Best tool for uvmapping texturing seams

NAIMA

Hi I was wondering wich for you is the best tool to approach the uvmapping texture seams , so far the biggest problem to me is to make perfect seams on a texture when I have separate uvmap coordinates pieces ....

So it would be easy for me to use the clone stamp tool directly on the model from Photoshop , but I dunno wich tool does allow this interfacing with photoshop using directly the ps tools inside the 3d environment , I use 3dsmax ....

So far I heard about those tools but I dunnno how they work and if they can allow what I asked , mainly the patch tool or clone stamp tool from PS ....


3d coat
Deep uv
mudbox
zbrush
deep paint 3d

if you have others name them ....

Any ideas?

Ben Apuna

A newer build of Blender 2.5 has a easy to use texture projection tool.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNd54jgesgk[/ame]

It should be really easy to paint over UV seams with Photoshop using this.

Though I haven't used it personally in production yet.

Mudbox 2009 and up has 3D texture painting, which allows you to paint textures directly on a model and over UV seams.

Same with 3D Coat, I think.

EDIT:

I think renderhjs TexTools3.0 for Max has a texture projection tool as well.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEWqvrXaJE0[/ame]

NAIMA

Yes its ok painting the color but I want to use the clone stamp tool on the model itself and its result be projected on the texture , I dont want to hand paint colors but I want to handpaint the clonestamp tool from PS ... is this possible in any software?

divi

you should be able to do that with textools projection thingie. it's like projection master for zbrush.

renderhjs

Here is a long list of apps that can do what you want which is some form of paint / clone stamp projection in 3d navigation mode (painting like in a 3d app).
Only you yourself can decide what app is the best for your personal needs and pocket as many of the tools are quite pricey and vary in their way they behave and let you interact with other tools.

• Photoshop CS4 professional
• Enzo 3d for Photoshop
• Blacksmith 3D (free UV & Texture tool)
• Deep Paint 3d
• Bodypaint 3D
• Blender 2.4?
• 3D Coat (with Ptex support)
• Mudbox
• zBrush
• Modo 4+
• 3dsmax 2010 Graphite tools (or Polyboost, using the paint tools)
• Cebas Ghost Paint for Max and Photoshop
• TexTools 3.0 for max and PS

And that is probably not even all, I am sure that there are plenty of other tools out there as well that can do similar stuff or related stuff like projection mapping, texture transfering/ generation and lots of other stuff.

Also if you are interested in this topic from a technical standpoint check out the Ptex Technology from Disney which went openSource recently:
http://www.disneyanimation.com/library/ptex/

NAIMA

Ok since I have zbrush , latest and Photoshop CS4 , plus 3dsmax 2009 , wich one Is best for it?

Ben Apuna

The two texture projection things I posted earlier should work just fine with the clone stamp (or any) Photoshop tool.

You are essentially painting on a screenshot of your model in Photoshop and re-projecting that screenshot back onto your model in the 3d app.

renderhjs

please don't use the word 'best' , it ALWAYS depends on your situation. Give them all a try and try to have your own opinion based on that instead of asking for "the best".

Some personal notes regarding the 3:

1. zBrush: paints on faces instead of UV based texture maps - which makes it broken in my eyes. But for some reason many people use it because it combines a few steps into 1 app which can save time. In the end you always have to transfer or bake them into the UV map.
2. PS CS4: Only if you have the professional version (hint: the more expensive one) you can load in 3d models and project with all the tools on the 3d space of that particular view onto the 2d texture map.
   The controls are the worst of any application and the performance is utter crap. Esspecially the concept of the Texture map beeing hidden within the PSD file itself but temporary stored in a system temporary folder when worked is not just confusing but also hindering when you want to see instant updates of the textures in other apps as well.
   Material and shading setup is a utter pain in the ass as well. I think Adobe showed with CS4 that they are total noobs when it comes to 3d, which is to bad because the CG industry could use a PS with prober 3d functionalities.
3. 3dsMax 2009 doesnt come with Polyboost or Graphite Tools as the marketing department of autodesk refers to them now.
   So one way would be to use a plugin for max like GhostPainter, Polyboost or TexTools. They provide a workaround for that but usually it is not as convenient as lets say Mudbox, 3dCoat or CS4 pro.

DeadlyFreeze

Not to thread jack here but has anyone seen any of these other tools paint directly on to rendered normal maps like bodypaints raybrush freature?