Skinning a model in 3D studio Max

Robert Harrison

Okay so i think i am getting pretty good with creating the models but as we all know with out a skin it is just a model...

So here is my problem, I do not know how to create a skin that fits the model, i hear there is a way to 'flatten' the model so that i can them make a skin in Photoshop. Can some one please help me?

Matthew

Berkut

Look up UV Mapping/Unwrapping in 3ds max on google. There is a tutorial about it in 3ds max built in tuts, but it's not too good (at least I didn't think it is). There are a lot of tutorials on it online though. There are also software packages out there that allow you to directly "paint" the model in 3d, but personally I'm not a big fan of it.

Robert Harrison

Thank you i found that helpful, there is one question that it didn't answer though... I have followed the advice and down loaded the addon that allows me to export the UV Map so i can make my own skin for it... I learnt more today then i have done about Max in a long time.

Okay so the question...

How do i save a copy of the map with clean edges that i can use in photoshop that will match up again once i am done...


Rendered image with my basic skin


Another Render


Print screen, hope this will help someone help me...


Ditto


My Skin in PNG form

Berkut

Robert Harrison wrote: »

Okay so the question...

How do i save a copy of the map with clean edges that i can use in photoshop that will match up again once i am done...

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking, but I'll try, once you unwrap the model to your content, you use textporter plugin to put out the flat model and texture in 2d, then apply the 2d texture to the model in 3ds max. Or I didn't get it at all... ?

Robert Harrison

yeah i do that but when i rmove the black back ground i lose some of the edging to the map... um... when i remove the back ground there is a little bleeding and as you can see on the pictures the 'white' bits are not meant to be there... is there a way to export using textporter so there is no back ground?

somacruz145

Well you can color the area beyond the edges so that there are no blank spots. From what I can see you have some white dots and no anti-aliasing applied to the edges which makes them look really rough (especially when the map is low-res).

Robert Harrison

somacruz145 wrote: »

Well you can color the area beyond the edges so that there are no blank spots. From what I can see you have some white dots and no anti-aliasing applied to the edges which makes them look really rough (especially when the map is low-res).

Okay... so when would i do the anti-aliasing, when i create the Map, r when i do the skin in photoshop?

Sorry to ask all these questions but i am trying t learn and thank you to those of you that are doing your best to teach the noob...

Matthew

Robert Harrison

Help, okay so from your replies i have worked out where i was going wrong, you have to colour outside the edges, and my pre-school teacher will be so disappointed to hear me say that

However there is always another problem, when i try and do detail it seems to be very low quility, I am not sure what i can do to change that... here is what i got so far and remember i am using Max 7 and Photoshop CS3.

Coolhand

looks like your texture resolution is too low... use a larger image for the texture like 2048x2048 or higher... use multiple textures. also try to texture the low detail cage, then subdivide the model as its easier to lay out the UV's though it can give distortions if you're not careful. much easier to work with however.