Compatible Textures Creation for Renders

How to create compatible textures for most renderers (i.e. Renderman).

Step 1

Build Model is 3DS Max
Each element or object in the model may have to have separate UVWMaps. You can combine all the UVWMaps in PhotoShop to use one texture file for the model.
(Element is the 3DS Max word for one object in a scene)

Step 2

Select the element that you wish to UVMAP.
Under the modifier list select UVWMap
In the list under Parameters, select the type of mapping that you would like to use.
In the modifier list, select UVW Unrap.
Click the Edit button under the Parameters drop down list. The UVMap Editor Map window will open. Edit the UVs to shape and reduce the size to fit the map box in the middle of the window. If you have more than one element to map and each element has to be mapped separately, be sure to leave room in the box for all of the elements.
To render the map, click the Tools drop down in the main toolbar and select Render UVW Map. The Render UVs window should open. Change the width and height to 512 x 512, the fill to black and the edges should be white. Click Render UV Template.
The Render Map window should open, Click the Save button and save to your directory. Choose a file name and save type as a .png image file. The file name does not matter for the UVWMap.

Step 3

Open the UVWMap in PhotoShop.
Use your .png file as a template for painting the textures in layers. After painting the texture, delete the layers with the UVWMap. You do not want the UVWMap to appear on the texture. Flatten and save. Name the texture file solids.png. All texture maps used in renderer must be named solids, thus all models will need a separate file folder for their file structure. If you fail to name the file solids.png, renderer will not be able interpret the texture file and the model will appear white in renderer.
Step 4-Applying the texture to the model.
Click the Material Editor button in the 3DS Max program. The Slate Material Editor will open.
In the Material/Maps Browser, scroll down to the Materials-Standard list. Click and drag the Architectural Material into the View 1 window.
In the Materials/Map Browser, scroll down to Maps-Standard. Click and drag the Bitmap Material into the View 1 window. The Select Bitmap Image File window will open. Go to where the solids.png file is located, select the file and click open.
In the View 1 window, select the O node of the Bitmap and drag a link to the Difference Map of the Material Architect. Repeat this step, but drag the link to the Bump Map.
Select the element that you wish to texture in the Modeling View and return to the Slate Material view. In View 1, select the Material Architect. Go to the tool bar in the Slate Editor and select Assign Material to Selection.
After you have applied all the textures to your model, export it as a .3DS file, make sure there is a checkmark in the Preserve MAX’s Texture Coordinates and click ok.

The texture should appear when you load the model in render.
Be sure to save you model, UV coordinates and texture in a specified file, so as to not over right the solids texture with your next model’s texture.
El Fin.

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