Boy, I never thought I'd actually finish the texture image for this front mural! There are no photos of the bottom...oh, two-thirds of it or so. That area is completely obscured by foliage that will
hopefully grow as tall as the building someday. So I was left with the difficult challenge of filling in the areas with stuff that looked right. It was considerably more difficult than the east mural, which only covers half of the wall—and the wall is only two-thirds as long in the first place! So I had a lot of Photoshopping to do. Luckily, I managed to get it working. One good trick I discovered was to paint flat colors into the areas, blocking out the large-scale color shifts, and then use the healing brush (instead of the clone stamp tool) to copy the basic textures without changing the colors or overall brightness of the big areas of color. The bigger, darker spots were achieved partially through photos and partially through shapes I created myself. I'm pretty happy with the result.
A far less interesting change visible in this render is the modification of the backs of the mural tops. Before, they were just a plain green color, but they're now dark gray, with metal support structures as dictated by the aerial photos.
I've also been making ongoing changes to the aerial photo you see for the ground, getting rid of trees and so forth. =)
(By the way—feel free to leave comments! I always appreciate suggestions, advice, new information, or even a simple hello. I promise to read your comments and, in all likelihood, reply to them.)
21 comments:
Your attention to detail is amazing! Keep up the great work!
Thank you very much! =) I have no intention of stopping. Working on a bit of a side project at the moment, and I don't think it'll make any online appearances till it's more or less finished, but never fear...it's definitely related to the subject of this blog, and once I'm ready, I'll start posting it like mad. :D
That looks great!
It's funny how seemingly insignificant details (like the camouflage mural) add so much to the overall image- it makes the model from that perspective look considerably more realistic and detailed.
Think you'll ever go about texturing the insides of the buildings, such as Indy and HM? Now THAT would take a while.
Ah, merci beaucoup! It really does make the model feel so much more complete, doesn't it?
As far as texturing the attraction interiors go...I'd certainly love to eventually get that all done. Some texturing can be done before I've even finished the objects--repeated, tiling images will still work, no matter how much I change the objects after the texturing. But in cases where I'm using specific parts of the image for specific parts of the model, I basically need that part of the model to be 100% finished before I texture it. I think I'll be able to pull off most of the Indy interior using the first, more flexible method. For HM, I may have to use more UV mapping (the second, harder method), but the interior of HM is already fairly complete as far as modeling goes.
Looking awesome, as always! I'm glad you started texturing! UV was a pain for me to get used to, but once you learn it, it's a powerful thing, huh?
When do we find out about this related subject? :-P ;-)
Thanks! Keep in mind there've been textures at work in my model for months now, though. =D They're not pervasive, certainly, but I've had stuccolike textures applied to the green show buildings for a while, along with some stains and so forth. The Indy show building has had a paneled look for a while, and the roofs of the various structures have had photo-based textures applied to them.
For the Indy murals, I'm actually not using UV mapping at all. It's certainly useful in some cases, but I don't need UV techniques for this specifically since each mural is just a flat surface.
So you want to know about the mystery project, huh? XD Well, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to keep that under wraps a little longer. It's in a rather different vein than what you've seen thus far, though it certainly still fits in the category of Disneyland 3D recreations. I'm actually hoping to achieve a little texturing work on it tonight, though I may also work a bit on the interior of IASW so I at least have something to post.
I've only had so much time to drop in and check out your work, so I wouldn't be surprised if you've been texturing for months and I haven't known.
Aww, common... You can't torment us like this! Now I'm going to have to check back every day this week. :-P
I'm not sure how you got away without using UV on the murals with that intricate top section... But, cool. How do you do this?
If you ever want someone to go through your model and clean up or what have you, just let me know. I know I'm anxious to get my hands on your model! ;-)
Hehe...torment thee I shall. XD No worries, I'm hoping to be done relatively soon, and I'll be posting some new photos of backstage and onstage today (I hope!). I may also do some work on IASW, of which I recently obtained a blueprint, just so y'all have something to chew on while I prepare the main course.
