Ah, the wonders of texture gathering! Weekends spent wandering almost aimlessly around a town with a camera trying not to look suspicious… it’s essentially a bloody good excuse for a holiday with your mates.

So, how to begin? Well, the first stage is to identify a location. Try to think of somewhere with some character that will provide buildings and other architecture suited to your current projects, but also try to think about what you’re likely to require in the future. You’ll need somewhere that’s large enough to make finding accommodation a fairly easy and hopefully cheap process, but there’s always the camping option if needs be.

It’s also got to be somewhere that you can get to, or preferably, somewhere that you were going, or at least wanted to go anyway, but just needed a half decent excuse to get you moving. Another important consideration is the weather. It’s no good trying to take pictures on an overcast day, nevermind when it’s tipping it down. You won’t get anything usable that way. Late spring and the summer will certainly provide better lighting and longer days to aid your quest.

The final key point to remember when planning your excursion is that texture gathering is a truly daunting and exhausting task. Don’t leave yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere looking for an archaic piece of wall, however certain you are that it’s just what you need. Remember to always, and I must stress this point, ALWAYS be near a pub. If you can’t get some refreshment after all that effort and hard work… what’s the point?

So, either check yourself in to a nice B&B, hotel or the like, or pitch your tent in a nice spot, near your chosen ’suitable’ location during the more civilised months of the year. Then check your wallet’s in place and full enough to get you through the day. You’re now ready to pick up your camera and head in to the target zone. Study each and every surface in your eye line, not just the walls, get a good look at the floors and ceilings too. Any of them could offer the perfect texture for your next creation. Take close up shots and try not to worry too much about the onlookers wondering what the hell you’re doing taking a picture of a brick.

Now, sooner or later the heat and the pressure will start to get to you, you’ll find yourself drying out and becoming increasingly frustrated with tourists who are by now convinced that you’re barking mad. In short, it’s time for a break. See, I told you those pubs would come in handy didn’t I? This isn’t the end of your day though, oh no, there’s plenty of textures in a nice old public house and a couple of bevvies will surely increase your confidence and, as a result, production when you get back out there.

Once you’re happy that you’ve covered the vicinity and captured everything worthwhile, you can pat yourself on the back, start to relax and think about the evening. It’ll be getting dark soon anyway and you can’t take photos without good light, oh no. Thankfully, you’ll now have an in depth knowledge of the local drinking establishments and can plan your night accordingly. A couple of days texture gathering is usually enough for any man and you can return home safe in the knowledge that it’s been a job well done.

Oh, it’s a hard life this games making malarkey…