a combined technique was used: a procedural approach along with alpha maps. Masks were generated for the traditional base fabric patterns, which contain numerous fine details. Additionally, a prepared mask was created for the butterflies to ensure precise geometric shapes and accurate spacing between elements. If the creation of alpha maps requires multiple iterations, I use external software to simplify the process and save time.

First and foremost, I started with the creation of the base fabric, which served as an excellent foundation for layering patterns and embroidery elements.

While designing the Koji Tsunagi fabric pattern, I decided to enhance it with additional traditional Japanese ornaments to give it a unique touch.

By combining the interwoven structure with the main pattern using the Height Blend node, I formed the fabric's foundation. A strong base is key to constructing a cohesive material.

Next, I proceeded to create the fundamental elements: the crown of the tree, branches, leaves, butterflies, and all kinds of flowers.

For the crown of the tree, the combination of the Spline (Poly Quadratic) and Scatter on Spline nodes allowed to create a flexible silhouette for all parts of the tree. The point-based system enables not only to adjust the direction of the defined line but also its thickness.

Since a pattern element (Kanoko) had already been created for the tree – a small diamond shape with rounded edges and a black sphere in the center – the next logical step was to design the flower, which also consisted of this element, and then to place the flowers in their designated positions.

Next, curved tree branches were formed. Once again, the combination of Spline (Poly Quadratic) and Scatter on Spline proved to be the best assistant. The high level of customization for each element made it possible to achieve the desired result.

It was necessary to create three types of butterflies for this fabric; each of them was crafted using different techniques. Let's take a closer look at the process.

For the golden butterfly, the main challenge was replicating the embroidery technique using golden threads, which allowed light to refract on the surface. Depending on the viewing angle and lighting, the embroidery shimmers, creating a sense of volume and depth. The threads originate from the center and form a triangular shape. Using the Tile Sampler Grayscale node, I achieved the desired thread repetition and direction, refining it further with Shape Mapper. To enhance the effect, I added a stitch running from the peak of each triangle. The final result was then applied to each part of the butterfly.

To get the whole picture, the butterflies needed legs. Using the Splatter node, I created two variations of embroidered legs. As a result, the first butterfly was ready!

The next butterfly was also golden, but it was created using contour embroidery. The weaving principle was reused as it was done with the previous butterfly. The key technique here was modifying the mask. I took the existing mask, processed it with the Edge Detect node, and obtained the desired contour, onto which then applied the thread weaving.

And finally, the third butterfly. For the background of this butterfly, I used the base fabric pattern, increased the tiling, and adjusted the height differences using Levels. I achieved the effect of an embroidered thread pattern following the mask’s contour with Sampler Grayscale.

After that, I moved on to creating the plant elements – orange blossoms, branches with leaves, and flowers. A base leaf shape was designed, and later it was used for each fragment. To ensure variation in the leaf shapes, I modified them using Swirl Grayscale, adjusting their curvature and form.

Next, I created two types of orange blossoms. At this stage, the previously designed leaf was already useful. For the embroidery of the flower’s central part, I made adjustments so that each stitch followed a circular motion, mirroring the rounded shape of the flower. Combining all the elements, we got another fragment of the kimono pattern.

The creation of the final flower differed only in its central part. For the flower's background, I used the base fabric pattern and added contour embroidery in the shape of the flower.

The remaining plant elements were made using the combination of previously utilized nodes. The main emphasis was here on the variability of these fragments to prevent their repetition while placing each element on the fabric layout and ensuring a more organic and natural design.

Once all the embroidery elements were completed, the most challenging stage began – their placement. In my opinion, this was one of the most time-consuming tasks in creating the material, as it required precision, attention to detail, and a dedication to recreating the kimono’s unique pattern.

Afterward, I moved on to creating the Albedo map. This process was relatively linear, as the previously created masks had already been grouped, and all I had to do was assign them the correct color values. The Gradient Map node was used to define the color of the base kimono fabric.

The Roughness map played a crucial role in emphasizing the material’s texture and conveying the difference between the base fabric and the embroidered decorative elements.

Once the kimono fabric material was completed, I proceeded to develop additional materials.

