How to texture a metallic 3D model for beginners?

Beginners can texture metallic 3D models using a PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflow, focusing on metallic and roughness maps for realistic results. Metallic maps mark metal areas (white) vs. non-metal (black). Roughness maps control shine—low values (0.1–0.2) for polished metal, higher (0.3–0.5) for brushed/worn finishes. Tools like free Blender or paid Substance Painter simplify this with pre-built PBR shaders. Start with Blender’s "Principled BSDF" shader: set Metallic to 1 (full metal) and tweak Roughness (e.g., 0.1 for chrome, 0.4 for aged steel) to practice easily.