I would like to be able to create a flattened distorted grid template of an object so that I can more accurately draw on the texture surface in photoshop. I tried wrapping a grid around the object so that I could get a texture from that but it didn’t work. Many figures and objects that are provided at market today include texture templates. They look like flattened wireframe images of the original except they show all the distortions of the polygons (UV mapping?) Can this be done in ZBrush or does anyone know of a freeware or shareware app that can do it? Thanks!
Thanks Kathy!! It works great on .obj files created in other programs but alas it doesn’t seem to work on ZBrush exported objects. At least I can’t get it to work on them…sigh.
That’s because you need to create a new map, Mentat. When you see the initial object, it’s the default UV mapping, which is based on a mercator projection of the object. Not the best for texturing with unless you’re using something like TextureMaster.
Here’s what you do to create a new map:
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Open UV Mapper and File>Load to load in your OBJ. You’ll get a Statistics popup. Click OK.
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You’ll get a big, ugly grid. (Slap some Latitude and Longitude lines on it, and you’d have a classic world Atlas.) Go to Edit>New UV Map and choose a type that you like. In my case, I chose Planar.
- You’ll get a “SelectedType” Mapping dialogue box. In my example, I selected Z axis.
- You’ll now have the object remapped, with a front half and a back half. If you don’t like your results, repeat the New Map operation.
- You have several ways to select individual sets of polygons. Unfortunately, objects created in ZBrush have no groupings or materials regions assigned in the current version. (Although you can use UV Mapper to assign them!) For the example shown, I simply dragged a box to select one half of the mesh, and resized it. (Commands are available by going to Help>Hot Keys but good ones to remember are “/” and “*” to double or halve the size of the selected area.)
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I’ve now repeated for the other half, flipped it horizontally, and moved things around to make better use of the available space. This is important when you have a bunch of material zones!
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Use the File>Save Model option to save out the remapped OBJ. As a rule, leave the default boxes checked on the dialogue box that will come up. Just click OK.
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Now choose File>Save Texture Map to create the template that you will use in Photoshop. Be sure to click the Exclude Hidden Facets option to hide any lines that aren’t really necessary.
The completed map:
Of course, you won’t want to open your original OBJ again! You don’t need it anymore, unless you want to try a new mapping layout (which would get its own OBJ when you finish).
Hope that helps you out! I know that Kathy now remaps most everything that she creates, even when she’s going to ultimately use it in ZBrush. The reason for this is that you can map each part of the object separately by selecting it and then using Edit>New UV Map on the selection! By doing so, you can make the parts of the mesh that will have lots of detail larger, or you can minimize distortions in critical areas.
this one looks like a must save, Aurick I know it’ll be useful one day.
Thanks for the instruction Aurick! That was exactly what I was looking for. Now I am going to be spending sleepless nights making UV Texture Templates…LOL!
I apologize for not being more thorough with the answer Mentat.
I agree with every word from aurick.
Here’s a thread that contained my explanation of UVMapper.
In fact Mentat, you and I discussed it here. Time flies!
http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=003842
Kathy and Aurick if I may ask how do you go about enlarging a portion of the map…what process do YOU use. For example I have a character that I created that has a fairly low poly count on most of the head but the face has a very high poly count especially around the eyes and mouth. The mesh is so dense that the template grid is black around those areas so what would you do to enlarge it so it could be dealt with in better detail?
Great information Aurick, I had no idea of this particular process. I hope they place this in the quicklinks for future reference, I would like to play with this stuff.
Mentat as far as resizing, please see aurick’s step 5.
In UV mapper, its as simple as that.
Mentat7, enlarge the texture. I mean, the template, the bmp template where mesh lay as pixels. I do it when doing hires stuff. So, in the settings (i don’t remember where uv mapper had it , I switched to LithUnwrap eons ago…) set up a bigger uv template pc to export. If it’s 1024x1024, try 2048, or something. Make tests till you can distingish the line flows , the shapes. Of course, your not gonna leave the texture you paint THAT big. You can clean it in adobe while it’s big, or just paint (if have good computer) and then rescale with adobe using bicubic or bilinear (I think I remember bilinear respects better lines) to the final size you choose.
If have a wacom, it would be convenient to work so anyway as reduced file would look much cooler after working in big one.
