UV Mapping

UV mapping seemed possibly the most terrifying stage of the modelling process, but once the concept is known it is much simpler to understand. UV mapping is essential to texturing of an object because it dictates how much detail and information is given to a particular area of the model (much like the way a costume might be cut out of a large piece of material – the amount of material used for each area limits just how big or detailed that area is but at the same time too much cannot be taken from just that one piece of material so it has to be mapped out economically).

There are many ways to UV though. Chris Goodswen taught the ‘Planar Mapping’ method which due to finishing the modelling element late I didn’t get a chance to learn (and others I have spoken to have learnt the ‘Automatic Mapping’ method), so I looked instead at tutorials on the ‘Unwrapping technique’ by an experienced member of the animation community – Josh Robinson.

Using unwrap to UV is again simple if you know the right process (click on the below to zoom in

Of course there are likely much simpler methods to UV but this is the method I taught myself when UV mapping my door. This is the final UV:

(Note to explain the checker pattern: Window > Rendering editors > Hypershade then select the Lambert material before applying a checker pattern in the options under colour. This isnt entirely necessary to UVing but serves as a good indicator to the amound of detail each area has)