I want to basically be able to… say, take a cube, have an image like this:
apply it to the cube, and have it turn out like this:
How can I do that?
that doesn’t explain it actually…
Really what I want to do is make stuff like this:
Like have a 3d model of a skull, apply an image of a black and white pattern that looks like whats on that skull, then have it look like that
like… a script that would copy the existing model, some designated distance toward the inside of it, then cut out a pattern based on an image and then build faces on the walls of the cutouts between the two
does something like that exist?
You can do this on a 2D object (create plane, subdivide, displace, apply all, delete all verticies at depth 0, then solidify) however, to do it with a 3D object you will need volumetric materials… but you wouldnt get a 3d object out of it
uh… what?
:o
Look into modifiers… google is your friend (something like “blender subdivide modifier” should yeild you results). Volumetric materials ARE very complex… just stick to simplicity if you are new to the 3d world.
I’m really new to this… how hard would it be do write a script like that? that would just copy each vertex a specified distance inward (the opposite direction of it’s normal), construct a new image there, then cut out a pattern in each based on an image and connect them together into a cohesive object?
man i gotta learn python. I really think I would kick ass at it 
No more advice? 
Moved from “General Forums > Blender and CG Discussions” to “Support > Modeling”
Thanks fweeb
I suggest to start from sculpting a scull or any other object u want. (or if u have probles with it look for 1 on blenderswap.com). Then unwrap it and add prepered texture, alternatively you can just draw a texture in texture paint mode. Then set skull material to 100% transparent so on render you will get only a texture. If you need a mesh then make new object enable face snaping mode and retopo it following the pattern you drew.
Displace modifier?
what you need is to design the scrollwork in a vector grapghics program like illustrator or inkscape import it as an SVG file and create a mesh from your image , shrink wrap it to your model extrude it so it has thickness into the model then punch it through with a boolean modifier.
pfft. I’d use an alpha image texture map on that myself. maybe even sneak in a bit of solidify to give it a psudo depth. then again, I come from a background where every vertices counts
would the solidify show under the Alpha? is so this is probably easier than mucking around with booleans
I’m thinking with the right mapping settings it should. But I COULD be wrong. happens a lot, especially at 4:30am.
i’m almost tempted to try it out but i have so many projects on the go i am not sure if i want to start up a new test file
solidskrimsuze.blend (481 KB)
hrrrm. doesn’t look that convincing, but is it cause its just not gonna work like I think or its just my texture is really cheap and my uv map is sub par…
is there a way to bend a flat patterned mesh around an object? i tried doublebishop’s idea and that did work but now i need that molded into a shape
That looks cool star ranger! Also-- this has to all be part of the mesh itself if i want it to work, I can’t use textures because they won’t manifest in 3d printing