On texturing a folding rule

#1

I want to texture a folding rule. I created the primitives, so 10 elements on top of each other having round edges on both sides.

I want to paint a picture on the front and back, so if you pressed the elements together and used a marker to paint the picture, each element would have a part of the picture. So when the fr is collapsed, you can see it again.

What would be the most efficient way to

a) convert an image into parts necessary for each of the 10 elements
b) get and apply textures for the other sides of the elements

If you cannot answer, tell me who can.

Thanks.

#2

I want to paint a picture on the front and back, so if you pressed the elements together and used a marker to paint the picture, each element would have a part of the picture. So when the fr is collapsed, you can see it again.

Like this ?

#3

PushPushPush

#4

If “PushPushPush” means “yes”…then I’d do it with the UV mapping. Arrange only the polygons of each side within the UV map exactly as the model will be when collapsed. That way you only need one simple image to paint the side.

The rest of the model can be UV-arranged as is convenient. You might even use a long image for the ruler numbers & ticks and arrange the top/bottom polygons as they would be when the ruler is expanded. In this case I think it’s okay for the ends of each segment to overlap in the UV map because the real object overlaps and has part of the same thing painted below.

There are many tutorials all over the web for UV mapping. (Probably a few here, check the first thread marked Tutorials.) Exact methods will depend on what software you’re using to create or edit the model. If you instead want to do this with existing UVs and edit an image, you’re going to spend a lot of time selecting, cutting and arranging slivers of your image.

#5

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