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samuel_the_hamster
samuel_the_hamster
Known Participant
May 30, 2023
Answered

uv question

  • May 30, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 573 views

is uv only a projection a 3D model's surface to a 2D image for texture mapping or can i have for example, a number of uv mapping, like hey i have 2 uv's? is that possible and what that even means? 2 projections of the texture

 

thanks in advance, dave 😄

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer davescm

UV unwrapping is the unfolding of a 3D mesh surface onto a flat plane. That involves creating seams where the mesh will be cut and deciding where any distortion introduced in that process will lie. The main aim is to keep individual surface elements (UV islands)  from overlapping and to try and keep the scale even.

You are not limited to unwrapping onto a single square. Unwrapping onto several squares is a common process and gives scope for more detail on the model. 

 

UV projection is slightly different. That refers to how a texture is projected onto a surface. In UV projection it is projected onto the flattened UV map. There are other projections, (Substance Painter offers several) such as tri-planar where the texture is projected onto the 3D surface in all three dimensions, regardless of the orientation of the UV islands. Which works best depends on both the model and the material being projected.

 

Dave

2 replies

davescm
Community Expert
davescmCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 31, 2023

UV unwrapping is the unfolding of a 3D mesh surface onto a flat plane. That involves creating seams where the mesh will be cut and deciding where any distortion introduced in that process will lie. The main aim is to keep individual surface elements (UV islands)  from overlapping and to try and keep the scale even.

You are not limited to unwrapping onto a single square. Unwrapping onto several squares is a common process and gives scope for more detail on the model. 

 

UV projection is slightly different. That refers to how a texture is projected onto a surface. In UV projection it is projected onto the flattened UV map. There are other projections, (Substance Painter offers several) such as tri-planar where the texture is projected onto the 3D surface in all three dimensions, regardless of the orientation of the UV islands. Which works best depends on both the model and the material being projected.

 

Dave

    samuel_the_hamster
    samuel_the_hamsterAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 31, 2023

    Hello, Dave!

     

    So when I have 5 uvs I refer to unwrapping in 5 pieces right.

     

    Did not understand very well the difference, both are flat maps? 

    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 31, 2023

    No that is not quite correct, the number of UVs is not about the number of pieces (or islands) that the mesh surface has been split into. 

    You can unwrap a model's surface into as many pieces as you need, and lay them out on a single uv tile. Alternatively, those unwrapped pieces can be spread over several tiles (UDIMs) allowing you to take advantage of a greater level of texture detail than a single square could achieve.

     

    Dave

    samuel_the_hamster
    samuel_the_hamsterAuthor
    Known Participant
    May 30, 2023

    2 or any numeric value

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