Attached Link: the truck...version 1.0

Im reposting this again so I can show a pic with it...this isnt to complex is it? Its all relativly low poly count..I just dont get it. Ok this is ticking me off. I made a nice semi and trailer and set it all up with IK..its driving around great. so now I go to texture it. I do a nice base on the truck..cool. So now I want to put a different texture in for the windows. I convert to a layers list (I am following the C bible here) and click on the poly layer...hmmm I cant draw on the cab. Well what about the trailer?...hmm nope..not poly layer, not rectangle, not circle. It adds the layer to my shader tree but it wont let me draw on the model like they do in the book. I accidently erase my model once and then I could edit the shader itself...on this I could draw stuff...why cant I draw on my models??? HELP!!!! heres the url incase it doenst work again ... http://brenthomer.tripod.com/testone.jpg

brent, I havent tried using decals yet. I do like your truck. Nice work. :) Lets see if other forum members have tried decals... Clint

Anyone have have any ideals or hints? I am trying to make windows for the semi in the picture above. I didnot model the windows seperatly so they arnt in the sequence. I thought I could just make a new texture layer and put it over the semi...am I wrong? Anyone else have any ideals as to why I cant draw on a texture area? ANY help would be great...Thanks. -Brent

Brent, I am having the same problem. I have a car I modeled in the vertex modeler and I want to make the windows transparent. I'm going to try and separate the windows out as a separate mesh. If you figure out how to put a transparent and solid shader on one mesh let me know. Keith

I don't have Carrara, but I tried the following in RayDream 3D a while ago and it worked pretty well. I created an image map for the entire car model I was working on -- the map included a color channel (with pin-striping and scorch marks -- I really like blowing things up....), a shininess map (which allowed for varying areas of shine -- important to make something look a little dirty), bump map, and a transparency map. I'd rendered views of the model and opened them up in Photoshop. I created a different layer in PS for each of the channels described above and used the renders as reference points so I could align the black cut-out to the window area of the car. It was kind of a pain, but it did work. I'd guess something like this could be done in Carrara....