How I texture. Part 2

This article explains how to create a seamless texture on a complex object.


Suppose for argument's sake you had created a beautiful vase. It is made up of just 4 prims. From the bottom up they are a ring, a sphere, and two tori.


You have chosen the tiled zebra texture from your library inventory to cover the entire object. But after linking the four prims and applying the zebra texture, it appears far from the seamless whole you sought. The base and the uppermost ring are scrunched up, while the neck is long and skinny.


The reason that the texture does not flow continuously at the same scale over the entire vase is obvious when the Alignment Grid texture is applied. It can be seen that the squares are all different shapes and sizes and some are rotated and even reversed


In order to create a seamless texture over the whole object, you must first manipulate the grid texture on the individual prim surfaces.



On the bottom prim, rotate the texture grid 90 degrees and then adjust the repeat and vertical offset until the grid numbers flow seamlessly into the sphere.


Turning to the torus above the sphere, adjust the repeats and vertical offsets until the grid numbers flow seamlessly out of the sphere.


The upper torus that forms the neck of the vase, has been hollowed out and cut to produce the desired shape, but this has resulted in the alignment grid being reversed. Flip the texture, then adjust the repeats and vertical offsets until the grid numbers flow seamlessly out of the lower torus


Adjust the alignment texture around the ring at the top of the vase.


The alignment grid can even be made to flow into the interior of the vase.


The alignment grid on each face of the vase has now been adjusted.


When the zebra skin is applied to the entire object, it will be seen that the texture now flows seamlessly and at roughly the same scale over the entire object. Compare this view with the earlier version.