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Importing

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UV mapping

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UV mapping

What is UV mapping**?**

UV mapping is projecting a 2D texture onto a 3d model. A texture can be projected in many different ways. In Vectary Studio, you can select different forms of projection, such as plane, cube, sphere, cylinder, and then unwrap.

UV gif.gif

What does UV mean in UV mapping? They are just letters for texture coordinate axes, just like X, Y, Z for 3D objects.

UV2.png

What is the difference between UV unwrapping and UV mapping?

UV unwrapping is a projection of a 3D model surface as 2D information. The easiest way to understand this is to imagine a paper model of a cube. If we cut the paper cube to make it flat, we are essentially performing an unwrapping. The result is a 2D cast or UV unwrapping of a cube.

This cast is a navigation map for UV mapping, one way to apply a texture to a 3D model.

UV.png

How to use UV mapping in Vectary?

You can not only choose the shape in which the texture will be projected onto the object but, you can also manually transform, move and rotate this projection with Gizmo.

<aside> 👉 Click the projection shape icon several times to change its plane.

</aside>

https://vimeo.com/724808402

Why is this useful in 3D design?

This technique can be very effective in keeping the texture sizes down. It also allows you to have a different texture on every part of the surface. UV maps are versatile in many ways. Here are some possibilities:

  1. Make seamless realistic textures on complicated models.

  2. Bake shadows on the 3D models for enhanced realism.

  3. Paint on 3D objects.

How does this benefit designers working in other 2D design software?

Vectary offers a possibility to expand your creativity by using limitless options of 3D models. The unwrap feature lets you import 3D objects into other software (i.e. Procreate), enabling you to finish the design of the object material while painting it in 3D.

How to get 3D models to Procreate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRpldMh0nVc

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