As far as the tops of the murals go, they were part of the same object as the main mural objects. Each mural is its own entity with a separate texture, and I basically just use a flatly-projected texture image—one that would tile if it were smaller, but it's set to match the size of the object. When I'm doing the texturing, I bring an isometric wireframe screenshot of the object in question into Photoshop and then I make sure the texture image fits perfectly within those boundaries.
So, the result is a texture image with the exact same aspect ratio as the more-or-less rectangular mural object. Naturally, since the top of the object has chunks taken out of it, there are parts of the image that won't show up on the object at all, so I generally leave those white or some neutral color, though I typically clone-stamp some of the existing texture past the theoretical boundaries of the object, just in case I make a mistake somewhere along the line and things don't match up perfectly.
Let me know if that's not making sense! =(
Ok, that makes a lot of sense, yet, seems a lot more work than I would think UV would be. Could you give me a workflow for your UV work? Also, which version of Blender are you running? I run the SVN, but even between 2.45 and the RCs for 2.46 are a lot different for UV work.
Not that you're doin' it wrong, just hoping I can help you use your tools even more efficiently. :-)
-Daniel
No no, it's very easy. I create and save the image exactly like I would if I were going to UV map it. Then, I select the object in Blender, give it a new material, create a new image texture, load the image, play with the shader settings, and I'm done! I can't think of a way it could be easier. =D If I were going to UV map it, I'd need to make sure that the sizes and shapes of the faces in the UV/image editor were correct—sometimes they get unwrapped weirdly—and there'd be no benefit in the end, since all I need is one flat, mostly rectangular area to have an image texture. The back isn't visible, so I don't need to worry about it, and the sides are so thin that they're of no concern.
Don't get me wrong—I don't hesitate to use UV mapping whenever it's necessary, but I'd just as soon use image textures when they'll provide me with the same results.
In response to your other question, I'm using 2.44. =)
Yeah, that was my guess.
Ok, first, is there a reason you've stuck with 2.44? I think even 2.45 has some of the newer UV functions.
Regardless, let's see if I can give you some tips.
First off, I'm going to start with the assumption that you're buildings, or at least mural, are one object.
If you select the object you want to texture. Go into the edit mode and pick some logical seams. (For your mural, I would select the outline of the shape. Basically, every vertex on the outside of the mural, but limited to just the front of the object, not the back. (I'm describing it badly, but this should make sense in not long.)
Hit Ctrl+E and click "Mark Seam". Deselect all and you should now see an orange outline around your mesh face. Great, huh? ;-)
Now, move your view so that you're basically looking straight at the object (much like you were before).
Now switch from "Edit Mode" into "UV Face Select". I would suggest you start with just the front of the mural in selection. You know how to face select, so I'll leave you to that. Then, with your cursor over the 3D view (I would suggest having a second view open with the "UV/Image Editor" open), press the U button and select "Project from view", either with or without bounds.
Keep working with your object switching back and forth until each part has been UVed. Feel free to scale and move sections in the UV viewer/editor as you need.
Ok, now that you've got your whole object positioned, let's get you a nice texture guide. In the UV/Image Editor, click on "UVs" and go all the way up the menu to "Scripts". Select "Save UV Face Layout...". Most the options make sense, but I highly suggest upping the size to something usable for high resolution textures. I shoot for somewhere between 1024(X1024) and 2048(X2048). It'll ask you where to save the file. Name and place it where you want.
Now, open that image in Photoshop, or what-have-you, and do your magic, with images or paint as you need.
Save that image as another file/texture. Go back to Blender and give your object a material, or modify the one it already has. Go into the textures and give it a new image one. Load up the new texture, turn on alpha and what-have-you. Now, go back to the material pane and go to "Map To". Usually, it's on Orco(graphic). Switch it to UV.
Render. :-D
You can create normal maps and what-not as well from that texture guide and use them using the same "Map To" setup. No more sizing the image precisely, and retouching the image is a piece of cake. :-) (Once every thing's UV mapped, and you update to 2.46 :-P, you can even bake out Ambient Occlusion.)
