uvmapping editor - seam/pin? cut/stitch?

Dartanbeck

Misty Whisky said:

a difficult thing i can think of is a spring coil.

can such a thing uvmap without distortion? :blank:

what nifty construction tool would model this ea z pea z?

I don't know if it was the "Unlock Primitives" that I got from Fenric or the one that I got from Sparrowhake (or are they both the same thing?), but did you know that, with one of those, you get a spring primitive in Carrara? Then you can just select to Insert > Spring, double-click it and set the parameters! I'm pretty sure that it was really easy to map after I've converted it to a vertex object... can't remember.
Sometimes I have a really easy go with UV Mapping, other times it's an utter dickens of a time! :ahhh:

TangoAlpha

This kinda reminds me of one of the recent challenges, where there was a whole discussion on wrapping stuff around trees (fairy lights I think it was), but the result was basically a spring if I recall.

Mistara

diomede64 said:

Can't resist being the straight man for Roy and Hex. For Carrara, I am going to give a couple of roundabout methods for the spring coil. I actually recommend #2 for your present purpose.

1) Formula modeler along with formula texture, probably most efficient from a computing resources standpoint - Oh No!!!!!
see #5 of http://gianp.free.fr/carrara/carrara98.html

2) Spline object, circle on drawing plane, pipeline method, spiral preset, convert to other modeler, choose vertex model, then untriangulate mesh

3) Vertex modeler, construct oval, use curved polyline to create spiral sweep path, then sweep

I'm sure others have a more efficient method.

I think there is an actual plugin for this kind of shape, but I might be getting mixed up with another program.

EDIT: to add my attempt to uvmap unfold - I selected the edges at the caps and created seams, and I selected two edges lengthwise and hit loop (and minor adjustment) to create a seam for the spirals. The lengthwise spiral uvmap still has a little waviness which hopefully a pin or two could address - but I really need help with pins. :red:

it's like a candycane spring. :) nomms

Mistara

Dartanbeck said:

diomede64 said:

Roygee said:

OK - let's do this thing properly :)

:)

Indeed!! :-):-):-)

Hex is superior.

For UV unwrapping? Is it?

I need to learn how to do the pins. Do some pins for me in Carrara and straighten out that uvmap, Tim!

I second this!

+1 for learning pins :)

tee hee could ca physics do a slinky? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIPK2NQ85Fc :lol:

Mistara

can i somehow drag the drawing plane where i need it?
manipulators?

need to get it in position for a mirror op.

thanks :)

edit-found it, says right on the screen, ctrl+click a vert

tried a few different ways of doing a coon. fail

Mistara

anyone haz an example of how to use coon construct? :cheese:

the manual says hood of a car?
conceivably, could make the batmobile?

thanks :)

Diomede

I should be doing other stuff, but while I wait for the heater repair people I will huddle around my computer for warmth.

My understanding of the coons tool is that you can draw four polylines, each connected to one other line at the corner, so that it defines the borders of a wavy plane, and then the coons tool fills in the "blanket". You can use it to define the profile of a mechanical object like a boat hull, or you can define a blanket, or a terrain. Remember, you can load reference pics in the directional cameras of the vertex modeler. The other tools in the same menu as coons allow for more lines to define the surface so might be better for an actual boat. Coons just uses the 4 lines that make up a border. Also, remember that with the duplicate with symmetry fixed in the beta, using these surfaces tools to define half of an object is now a more viable approach.

In any case, here is my yucky example of using coons to make a terrain for a hillside scene.

Insert a vertex object, and jump in the vertex modeler. For convenience, I use the 4-screen view so that I can see from the director's camera, the top/bottom, the left/right, and the front/back views simultaneously. I want the four views because I will be able to switch drawing planes by moving the cursor to the different views. Use the polyline tool (start with a curved one) to click some points on the front plane and then hit "enter" to complete that line. Then use the polyline tool to start a new line but hover the cursor over the end point of the first line until the cursor turns into a box (then you know they are connected). Click the box in the front plane, then move the cursor to the left/right view. Then draw the second point for this second line in the left/right plane. Draw a few more point to taste. Click enter to accept the second line. Okay, now it is just a matter of repeating for the third and fourth lines. Remember the cursor will become a box at the corners. Remember to move the cursor to the new view so that the new line will be in a single drawing plane. Once you have the four lines all connected defining the borders, use the coons tool to fill in the "blanket" by clicking the coons tool and then selecting each of the four border lines by clicking on each.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: you don't have to use the curved polylines. I just did that because I wanted a curved terrain lookin thing.

