UV Mapping

handyman4545handyman4545 Posts: 399
edited December 2018 in Hexagon Discussion

I have zero experience in UV Mapping and I want to apply it to a new projext shaped similar to the Star Trek Enterprise.
mol two plates stacked top to top.

Does anyone know of a tute that addresses this topic from a beginners point of view?

I also want to create a flyby and I can't find anything on that either.

Post edited by handyman4545 on
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Comments

  • FSMCDesignsFSMCDesigns Posts: 12,518

     Daz Studio doesn't do UVmapping since it is a posing, rendering and animation app. Is that image from DS or another app? Most modeling apps come with UV mapping capabilities. There are other standalone alternatives such as Roadkill, Ultimate Unwrap 3d, UVLayout, Substance Painter, etc.

  • My bad...
    You're right. I was thinking about Hexagon and seeing Daz
    I'll roll this over to Hex.

     

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,714
    edited December 2018

    There are several in the store which cover the issue if you search on "hexagon". There are also some on youtube, just search on "hexagon uv mapping".

    Post edited by Taoz on
  • Garry Miller the original geekatplay hexagon tutorial maker has tutorial videos on youtube that help decipher many of the Hexagon functions. The channel has plenty of videos available. Lots to learn.  Here the one on uv mapping a tire.

     

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744

    I have to put a plug in for my favorite UV mapping tool ... Ulitmate Unwrap

    It is SO much easier and more intuitive. I always export my objects from Hex and map them in that tool instead. I know that Hex can do it. I just never got the hang of how to make it work despite some of the tutorials that are available for it.

  • DzFireDzFire Posts: 1,473
    JonnyRay said:

    I have to put a plug in for my favorite UV mapping tool ... Ulitmate Unwrap

    It is SO much easier and more intuitive. I always export my objects from Hex and map them in that tool instead. I know that Hex can do it. I just never got the hang of how to make it work despite some of the tutorials that are available for it.

    I still map in Hex but I do use Ultimate Unwrap for auto scaling and packing.
  • mindsongmindsong Posts: 1,693

    can I ask what autoscaling is?

    I assume 'packing' is what the DazStudio 'texture atlas' also does?, but you like the Ultimate Unwrap 'way' of doing all of your post-UV mapping needs?

    (i haven't used the DS 'texture atlas' but am wondering if UV consolidation and resolution adjustment is what 'packing' is in this context.)

    tnx,

    --ms

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744
    mindsong said:

    can I ask what autoscaling is?

    I assume 'packing' is what the DazStudio 'texture atlas' also does?, but you like the Ultimate Unwrap 'way' of doing all of your post-UV mapping needs?

    (i haven't used the DS 'texture atlas' but am wondering if UV consolidation and resolution adjustment is what 'packing' is in this context.)

    tnx,

    --ms

    Let's say you were UV mapping a flower. You might have a material for the stem, another for the leaves, one for the petals, and one for the center. Standard unwrapping would make each of those zones take up as much space as it could on the texture map. Hexagon in particular does't even care if the zones overlap on the map, it makes them as big as possible to fit within the square.

    Autoscaling takes each UV island and scales it according to the relative size in 3D space. So the little leaves are smaller than the long stem, etc.

    Packing then moves those islands to be as close to each other as possible, without overlapping.

    Sometimes you still have to tweak things a little by hand, but as far as I know those two features aren't included in Hexagon's UV mapping tools.

  • JonnyRay said:

    I have to put a plug in for my favorite UV mapping tool ... Ulitmate Unwrap

    It is SO much easier and more intuitive. I always export my objects from Hex and map them in that tool instead. I know that Hex can do it. I just never got the hang of how to make it work despite some of the tutorials that are available for it.

    I use 3D-Coat to auto UV-map my models.

  • DzFireDzFire Posts: 1,473
    edited December 2018
    A major thing with doing UV mapping is doing it in a way that the seams are hidden. You might be able to hide them with textures but if your customer changes the textures, well that's not good. Learning to map is just as important as modeling. ;)
    Post edited by DzFire on
  • This is a Hexagon/PSP question:


    Im still learning Hexagons UV Mapping and I'm moving along.

    I figured out how to get an unfolded map and then how to adjust it using coordinates, to attain the flat pattern shown below that I need to texture.
    Now Im having problems with working it into PSP.

    When I saved the map from Hex, it saved as a png with the background missing.
    I needed to reverse it to mask out the forground and retain the background but I can't seem to figure out how to remove all the individual "edges" within the outside boundry of the image without spending meticulous time enlarging the image and whiting out everything I don't want to show before overlaying the texture I want on it.

    Is there an easier way to do this so that the texture I want shows through only the areas not marked as "A" zones without all the individual, grey edges showing over top of the texture?

    Capture00.JPG
    474 x 475 - 34K
  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    PSP has a magic wand selection tool and an 'invert selection' command, hasn't it? Use them.

    Furthermore, use layers. Multiply is such a useful mode.

  • Thank you Asc.
    It worked out fine.

  • Anybody have any ideas on why my UV maps are showing up so tiny?

    The blue dots in the lower left corner of the map are my model.

