Tutorial: UV Mapping Method (requires Blender v2.23)

[ec2]

Recently I had a question regarding UV Mapping. I was glad to find a very easy and clean solution, recommended to me by Serialsiner. I want to share in case people missed it.

There is an Import/Export script available called [color=red]Obj toIO.py[/color], written by Chris Lynch (Be sure to read the script notes before running it). This will export your mesh objects from Blender in the .obj file format.

Once exported you can open them in Steve Cox's [color=red]UV Mapper Classic[/color], which is freeware for personal and commercial use. It will unwrap your exported .obj file into Planar, Box, Cyndrical, Cydrical Cap, and Spherical Texture Maps. Its excellent.

After it is Unwrapped in the manner you choose, you can save the Texture Map as a .bmp for use as a template in your favorite image editor. Be sure to save from your image editor in a Blender supported image format.

But here is the best part. After you save your UV Map, you can also save the model again from UV Mapper (I recommend not exporting the materials, since you will be making you own texture).

Next, use the Obj toIO.py script import your model back into Blender. Apply a Material, and open an image window. With your model selected, hit the F key (keyboard). You should see your mesh laid out with the same UV calcualtion you chose in UV Mapper! Now, load the Texture map template you saved from your image editor. You should see your mesh overlays the template as needed. Hit the F key again, then in the Materials window, set the TexFace button to on. Once your scence is setup, render.

Good luck.

Here is [color=red]the link to the original thread[/color].

Thanks to Serialsiner, Chris Lynch and Steve Cox. Thanks to JamesK also for his theory and technique contributions.

[color=yellow][size=6]This tutorial requires Blender verison 2.23, available here:old blender versions archive

I am sorry for not saying that earlier and causing people headaches[/size][/color]

[DarkHydra]

Hmm, either I cannot grasp how to do it correctly, or my model cannot be textured that easily. Let me try it again.

Nope, still dont see it, time for me to texture this sucker face by face...

[ec2]

Can I help in any way?

[keitai]

Hi there,

Got the script and the prog. Tried it with a simple cube, you guessed it no luck. Using uv-mapper i loaded my exported *.obj file and it gives me a warning like: "no facet information".

Any suggestions?
Keitai

[ec2]

I wasn't able to duplicate the error you are getting.

I made a cube, loaded the script, exported cube.obj, loaded the model into UV Mapper and created the map.

Can you post a link to your file?

[keitai]

hi

that's quick. I am at home right and i haven't got my ftp-data at hand.

Maybe this will help:

• i use blender 2.26
  win xp
  and i change a little thing in the script where it says "import blender210" to "import blender"

gonna change that back and try again.
"import blender210 doesn't work blender226 neither" so i just keep it to "import blender"


Grtz

[ec2]

That could be it. I load the script as is, without changing any of the lines of code.

I've gotten it to work on Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

[keitai]

Hi ec2,

I have done it (well the basics). I just downloaded blender 2.23 and it works. But i got two more question:

1 How to geet the script working with blender 2.26?

2 Did a very simple "uhm" texture: plain white with pencil drawn windows and in blender it looks a bit blurish. How can i prevent that?

Thanks in advanced,
Keitai

[ec2]

Unfortunatley I'm not sure how to get the script to run in versions after 2.23. I wonder if any of the script writers around here do?

Blurry? Make sure OSA is on. Also, are you using Photoshop or GIMP? These might help you clean up your line art:
http://www.steeldolphin.com/tutorials_digitalcolor.php (see first 3 pages)
http://www.howtodrawmanga.com/tutorial/cg1.html


Sorry for the delayed response.

[ec2]

Please see edit in yellow, at the end of the first post. Sorry for any confusion or headaches I caused.

[eeshlo]

Originally Posted by keitai 2 Did a very simple "uhm" texture: plain white with pencil drawn windows and in blender it looks a bit blurish. How can i prevent that?

Depending on how you set it up, if you have the uv-texture applied as an actual image texture (I mean in the texture button section F6), and then used the uv mapping button (left of 'Object' in material button section F5), you could try lowering the 'filter' setting in the texture window, this is set to slightly blur the texture by default. This doesn't help though if the texture is rendered larger than it's actual size, Blender interpolates the colours in that case (if you have osa enabled) which will always tend to look a bit blurry.

[Landis]

Originally Posted by ec2 [color=yellow][size=6]This tutorial requires Blender verison 2.23, available here:old blender versions archive [/size][/color]

It looks as though Pablo's download section is down...does anyone have another link to 2.23...I would really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Cheers,
Landis

[Zenitor]

can't remeber the link but I have the zip sitting here on my hard-drive, would you like me to email it to you?

what OS are you running, I have the win blender....

[Fligh]

http://www.download.blender.pl/

ftp://ftp.cs.umn.edu/pub/blender/pub/

http://www.nicodigital.com/xoops/htm...s/mydownloads/

%<

[Eerie]

Wooow , what a great program!!! Thanx for sharing.

[Desoto]

There's also a python script provided by theeth on the python forum that exports a tga file of the faces you need to texture.

[Landis]

Originally Posted by Zenitor can't remeber the link but I have the zip sitting here on my hard-drive, would you like me to email it to you? what OS are you running, I have the win blender....

Zenitor,

Yes please I would really appreciate that. I am currently running Windows XP.

landis@landisfields.com

Cheers,
Landis

[Landis]

Zenitor,

Disregard...I appreciate the offer but Fligh % sent me a nice link that I have added to my favorites. Thanks Fligh % .

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Landis

[Zenitor]

cool, no problem,

the sphere unwrap is very good for heads, ....

rendering out my very delayed monkey challenge, oh well something for wip thread