https://youtu.be/shcqsf7Sx5E?feature=shared

Baking Diffuse Maps in Blender Video-

Basic Summary- Clean Geo> UV> Bake> Clean up Texture

  1. Import downloaded 3D model into blender.
  2. Zero out model on axis and make sure it's straight and not weirdly rotated.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L0iUd6rLWbq4kkYErSKQHQLqblJ8JEk7mCVWULeJVXrXPxpzw1lPo3Krc4ECzi_FcsZh23ehpvq6zkqZCJcd-Wp-KL0a4DPc5pU0JOfNZA-aurOfMbDn8pqP4ojiQ7AGIzhm2tw8XgXXVW4H5RbKu0o

  1. First will be cleaning up the geometry. I use an add-on called “3D-Print”. It's in the preferences in Blender, make sure it's checked on.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/UWnjOqcvjCuGtzdWXHI952xx5dBdCuZhVAHpP8KGvmmARaT-jUUKlHE8htu8hLVt8dy9x0NOvtfwDbZHOMAy2wL9I6DtYNnRgXQy6jvbuTG4rYoxtpcUlJeRGUZOE2QhiGyg3nSJ269POm1NaI-6mAI

  1. Click “clean up” this will show non manifolds it has. Once it gives you the amount of non manifold edges the object has, click “Make Manifold”. Run the “Check All” again to make sure you have gotten all the non manifolds. It should say 0 once it's good.
  2. Next once it's good, we will go into edit mode for the other clean ups. Go to Mesh>Clean up> Delete Loose. Make sure you have all vertices selected.
  3. With everything selected go to Mesh>Clean Up> Merge by distance. Each mesh is different by getting as close as you can without altering the shape of the object. For example I did .003m.
  4. Do the same thing but go to Mesh>Clean Up>Decimate Geometry
  5. Run the “Check All” on the 3D Print add on to check again for Non Manifolds. Run and repeat until you get no Non Manifolds
  6. With the geometry all clean, we are going to re-mesh the AI Mesh. Go to Object Data Properties> Mesh> Quad> QuadriFlow Re-mesh. If there is an error, go through the clean up steps again. Might need to do the re-mesh a couple times to test how low poly you can go without losing details.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/APLAtXfYpih5vCEoc_h7Ukr9b3HBZakNCBmgb3D5tZgW-1rI3t9q_yAZZVTAsqoJbm1SV86lAfribRpVF049xBwSg1mL_KKMTu-2dFPHwBEcE7tUqiIArNCY48qaRuQqaLI0xE84sKn0hs-bLPt1upw

  1. The mesh might need some smoothing in the sculpt or other hands on manipulation. The fish is a simple shape, so it's good to go after some smoothing.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/f0C5Oovo0pPhdqBQHbue9EJ-iZK9TPBKJ0ukyTqT-JRXuGH5r8caBbBC2PZfjzOdYtlO6i27bfnc2Df2f-KBw169SuDKx3ZM8OMk-6qDMrwhG5Ph4h-eoku0qE-zfeTj3JczyPcyxdHwSp34t_Dhp78

  1. Once the model is good, go to UV Editing and start on clean UVs.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/A7XCkOgBvs7zhqtJjeae0VGYLAXDGXZayuKU1K-icqtJTZev35h616B-4EkFrz7oNCrmI3Ib0Wd7sDW_O8QV02lOA8_BOmfRgznmKR9UodJzWyyuRFtaj-KE4w3j-WHMtwprzVvc3QXtssxxGA_itK4