UVMapping Tutorial

Bravo · UVMapping Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to use UVMapper (free) to map and texture a model using Anim8or (also free).

Here is the model we will be using (thanks go to UPRISE for making and donating this model for this tutorial):

Get the model here

As you can see, the model consists of 5 different objects, the main bit, the barrel, the stock, the sights and the chamber (I'm not 100% sure if these are the correct terms, but hopefully you know what I mean).

Now, in object mode, if you double click on one of these objects a little box will come up. For example, if you double click on the 'main bit' you will get this:

Now, for more complicated models, you could change the name from 'Mesh05' to something that would mean more to you. But here, we will stick with the default numbering etc as we should be able to cope easily enough.

Ok, now we need to export our model into a format, UVMapper will understand ('wavefront' - .obj).

So go Object...export...

Make sure you select the 'Wavefront .obj' from the pull down menu. Also, name your object as 'xxxxpreuv' so you know that this hasn't been UV'd yet. I named this object '9mmhandgunpreuv'.

Go ahead and shut anim8or down now.

Open up UVMapper

So go File...Load Model...and load up the .obj you just exported.

A box will come up with some information about the model, just click ok.

Wow, doesn't it look strange?

Ok, we need to get it looking like something we would understand.

So go Edit...Select...Select All.

Note: there are hotkeys for stuff like this. I am telling you the long way round where I can, as you get used to it, you will find the things you most use and get to know those pretty well. On UVMapper, if you go Help...Hot Keys...you will get this list which you will find handy later Wink

Now, with everything selected, lets get it all out of the way for now, so we will press the '/' key (on your numeric keypad. Press it three times so your selection goes really small, then click in the middle of it and drag it to the bottom right corner.

Now, just to make things easier later on, go Edit....Colour....Colour By Group

What does this do? Well, you remember how we have 5 meshes within our object (Mesh05 etc), well now UVMapper will give each one a different colour. You will find this useful later when you are texturing.

Ok, now we need to start seperating the meshes.

Go Edit....Select....Select By Group. You can see that the hotkey for this one is 'CTRL+G'. As this is a very commonly used hotkey, I will use the shortcut version in future references to it on this tutorial.

Now, when the box comes up it has named the meshes as Mesh03, Mesh04, Mesh05, Mesh06 and Mesh07. Where are Mesh01 and 02 you might ask....well, when it was being modelled, UPRISE (the modeller) probably changed his mind on a couple of meshes and deleted them. It doesn't really make any difference. If you have a complicated model, you would have named the meshes anyway. As this is a fairly simple model, we will be able to work it out as we go along which mess is which Wink

Select 'Mesh03'

Now drag the box up to the middle somewhere. You will notice two things: The box you dragged up doesn't look like it has anything in it; and that you left some behind. That's all good.

Press the '*' button (on your numeric keypad) twice to make the selected object bigger.

Go edit...New UV Map...Planar

When the box comes up, make it look like this:

Now, because we selected 'Scale Result' (I find it best to do so), it went all big on us. That's fine, hit the '/' key (on your numeric keypad) once and it'll be a good size for us.

Now drag it up into the top corner. It should now look a little like this:

[Now you are probably thinking, 'how did he know to use the planar and not one of the others?' Well the easy answer is that I didn't, I did some experimenting to see which came out clearest and that is what won for this particular mesh.]

Ok, now on to the next mesh:

CTR+G and choose Mesh04

Drag it up to the middle, then go edit...New UV Map...Planar. I found the same setting we used before turned out ok, so go ahead and select that without changing anything. It's too big, so press the '/' key (on your numeric keypad) three times. Move the mesh up to the top right corner.

It should now look a little like this:

Ok, CTRL+G and choose Mesh05

Now go edit...New UV Map...Planar.

This time we are changing it a little, we are going along the 'z' axis. So it will look like this:

Press the '/' key (on your numeric keypad) 4 times. As you can see, it is still a little large, so press and hold the '-' key (on your numpad) until it fits on your page nicely.

