I've been learning Blender 3D, and it's a pretty nice modeling package. How that I'm getting better at modeling my objects' shapes, I'm going to have to start texturing soon. So far, the process I know is that I need to unwrap my 3D object's surface to a texture, or multiple textures. Then, export the unwrapped islands as textures to load into GIMP or PhotoShop, and begin filling them in with my own art. Once complete, send that new texture into Blender 3D, and it should appear correctly on my model due to unwrapping.

Does that sound correct so far?

Also, does anyone know of any good video tutorials out there that'll get me up to speed on unwrapping? I'm not sure when or where to use seems as opposed to using projection UV coordinates (plane, sphere, box, etc), etc when modeling something like a character or an object.

I don't know very much about this topic. But one thing I know is that if a model looks the same on both sides often only half is textured, then that is mirrored.

Yeah, that seems consistent with the tutorials and makes good sense too. So far, my objects have been basic, and I've found a few different ways on texturing from creating seems to unwrap the 3D surface to just using projection coordinates, which can be beneficial. My concern, for performance reasons, is how I would compile multiple textures into a single one for my basic scenes where I'm only modeling a character or something like that. This allows my engine to only swap the texture once for all objects and draw instead of (numObjects * numTextures) for all other cases.

What I'd like to find is a tutorial that'll show me how to unwrap a model from beginning to end, then create the texture from scratch in PhotoShop/GIMP just to give me an idea of the workflow a typical 3D artist would go through.

Full tutorials on modeling and texturing from beginning to end are hard to find, mostly because every person dose something deferent.

The basic workflow is as follows:

High poly model --> low poly model (shell) --> UV unwrap low model --> Bake normals --> export uv too graphic editor --> create color(defuse) texture -->

create Intensity(specular) texture --> create hardness(gloss)texture --> create any other textures needed (emit,ambient etc.)-->convert grey scale to normal -->

overlay normals --> add textures to material or shader and you have a low poly 3d model.

To make the color texture some would start with the baked normal map as a base, other would use the ambient textures and again others will start with a seamless texture.

Speculars often use the color texture converted to a grey scale as a base, hardness textures often use a inverted specular overlaid with a grey normal map as a base.

The way you make textures is up to you as the artist and there is no real way to teach it to some one, because no one method will work for every material.

Learn each step on it's own and you will find lots of tutorials covering them.

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster...

I wanted to tune in on the topic as I had the same problem 2 years ago and became somewhat proficient since in texturing models.

To start off, I usually use 3D Coat for all my texture needs (Also for high-res detail sculpting, but thats beside the point) other than tiling Terrain textures (I use Gimp/PS for that)... its a tool were you can paint your finished model in full 3d. And even paint specular / normals at the same time.

But as this is a commercial product costing a sum (worth it if you ask me), you will be glad to hear that Blender itself has the same capabilities built in since 2.5:

I have never actually used the 3d texture paint mode in Blender, but if its anywhere near as useful as the paint room in 3D Coat, I would choose this tool over Gimp/PS for texturing a model anyday.... nothing speeds up the texturing process more as being able to see the final result (more or less, minus actual lighting and FX of course) in realtime while you paint. IMO, of course.

Hope this helps

Gian-Reto

You don't always have to have seems and there is no rule on seams. If you were to unwrap a sphere, obviously you can't just Project UV from view because of the roundess he uv's will not lay flat once the surface curves away from the view.

Your goal in unwrapping is to have every surface project from its normal direction so that it is as flat as possible. In other words its 2D uv coords should look and be as close as possible to how the surface looks in 3d on the object. Further a perfect square should not be a rectangle that is 10x100, the proportion is wrong, 10x10, or 100x100 is what you want.

You can always project from view instead of making seams. For example a box shouldnt have seams, just view the sides from left,right,top and select those specific faces and unwrap->project from view.

This might help, check out the texturing part (2nd video)

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