A Carrara Nut

[bwtr]

Just having a little play in Carrara5Pro.

[GKDantas]

Very cool...its displacement? Lightwave have a feature like a microdisplacement that can be used to create fur...almost like you did.

[bwtr]

Just straightforward--using the shader displacement tag wiith the identical shader image. It's so simple though I don't see many images seemingly taking advantage of it.

[GKDantas]

You are right...but displacement has a very big problem in Carrara: it only works in the whole object not in shaders zones... maybe this can make more dificult to use such idea... for a tiger fur for example.

[medeamajic]

The images are interesting. I have noticed the displament only works on the whole object. I wish it was set up different.

[rickei]

you can displace in any area you want, but you must have a UV map to do it.

[bwtr]

Who needs Z-Brush when you have Enhance-C?

[medeamajic]

rickei,

Could you post a few screen shots of how you set it up the UV editor. I would like to become good at UV mapping. I notice there is also color added in you image. Interesting.

[GKDantas]

The good idea is to have displacement for surface and not for object. Yes you can create a UV map and only paint in a face or area, but a displacement usinf only surfaces its very helpfull.
BWTR almost everybody needs ZBrush that its another tool that can make the model a better experience and very more easy. Its not only a displace tool but a total modeler in this new version 3. Even Hex having some tools like ZB pixologic did a great work in how to paint and model need to be. I am just waiting for the ZB3 demo to see how its working now and after upgrade my Carrara far this year I will buy it for shure.

[rickei]

Originally Posted by medeamajic

Could you post a few screen shots of how you set it up the UV editor. I would like to become good at UV mapping. I notice there is also color added in you image. Interesting.

Ok I'll do my best
please note this is about as basic as you can get when it come to UV mapping. it's only a cube

step 1(pic 1) All i did was create a simple cube in the vertex room. then click on the UVmap tab on the right. then click on the projection tab, and you will see your UV. note my settings for this example, these would vary depending on your needs.

step2(pic2) Click on the Display tab, and then click export. select the resolution of the UV map you would like created. I chose 1024 for this example so i could post them on the forum. Again this will vary, based on your needs.
after you save the UV map click OK and you are pretty much done. Don't forget to set subdivision to smooth with a rendering level of about 4.this Will allow the displacement to build on the geometry. this will also vary and you may need to play with this setting depending on your needs.

step3(pic 3) In your image editor, open the UV you created. you need to have an image editor with layers to perform this step. Simply duplicate the background layer, then set it to multiply. now fill the background layer to 50% gray. the 50% gray is neutral. anything darker will be recessed in the object, and anything lighter, will protrude from the object. you can paint whatever you would like on the background, and be ale to see you map while doing it. then turn off the UVmap layer and save as, a jpeg.(or whatever you prefer)

step 4 (pic4) this is my displacement map

step 5 (Pic 5) I just created an other layer and added color.

[rickei]

step 6 (pic 1) Back in Carrara, you select your cube and go to the texturing room. click on the the displacement tab in the shader window. and select texture map, and then load you displacement map. the amplitude defaults at 1.00, for this example i set it to 0.5. this will vary GREATLY on your specific needs.

step 7 (pic 2) under shading i loaded my color map

then render (pic 3)


hope this helps someone.

sorry about hijacking your thread Brian

[bwtr]

Not hijacking--adding to!

In the displacement tab you have to uncheck the smooth tab, if I remember, or the cube will be bloated.

[medeamajic]

Thanks for the info. It is late so I will have to try it tommorro. I want to learn UV mapping ASAP.

[medeamajic]

I think I understand now. You gave a good tutorial. I think I have to export the Carrara UV graph into PhotoShop and then draw the textures I want for the cube in Photoshop where the six grids are. Once imprted back to Carrara it should align to the cube 100%. I think I am starting to understand but this is where a 3-D paint program might make things easier. I take it if I only want to have displacment on one side of the cube then I leave all the sides (square grids) a medium grey except for the side (grid) that needs the dispacement (text). I have wanted to UV Map text on one side of a cube for a long time. Actually I wanted to UV map a video of text spelling my name. It did work but it wraped around the whole object instead of only one side. It was more a monolith shape than a cube so I m guessing I will not use 6 square grids but rather 6 rectangles for a monolith shape. Am I correct? How would you UV Map a figure like Ren or Stimpy in Carrara?

Thanks again for the info I will try it soon.

[rickei]

Originally Posted by bwtr

In the displacement tab you have to uncheck the smooth tab, if I remember, or the cube will be bloated.

thats right. the only place you want smoothing is for the object itself in the vertex room...not in the displacement shader.

[rickei]

Originally Posted by medeamajic

I think I understand now. You gave a good tutorial. I think I have to export the Carrara UV graph into PhotoShop and then draw the textures I want for the cube in Photoshop where the six grids are. Once imprted back to Carrara it should align to the cube 100%. I think I am starting to understand but this is where a 3-D paint program might make things easier.

Yes, 3d paint definitely helps, but even then it is more intuitive for many people to be able to bring the map into PS for the final touches, or for applying photographic textures.

Originally Posted by medeamajic

I take it if I only want to have displacment on one side of the cube then I leave all the sides (square grids) a medium grey except for the side (grid) that needs the dispacement (text).

you got it

Originally Posted by medeamajic

Actually I wanted to UV map a video of text spelling my name. It did work but it wrapped around the whole object instead of only one side. It was more a monolith shape than a cube so I m guessing I will not use 6 square grids but rather 6 rectangles for a monolith shape. Am I correct?

yes you are correct. but for this I would select the face that I wanted to put the video on in the vertex room, then make that a shading domain. then when you go to the uvmap, you will only be applying a map to the selected face....your UV map would only contain one square. that would make it easier for adding a video (see attached pic)

Originally Posted by medeamajic

How would you UV Map a figure like Ren or Stimpy in Carrara?

I would not usually UV an organic model in Carrara, I would use Hex. But for a Cartoon character, you could set up a bunch of different shading domains, and give it a try.

[medeamajic]

Thanks again for the info.

[Nate Owens]

You rock as always, Mr. Rickei... (people from S. Carolina are cool)!

BTWR...

Who needs Z-Brush when you have Enhance-C?

are you referring to that new Photoshop gizmo?

[bwtr]

Nate-- No! I am referring to using the DCG plugin Enhance Cs features in the Displacement tag in Carrara.

The plugin being sold to enable a "sort of" 3D painting in Photoshop I consider both overpriced and of- well-- immature design. (With PhotoshopCS3Enhanced there is no change in the way one always had to paint on a UV. )

[Nate Owens]

Will have to check out that plug in... thanks, bwtr