Hiya guys, Wanted opinions on this before distributing on webpage. Did I leave out anything important /useful? Too confusing? Any comments for improvement would be good. Making texture maps for poser using Corel, Freehand, or Illustrator via Photoshop To use this tutorial you will need: Corel Draw, OR Macromedia Freehand, OR Adobe Illustrator (or any vector image editor that takes .ai files), AND Poser v 3 or 4, AND Photoshop, as well as a Poser figure wearing the clothing item you want to texture, and a template map of the object. To get the template I suggest GetColtex (available in Renderosity's freestuff), if you don't have a mesh template already. Step 1 Open the template in Photoshop. Select the area of the clothing (or select the outside and invert your selection). Expand your selection by a few (2-4) pixels to avoid white seams. Step 2a (optional) Under selection, save selection as a new channel (this is for later use in transmapping using Photoshop) Step2 Go to the Paths tab and create a new workpath from the selection. You can use either the arrow near the top of the tab, or the circle with handles at the bottom of the path toolbox. This will make a thin line (the path) where your "marching ants" (selection) used to be. That's okay - it's supposed to do that. Double-click on the Working Path in the Paths tab and rename it. Step 3 Click File > Export > Paths to Illustrator. Save as an ai (I saved mine as thinstrap.ai) Step 4 Open your vector package and Import (or Place) the original template. Create a box with its exact dimensions, overlaying it. This will be made white later and will preserve your spacing when you export. For now leave the box unfilled, so you can see the mesh picture. Step 5 Import the ai - in Corel you will need to give it an outline because it comes in with no outline or fill. Carefully position it over the original. The sizing should be the same, except for your 'seam allowance'. Step 6. Delete the bitmap. (bitmaps in vector programs make the image HUGE) Copy the dress parts to a 2nd layer. Lock down the original layer. Step 7 Paint! (Fill the shapes any way you want. Remember to have fun.) DO NOT MOVE THOSE SHAPES. Step 8 Export as a tif or bmp (or jpg for patched version). Check the texture in Photoshop for color accuracy and conversion problems. Step 9 Go into Poser and apply the material in the materials editor. Remember to turn the material white first, for best effect. Render and check seams for white spaces and/or matching. Congratulations! You now have a vector template to use in making textures for poser. For a transmap: In Corel/Illustrator: Make the box black. Trim your dress away in the places you want to be transparent. (White solid, black clear, gray translucent.) Export the image as a tif or bmp (or jpg). Apply transmap in materials editor. Ta-da! Thanks guys :) As Always, Lyrra Madril

heyas; well, that sounds easy enough :) i'll have to try it and see if i can make a texture as stunning as rena's are. thanks!

From what I understand Rena uses Corel Photopaint - like Photoshop but weirder. :) (yes I use both) There's a coupla textures out there that I'm sure were made on a vector program. Somebody has a black and a wine panty set that looks too clean to be photoshop. Go ahead and ask me any queations you come up with Bloodsong - I want to make sure I didn't leave out something obvious. :)

heyas; i thought rena used corel draw, which is how her textures come out so clean and not... ordinary. (that and the big canvas she uses!) it seems all there to me. i'm kind wondering... i don't know, the part where you say go ahead and paint. you mean draw, right? ;) do you do anything special with your vectors, or... i dunno. (geeze, it's been SO long since i've done anything in coreldraw.)

Well , you do whatever you feel like doing inside the shapes. That means - use bitmap fills, use clipart, use a photo ... do what works A combo of both can be really great - like taking a 'velvet' photo texture, applying as a fullcolor bitmap fill, and then putting vector edging on. Easy lace - fast embroidery .. good jewels. Easy transmaps. :) Also, if you have CDraw 8 or up you can change the shape into a bitmap object inside Corel and apply your photoshop filters to it - which include Kai's and Alien Skin. :) The possibilities are endless. I came up with the technique, because I am making a series of fantasy shirts/tunics and wanted embroidered edging. Since I have huge collection of vector borders, I wanted to use some of those. I've never asked Rena what she uses - I could tell at least Photopaint because some of the leaves on her page come from an image hose. :)