Is there such thing as a "XYZ", "UVW", "volumetric" or "3D" surface texture maps?

Hi, is there a program(or something) for saving the mesh data (vertices and faces) then paint over a 3D voxel texture using the surface of the saved mesh data that overlaps with the voxels?

or also if is there a program(or something) for mapping voxels over a 3D surface, or a R3 -> R3 mapping?

I ask this because sometimes UV unwrapping can be very difficult with stretched and overlapped UV. A direct 3D to 3D mapping bypass unwrapping 3D models.

not certain but did you try to use UV painting directly on 3D surface ?

happy bl

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Procedural textures are 3D textures.
They can be 2D if you precise UVs as their texture coordinates. It only depends on their mapping.

You are not forced to use UVs as mapping coordinates for a bitmap.

Point Density Texture and Vertex Painting corresponds to what you are talking about.

But advantage of UVs is to have textures adapted to mesh deformation.
If UVmapping is widely used ; it is because it has many advantages.
It is not always possible to bypass a 3d model unwrapping.

Unless your render engine or software makes use of spherical harmonics to deform 3D texture coordinates with the mesh (which as far as I know is only found in the Arnold engine).

Until Cycles gets such a thing, then yes, you will have to use UV’s if the mesh is to deform.