Digital Art Zone

3D painting is a nice way to do it.

Though keep in mind that depending upon the configuration of the mesh on either side of the seam you may be able to deduce which polys line up using only the UV template, and do it all in PShop. Hmm…seven squares from the edge on both sides of the seam, looks like it matches up, put a reference marker, then do a quick texture reload in Carrara and see it update right away.

You’r not maybe looking for something like this?  4K LOD map - you can get more or less detail, depending on which map you use - pretty simple method, without leaving Carrara.  You can change colours if you need.

Hello Protovu!
There are many ways to Rome and I think you found one.
Sorry that I didn´t wrote you back because there was no time!
Greetings
tezen

Thank you All,
What a pleasure to have such smart people in one’s corner. As soon as I get a chance, I will attempt the 3D paint hash marks technique suggested by RoguePilot.
On the 4K LOD map per Roygee: you are not showing a low poly Michael, but simply exporting a low vertex LOD from the hight poly Michael?
I have not used the LOD function yet….......only been using Carrara since, well,  Raydream ( just dated myself).

May not get to trying this for a bit, but I will post any successes I have with this.

What I did was take the UV map of the low-poly version and used that as a texture on the high poly version

Hi Roygee,
Could I trouble you to point me to accessing the low poly model and its UV map? Maybe I already have it somewhere, but I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks

Hi protovu

Yours may not be in the same location as mine because I did some re-organizing.  You may not even have it as it was a separate download some time ago - maybe still free?

Mine is in C:\My documents\Daz 3D\Studio\My Library\Runtime\Geometries\Daz People\blMilMan_m4b_LOD

You access the UV maps by importing the .obj to Carrara, taking it into the vertex modelling room, selecting UV mode and exporting each map, one at a time - deselect “Show all”.  Save them somewhere away from where the figure is stored!

You can then change colour or whatever in a 2d paint app.

Delete the low-poly figure and load M4 from the browser.  Substitute the default textures with the new maps by loading them in the materials room.

Using the lowest 1K version gives a really fun finish - looks like he’s been scribbled over with a marker pen.

I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what you guys are talking about…

He wanted to apply a particular grid texture to full resolution M4. And you’re suggesting he somehow use a UV map image from a low detail version of M4, but I’m not sure why. How will that help him to map his grid texture on M4??

I guess it’s all about freedom of expression, choices, the right to change minds, try something different?

Roygee - 04 August 2012 11:17 PM

I guess it’s all about freedom of expression, choices, the right to change minds, try something different?

Right….

Too bad he’ll never learn how to line up UV maps. It’s a really important skill to learn. And ultimately give him a LOT more freedom of expression.

Thank you, Roygee.
I found the blMilMan_m4b_LOD file.
This looks like it could be the ticket. Looking forward to giving it a go. What a clever work around!
Really, you gave me what I was after; specifically, a UV map which is manageable.

I will post any successes ....

Best regards

Happy to have helped - looking forward to the result

protovu - 06 August 2012 08:44 AM

Really, you gave me what I was after; specifically, a UV map which is manageable.

So that’s all you wanted??? Why didn’t you ask for that in the first place, we could have saved you (and us) a lot of time?

Arggh…....

Nice suggestion Roygee.
I have blacksmith paint. Good for painting across texture boundaries seamlessly.
Sorry if someone else has suggested this…
I was asleep ...

Hi head wax

I used to use Blacksmith Paint until the 3D paint in Carrara got jacked up - it would certainly produce better results than painting in Carrara because it makes an atlas UV map, so the paint doesn’t tend to try and follow the lines of the original UV mapping.  I’m surprised that Carrara doesn’t offer this facility to go with 3D painting.

I’ve tried 3D painting a grid on M4, one shading domain at a time - can certainly match up the lines and the vertical stripes are straight, but the horizontal ones are jagged - used a 0.01 brush.  Then there is the challenge of getting the lines to match all around the figure and you’d need a very good eye for proportions to get the spacing on the grid spot-on.

Also tried drawing the grid on an M4 template - probably can be done, but you’d have to be a genius and draw curved lines to make the lines come out straight on the figure.  For instance, the seam for the torso is down the middle of the back and has a lot of curves - you’d need to draw two matching, curvy lines to make a line straight down the back.

I guess you could lay out the UV mapping differently, stitching it all together to make a new template - but that would be way more work than it’s worth.

Cheers