Mistara

Thanks!! yes, very helpful.

i didn't know a polyline could be continued by the boxlooking cursor.

Mistara

i want a jump ahead to the splines chapter.

but there's still a lot of the vertex section to do.
like these extrude path sweeps. >.<</p>

...

would it really hurt to jump to the splines? :lol:

Mistara

i luv lathing so much i want the t-shirt. :lol:
took like 30 seconds. uv unfolding this prolly should go with cylinder?

the original polyline lathed from is still there.
what happens to it if i forget to delete that before taking it to assy room?
does it get buried in the geometry?

Mistara

omg, fighting with Loop

does it mean something is wrong with the model when it won't Loop?

did this with the lathe, now i'm trying uv map it.

i select one poly in a row, loop, works fine.
except i want to loop like 6 rows.
if i select every other row, it loops.
when i select 2 polys vertically adjacent, won't loop, won't ring, won't betw. :bug:

Is it not possible to detach sections of polys and unfold a section at a time?
i'd like to do the stem separate from the inside of the goblet.

Thanks!

still baffling with the pins. pins are the verts, only thing i'm sure of :lol:

TangoAlpha

in that situation, I'd set Front view, then drag-select across the whole area I wanted.

BTW, if you make the bowl, stem, foot, inner bowl etc separate shading domains, you can do select by shading domain, which then makes laying it out much easier, since you can map each domain separately. (don't forget too, you can do select shading domain, hide selection...)

Mistara

i don't understand how to make it map separately?

thanks.

i thought i was doing good there for a little while, completely stuck on this.

Diomede

Create a shading domain by selecting some polygons and then use the create new shading domain menu in the properties tray.
You can create multiple shading domains.
If you change your mind, you can delete a shading domain under the global tab in the properties tray.
When you start uvmapping the object, use the checkbox to either show all shading domains or just the selected shading domain.
For something like a person, you can export a separate map for different parts.
For this lathed cup, I made a separate shading domain for the base, the stem, and the cup. When uvmapping, it can be convenient to select by shading domain, then use "detach polygons" under the operations tab. Then you can apply cylinder for the part of an object that is like a cylinder, and box for part of an object that is like a box.
However, I'd be curious what the best way to use unwrap would be.

Mistara

thanks.
who'd a thought a cup would get so complicated.

is there an option to make carrara re-order the vert numbers?

can't remember if uvmapper classic can do it. i want to test if the vert #s are why the loop select is making woes.

evilproducer

I like the Spline modeler for wine glasses. ;-)

Roygee

However, I’d be curious what the best way to use unwrap would be.

First off - there is no "best way"; how you unwrap and lay out depends on how you intend to texture it.

To illustrate - in the first example (I hope it shows up first!) I assumed a simple unwrap, for the sake of unwrapping, say, for 3D painting. The stem was isolated from the rest by making two horizontal (top and bottom) and one vertical cut and unfolded in the X-axis. The top and base were planar, two-sided projection-mapped in the Y-axis (for Carrara that would be Z-axis).

The second I assumed you'd want to stick a logo on the outside. Same procedure as above for the stem and base. The outside of the top was given two horizontal seams (at the top of the stem and the top rim) and a horizontal seam, then unfolded using a cylindrical projection. No pins used.

This island was scaled up to give more space for better definition to the logo.

Both methods work fine for their intended use.

This was all done in UU3D - every effort I made to do this in Carrara ended in a mess :)

Roygee

I like the Spline modeler for wine glasses

I just can't get my head around modelling sideways :)

Mistara

i wish it had the tile by material option.

is there a feature request thread? :lol:

Roygee

"Tile by material" - that's a new one on me. Other apps allow you to select by material, which is pretty much what you can do in Carrara with selecting by shading domain, but then you still need to do the mapping .

