New model I wam working on. Bat Cat.

newmodels

I imported the texture into krita for resizing. Not certain about dithering in krita, but the model looks almost the same at different resolutions. Maybe it's the distance from camera?

Here in top left corner is original, 4096x4096 16bit.
Top right is krita's 2048x2048 using bilinear filter downsizing it.
Bottom left is krita's 1024x1024 using bilinear downsizing the 2048x2048
and bottom right is krita's 512x512 downsizing 1024x1024 using bilinear filter.

After I put the images together I then down sized it using bilinear filter to 1920

Megalomaniak

newmodels Maybe it's the distance from camera?

Probably, certainly a part of it.

newmodels

It now has 10k-- tris.

DJM

original design, but i would do some more work to improve the textures.

newmodels

DJM

Do you mean the normal map, or diffuse. I agree the paint is not too good. I am not that good at painting, but I can try to make the diffuse map better. Not certain how to improve the normal map.

newmodels

It's hard using blender for painting, if I could only have krita's tools inside blender.

DJM

normal map is fine, the diffuse is just 3 colors painted on the model. its way to clean. use your normal map to bake cavity maps and occlusion and use those to add detail and color variations on your model, just my 2 cents 😉

newmodels

DJM

I tried extracting the blue channel from the normal map in krita, and then adjusted the levels for creating a cavity map.

And then stuck that with an overlay node in blender, blending the diffuse.
I baked an Occlusion map, but not certain how to use it.

newmodels

I was able to make this one...

newmodels

I then added a dirt layer.

DJM

newmodels alot better allready, are u using free software only? u can create a smooth curvature map in 'material maker' from your normal map. im also sure u can bake a curvature and cavity maps with blenders 'textools'
a simple trick is to overlay the curvature map over your albedo in krita to add detail.
but for best results its best to use a pbr texture painting tool for your materials

newmodels

DJM

Thank you for telling me about the AO, cavity and curvature maps. And thank you for telling me about textools. Oh, yes I am using only free software. Krita, Blender and Ubuntu.

Megalomaniak

If you are going to make this a fur covered creature then perhaps consider adding some stripes or color splotches like on a painted horse or such perhaps?

newmodels

I did add the curvature map that was made with textools.

I like the idea of putting stripes or splotches on it. Most cats I seen have stripes.

newmodels

I made some changes. Here is the new rendering.

DJM

newmodels no problem,
but u can still improve your textures
heres' an older model of mine on sketchfab, not perfect but should give u an idea
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/minion-86aafeda2505498c9524131c72d8520d
if u look at the albedo and roughness theres' highlights and dirt based on the curvature map and occlusion
and also some handpainted highlights.
keep experimenting, cause textures make up for more than half the look of a low poly model
there is offcourse no 'right' way to do it, and everyone has their own workflow

newmodels

Here I did more work on the diffuse map. texTools does not seem to be making the cavity map correctly. But maybe I have the settings wrong. It creates a map but I have to edit it in krita, adjusting the levels.

newmodels

Tried making a rough map based on the model you showed.

DJM

in blender its called a 'cavity map' i believe.

newmodels

DJM

It is called cavity map in blender.

I found out a cavity map is an AO map with short rays. Problem with baking an AO map with short rays in blender, is the rays don't reach far enough. But I am will try something and see if it works.

Textools has the cavity map option. But the image seems too dark. Maybe it's correct?

I tested the short rays by baking an AO map without cage, and using short ray of 0.0001. I then put the caged AO map in krita, and put the short ao map ontop of it in krita. I then selected the black part with krita's magic select tool and pressed delete. I ended up with the exact same results as the caged AO map.

It didn't work in blender. I will look and try something.