Applying textures

[Vikki]

Hey all,

Haven't been around lately. I've been trying to build my own textures and apply them. I have a small problem. I get stretching, at least on my heads. I haven't gone any further than trying a head because I can't seem to do it right. I tried once with TM but it locked up ZBrush. Anywhoo, below is what I mean. Check out the neck. It's harder to see on the cheeks but, it's there. I did adjust horizontal and vertical under Tools>Modifiers>Texture and it helped but I don't want to have to make the tile so much that I lose a lot of detail. Any tips would be great! :D

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1029989868ufh.jpg

I didn't think before posting this to try 3d Copy. Is that the way to go?

Edit:

Nope 3D Copy wasn't it. Off to the QuickLinks for me.

Thanks DeeVee, I missed being able to play with Z. Real Life, sheesh, who needs it? :D

I am still working on the story book idea. :D

Next Edit:

Ermm, nevermind, 3D Copy does work if you do it the way it's supposed to be done. :p

[DeeVee]

Welcome back Vikki, missed you, How is the book coming along? hope you will decide to do it. It should be a worthwhile project.

[banez]

hi Vikki
your best bet would to take the pic while it was in zbrush and use the MRGBZgrabber on it in Tools.
once you select the MRGBZgrabber place your curser right in the middle of the fore head and drag it till the sqaure box just about goes off the head but keep it on the head.
now once thats done chose the simple brush you may even what to go to the stroke pallete and chose dragRect.
ok now turn ZADD OFF because your going to be applying only to the object.
since you used the MRGBZgrabber it made a texture of the area you grabed ok now in the alpha pallete chose like a round alpha.
now draw the texture on the head the top of the head you mrgbz grabed should match up and the neck should blend in with the rest of the skin to look uniformed.
make sure the texture is on in the texture pallete
there you go.
tip of the day brought to you by your buddy EZ

[aurick]

The reason that you're getting stretching there is that the polygons themselves are stretched out. This is a common problem in necks when you're modeling a head, because you're pulling out a lot of polygons there. Try masking the rest of the head and then using divide to increase the mesh density in the neck. This will have the effect of making those polygons similar in size to the rest of the head, and should help fix the stretching problem.

Also, a large texture size will help. I usually work with textures around 2000x2000 in size or even larger. It helps to minimize stretching, and also allows more detail.

[Vikki]

Thanks EZ, :D , tried your way it and it's a great technique if you're not working on a model and I'll definitely use that technique in some places I can think of right now. :D

Aurick,

That did it perfectly. :D Awesome! Thank you. I'll have to rearrange some polygons to get the count down a little but that's not a big deal. :D

It finally dawns on me the impact of Ed's statement to me something to the effect, "Know your mesh, so you know how to use it." This is a perfect of example of that.

LOL! This is kinda like programming. Find a bug(malformed mesh) and fix it, only to find another bug(texture design). LOLOL! Back to the texture design drawing board. :D However, at least I know now that I can get the texture on there right soon as I can create the texture that I want. :D Thanks again!

[banez]

ok i thought your question was more on the (Texture) since you said you tryed the Texture master on it and horizontal and vertical under Tools>Modifiers>Texture.
you was reFering to the Mesh not texture.
ok i c now ;)

[PusGhetty]

Good modeling Vicki, I especially like the eyes! The texture work looks good too! Looks like Auricks advice hit the spot! Good luck with your storybook!
Take care,
Michael

[Vikki]

Ok! :D Now I'm gettin somewhere. :D

Thanks for the comments and your help EZ and Aurick!

This is much better, not perfect but I'm getting the idea. It's not just the texture and the model. It's the texture and the model, the material, the lights, the light settings, the render settings and the camera that make it work. :D

So, now I can move on to finish me bodies and get all the new techniques practiced and learned.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1030166584crf.jpg

Thanks again!

[aurick]

Yep. In some ways, computer art is more difficult than "traditional" art because you have to coax the computer into giving you the results that you want. I think a good way to look at things is that with traditional art you paint what your mind's eye sees. With computer art, you have to tell the computer how to paint what your mind's eye sees -- and sometimes, your both not speaking the same language! :)

ZBrush comes closer to duplicating the traditional artist's experience than any other program I've seen, but sometimes that language barrier still comes into play. In my opinion, it's part of the fun and challenge of digital art.

Anyway, I'm very glad to have been able to help you!