CGTalk - Non 3d artist looking for starting point for texturing

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Whisperer

07-08-2005, 10:17 PM

I'm a 2d digital artist, working mainly in Photoshop. I have very little experience with 3d software, but I would like to try my hand at skinning/texturing 3d models. My problem is that most texturing tutorials seem to take for granted that you already have some 3d knowledge. Is it realistic to think I can try texturing without investing time to get all the basics of 3d modeling? Is it possible to get an industry job focusing on texturing without other 3d skills as well? If the answer is yes to both of these, where do you find good 3d models with which to practice your texturing skills? Game mods?

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.

ps I did read the FAQ, and while I understood some parts, I didn't understand it well enough to feel I would be able to unwrap a 3d model, create a texture, and then get it properly applied.

Augh

07-11-2005, 05:50 PM

Hi man. You are like on the flipside of the same thing as me :D I'm trying to learn 2d concepts for the same reason, from a 3d modeler's perspective. You have the strongest b/g a person could ask for imo in terms of how to analyse the colour and stuff, so it seems likely most questions would arise from either geometry concerns or the way 3d handles uvw. It would explain it well to say that I'd guess you would have less trouble picturing how a neutral light would look on x or y surface than many (neutral is a good state for most texture, as painted light or shadow of certain kinds creates artifacts). Best I could offer personally is if you can think of specific key issues concerning the mapping, unwrapping and texture application/creation process that are troubling you, I or others could do our best to expand on them for you.

In terms of skill set, I think 2d art has innumerable useful or even critical aspects for 3d modelers in general, things like spatial awareness and proportioning also might be improved by the modeling, and go back to the 2d. I would say all around it's a strong combination. It's good you mentioned game mods, as I wouldn't have thought of those. That is a good place to find teams who have mapped models waiting dearly for some skilled 2d work applied to them. Also there are places that offer free or priced models which may or may not have premapped coordinates for textures, those could be worth seeing about. (turbosquid and 3dcafe are two such sites, I don't know others though, you could google for more)

Honestly though, there is really one way only to gain a proper understanding of model concepts, which is to model :) If you had wondered on this point, I would go for it. Feel free to ask about advice in approaching a first attempt and so on if you need. This place is the best way to learn about these things.

Good luck with any and all :thumbsup:

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