Easy Texturing: Photoshop CS4 gone 3D

[Wisse]

So here's the deal, I watched latest Pixel Perfect podcast (fun starts @15min) where the guy showed some new 3D support in PS CS4. He had model imported and was able to use traditional 2D tool to paint directly on the texture. He mentioned unwrapping, showed some 2D on 3D merging and similar shit.

I wrote wall of text before I used Google, found better wall of text with pictures.

I'm not familiar with texturing, I had hard time trying to create UV map, but I hope this thing might help because it seems much easier to switch between 2/3D on the fly and even make some minor changes directly on 3D with this not needing to imagine all the time how silly UV map is gonna look when on model.

[smoth]

cs3e had it already. *edits* reread the post maybe not, I think what you are discribing was done in several other tools.. watching video.

that is pretty neat deep paint is cheaper and what lathan used. Speaking of, I have money! I can go and grab that thing to! WOO HOO MONEY!

[Wisse]

Well I've seen some brush tools in Maya when I toyed with it. But ability to unwrap UV on the fly and edit it in such specialized 2D tool as PS is rly quite nice in my mind.

The biggest problem I had when I tried to fill in the UV map was imagining where everything goes and how it's gonna look on model itself, so this might be rather neat solution to speed up the work.

Edit: Software costs money?

[Snipawolf]

I don't really think so. Wouldn't it be a bit harder to keep up with layers and colors and such using this mode? If the uvmaps are well laid (or you have really good memory) each piece should be individual enough to texture without too much double-checking. Using Wings3d, it only takes a few seconds to check which piece it is.

*Will edit after watching video and reading article

[smoth]

I still paint 2d on the texture and refresh the model in cs3. I don't know I like texturing that way. Lathan told me deep paint was like painting a miniature though so I have been itching to try it.

yes some of us are honest people.

[Snipawolf]

wow, I'd love to be able to render things directly from photoshop without having to set up a ton of crap in Wings3d or blender or something.. Hurgh, working over the summer to pay my parents back doesn't sound so fun, though.

And, yeah, unless a program advertises itself as being free, its not. Like 3dsmax, 3000 dollars IIRC. So, CS4 should be several hundred...

[Peet]

You have an excuse for not paying though, being a youngin' with no cash flow. Buy it to settle your conscience when you have the money

[Wisse]

I still paint 2d on the texture and refresh the model in cs3. I don't know I like texturing that way. Lathan told me deep paint was like painting a miniature though so I have been itching to try it.

yes some of us are honest people.

I didn't know you could "refresh the model" in CS3. I fell stupid now cuse I only see things that are brought to me on a big shiny plate -.-

I respect you honest people. I would love justify my acts, but it would just go way off topic

[smoth]

I didn't know you could "refresh the model" in CS3. I fell stupid now cuse I only see things that are brought to me on a big shiny plate -.-

if that is sarcasm it is unappreciated. I was saying that I like doing the 2d texture not painting on the model

[Snipawolf]

I believe he was saying that after he loaded the model, he never refreshed the texture, and so thought that function of PS useless.

[Wolf-In-Exile]

I didn't see any UV unwrapping support in CS4 when I tried it out, and word is that it's still quite unstable, performance-wise and needs a considerably more powerful rig to run than CS3.

But being able to paint directly onto a model can be quite handy especially for locating and painting across seams, which is really goddamn tedious most of the time.

[smoth]

I personally always have issues making all my noise and hue manipulation match up.

[Wisse]

I didn't know you could "refresh the model" in CS3. I fell stupid now cuse I only see things that are brought to me on a big shiny plate -.-

if that is sarcasm it is unappreciated. I was saying that I like doing the 2d texture not painting on the model

What Snipawolf said. I don't even know you can load the model.

@Wolf-In-Exile: If I'm not mistaken they mentioned that only Extended version supports that. Dunno what you got tho.

It's not like I would paint directly on the model all the time, I think that would be a bit too hard since I prefer to generate texture using filters rather than painting it. But being able to adjust stuff that's already on the model is great thing and does help with tasks mentioned by Wolf-In-Exile and smoth. In the end you can actually go on and make a few strokes across model just to finalize things up.

[rattle]

So CS4 has an integrated version of tools like DeepPaint or BodyPaint... that's nice to hear

[smoth]

if you have cs3 extended you can import a model as a 3d layer and paint your texture, hit save and it updates the model/.

[Snipawolf]

Probably the best thing about this is that you can apply dodge/burn while actually looking at the model and being able to place shadows in a decent position that look believable.

[SwiftSpear]

Probably the best thing about this is that you can apply dodge/burn while actually looking at the model and being able to place shadows in a decent position that look believable.

I imagine it makes applying greebles a joy as well.

Still, you're going to need to learn UV mapping if you want to model for games.

[Guessmyname]

I will make sure to buy this once I have the money!

In the mean time, pirate bay...

[rattle]

if you have cs3 extended you can import a model as a 3d layer and paint your texture, hit save and it updates the model/.

But you can't paint directly on the model, which is very useful if you got an ugly seam or want to do highlights fast. Speaking of seams, how does CS4 handle seam transitions, i.e. painting over a seam?

[smoth]

I do fine on highlights but just because it has the feature doesn't mean it is large enough a jump to make me run out and buy it.