Maya And PhotoShop

# 1 23-03-2008 , 08:13 AM

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Hello Forum-

Can someone please!!! explain, "How does PhotoShop fit into the complete process" For the texturing, UVing and Map phase.

I ran across a couple of modelers that mention PhotoShop, sending the model into the program to do things to it, now mind you , they do not explain why this is needed and they go on.

I always see it at the bottom of there artwork, but never explain.

I thought that everything is handle inside Maya itself regarding the coloring phase or should I say Texturing, UV-ing, Maps,,, see I am not really sure how it all works.

So it will be great if this can be explained to me if possible.

Again, why would PhotoShop be needed at all?, would be my question. And remember I am new to all of this so my question might seem foolish.

But it's something that I always think about but can not get my head around the reasons why, and that's simply because I do not know.

Thanks for you help,,,

Savnac user added image

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# 2 23-03-2008 , 08:32 AM

Jr.Who

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You send the UV maps into PS so that you can texture the model.

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# 3 23-03-2008 , 08:42 AM

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So this thing called UVing-

It's where you go and model the texture, like if this was a lizard or a Frog. You would get the airbrush and spray the textures flat somehow, by modeling the patterns.

So I guess that's how that model the Halo costumes. They created depth by painting the divots into the armor parts and- what -not, But would you say that it depends on what your going for in the end, that should determine what should go into the PhotoShop modeling phase. Am I correct about what I am saying. I wish that there were Video tutorials on this showing it step by step, keep in mind guys, whom will be upset about this, I am new to it all, so thanks for any help in this.

Savnac

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# 4 23-03-2008 , 09:20 AM

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hmm ok you have a polygon model lets say of a person, you want to apply color to it.

Think of it from the computers point of view, if you provide it with an image regardless of dimentions etc. It needs to know where you want the color put onto the mesh.

To accomplish this what we do is UV mapping. a UV map is a 2d Interpretation of a 3d object (a nett). For each vertex on your mesh, there is a three digit vecor saying where it is in space x, y, z. And each vertex has a corrosponding UV assigned to it with 2 digits denoting its position within the UV map.

The correct positioning of the UVs within an objects UV map ensures that any color or values in an image projected into the UV space will affect the area of our model we wanted it to.

If it is not done correctly many issues can come up, including stretched or warped textures where for example part of an image texture only a few pixels wide may be applied to a 3d space which takes up a large amount of screen space. This often happens when shapes are misrepresented in a UV map, e.g. a side of a cube being given rectangular dimentions in a UV map.

Photoshop is completley obsolete to this in a way, it is just a program used to paint the texture, this could be done with any other package or even using a scanned image.

What it is good for however us using our UV representation of our model as a reference to paint over, so when we paint in photoshop we know we are painting on an area that will correctly be applied to the face or tail of a character etc. UV mapping is just a mean to accomplish the bridge between 3D and 2D space.

The painted images painted out in photoshop can then be applied to a variety of attributes on a matterial applied to an object such as its color, how bright its color is (diffuse, color mult), roughness (bump), how shiney or reflective it is, how bright it is (incandesence). The list goes on.

Photoshop is not part of the modelling phase, and color is never applied though data stored in the 3D file itself. Even in packages like zbrush, color is stored in 2D files it just gives a more intuative approach on applying the values to a texture.

Laurie

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# 5 23-03-2008 , 09:34 AM

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Savnac,

What they may be on about is Photoshop CS3. Once a model has a good UV layout, the user can export the model as an OBJ file and then use it directly in Photoshop, much like you can in BodyPaint 3D by Maxon, except BodyPaint 3D seems not ot need a UV layout. Much like zBrush...

Photoshop CS3 is a revelation for Adobe as it supports, Direct texturing of 3D models, Animation, Movies and swf support for flash. These features are only part of Photoshop CS3 Extended, not CS3 itself.

Here are a few links to give you a better feel for what it has to offer.

Adobe
https://www.adobe.com/products/photos...graphicdesign/

Digital Tutors
https://www.digitaltutors.com/digital...y.php?vcat=psp (this page covers a few of the basics on 3D Layers in Photoshop CS3)

If you dont have CS3 and you have CS2 or below then its back to the pain staking process of exporting the UV Map and opening the file in photoshop to texture.

Hope that helps you...

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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# 6 24-03-2008 , 09:44 AM

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Originally posted by Savnac
So this thing called UVing-

... would you say that it depends on what your going for in the end, that should determine what should go into the PhotoShop modeling phase.

Savnac

Originally Posted by

In a word, yes. That's the short version.

In the greater scheme of things, Maya is self-reliant and its products can go from cradle to grave using only Maya's tools. But, in the interest of sharing information freely, we have plug-ins and external editors and we love the cooperative effort!

It's as you say; what you're making, dictates the work flow.

There are many, I'm sure, who have never had a use for Photoshop. However, it's indispensable to me and the work I do. Like a fish in water, I'm at home in PS but before I get there, I have to walk through the stench of my mistakes, holding my nose as I slog through the UV Editor, which by the way is inappropriately named. It should be called The Toilet Brush; cause this is where you polish the turds.

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