I would like to take an egg-shaped object I've modeled and put a fairly simple 2-color pattern on it for export to swf via VectorStyle.

The only way I've been able to do this so far is to break the object into pieces, color each piece individually, then re-group and export. Is there another (a better!) way?

(Carrara 2.1)

Being the adventurous newbie that I am, I am going to take a stab in the dark and say UV mapper, and wait to be corrected.

Have you tried a shader (c 2.1): Place the default blue plastic shader, then put a mixer in the color channel, then in the blender put in tiles, 1 horiz and 2 vertical (or reverse them) then in the sources put in your colors. BadaBoom, badabing, you got your two colors. The colors will be pretty equal in size. Instead of the color, I believe you could put in your image map, if you want. hth

I just now tried the shader, and although I could see both colors in the area render preview, they don't export via VectorStyle - I only get one basic color. Same trouble with the image/texture map. I know that VectorStyle probably won't work with texture maps for coloring (because that would defeat the purpose of the vector art output). Hmm.

Vectorstyle will not export image/texture maps. You're right, that would defeat the purpose of it being a "vector" utility. Vectorstyle also will not export procedural shaders. So the mixer in the color chanel is also out. Since UV mapper relies on texture maps it is also not going to work. Vectorstyle will export your model with a only a single solid color even if you have assigned it more than one. You can achieve various shades of that single color if the model is hit with lights. If the object is say, blue the areas hit with the lights would be a lighter blue.

I think my original approach will work for me eventually (i.e. dividing up my model in the vertex modeler and then regrouping later) Thank you all for your replies - I know now that I'm not just missing something!

Yes, your original coarse of action did seem the best for what you waned to do.