---
title: "Process your 3D model"
nav_title: "Process your model"
summary:
  - "The public Optimize 3D Model workflow runs retopology (a remesh to a clean, light mesh), UV unwrapping and retexture in one run."
  - "Retopology rebuilds a clean, light mesh and bakes the detail of the original into the new texture."
  - "New UVs carry no texture, so retexture paints a new one, from the original image or from a new reference."
description: "Remesh, UV unwrap and texture a 3D model in one run: retopology from about 800,000 triangles to under 5,000 faces, UV unwrapping into larger islands, then retexture with the original image or a new reference."
section: 3d
order: 40
type: guide
level: Build
roles: [creator, artist, art-director, marketer, team-lead, admin, developer]
time: { read: 6, do: 15, wait: 8 }
needs: ["A generated high poly model", "A texture reference image, for example the image the model was made from"]
last_verified: 2026-11-10
models_checked: ["Tripo Retopology", "Tencent UV Unwrapping", "Tripo 3.0 Texturing", "Meshy 7 - Retexture"]
hero: 3d/process-3d-models/ch-01-the-optimize-3d-model-workflow.webp
video: tutorials/3d-lesson-4-process-your-3d-model.mp4
video_caption: "Process your 3D model"
thumb: 3d/thumbs/lesson-4-process-your-3d-model.webp
chapters:
  - { at: 0, title: "The Optimize 3D Model workflow", image: "/media/images/3d/process-3d-models/ch-01-the-optimize-3d-model-workflow.webp" }
  - { at: 25.83, title: "Retopology", image: "/media/images/3d/process-3d-models/ch-02-retopology.webp" }
  - { at: 53.67, title: "UV unwrapping", image: "/media/images/3d/process-3d-models/ch-03-uv-unwrapping.webp" }
  - { at: 85.57, title: "Retexture", image: "/media/images/3d/process-3d-models/ch-04-retexture.webp" }
related: [image-to-3d, rig-and-animate-3d, game-ready-3d]
pdf: true
run_in: [model_tripo-retopology, model_tencent-uv-unwrapping, model_tripo-v3-0-texturing, model_meshy-7-retexture]
updated: 2026-11-10
canonical: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/process-3d-models
---

Last updated: 2026-11-10

# Process your 3D model

> Remesh, UV unwrap and texture a 3D model in one run: retopology from about 800,000 triangles to under 5,000 faces, UV unwrapping into larger islands, then retexture with the original image or a new reference.

In short:

- The public Optimize 3D Model workflow runs retopology (a remesh to a clean, light mesh), UV unwrapping and retexture in one run.
- Retopology rebuilds a clean, light mesh and bakes the detail of the original into the new texture.
- New UVs carry no texture, so retexture paints a new one, from the original image or from a new reference.


This lesson takes a finished 3D model and processes it, step by step, in one workflow.

## The Optimize 3D Model workflow

![Film still: The Optimize 3D Model workflow](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/f60dd041670dfb1b14553216509699aa8d5a5ddef1a19f531c14669de4d3d436.webp)

A public workflow does it all in one run. **Optimize 3D Model** has three steps: retopology, UV unwrapping and retexture.

It takes two inputs: your **high poly model**, and a **texture reference image**. Here, the reference is the image the character was made from.

## Retopology

![Film still: Retopology](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/95e19858ff9b4e574e416147f51560a6727e2fed7f75e427eec8ec1f1f3b2e53.webp)

Step one rebuilds the model with a clean, light mesh, and bakes the detail of the original into the new texture.

- The high poly model has almost 800,000 triangles.
- After retopology, the same character has under 5,000 faces, mostly quads, in clean, even rows.
- It still looks like the original, because the texture was baked from the high poly model.

## UV unwrapping

![Film still: UV unwrapping](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/0ca98877976ccc815da4c7df1c3a758fc1d4c7cbd15ec57731854afc82216778.webp)

Step two flattens the surface of the model into a 2D map, so a texture sits correctly on it.

- **Before:** more than 1,200 small islands, covering about half of the space.
- **After:** about 70 larger islands, covering nearly 80 percent.

The new UVs do not carry a texture, so the model comes out plain white. That is why the last step is retexture.

## Retexture

![Film still: Retexture](https://ufgc0c9mhl4ueq76.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/academy/13a89718298038ec9656fb8f9462f322dcc0a5e5747c9ce55f47429da7328095.webp)

Step three paints a new texture on your clean mesh, using the new UVs, from a reference image.

Use the original image to bring the texture back, or a different reference to change it completely: same mesh, same UVs, two different looks. Orbit around both results and check the surface from every side.

To texture a 3D model outside the workflow, run **Tripo 3.0 Texturing** on its own, or **Meshy 7 Retexture**, a fast alternative at about a minute per run.

Source: https://learn.scenario.com/3d/process-3d-models