3D Textures And Other Tricks Thread

So I'd like to learn about the ways texturing is done in terms of 3D and adding depth, layering, etc. For instance, a metal wall panel with the illusion of deep scratches, dents, and bolts. And natural objects like tree bark or a rock's uneven surface. Where should I start? Also I remember a few years back hearing about some kind of software that allows you to wrap an image around a 3D model, in order to create a texture with the illusion of depth. I want to learn everything about this subject! I find it fascinating, and I'm already into macro and texture photography, so I figure this would be a great field for me to get into.

Edited by: General_Hoohah

Found a video just for you.
It will teach you about all the fundamentals of creating fantastic looking texture's.

This is for the modelling software, blender.

Youtube.com
Oh and wrapping a image aroung a model is called UV Mapping
Goodluck on your endevors.

Is there another program besides blender? I gave that program a fair shot, twice. I even did a bunch of tutorials, but I totally hated the way the interface is made. I couldn't get used to it, it felt so alien and I kept screwing up. It was incredibly aggravating. It felt like someone with some very odd opinions about what an interface should be like, was forcing it on me with no room for customizing it to the way I wanted to work. Also, everything was already linked to a hot key with no free keys. I didn't like the menu system at all. I really have a hard time understanding why so many people like it. Using it out of of necessity cause its free and a powerful tool I understand, but defending it like its the best 3D modeler of all time is another. I tried Wings3d and I absolutely loved it, its not as powerful as Blender but the layout and interface is really well done, and feels totally natural. But I guess if someone grew up with blender and now its natural for them, they'd probably hate Wings. I actually found a bunch of people trash talking Wings in the Blender forums, which was really disappointing.

Anyway, UV Mapping. I've heard that but I didn't know what it was. How does it work? Is it something extra that is applied to the surface of the model by the engine, like a layer, or is it just a type of texture that is wrapped around a 3D model like a standard texture? Hmmm... I'm going to go read about this or find a video or something.

Edited by: General_Hoohah

Look into Crazy Bump(Crazybump.com), nDo (Philipk.net), and Knald (Knaldtech.com)

You'll also want to read up on specular maps and most importantly normal maps (Wiki.polycount.com)

edit:

Anyway, UV Mapping. I've heard that but I didn't know what it was. How does it work? Is it something extra that is applied to the surface of the model by the engine, like a layer, or is it just a type of texture that is wrapped around a 3D model like a standard texture? Hmmm... I'm going to go read about this or find a video or something.

UVs are a set of coordinates applied to each vertex that tell a 3d program what part of a texture image to display on any given polygon

Edited by: Cryrid

General_Hoohah wrote: Is there another program besides blender? I gave that program a fair shot, twice. I even did a bunch of tutorials, but I totally hated the way the interface is made. I couldn't get used to it, it felt so alien and I kept screwing up. It was incredibly aggravating. It felt like someone with some very odd opinions about what an interface should be like, was forcing it on me with no room for customizing it to the way I wanted to work. Also, everything was already linked to a hot key with no free keys. I didn't like the menu system at all. I really have a hard time understanding why so many people like it. Using it out of of necessity cause its free and a powerful tool I understand, but defending it like its the best 3D modeler of all time is another. I tried Wings3d and I absolutely loved it, its not as powerful as Blender but the layout and interface is really well done, and feels totally natural. But I guess if someone grew up with blender and now its natural for them, they'd probably hate Wings. I actually found a bunch of people trash talking Wings in the Blender forums, which was really disappointing.
Anyway, UV Mapping. I've heard that but I didn't know what it was. How does it work? Is it something extra that is applied to the surface of the model by the engine, like a layer, or is it just a type of texture that is wrapped around a 3D model like a standard texture? Hmmm... I'm going to go read about this or find a video or something.

There are many programs besides blender, blender is just the one i often recommend because there are so many tutorials to choose from.
If you wan't there is a really easy program to use called Wings3D, this program has very little tutorials but is so very easy to create models.
With this program a lot of feature's may be missing but it really can speed through models.

The thing is with Wings3D it has a lot of limit's like texture's won't be really nice looking and you can't animate or rig.

UV Mapping is essentially wrapping a picture around the sides of a model.

Edited by: rowsku

Thanks Cryrid, that was a really helpful post. I'll check that stuff out tomorrow. I'm gonna hit the sack in a few.

Yeah, Wings3D does have a lot of limitations.

You can sign up for the free student edition of 3ds Max and Maya at their website. The only limitation is you can't sell your work. Same for the Softimage Mod tool. If you're looking to sell your work then you're out of luck for those programs. If I were you I'd use those ones to learn everything first, since Blender's UI is awful and Wings3D doesn't support too many useful formats as far as I know.