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3DAI
Free · runs in your browser · no signup

Matcap Generator

A matcap (material capture) is a square image of a lit sphere. A 3D viewer colours each point of a model by looking up the direction it faces, so one PNG gives the model its whole material and lighting. Pick a preset, move the lights, tune the finish and download a 256 to 2048 px PNG.

Loading the matcap generator...

How to make a matcap

  1. 1

    Pick a preset

    Start from clay, chrome, gold, toon, jade, wax or another look, or press Randomise.

  2. 2

    Place the lights

    Drag the numbered dots on the light picker. Add up to 4 lights; tick "Behind" for a rim light.

  3. 3

    Tune the finish

    Change colour, roughness, metalness, rim, toon bands, studio reflection and clearcoat. The preview updates live.

  4. 4

    Check it on a model

    Orbit the 3D head or torus knot, or drop your own STL, OBJ or GLB onto the preview.

  5. 5

    Download the PNG

    Choose 256, 512, 1024 or 2048 px and a transparent or black outside, then save the PNG (or all 12 presets as a ZIP).

How to use a matcap in Blender, ZBrush and three.js

The PNG from this page works anywhere that takes a matcap or lit-sphere image, including sculpting apps and toon shaders.

Blender

  1. Open Edit > Preferences > Lights, choose the MatCaps tab and click Install. Pick your PNG.
  2. In the 3D viewport, open Viewport Shading, set Solid mode and Lighting to MatCap.
  3. Click the matcap sphere and choose yours. It is now a viewport look for every object.

ZBrush

  1. Import the PNG with Texture > Import.
  2. Select a MatCap material (for example MatCap Gray), open Material > Modifiers and click the matcap texture slot to pick your image.
  3. Save it with Material > Save as a .ZMT to reuse it in other projects.

three.js

  1. Load the PNG: const tex = new THREE.TextureLoader().load("matcap.png"); tex.colorSpace = THREE.SRGBColorSpace;
  2. Use it: new THREE.MeshMatcapMaterial({ matcap: tex }). No lights are needed in the scene.
  3. Keep the transparent outside or the black one: the material only reads inside the sphere.

Blender, ZBrush and three.js are named only to describe compatibility; The3DAI is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.

Matcap presets

All 12 looks are generated by code in your browser, so every one can be changed and saved at any size. The ZIP holds all 12 plus a 4 x 3 sheet.

PresetLookGood for
Red clayWarm terracotta, soft sheenSculpting forms, the classic sculpt-viewport look
Grey clayNeutral grey, ZBrush-likeJudging shape and silhouette without colour
ChromeMirror metal, studio stripsChecking surface flow and hard-surface curvature
GoldPolished yellow goldJewellery, trophies, stylised props
CopperWarm satin copperPipes, coins, steampunk parts
Toon blue3 flat bands + hard rimCel-shaded, anime and stylised game art
JadeTranslucent green stoneCarvings, figurines, fantasy items
WaxSoft, warm, light scattersCandles, soap, skin-free stylised characters
White plasticGlossy white ABSProduct shots, toys, 3D print previews
Car paintDeep red, clearcoat, flakeVehicles, hard-surface concept models
IridescentOil-slick / soap-bubble filmBeetle shells, sci-fi, holographic props
NormalsRGB = view-space normalNormal-map previews, technical and shader tests

From a matcap preview to a textured model

A matcap is a preview look. When the model needs real colour, normal and roughness maps for a game, a render or a print, let AI paint them onto your mesh. The AI studio uses credits; this matcap tool does not.

Texture your model with AI →Real colour, normal and roughness maps from a text prompt, painted onto your mesh.Normal Map Generator →Free: turn a photo or texture into a normal map.Free Textures →Seamless PBR textures to download and use.3D Model Viewer →Open GLB, OBJ, FBX and more in your browser.

Matcap generator FAQ

A matcap, short for material capture and also called a lit sphere, is an image of a shaded sphere. The viewer takes each surface normal as seen from the camera and reads the colour at that spot on the sphere, so lighting, colour and reflections all come from one image and the scene needs no lights.
512 x 512 is plenty for a sculpting or modelling viewport, 1024 is a good choice for close-ups and three.js scenes, and 2048 is for big screens or final stylised renders. A matcap never needs to be larger than the model appears on screen. Every size here renders in your browser in about a second or less.
Either works: Blender, ZBrush and MeshMatcapMaterial only read pixels inside the sphere. Transparent is easier to place on a web page or in a contact sheet; black is the classic look and some older tools expect it. The edge is antialiased and the outer 1% repeats the rim colour, so no dark halo shows on models.
Yes. Every matcap is drawn by your own settings in your browser, so you can use the PNGs in any project, personal or commercial, and you can share or sell them. No credit is needed, though a link back is always welcome.
A matcap is tied to the camera, not to the scene, so its light always comes from the same side of your screen. That is why it is so good for judging shape while you sculpt. For lighting that stays fixed in the world, give the model real textures and PBR materials instead.
Start from the Toon blue preset or set Toon bands to 2 to 6. Each light then gives flat steps instead of a smooth falloff, and the highlight and rim become hard-edged. Keep Wrap low and raise Rim for a classic anime outline glow.
It writes each view-space normal as a colour (red = right, green = up, blue = towards you), so the centre is (128, 128, 255). It is handy for shader tests, for checking normal maps, and as a base for custom stylised looks in an image editor.
No. Models you drop on the preview are read by your browser and never leave your device, and the matcap is rendered locally too. If you choose to texture the model with AI, it is only sent when you start that job in the texturing studio.