CTRL+G and choose Mesh06

Go Edit...New UV Map...Box

Ah something different...make it look like this:

Press the '/' (on your numpad) 3 times and move it between the last two meshes:

Now choose CTRL+G Mesh07

Edit....New UV Map....Cylindrical Cap

Make it look like this:

press '/' (on your numpad) 3 times, then press '-' on your numpad until it fits nicely at the bottom.

Now at this stage you could if you wanted go back and move stuff about to make it fit better on the page. For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll just leave things as they are.

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Now go File...Save Model

Now a box comes up with quite a few options on. I have never had the need to change anything here, I just leave it at default settings, like this:

Save as 'xxxxmapped', in this case, I saved as '9mmhandgunmapped' (adding the 'mapped' bit isn't necessary, it just makes it easier for you to see later what is what).

Now go File....Save Texture Map

For the purposes of this tutorial a 512x512 map will be fine. For more detail, you could change that to 1024x1024 or 2048x2048 or whatever (for reasons of possible compatibility with other applications I would suggest you use the numbers I have used as an example).

Save it as '9mmtexturemaster'. It is best to save it as a master, then if you bugger up somewhere in the future, you can always start again without having to remap the model Wink

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Go ahead and exit UVMapper.

Now load up whatever application you are using to fill in the texture. You may be using Paint (free), or Gimp(free), Pixia(free), Photoshop or whatever, it doesn't really matter so long as you are happy with what you are using. I personally prefer to use Ulead Express 3.0 (which is way better than 4.0).

This is not a tutorial for using such software as these, so this section will be limited to just a few pointers that you should bear in mind.

1. When you are selecting a mesh to 'colour in' (as it were), select an area larger than the actual mesh.

If you don't do that, (ie if you colour in exactly to the edge) your model will have white lines around its edges.

2. A trick some people use to get some continuity in their edges is to darken along the edges, this also 'dirtys' up your model which makes it look a little better.

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Ok, load up whatever software you are going to use.

File...Save as...

Save as '9mmtext1.jpg'

Open up Anim8or

File...New

Object....Import and import '9mmhandgunmapped' that we saved before.

You will notice that the model is now all one mesh, thats fine as we have finished modelling (we would only go to the uvmaping once the model is done).
Press the materials tab and click the button next to 'diffuse'

Load Texture and choose 9mmtext1.jpg. Select it then press ok.

Ok, make sure your model is selected (ie it has a white box around it), then click the 'apply' button above your texture.

Now you will notice a few things (hopefully).

'Planar' is like taking a photo, ie it is 2 dimensional. So if you look at the yellow mesh, you will see that it has been taken from the front, so the sides will be blurred. Quite often, this wont matter (for example, on the green bit, it wont make much difference). Note how the box and cylindrical capped bits are better (barrel and chamber).

Things to do:

1. ReUVMap the object experimenting with different types of UVMapping.
2. Try and adjust so that you are gaining maximum space that you can by filling the texture up with more model (remember to leave gaps round the edges to leave room for selecting).
3. Texture the model (you could use real photos of a real gun if you wished, or even draw it in by hand - your choice).

Bear in mind:

If you want to bring the texture into anim8or to see how it is going, you will probably have to save your texture as 'text2' as you will find you will have to delete the old texture and bring in the new. Anim8or doesn't overwrite the old texture (well not yet anyway, I hope Steve includes this in his things to do list).

I hope you found this tutorial useful.

Tutorial made by Bravo

Kic

Nice tut Bravo
What are you using for Uwmaping your models like your model of gun Springfield - you are using this Uwmapper ?

So why not use LithUnwrap - it can also Unwrap models , is free and can import a lot of formats, also export a lot of formats - it can be used as Unwraper and file converter.

Here is download http://files.seriouszone.com/download.php?fileid=198

Kic

Or here you can request non-commercial version of Unfold 3D http://www.polygonal-design.fr/e_unfold/features.php

Bravo

Please post any links you have to other resources in the resources section.

This is a tutorial for UVMapper, so is not a good place to link other stuff.