Obi Belt Fabric

The plant ornament based on the Gosan no Kiri – a traditional Japanese family crest was chosen to be the central element of the material. This emblem depicts a blooming Paulownia tree, which is considered to be noble in Japanese culture. I modified the traditional ornament by adding small flowers and enhancing the detail of the branches. For framing the main element, I used a hexagonal shape, which is commonly found in obi belt fabrics.

By performing a series of sequential actions with the Splatter Circular and Tile Generator nodes, I was able to achieve the desired pattern.

Once all the pattern elements were created, the final step was to blend them together using a series of blend nodes – completing the obi belt fabric.

Gold Fabric

In addition to the main obi belt fabric, I created a gold fabric. I liked how it contrasts with the more matte textile, adding visual interest and creating a layered appearance.

Asanoha Fabric

The fabric collection project would not be complete without foundational textiles used for the inner layers of the kimono. One of these is an interpretation of Rinzu – a traditional Japanese satin damask made of silk or synthetic fibers. For this fabric, I applied the Asanoha pattern, a classic Japanese design. The interwoven threads have a slight sheen and texture, emphasizing the ornament.

Since a nice fabric base had already been established during the creation of previous materials, I used it as a foundation and made slight modifications to achieve the desired result.

White Fabric

This fabric was also created for the inner layer of the kimono. It features a subtle woven texture with fine thread relief and an even surface. My goal was to design a versatile fabric that would serve as a delicate unifying element, complementing the rich decoration of the main kimono fabric.

At this stage, the creation of the fabric collection was completed. The primary kimono and obi belt materials were given multiple color variations, allowing for greater flexibility in the final render compositions.

Render

I used Blender to render the images of my project. The rendering process for both images and videos was one of the most labor-intensive stages, as each material showcase required a unique lighting setup tailored to the specific scene.

I aimed to capture the atmosphere of a museum exhibition by placing the models on improvised podiums and displaying the kimono on a traditional stand.

Highlighting the depth and texture of the material was a key aspect of the rendering process. The primary lighting setup provided soft, diffused illumination, while additional light sources accentuated the fabric’s intricate details and surface variations.

I especially wanted to showcase the beauty of the kimono fabric in motion and emphasize how the golden embroidery of butterflies and flowers shimmers under the light. To achieve this effect, I created and animated a flowing fabric simulation.

Challenges

I can confidently say that the Japanese Kimono Fabric Collection project was both daring and ambitious. The primary goal was to create highly realistic fabric materials. Reconstructing intricate patterns required meticulous attention to every element to ensure they appeared authentic and detailed at any scale.

Due to the large number of elements on the kimono fabric, which were placed manually, special attention had to be given to object masks. It was crucial to prevent overlapping and maintain a well-balanced composition. Looking back, I see areas that could have been optimized – particularly the structure of the node graphs, which could have been more efficient.

Nevertheless, I am incredibly proud of the work I have done and the final result. The experience gained from this project will undoubtedly benefit my future projects.

Summary

Creating complex materials requires not only a creative approach but also a well-structured workflow. Here are some effective techniques that help me in my work and may be useful to you as well:

• Planning and Workflow Stages

A clear plan broken down into smaller steps helps structure the process and prevent chaos. It makes it easier to track progress and allocate time efficiently.

• References

Using references improves understanding of form, texture, lighting, and composition. It is important to analyze how a particular material is made, this will improve the work and ensure the stylistic integrity of the project. Studying other artist’s work is equally important – it develops visual literacy and helps identify interesting techniques that can be adapted for personal projects.

• Organizing the Workspace

Clean and logically structured graphs simplify navigation and reduce the chance of mistakes. Reusing previously created graphs saves time and makes the workflow more efficient.

If you're looking for practical advice on material creation, in my opinion, «Substance Designer Complete Beginner's Course» is one of the best courses available on Adobe's platform. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in exploring fabric material creation. The course is well-structured and provides a step-by-step explanation of key aspects of working with the software.

Special thanks to everyone who supported me throughout this project – your advice and feedback have been invaluable. I appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and I hope you find it useful.

Thanks to 80 Level for the opportunity to write this breakdown. If you have any questions or would like to connect, feel free to message me on ArtStation, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Elizaveta Ivanova, 3D Artist

Interview conducted by Gloria Levine