    UV Dilema - Too Small.JPG
    803 x 555 - 83K
  • DzFireDzFire Posts: 1,473
    Sometimes you'll need to change the pinning axi from U to V.
  • DzFire said:
    Sometimes you'll need to change the pinning axi from U to V.

    I/ve noted that in the past.
    I've actually managed to unwrap one somewhat intricate part that wasn't predominantly flat and it worked fine for me then.

    Now however, all my wire frame images are coming out tiny in the corner and I have to "expand" them to get them back.

    I'm disapointed that there isn't a more comprehensive manual on this application.

    Someone who has extensive knowledge and experience with hexagon should write one.
    It can be submitted to "Dummies Publications" for print or you can simply publish it for free via Amazon's "Kindle Publishing".

  • tkdroberttkdrobert Posts: 3,532

    As an hobbiest, should I do UV mapping through Hexagon?  I'd rather not pay for Ultimate Unwrap if I don't have to.  I can't wrap my head around Blender, so I'm really not leaning in that direction either.

  • Personally I've never used anything but Hexagon to UV map. I agree with FirstBastion, have a look at Gary Millers tutorials on YouTube (or Geek At Play) - Check out sereis 1-4 

    http://www.geekatplay.com/hexagon-tutorials.php

  • tkdroberttkdrobert Posts: 3,532
    edited March 2019

    Personally I've never used anything but Hexagon to UV map. I agree with FirstBastion, have a look at Gary Millers tutorials on YouTube (or Geek At Play) - Check out sereis 1-4 

    http://www.geekatplay.com/hexagon-tutorials.php

    Thanks for the imput.  I already have Gary's tutorials bookmarked, I just have to find the time to go through them all.

    Post edited by tkdrobert on
  • Wee Dangerous JohnWee Dangerous John Posts: 1,605
    edited March 2019

    There are a lot of them, but its worth it. Also check out MaxHancock's new series - https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/301781

     

    Post edited by Wee Dangerous John on
  • tkdroberttkdrobert Posts: 3,532

    There are a lot of them, but its worth it. Also check out MaxHancock's new series - https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/301781

     

    Awesome.  Thanks for the info.

  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838
    tkdrobert said:

    As an hobbiest, should I do UV mapping through Hexagon?  I'd rather not pay for Ultimate Unwrap if I don't have to.  I can't wrap my head around Blender, so I'm really not leaning in that direction either.

    As a hobbyist you should try out and learn whether a particular tool suits you or not, not wait for someone to order you to use one or another.

  • tkdroberttkdrobert Posts: 3,532
    edited March 2019
    Ascania said:
    tkdrobert said:

    As an hobbiest, should I do UV mapping through Hexagon?  I'd rather not pay for Ultimate Unwrap if I don't have to.  I can't wrap my head around Blender, so I'm really not leaning in that direction either.

    As a hobbyist you should try out and learn whether a particular tool suits you or not, not wait for someone to order you to use one or another.

    I'm asking for information not orders.  To my knowledge, no one here is my superior officer and therefore can not order me to do anythng.  Even if someone here was my superior officer, they can't order me to use any software related to a hobby. cheekywinklaugh

    I will try UV mapping in Hexagon, because it's free.  I only asked the question, because I was unsure of it's UV functionality.  If it does what I need, I'll stick with it.  If not I'll probably put some money down for Ultimate Unrap since at least two of my favorite modelers use it with amazing results.  I already have Photoshop.

    P.S. A wiseman learns from other people's mistakes and experiences.

    Post edited by tkdrobert on
  • AscaniaAscania Posts: 1,838

    Or you find that UVLayout suits you better, or Roadkill, or UVMapper, or RizomUV, or Wings3D, or 3D Coat, or LithUnwrap...

  • In my limited experience in UV mapping (stree the word "limited") Hexagon works as well as any other "fast fix" suggestion I've seen here to date.
    No one, UV mapping tool works great on all objects.
    Seems to me you need to pick one, learn it and how it applys to your work and then stay away from the "great advice" products other people throw at you.
    Those products probebly work great for them but that's usually because they learned how to use them on their particular style of objects.

    I use Hexagon for all my modeling needs and have ignored all the other "better than Hexagon" products and I've been happy with it thus far.
    I'm planning to learn Hex's UV mapping soon myself...

    BECAUSE IT"S FREE!

  • DzFireDzFire Posts: 1,473
    UV Mapper Classic is still free and is great for cleaning up an setting up islands.
  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744
    DzFire said:
    UV Mapper Classic is still free and is great for cleaning up an setting up islands.

    Good point, DZ. I forgot about that!

    So one workflow could be to do the base mapping in Hexagon then use UV Mapper Classic just to detangle the islands, which is an area that Hex could use some improvement.

  • XelloszXellosz Posts: 742

    Hi, how can I make the UV map bigger? Somehow it comes out just 497*497. With the help of the youtube videos I managed to get the UV map manageable even with unorthodox form.

    cat_toy2.png
    640 x 480 - 265K
    cat_3_10.jpg
    479 x 479 - 14K
  • Xellosz, check out the UVmapper Classic link Jonny posted above.

  • XelloszXellosz Posts: 742

    Xellosz, check out the UVmapper Classic link Jonny posted above.

    Thank you, I saw that post.

    But my question is how could I make those UV maps bigger. Saying that use something else makes Hexagon look a bit useless, ect....

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