STAGE 1: PREPARATION
a) Start with an Editable Poly model (keep copies of your spline models!)
b) Checker Map: Create a checker material and apply to your model (can be a checkerletter map). Increase tiling (20x20 is often a good starting place).
c) Reference Mapping: Apply Unwrap UVW modifier. Hit [Open UV Editor] to view 2D UVW space. Hit Face Selection, go to Mapping/Flatten Mapping & hit [OK] for a quick, full unwrap. Select all UVs & scale down to a dot. Move out of the 0-to-1 square to fit into a white checker space for later reference.
|
STAGE 2: UNWRAPPING
a) Select map-able polygon area (for cylindrical, planar, or spherical map).
b) Apply UVW map and use the 5 steps:
- Activate the Gizmo sub-object level, to see the yellow and green lines.
- Make regular (hit spherical & planar). Choose final mapping type.
- Fix orientation (alignment + hand-rotation. Check all views)
- Check pupik & green line directions to place seams where you want.
- Scale (cylindrical maps are scaled to fix checker pattern stretching).
c) Apply Unwrap UVW, hit [Open UV Editor], select UVs & move out of 0-to-1 square.
d) Convert to Editable Poly and choose another area to map (step [2]a).
Repeat until all parts are unwrapped. Confirm by applying Unwrap UVW with no particular area selected and check to be sure the entire Reference Map is gone!
|
STAGE 3: CLEAN UP
Apply Unwrap UVW at object level.
Hit [Open UV Editor] and put all elements in the 0-to-1 square with the following 4 critical considerations (ordered by importance):
a) Reduce Seams: Stitch together related parts like flesh on lower & upper arms. Different materials should NOT be stitched, like flesh to cloth.
b) Group by Color: Texture painting is easier if grouped by cloth, flesh, etc.
c) Prioritize: The most noticeable or detailed parts get more space. A face needs 1/5 the square, even though it is 1/20 the total surface area of a body. Feet bottoms can usually get less space, as they are less visible.
d) Optimize in the 0-to-1 square: Scale up parts & re-arrange for less wasted space. Mirrored parts can be stacked for less texturing work (symmetrical faces, right & left arms, etc). Leave at least 5 pixels gutter for normal mapping.
|
STAGE 4: EXPORT UVW COORDINATES
Apply UnwrapUVW, hit [Open UV Editor], and choose Tools/Render UVW Template.
Set size (512x512, 1024x1024, or 2048x2048) and hit Render UVW Template.
Save as a JPEG and open in Photoshop.
STAGE 5: PAINT IN PHOTOSHOP
Create a Photoshop file the same size as your UVW template.
Add at least four layers:
- TOP LAYER: UVs: Copy and paste the UVW template to the top layer: set to Multiply, 30-50% opacity, and locked.
- SECOND LAYER: Pallette: Find color references and color pick to make a Pallette (at least two shades per color).
- BOTTOM LAYER: BaseColors: Create a layer for Colors on the bottom. Fill with a medium-dark color from your pallette. use the marquee tool to block out all the major colors.
PRO TIP: Once you have major colors applied, hide the UV layer, save as a JPEG and apply to the model to view the colors in scene and make adjustments before adding details.
- MIDDLE LAYERS: Create layers in between for painting details, dirt, and Ambient Occlusion (shadows cast by the model onto itself). Consider painting with a solid brush, 40% opacity, and use your pallette to quickly pick colors.
Paint Color, Specular, Bump, and Opacity maps as needed. Save out as separate JPEG files, quality 10.
|
STEP 6: CREATE MAX MATERIAL
In 3ds max, select a Standard Material and name it.
Apply JPEGs to Maps Channels.
Apply the material to the model and render.
|
|