Finding Great Free Textures
Whether you're working in 3D, looking for a background for a web page or something to give your graphic art real depth a fantastic way to improve your design and graphic art is the use of textures and background images and there are millions of free textures out there on the web, so it's just a case of finding a source for the best free textures.
Typically textures can be used as CG textures in 3D modeling, print or web artwork, part of your graphic art, even as components of your corporate identity, and typical categories include metal textures, grunge textures, brick textures, plaster textures, flaking paint textures, stone and rock textures, tarmac textures and dirt textures. Of course some of the big sites will have many more texture categories for you to choose from, and once you get into using textures as part of your design toolbox, you'll find you can never have enough textures!
Many backgrounds and textures can be found for free if you know where to look, and it's important to look in the right places. Any background photos that you intend to use must be either copyright free or licensed to be used in the way that you intend, and if necessary 300dpi at the final size for print.
Some CG Textures will not be high resolution enough for print jobs, so that is why it is important that you check the resolution of the image you are using for your background will be high enough for your final output.
Don't use Google Images or other search engines to find your free textures - it can be very hard to tell if the images are freely available to use, in fact, it is most likely that they are not and will be protected by copyright.
Also, look out for 'royalty-free' rather than 'free' textures - a royalty-free image will still need to be paid for, however once you have you should be able to use it again and again without further payment (unlike traditional rights-managed images).
Once you've found a free site, check the Terms of Use as some sites only offer images that are free for personal use and others, also offer commercial usage for free.
Check whether or not a credit or back link is required. Often if it isn't, but you should consider providing one anyway as it shows you respect other's work and you are helping to promote to the photographer of the texture you will be using.
Typically textures can be used as CG textures in 3D modeling, print or web artwork, part of your graphic art, even as components of your corporate identity, and typical categories include metal textures, grunge textures, brick textures, plaster textures, flaking paint textures, stone and rock textures, tarmac textures and dirt textures. Of course some of the big sites will have many more texture categories for you to choose from, and once you get into using textures as part of your design toolbox, you'll find you can never have enough textures!
Many backgrounds and textures can be found for free if you know where to look, and it's important to look in the right places. Any background photos that you intend to use must be either copyright free or licensed to be used in the way that you intend, and if necessary 300dpi at the final size for print.
Some CG Textures will not be high resolution enough for print jobs, so that is why it is important that you check the resolution of the image you are using for your background will be high enough for your final output.
Don't use Google Images or other search engines to find your free textures - it can be very hard to tell if the images are freely available to use, in fact, it is most likely that they are not and will be protected by copyright.
Also, look out for 'royalty-free' rather than 'free' textures - a royalty-free image will still need to be paid for, however once you have you should be able to use it again and again without further payment (unlike traditional rights-managed images).
Once you've found a free site, check the Terms of Use as some sites only offer images that are free for personal use and others, also offer commercial usage for free.
Check whether or not a credit or back link is required. Often if it isn't, but you should consider providing one anyway as it shows you respect other's work and you are helping to promote to the photographer of the texture you will be using.