Cineversity

Hi! I’m experimenting with UV Map in C4D but I have some troubles. This is the first time I’m using it to texture an object and I think is a little confusing.

I used the ‘Paint Setup Wizard’ because is the easiest way to get the map of the mesh (probably is not the best way). This setup make a map of the object, but ‘break the object’ in to many pieces and I think this is a complete mess.

I would like to break the object in just three pieces, I’m texturing a soda can, so it would be great if the UV Map separate the object in Top, Bottom and sides. Is that possible?

With Texture Tag I have a complete control to select how materials applied, but I don’t know if with UV Map is possible (I think it is, but I don’t know how).

I would really appreciate your help and advices. I attach the scene file with textures in PNG and PSD. Thanks!

Scene File: https://app.box.com/s/ok9varputtt96m2463p6

Oh! I almost forgot, when I use Subdivision Surface into the object the texture is distorted. How can I fix that?

Hi iaec,

For the texture, use perhaps “Subdivision Surface” > Object > Boundary, but one cut in the middle (plane X-Z) will already help to get a more relaxed mesh), but Boundary should work.

The Wizard is create for optimizing the texture space, and with its three options you can come very close to it (mostly ;o). The idea for this “chaos” is not to have an un-peeled UV map like you ask for, it is more to optimize the texture space and for painting on such. BodyPaint3D will take care that the brush is distributed to the right “chunks”.

However, there are several ways to get what you like to have.

One is to define seams and pins, to “un-skin” the object in question. http://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/bodypaint_3.5_relax_uv_enhancements

The more appropriate way for your can would be to select the three parts one after the other, and select a “Standard Projection” for it. Top and Bottom perhaps “Flat”, and the middle part of course “Cylindrical”.

Each time you have one part selected, you switch the projection mode. While the polygons are selected, go to Object Manager>Tags>Assign UVW Coordinates. This “converts” the projection in UV data. If done for all three parts, you should get three different UV parts in the UV EDITOR. Note: you must align the projection, e.g., Flat might be 90º to what you like, so use the Texture Mode (left side in the standard GUI) and control it. Perhaps the Object Manager>Tag> Fit to Object might help to a certain degree.

To select the polygons, use the Loop Selection and select the top of the red texture, then shift select with the Loop Selection the lower end. With Select>Fill Selection and the shift key down, click in the middle of that texture, Create a Selection Tag. Unselect the Selection tag to not overwrite it, and use the Fill Selection for the top (no Shift key), create a selection Tag. Reselect via tag the middle part and use “Fill Selection” for the Bottom, create a selection Tag, after you are certain that the other Selections Tags are not selected. If they would be selected, the new created one would overwrite it.

Now go to the UV Editor and check your UVs. You might reposition them, to get a better use out of your texture. If the texture is already done, you might bake your UVs (UV-Editor>Outline UV. (Check out the UV Edit>Transform command!)

Make always certain, if you select via “Polygon Selection Tag” the UVs that you like to move, that you go back to the “UV Polygon Edit Mode” (see image)

All the best

Sassi

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yhikkq5dswnqvx/CV2_r15_drs_14_TXuv_81.zip

Hi Dr. Sassi! Thanks for the advice. I open your file and that’s what I’m looking for! I followed each of the steps you said to get the same result but I’m lost in somewhere because I can’t get that clean result. But I think I’m very close!

The ‘cyli’ shape isn’t as yours, I tried to use the ‘boundary to quad’ in the ‘UV commands’ menu but doesn’t work. So I decided to record a short video (2minutes) to show what I’m doing and probably it would be easier to see what I’m doing wrong.

Video: https://app.box.com/s/m02aq24mia0dz3dsdez7

Scene FIle with Texture UV Map: https://app.box.com/s/utegelvvtcjlocn17nwz

Thanks alot for all your knowledge and comprehension.

Hi iaec,

The movie was a great help to see what went different. :o)

If you place the Cylindrical projection exactly aligned with the can, you should get not a bow in the UV. So what did you do differently than I did. To be honest, I can’t see any of the steps that I have written down earlier. Not a single step is how I suggested it. Forget for a moment anything you have done and try to just do what I have written, if you like to have result that I have provided.

OK, I see what you did in the movie. First of all, forget the Wizard for this :o), seriously, it is not needed at all.

You do the Assign to UVW in the Standard view, not in the UV Editor. Please check the text above, anything that I write there, before “Now go to the UV Editor” is in the standard view. No UV tools at all involved. The flat and cylindrical projection are set up in the “Texture Tag”>“Attribute Manager”. Not in the UV manager!

You will see that the result is much faster in the way I have mentioned it and the three parts can be then moved and scaled (or even rotated) with the tools that you see in the second picture.

Let me know if that works, avoid the Wizard and UV Manager completely!

All the best

Sassi

Hi Dr. Sassi, I tried to do just what you said and works better, but still with some issues. Excuse me if I don’t get it at the first time, but my english is not as well as I would like. Anyway, I captured the process I did with your advices. Probably you will notice some mistakes, but I tried to do step by step.

Video: https://app.box.com/s/xa0mlkdmills0v6d1qij

Regards!

Hi iaec,

How about you watch my movie.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wpua8xnehezmn37/AABAwzVjKbizlSoJqcK5pmoUa

I will download yours, perhaps I get more information.

What I didn’t do in my procedure, as you ahve a link to a tutorial about, is to relax the bottom and the top.

BTW, I use an x in the Texture Tag Selection to switch the texture of, nothing that is mandatory for the process.

All the best

Sassi

Just some notes to your movie #2

The Fit to Object has no influence AFTER the Assign Coordinates to the UVW.

The Fit to Object without being in Texture Mode, will perhaps fit the size, but it doesn’t work for the orientation, that is not a given without your input.

You used the relax option again, which I would only suggest for the top and bottom, as the geometry is kind of folded: which is not nice in conjunction with the flat projection. If relaxed, you get some texture on all “polygons”.

As I wrote, for this object, perhaps avoid the UV manager completely, it is not really needed and as I can see, your work with it feels uncertain, trial and error. This needs more understanding, hence some tutorials or manual time.

Work with the move and scale (uniform or non-uniform) in UV mode, it is the best for now, and I use it even in more complex situations. Between 5:00 and 5:30 I can see that you get familiar with it, nice!

5:45 you ask about the little polygon, why is it not in the right position. Is my Lip-reading good enough? ;o)  The reason is simple: the Cylindrical projection has a start and end point. You “can” is rotated exactly that the start an end is in the “middle” of the polygon stripe. Based in super tiny impressions (not yours!) it makes the decision to include a polygon at that start or at the end point. In your case on polygon was the start point.

You can select one single UV polygon and move it in position. To make that not trial and error, there is a snapping function Move Tool>Attribute Tab (UV Editor), this helps to move and snap the polygon into place.

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Please do this couple of times, check the steps that I have suggested and in which order they need to be applied. You should feel comfortable soon, and find maybe your own workflow then, as there are many ways to it.

If you feel comfortable with the result and the steps, get more info about the UV manager. It is a powerful instrument, and with that comes the danger to mess up things as well. But one step after the other, so you get comfortable with it, the more you know and have experienced the problems and options with these tools, the more fun you have to use them. With that, you will use them faster and more often.

My best wishes

Dr. Sassi! Thank you so much! Now everything makes sense! I watched the video and said: “aaah!”, “oooh!”, “Wow!” Now I understand better! I’m going to practice a play more with this!
Really thanks for your help, advices, comprehension and patience!

Very nice, iaec, thanks for the feedback. UV is for many people just abstract, I guess not for you anymore. Enjoy!