I don’t know if I’m coming back soon here, perhaps I’ll do. If don’t answer you again, is because I don’t come back…I’m busy this days, and zbrushcentral is so active I loose track of posts (hey that’s good sign ;D)
Thanks again Kathy and thanks DrawingTroll. I think my problem is that the mesh is FAR TOO DENSE. Even at 2048 x 2048 the density in the face makes it look black. Hmmm…I will have to plan ahead in the future when I model something to overcome this. And DrawingTroll I use my wacom to texture too 
I have had it about three weeks 9 x 12 and I love it!!
There seems to be a fine line as far as where the mesh should end and the texture should begin.
I would agree that if enlarging portions of the map doesn’t do the trick, then you’ve created a mesh that isn’t manageable.
Tricky business, indeed.
I rely 30% on the mesh for definition.
The rest is texture and bump map with spec maps in addition in other programs.
I’d rather have a simple mesh easily mapped out.
I agree Kat. I look at the mesh as a drawing guide- you can see how the polys are distorted so it helps in the placement of key texture elements. I’ve never taken a ZBrush object and created a template before so it is a learning experience. Of course most of my models are low poly and should map just super but from time to time I have a particularly dense mesh area so I will work on overcoming that little hurdle when I do my modeling.
The method that DrawingTroll suggests applies to the entire map. But you can also select smaller sections and enlarge them. If you drag your selection box across the middle of a mesh, you’ll see that only the polygons outside of your selection will remain unselected. You can then move the selected area aside and enlarge it using the “*” key (to quadruple the size) or the “+” key (small increase).
Here is an example where I modified the map that was created above using these techniques. As I worked, I found it helpful to assign regions and groups so that I didn’t have to worry about overlapping parts of the map – once you’ve assigned such a thing, you can then select by Region, Group or Material to get only what you want.
The UVMapper is a powerful little tool. Spend some time playing with it and learning what you can do! In truth, you can model stuff in ZBrush, use UVMapper to assign Groups and Materials, then take the OBJ into Poser to make a poseable figure out of. Imagine creating a ZBrush character and then easily using him over and over again in different poses within ZBrush using this technique! You’d use Poser for what it was designed for – Posing – and ZBrush for what it was designed for – modeling and painting. Pretty cool, huh? 
Now one word of caution – if you expand parts of the map like I did here, you’ll get seams that are tricky to deal with because the texture will be scaled one size in one area and another in the detail. TextureMaster will compensate for this automatically, but you’ll have to compensate manually in Photoshop.
Oh, and another way that you can use things as a drawing guide if you’re having trouble seeing what’s what: Try wrapping the template onto the object in ZBrush, then doing a little vertex painting to color specific areas – like the eyelids or the horns. Save that new texture separately, then composite it with the original template in Photoshop at about 50% visibility – you’ll color code your template so that you can easily spot the important areas.
Great tips Aurick!! Just the line of thought I had been travelling but I just didn’t know the destination! 
I like that idea about poseable ZBrush figures. However don’t they need to be poser specific figures? I understand the principles of creating morph targets but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anything documenting how to create a poser character file from scratch. Is that what you are eluding to and how would one go about doing that?
Yes, that was what I was leading into. It’s not exactly a topic that is easily covered in the forum, but you can find out how to make an imported figure poseable in the Poser manual (either the printed one or the PDF version) beginning with page 301.
I’m still learning to do a lot of that stuff, myself. But it’s not nearly as difficult as you would think. For the record, almost no Poser characters were modeled in Poser. They all are brought in as OBJ files and made poseable. There is no reason that ZBrush can’t be used as a starting point, either. Although I do recommend optimizing the mesh a bit before you export it. LOL
LOL I can just see it now…a poser mesh with a million polygons! Whooooweee! I am going to look into this more. I would like to turn my Blue Meanies into poseable figures. Just think about it. Creating ZBrush characters…objects, textures, etc and the turning them into Poser characters…a 360 degree switch from what we see now where people bring Poser figures into ZBrush for editing. That alone could make ZBrush the MUST have app for the poser community and not the other way around. Hmmmmm…(Pandora’s box now opening just a crack…)
I was just doing some reading about the Poser 4 Pro Pack and it seems to support the creation of new characters much more readily than the regular Poser 4 softwar by itself. Does anyone here use the Pro Pack to make new and unique characters?
I wonder how these studies turned out ?