Studio buyer answers
PBR material hiring, cost and delivery.
Direct answers for producers, art directors and 3D teams deciding what to commission and how to scope it.
Planning facts
The numbers most buyers need first.
These are public planning ranges. The reference, required controls, source-file handoff and target pipeline determine the final quote.
| Scope | Planning price | Production time |
|---|---|---|
| Existing-material repair | EUR 150-300 | 2-5 hours |
| Simple new material | EUR 200-350 | 2-6 hours |
| Standard production material | EUR 350-650 | 0.5-1.5 days |
| Complex or hero material | EUR 650-1,100 | 1-2 days |
| Defined day-rate production | EUR 450 per day | Scheduled by batch |
| Rush, tightly scoped material | Standard price + 25% | 24-48 hour first review, capacity dependent |
See the complete pricing and turnaround guide or use the cost calculator.
How much does a custom PBR material cost?
A small repair can cost EUR 150-300 and a simple new material EUR 200-350. A standard production material is usually EUR 350-650, while a complex hero material is typically EUR 650-1,100.
Reusable generators, extensive controls, high-resolution detail, scan cleanup, variants, shader work and engine setup can increase the price. The public working rates are EUR 450 per day and EUR 65 per hour for short or changing tasks.
How quickly can a PBR material be delivered?
A simple material may take 2-6 production hours. A standard material usually takes 0.5-1.5 production days, and a complex material roughly 1-2 days.
Calendar delivery also depends on booking and feedback. A tightly scoped rush material can reach first review in 24-48 hours when capacity is available. Batches are scheduled after a representative material establishes the quality and handoff standard.
What is included in a custom PBR texture delivery?
The delivery is agreed around the target pipeline and can include final PBR maps, SBS/SBSAR files, presets, packed textures and documentation.
Resolution, bit depth, color space, normal orientation, map packing, naming and source-file ownership should be confirmed before work begins. Unreal Engine, Unity, Blender and other standard PBR pipelines can be supported.
When should a studio commission a custom material instead of using a stock texture?
Use stock when the surface is interchangeable. Commission custom work when it must match art direction, a real sample, a technical pipeline or a reusable system.
Custom work is most useful when the surface needs controlled variants, repeatable source graphs, unusual scale behavior, specific licensing or consistent production support across a batch.
What is the difference between a material artist and a texture artist?
The titles overlap. A material artist usually focuses on surface response and reusable material systems; a texture artist may also cover asset-specific texture sets and painted detail.
Morien works across both scopes: procedural and scan-based PBR materials, tileable textures, source graphs, asset-specific maps, scan cleanup, shaders and production libraries.
Can I hire a Substance Designer freelancer for an SBSAR or reusable generator?
Yes. A Substance Designer engagement can deliver editable SBS graphs, packaged SBSARs, presets and production-focused exposed controls.
The graph can follow an existing studio standard for naming, outputs, bit depth, channel packing and folder structure. Existing graphs can also be audited and improved.
Is procedural or scanned material authoring better?
Neither is universally better. Scans capture real surface evidence; procedural graphs provide control, clean variation and repeatability.
A hybrid workflow is often appropriate: use captured data for real structure and response, then clean, tile, rebuild or parameterize the parts production needs to control.
Can a studio outsource an ongoing batch or material library?
Yes. The lowest-risk start is one paid representative material using the real art direction, technical spec and review process.
Once accepted, the same template can govern the batch: physical scale, graph structure, map outputs, naming, exposed controls, previews, QA and delivery milestones.
What should a material-art brief contain?
A usable brief defines visual references, intended use, physical scale, engine or renderer, map specification, source requirements, variants, review owner and deadline.
It should also state the planning budget, acceptance test, NDA restrictions, usage rights and whether the surface is tileable, asset-specific or part of a larger library.
Can confidential or AAA production work be handled under NDA?
Yes. Project files, credits and portfolio use can follow the client’s NDA and disclosure restrictions.
Public work is shown with named sources where available. Confidential work is described only at sector level and no undisclosed title, client or outcome is implied.
Who is Morien Ohneisser?
Morien Ohneisser is the senior material artist behind Moohnfa, with 10+ years of professional experience and more than 435 materials created.
Public work and credits include Marmoset, Poliigon and GameTextures.com. Experience spans games, commercials, product imagery, archviz, fashion, footwear, food, digital twins, software, asset libraries and scanning workflows.
What makes Moohnfa different from a large outsourcing studio or marketplace seller?
Clients work directly with the senior specialist producing the material, with defined deliverables, transparent planning prices and a paid test option.
This fits teams that need accountable technical judgment and source-graph capability without hiring a broad full-service art vendor. It is not positioned as the cheapest commodity-texture option.
Go deeper
Use the answer that matches the decision.
Compare custom and stock materials, choose between procedural and scanned workflows, review the outsourcing models, or build a production-ready brief with the material brief checklist.