How to Create an ID Map in Blender
What is an ID Map? An ID Map (Identification Map) is a texture where each important part of a 3D model is represented by a unique solid color. These colors are not part of the final appearance of the model. Their purpose is to quickly identify different parts during the texturing process. An ID Map allows artists to assign materials, colors, or textures to specific areas without manually selecting polygons. For example, on a racing steering wheel: Black → Leather Red → Stitching Green → Buttons Blue → Paddle Shifters Yellow → Display Screen These color masks can then be used in applications such as Substance Painter, Photoshop, Quixel Mixer, or any software that supports color-based masking. Benefits of Using an ID Map Quickly assign different materials. Easily customize the model. Save time during the texturing process. Industry-standard workflow for game development and 3D visualization. Makes the model much easier for customers to edit and personalize.
Step 1 Prepare Your Model
Finish modeling the object you want to texture.
In this tutorial, we'll use a steering wheel as an example, but the same workflow applies to any 3D model.
Step 2 Create the Main Material
Select your object and assign a material to it.
For example:
Material Name:
You can use any naming convention you prefer, such as Body, Interior, or Wheel. Keeping materials organized will make your project easier to manage.
Step Create the ID Map Image
Open the Shader Editor.
- Add an Image Texture node.
- Click New.
- Create a new image using these settings:
- Name: ID_Map
- Resolution: 4096 × 4096 (4K)
- Initial Color: Any bright color (pink, green, blue, etc.).
The initial color doesn't matter since it will be replaced during the painting process.
Step 4 Select the Area to Paint
Switch to Edit Mode.
Select only the faces that belong to the part you want to assign a unique color.
For example:
- Steering wheel rim
- Buttons
- Paddle shifters
- Display screen
- Center hub
Each of these parts will receive its own color in the final ID Map.
Step 5 Switch to Texture Paint
After selecting the faces, switch to Texture Paint mode.
Enable Paint Mask, located next to the Texture Paint mode selector.
With Paint Mask enabled, Blender will only paint the faces you selected in Edit Mode, preventing accidental painting on other parts of the model.
Step 6 Paint the Selection
In Texture Paint, choose the Fill tool.
The Fill tool is the recommended method for creating an ID Map because it fills the entire selected area with a perfectly uniform solid color.
Choose a bright color such as:
- Red
- Green
- Blue
- Yellow
- Cyan
- Magenta
Click on the selected area to fill it completely.
Step 7 Repeat for Every Part
Repeat the same process for every important section of the model.
Each area should have its own unique color so it can be identified independently during texturing.
For example:
- Leather → Red
- Buttons → Green
- Paddle Shifters → Blue
- Display Screen → Yellow
- Stitching → Magenta
The specific colors are not important. The only requirement is that each editable part uses a different solid color.
Final Result
Once completed, you'll have an ID Map where every important component of the model is identified by its own unique color.
This makes it much easier to create masks, assign materials, and customize the model in applications such as Substance Painter, resulting in a faster and more professional texturing workflow.
Tip: The colors in an ID Map are not the final materials. They are simply color identifiers used to separate different parts of the model during the texturing process.
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