How to prepare gravel samples for rendering

What to upload

A swatch of the gravel spread on the ground: a close, evenly lit image of the layer from above. Renders spread it where the ground is in your scene, such as a path, a drive or a bed, as separate stones heaped to a real depth. Their tops catch the scene's own light, the gaps between them fall into shadow, and the layer follows every rise and slope.

Gravel isn't repeated into a tile. Renders vary the stones in color, size and shape the way your sample does, so no patch of stones repeats in a visible grid.

A lifestyle image of the gravel laid is optional. It shows renders how the stone behaves in real light, and nothing else in it is copied.

The ideal sample

A patch of the real layer: close enough to see single stones, wide enough to see their mix.

• A spread, level layer filling the frame, with no bag, bucket or edging showing.
• Single stones clear, and dozens of them in frame.
• From straight above.
• Soft, even light: an overcast day or open shade, so the gaps between stones don't go black.
• Dry, unless you sell it for its wet color. Wet stone is darker and shinier than what arrives.
• True color, with no filter or edit.

Measurements

One number sets the scale: how big a stone is. Renders read it against the steps, edging and plants in the scene, so pea gravel stays pea gravel.

• Width, in inches: a typical stone, across.
• Sold by grade, such as 3/8 inch? Enter it as a decimal: 0.375.
• Left blank, a stone is drawn about half an inch across.
• Height and depth aren't used for gravel, and nor is the pattern repeat.

Before you save

Check each sample:

• A spread layer filling the frame, single stones clear.
• Straight from above, soft light, dry.
• The typical mix of sizes and colors, true color.
• Stone size entered, in inches.
• JPEG, PNG or WebP, 4.5 MB or less.