In this tutorial we will learn how to do basic texturing of a sphere to create realistic looking earth view from space.

1. Delete the default cube.

2. <space>, Add > Mesh > UVsphere.

3. In dialog box enter following:
Segments: 8
Rings: 8
Radius: 1.00



3. Enter shading menu (press <F5>) and click "Add New" button.

4. Under "Texture" tab click 'Add New' button and enter the texture name: earth_surface.



5. Add another 2 textures called earth_spec and earth_normal respectively.



6. Enter texture menu (press <F6>). Click on 'earth_surface' button and change Texture type from "None" to "Image". Click on "Load" button and find your earth surface texure on hard drive.



7. Repeat the previous step for other 2 textures.

8. Go back to shading menu (press <F5>).

9. Select earth_surface button under "Texture" tab. Click on "Sphe" radio button in "Map Input" tab to set spherical texture maping.



10. Repeat the previous step for other 2 textures.

11. Select earth_spec texture under "Texture" tab, turn off "Col" button under "Map To" tab and turn on "Spec" button.



12. Select normal_map, turn off "Col" button and turn on "Nor" button similar to step 11.

13. Enter editing menu (press <F9>) and click "Add Modifier" button under "Modifiers" tab and select "Subsurf" option. Set Render Levels to 3. Note: Do NOT click "Apply" or it will apply new vertices to the mesh. Instead, we just want them to appear in render image.



14. Click "Set Smooth" button under "Link and Materials" tab.



15. In shading menu <F5> click on "TraShad" button under "Shaders" tab, and set Spec to 0.



16. Press <TAB> to exit edit mode and add another sphere like in step 3:
Segments: 8
Rings: 8
Radius: 1.01

17. Add new material to new sphere like in step 4. and name it: clouds.

18. Add new texture like in step 4. and name it: earth_clouds.

19. Set texture type to "Image" like in step 6. and select image from hard drive.

20. Set spherical maping like in step 9.

21. Set Alpha to 0 in "Material" tab, turn on Ray Transparency in "Mirror Transparency" tab and map to Color and Alpha in "Map To" tab.



22. Add Subsurf Modifier same as in step 13. and click "Set Smooth" button.

23. Under "Shaders" tab set Spec to 0 like in step 15.

24. Enter world menu (little earth icon) and change both colours to black. Turn on "Stars" button.



25. Put camera closer to our Earth object and Press <F12> to render. You should get something like this: