In this tutorial, you use the Unwrap UVW< modifier to add textures to the spaceship. The modifier lets you group all of your textures on one bitmap, and then adjust the texture vertices on the map. Make sure, you map all areas, line up seams as reference renders indicate, and there is no distortion of texture when you render.
The upper-left sample slot is active.
1.
Select the
spaceship, and then, in the Modify panel > Modifier List, choose Unwrap UVW.
This applies the Unwrap UVW modifier to the spaceship. Because the modifier automatically
applies mapping coordinates to any unmapped object it's applied to, the texture
map is now visible on the ship's surface. But it's not mapped correctly yet.
2.
In the modifier
stack display, click Unwrap UVW. This highlights the text in yellow (default
color), indicating that the default sub-object level is active. In this case,
it's the only sub-object level: Select Face. If you like, click the small +
icon to open the modifier hierarchy; you'll see that Select Face is active.
3.
Select only the
polygons that make up the top of the starboard wing.
4.
In the Parameters
rollout > Sub-Object Params group, click Planar
Map. This assigns specific texture coordinates to the selected polygons, which
override the default ones assigned when you applied the modifier. Thus, a
different part of the texture now appears on the polygons.
5.
Toggle through the
X, Y and Z options and watch the planar map gizmo realign itself.
Leave it set to Averaged Normals.
6.
Maximize the Perspective viewport, if necessary, and
then pan and zoom the viewport so the plane is visible in its lower-right
quadrant.
7.
On the Parameters rollout, click Edit.
The
Edit UVWs window is displayed with the texture
coordinates of the spaceship overlaid on the bitmap. These look like the wireframe view of the ship. But by manipulating the
vertices, you change which part of the texture map is applied to the faces,
rather than the geometry of the ship.
If the image is not clearly visible, click the Show Options button at the
bottom of the Edit UVW dialog. In the Bitmap Options group, at the lower left,
increase the Brightness setting so you can see the texture map better.
Turn
off Tile Bitmap.
Also
turn on “Highlight Selected Verts”.
Change
Width and Height to 512. (Note: if the Edit UVWs window
later becomes sluggish change it back to 256)
8.
Click the Filter Selected Faces button to make
it easier to work on the correct faces in the Edit UVWs window.
9.
If necessary, move
the edit window away from the ship. Arrange the window and the geometry so both
are visible.
You're going to move the wing
coordinates to overlay the upper wing in the bitmap. As placed by the software,
the wing coordinates need to be rotated approximately 180 degrees, and scaled
down. The vertices are already selected in the editor window, so you're ready
to start transforming them all together.
10.
On the toolbar of the Edit UVWs dialog, click the Rotate tool, and then drag one of
the
texture vertices vertically until the wing wireframe is rotated about 180 degrees.
After you rotate the texture vertices, the viewport updates.
Note: The top edge of the wireframe should be
horizontal, for the most part.
11.
Use the Scale tool to reduce the wing wireframe's size to match that of the wing on the
12.
On the Edit UVWs toolbar,
click Move. And then drag the wireframe over to the
right wing in the image
13.
Adjust the points
so they evenly cover the upper wing area. Move the points individually so they
line up with the bitmap. Zoom in to line up the vertices exactly.
Tip: To select an individual vertex, first click anywhere in the Edit UVWs window to deselect
everything, then click the vertex you want to move.
14.
Minimize the Edit UVWs dialog.
Use Unwrap to map the side of the tail:
1.
Select the polygons
for one side of the middle fin. Rotate the viewport to make face selection
easier.
2.
On the command
panel, click Planar Map and maximize the Edit UVWs dialog.
3.
Move and scale the
texture vertices to reposition them over the map. Watch the changes in the
viewport. You might need to Pan and Zoom the viewport,
or resize the Edit UVWs window.
4.
Minimize the Edit UVWs dialog.
5.
Rotate the
viewport and select faces for the side of the nose section.
6.
Click Planar Map
and maximize the Edit UVWs dialog.
7.
Transform the
vertices to reposition them along the bitmap. Scale into the appropriate shape,
then reposition over the image. Zoom in and adjust individual points.
8.
Minimize the Edit UVWs dialog.
9.
Rotate the
viewport and select the 4 faces along the top of the fuselage on the right-hand
side of the ship.
10.
Again click Planar Map and maximize the Edit UVWs dialog.
11.
Click the Rotate +90 button. Then rotate manually until
horizontal.
12.
Scale the faces horizontally. Select the points and
move them again in pairs until they line up with the bitmap.
13.
It will take some work, but slowly repeat the process
for all the faces of the spaceship. Use the images as guides.
Note that the upper half of the
central bitmap image is the spaceship as seen from the top, while the lower
half is as seen from the bottom. Also the left side of fuselage will use the
same UVW space as the right side of the fuselage.
In some cases, you'll need to flip the vertices. The numbers will be reversed on the bottom wing and the opposite side of the fuselage, if this project was for production then we would have to use an extra bitmap image or have separate UVW space for the opposite sides.
Also...some examples below show more that one selection and planar map together. In these cases select, planar map and position UVWs, one selection at a time.
So Keep going…
14.
The side
15.
The wing bottom section. This is 3 separate selections
and planer maps
16.
The bottom center
17.
The canopy
18.
The top and bottom nose section
19.
The top center section
20.
Top additional parts 1
21.
To map the engine glow at the back of the spaceship,
use the yellow square.
22.
Now map the opposite sides, and opposite wings.
Remember don’t worry about the numbers being backwards since you will flip the
vertices and use the same UVW space.
23.
There are still some areas that need to be mapped,
liked the engines, the back edge of the wings, the vent intake areas, the side
of the vents,
24.
Now continue to map and fine tune the model as needed,
check your work against the final renders below. MAP ALL AREAS, I will be
checking
The finished mapped spaceship, top and
bottom views
The finished mapped spaceship, side,
front and back views….next page
25.
Save your final model as studentID#_PF_unwrapped.max.
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