Which do u prefer for texturing?2D or 3d painting?

melviso

Even with the availability of apps that let u paint directly on 3d models like Mudbox,ZBrush,Mari,3DCoat,Bodypaint,I have noticed there are a lot of professional 3d artists who still prefer using good old photoshop to paint the textures on the flattened uvs instead.

I am curious why they still use this method when painting directly on ur model is probably faster and easier.I do notice that for some reason,their works kinda look better in terms of textures.I can't help wondering how they get the textures to align at the different seams on the uvs if they are painting textures on flat uvs cut into different pieces.

I will like to hear ur opinions on how u approach texturing and if and why painting on uvs is preferred to painting directly on models.

illo

for hard surface I prefer photoshop, its easier to draw a straight line.

for creatures/characters I like photoshop for laying out the initial colors, then jumping into mudbox/bodypaint and fixing seams.

really its down to how good your end result looks, not how you do it.

melviso

I agree,I have played around with Sculptris 3d painting and its quite good.Just needs some additional features.

cptSwing

Adjustment layers, brush controls, layer effects, filters.. all of these (and many more) make photoshop too important to cut out of the pipeline imo.

melviso

@cptSwing

I do have to admit that when I paint my textures in Photoshop,I have better control of my details,the brush can paint in very sharp tiny details.I don't get that level of detail when I tried painting in sculptris,zbrush or mudbox especially for hair strands or scratches,wear and tears.Most times,the textures from the 3d painting apps look blurry,some faces don't accept painting strokes.

The only problem with painting in 2d is the seams.How does one get the seams to line up or make them seamless like the seam where the head meets the body,e.t.c.?

pior

There is also projection painting, which I personally prefer over everything else.

The way it works is that you get a screenshot of your model exported as PSD to photoshop ; you then paint over this with regular 2D tools in PS ; then re-import that into the 3D program and project the refined paiting onto the model.

If I am not mistaken Deeppaint3D, Mudbox, Zbrush, Bodypaint and 3DCoat all offer this option. Deeppaint has always been my favorite but it is getting too old for support now. Last time I used it for this, Mudbox had annoying bugs breaking the process but it might be better now. Zbrush felt convoluted. 3DCoat had some issues handling the projection over the symmetry line but it might be fixed now. Never tried it in Bodypaint.

Hope this helps !

Synaesthesia

I use a combination of Mudbox and Photoshop for most of my current textures. I find Mudbox to be much easier for the work I do, and I hate painting grunge over seams in PS. I tend to use PS for detailing that I can't get in Mudbox, like adjustment layers, layer styles, text, etc...

Michael Knubben

I use 3dcoat and love it, although it should be said that I use it mostly for handpainted stuff. I prefer it over projection painting, the 3d brush makes for a very nice feel.
Illo: 3dcoat actually has some really nice tools for straight lines and such. Splines, shapes etc.

Vii

MightyPea wrote: »

I use 3dcoat and love it, although it should be said that I use it mostly for handpainted stuff. I prefer it over projection painting, the 3d brush makes for a very nice feel.
Illo: 3dcoat actually has some really nice tools for straight lines and such. Splines, shapes etc.

This. 3D Coat, if it had a few more features (specifically: filters) it'd be a 3D version of photoshop.

It's an amazing completely underrated program and I never want to have to texture again without it.