What is your process for making textures?

Hey guys.

when you are ready to texture your models, what is your workflow like? how do you make sure your texture lines up with your mesh? And do you have any tips for the placement of seams?

I guess what I mean is, do you first unwrap your model and then draw inside of the uv map? or do you create the texture and then stretch the uv map onto the texture? which is best?

I am not sure there is a “best” way. I tend to look for the easiest way, and that depends on what I am doing. If I have an image I am using then I might adjust the map. If I am painting, I might use a blank canvas. Or I might just export the uv to photoshop and paint there.

As for seams, wll I am just starting to get the hang of it. I generally cut the mesh up into major pieces, with the seams being located in places you generally won’t see (if possible) then add more seems as the details need them. Areas of a solid color I am not worried about stretching. With pattern areas I tend to have the view port in texture mode and place with the mesh in the UV editor until the stretching is gone (or hidden…)

YMMV

There are so many ways, i think part of the skill of being a texture artist, is choosing the right method, for the right subject.
I’m doing a lot of small buildings at the moment, so i like to mark seams and unwrap onto a UV grid so the density is even amongst the different parts, then i make the textures in photoshop. If i was doing a subject that had soft transitions of colour and texture, i would probably apply all the textures to be used, and in Blender use Texture paint to Blend the textures with stencil maps (Blender’s answer to Photoshop ‘masks’), then bake them down to one texture. If you want you can then do further editing in photoshop to add ‘hard’ details, which will now be easier because your texture is now a good visual aid. And then there is projection paint too which i haven’t tried yet.

I’d try as many methods as you can, just so you have all the tools available to you for each scenario you face. Also if you plan on making assets for games, you might have to adapt your methods for the sake of efficiency, although its always good practice to be efficient.

Seams, like Place57 said, try to put them where they are least likely to be seen. But also, you want to try and separate your mesh in a way so that it can be layed out flat with minimal stretching. This is why i unwrap to UV grids, because in ‘textured view’ you get real time feed back on how well your mesh is being distributed across the texture.

Happy texturizing!

Thanks guys! this is the advice I’ve been looking for. In return, here is an awesome thread on low poly models which inspired the question in the first place http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41232&page=336