Is there a way to minimize texture distortions along seams
when using subdiv modifier and UV textures?
No subdiv modifier
Subdiv modiefer
Here is a different model
I assume that the distortion is because of the low res of the geometry.
It seems to work smoother with a 2 times subdivided meshes and then unwrapped
without using the subdiv modifier.
UV distortion
Mesh Preview
Yeah, I had this problem before, posted the problem here and got no help at all. So, while trying to figure out what was going on, I went into the subsurf mod panel and enabled it for edit mode, so now all the edge loops/vertices appear in edit mode as they would in object mode or while rendering. Anyway, after figuring out why it was happening, I never fixed it.
Possible fixes might be - adding edgeloops to control the subsurf, edgesplit mod, or creasing the edges. There is also an option in the subsurf mod for subsurfing the uv, never played with it. There is also texture paint, but I’ve not played with that due to vga problems.
I saw your post about constrained uv mapping, but didn’t read into it much. I think it would be messy, but perhaps play with straightening things out in the uv layout. In your post about uv mapping and thinking about it, perhaps put the seams where each texture would be?
Or you could just kick that 32 core computer of yours in the a$$ and tell it to figure it out… 
hahahaha
I’m outta ideas…
Randy
ps that cube of yours is misleading, in the 2nd pic it shows a subsurf view of 3, yet it is a square cube. I’ve never seen a cube subsurfed to 3 and have square corners. It appears to me you creased all the outer edges of the cube. A cube subsurfed at level 3 would almost be a sphere…
Hi revolt
the cube has loop cuts to make only the edges smooth.
it looks like a limitation of the system with subsurf modifier with low polygon models
because as I mentioned with high subdivided meshes the unwrap is much better.
it somewhat can make a texture has to be stretched over a small set of polygons
and and at the edges/seams it gets complicated. this distortion is not visible at all
seams.
interestingly the distortion goes away the moment I split the mesh along the seams.
The moment I remove double the issue is back.
BTW: at the end I decided against the computer because I did not do the portfolio project
but since some provides such a great insight into building options I remember that.
did you try projection painting with some pic at angle above the other more conventional sides (side front top view)!
also put a real picture to see if the distorsion is really there or is it only an illusion?
happy 2.5
[double post]
interesting idea with the edge split - works well when the sharp edge is an a flat surface
but not curved surface since the edge split would sharpen it.
it looks as there is no other way then to apply at least a subdiv 1 modifier
and with a denser mesh do the unwrap again.
