after finish my modelling , I want to engrave something on it (my name or just some curve) . Can I do it using modelling technique or I have to use texture
you could use the text tool then retopo it to the surface you ahve
can you show a pic of what you have done up to now
Thanks
It depends on the model for sure and what you want the engraving to look like. Also it depends on the technique you will model for. If it is going to be a poly only model or a model with subsurf.
Adding to the retopo idea you could also:
For a complex poly model you might want to image map a bump map using UV mapping.
For a complex object that is going to be subsurf you could use and image map for displacement and UV.
For a simple poly object you could always use boolean but that is if it is really simple.
You can also use boolean and other techniques to actualy create the geometry for subsurf but it is really involved.
Thanks, but among things you tell me I only know Boolean Modifier, it’s really easy but sometimes it doesn’t work right
I tried an sample, engrave text on a cube using Difference Boolean, sometimes it worked and sometimes the cube disappear after applying Boolean, only the face that have the text on remains (see the 3rd attached image) .
I also post my model in 1st image , you can see a little text “HK” I want to put on my gun, and after applying Boolean , it result 2nd image , my mess disappear ?? :mad:
Is this some kind of bug in Blender or what ??
Attachments
For something like this, I think you should use bump mapping. There’s simply no reason to have a ton of vertices for such a tiny detail.
Boolean modeling in Blender simply isn’t good enough to give you quality results at this scale. Well, actually that’s not quite fair. Boolean modeling on mesh models in general is likely to result in lots of extra verts and completely messed up topology, which will make any texturing or further modeling you want to do a real pain.
If you really, really want to model the text instead of using a bump texture, then I’d suggest you extrude the text, place it where you want it, and then connect it to your mesh by hand.
connect to mesh by hand ?? maybe it’s enough for the little text above, but what about engraving line of text on a tombstone, it’s a real PAIN. I want to model the text ,make it more realistic than using texture.
Anyway , why does the Boolean not work right even on simple surface ??
connect to mesh by hand ?? maybe it’s enough for the little text above, but what about engraving line of text on a tombstone, it’s a real PAIN.
I want to model the text ,make it more real than using texture.
I assume you know what bump mapping does look like, but just in case, this is the kind of effect you get:
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/4575/tires4sb.jpg
It’s definitely capable of photorealistic effect for something like engraved text on a gun.
Anyway , why does the Boolean not work right even on simple surface ??
Well, I guess the quick answer is that the text isn’t all that simple. Either way, if you combine something like a line of text with another mesh, you’re going to have a ton of new verts. If you do this using some automatic way like Boolean, your very best case scenario will still have a load of triangles in weird places and difficult to work with topology.
If you do it by hand, you decide how the topology goes, so you can do it with fewer verts and make the topology work with the model.
Alternately, you could use displacement mapping. That’s still a texture, but it actually displaces the vertices to form the shape. In order to have that look good though, you’d need a very high poly count.
Thanks a lot 
I really don’t know bump mapping is that great, my little knowledge about texture make me think that it’s just some kind of covering a 2d image on 3d object, not that great !! So maybe bump mapping is good to me, and Boolean only works on really simple things
For Boolean to work it has to calculate all the vertices. What you can do is split the simple face you want to Boolean into another object. Then do the Boolean operation and then add it back.
Otherwise bump map if you don’t need to see the profile as it will be 2D.