What sort of tiling would you be doing in UV mapping?

Mistara

uvmapper classic has a couple tiling options.

when i detach polygons and try to move them, verts get left behind.

Roygee

OK - I get it - what UU3D calls "Packing" - laying out the islands to get optimum usage of the UV space. This can only be done manually in Carrara.

UVMapper Classic is very handy for many things, but limited in that it only does projection mapping.

If you don't get a proper detachment of poly's, try selecting on the model instead of on the UV map - this way you can see exactly what is being selected and you won't select overlapping UV's.

There is a "Feature request" for Daz 3D - same place as where you report problems - good luck with that!

Diomede

Thanks, Roy, extremely helpful. I also tracked down another thread on uvmapping, seams, and pins from about two years ago in which you also had some great examples with screenshots, and several people discussed uvmapping concepts. I inadvertently closed the thread before saving the link, but I will add it back as an edit.

Can't resist putting in a quick plug for the spline modeler (which somehow I think of as EP's spline modeler). If all someone wants to do is model a glass and put a logo on the side, the spline modeler might be a good option. For modeling, it is extremely easy to adjust the shape points and then use handles to quickly adjust the curvature. Then the layer's list option can be used to place a rectangular layer (or other shape) for the logo. An opacity mask can be used to further refine the logo placement. But I don't want to sidetrack the thread.

EDIT: Here is the old thread that has more examples of seams, pins, and a discussion of uvmapping more generally.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/6000/
and here was another one
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/6318/

Mistara

thanks for those links. i think starting to understand the concept of pins. applying it though :lol: sigh

trying out the organic construct today.

evilproducer

diomede64 said:

Thanks, Roy, extremely helpful. I also tracked down another thread on uvmapping, seams, and pins from about two years ago in which you also had some great examples with screenshots, and several people discussed uvmapping concepts. I inadvertently closed the thread before saving the link, but I will add it back as an edit.

Can't resist putting in a quick plug for the spline modeler (which somehow I think of as EP's spline modeler). If all someone wants to do is model a glass and put a logo on the side, the spline modeler might be a good option. For modeling, it is extremely easy to adjust the shape points and then use handles to quickly adjust the curvature. Then the layer's list option can be used to place a rectangular layer (or other shape) for the logo. An opacity mask can be used to further refine the logo placement. But I don't want to sidetrack the thread.

EDIT: Here is the old thread that has more examples of seams, pins, and a discussion of uvmapping more generally.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/6000/
and here was another one
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/6318/

Another advantage the Spline modeler has, is that when you adjust points, curves, etc. it can generate keyframes, so a spline model's shape can be animated over time without having to create morphs as you would in a vertex model. But we can discuss that in another thread so I don't hijack this one. ;-)

Mistara

this could be a job for splines ... modeling a spider web :cheese: an actual modeled web, not a transmap

Mistara

how do you decide where to stick the pins?

i forget what they called, but somehow there's a way to map a sphere to a rectangle. scrunched up skydome oictures.

Diomede

How would you uvmap a curving and twisting set of branching pipes?

General question, but I have attached an example.

See zip file attached.

.

DesertDude

Thanks Diomede - very helpful. And great modeling job, the mesh looks really clean.

I had to confront uv mapping head on for this latest challenge. It was painful, lots of random curse words, but I now have a better idea of what is happening, sort of...

Here is a screen shot of my flailing first attempts at creating seams and unwrapping parts. 

 

 

 

Diomede

DesertDude said:

...

I had to confront uv mapping head on for this latest challenge. It was painful, lots of random curse words, but ...

 

 

Focus, always try to focus, especially when stringing together curse words aimed at the computer.  Random just will not do.    Your uvmap and figure are very impressive.  I have been fooling around with the 3dpaint tools recently, which requires regular confrontations with uvmapping.  Not getting anywhere near as good results as you.

 

My pipes uvmap has too many islands and still has distortion. I am hoping some of the expert modelers might clean it up.  There is a bug in the uvmap preset for cylinders.