I hope that helps you. It may seem like a mess, but you really have to try it. Once you get used to it, it goes much faster. (I started out that Soarin' model much the way you did, and found the same techniques you did. Now that I've learned UV mapping, I really need to go back and fix it. :)
I also have some resources on how to convert perspective photos into flat photos usable as textures (bad for measurement taking).
-Daniel
Oh, and my trick for sections that I don't want/need UV-mapped? Scale them down very, VERY small in the UV editor. Move them to a corner or someplace out of the way. You may need to mess with alpha settings, but it should work out well. :-)
-Daniel
Yup, that's my UV mapping workflow, too. =D But your initial assumption is wrong—the walls of the building are all one object, the ceiling/roof is another object, and each of the three murals is a separate object. Since each mural is totally flat, using the image texture technique is as easy as can be. It goes by so quickly and so effortlessly—once I've undistorted my photos, clone-stamped/painted in the missing areas, and carried out color corrections, that is—that I don't even see a point when it could go faster or more easily. The image is automatically set to the correct size, and aspect ratio's not an issue because I use the orthographic wireframe screenshot like I would for UV-mapping.
If the murals were part of the same object as the building, I'd UV map them, of course, but there's simply no need as it is. =) Like I said, I certainly do use UV mapping when necessary—see, for example, my Haunted Mansion renders. Images like this one show the ironwork quite prominently, which consists of extruded planes with PNG images UV-mapped to them. I wouldn't do that with image textures; it's just too time-consuming and unnatural, like you're saying. But it works for the murals and other objects that just need simple, tiling textures. Additionally, UV mapping can get shot to pieces if you start adding on to or modifying an object afterwards, which frequently happens to me as I obtain new information.
Thank you very much for the help, though! I do appreciate it, and if there's something I'm managing to miss, please do let me know. :)
Very valid point about the continual modeling blowing the UV. (My character gets reUVed every time I rework the mesh...)
I guess I'm just missing a few of the other pieces. But oh well, if you know that work flow and have deemed it inefficient for your project, awesome. I can't say you don't know what you're doin', after all. ;-)
Maybe to clear my head about something, though... Could I see a wireframe of the murals?
And while you're at it, send me the model. ;-) (Kidding!)
Keep it up, man. :-)
-Daniel
Haha, well, like I said, I've got nothing against UV-mapping. I'd just rather not use it for this specific part of the model. =D
As for the wireframe, check out this orthographic screenshot. This is one object comprising two meshes—the front of the main mural itself, and this side of the diagonal palm tree top at the upper left. The texture image I created gets projected flatly across all of this, with its size automatically fit to the boundaries of the mesh. The back of the top part of the mural, the part that'd be visible if you were standing on the roof, is a separate object with a dark gray material.
It's kind of an ugly mesh in the case of the murals, but I can't think of a way to lower the poly count, and the current setup works.
Ha...I used to work in the little trailer-structure on the right-hand side of this image. You got it all, right down to the table & umbrella.
Haha, you worked for PhotoPass, then? How'd you like being able to say you work right next to the Temple of the Forbidden Eye? =D
I actually worked for Sharpshooter-Spectrum, the predecessor to PhotoPass. When I was there (99-00), they were still on traditional film. It was pretty sweet. When Indy would go 101, confused tourists would often stream past our window, and on at least one occassion I had to personally shepherd them back onstage.
Ah, nice! Did you take them onstage via the service road next to Pirates, on the other side of the catwalk over the Indy queue, up through the Pirates show building and into NOS? Or did you take them through to the backstage side of Main Street?
Anyway, I definitely envy you. Any office where you can daydream while looking at a Disneyland show building nearby sounds pretty nice to me. I was in Disney Design Studios a few months ago, and I kept being drawn to the views of the second Pirates show building. P=
On the occasion I remember I took them under the berm and up to Main Street.
I'll tell you, the nicest time I had working there was right when I started, doing film-pickups, riding a little moped around backstage all day. Riding past Indy and Pirates, HM and Splash, and past the rehab workshops, always keeping a weather eye out for anything interesting...
Dude. "Jealousy" and "envy" are somehow far too gentle words for the emotion I'm feeling towards you. ;)
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