Capturing clothing through photogrammetry is one of the most rewarding but technically demanding processes in digital asset creation. Unlike scanning rocks, props, or architecture, 3D clothing introduces unique challenges such as: soft surfaces shift, folds collapse, and materials absorb or reflect light unpredictably. But with the right workflow, photogrammetry delivers extraordinary realism, preserving details that hand-modeling simply can`t replicate.
One of the biggest challenges is stabilizing the garment during capture. Fabrics move easily, so creators must pin, mount, or support garments to maintain their shape. Wrinkles must be intentional because once they are baked into the scan, they become part of the model. This is especially important for 3D clothing models for game developers, where every fold affects baking, deformation, and performance.
Lighting presents another hurdle. Clothing fibers can create hotspots, noise, or uneven color shifts under harsh lighting. Scanning setups typically use diffuse, even illumination to avoid shadows that distort reconstruction. Proper light control is essential for garments that will be optimized for Unreal Engine`s MetaHuman clothing, where accurate roughness and fabric behavior are crucial for realism.
Once images are processed, creators must solve issues like mesh cleanup, topology rebuilding, and texture optimization. Raw scans are dense and chaotic, so retopology is crucial for animation, deformation, and game engine performance. Fabric normals often require special treatment, especially for knits, denim, leather grain, and quilted padding.
A top pro tip - always capture inside-out references. Even if the interior won`t be visible, these shots help establish correct thickness and physical structure.
Finally, PBR calibration ensures fabrics behave naturally under light. Roughness variation, sheen, fuzz maps, and micro-fiber scattering can determine how well the garment integrates into a virtual production environment or a next-gen game pipeline.
When done right, photogrammetry clothing delivers unmatched authenticity, ideal for MetaHumans, digital doubles, VR characters, and high-end cinematics. Today`s best pipelines combine precision scanning with clean topology to create 3D clothing assets that look and move naturally across both film and real-time applications.
