I used to use Painter3d. I have zbrush but it doesn't quite have the capabilities I need. Anyone know of any programs that allow you to paint directly on the model that are stable and reliable? -Anton

Attached Link: http://www.maxon.net/index_e.html

The new version of Maxon's BodyPaint. VERY stable. Uses layers. Connects to Photoshops plugin. A very advanced UV mapper. And you get that oh-so-nice Cinema render engine/cameras/material editor. SWAMP

I have Painter 3d. Very old now. There are a hand full of apps out there. RightHemisphere has DeepPaint that is probably the top one I've seen. Very expensive. Probably what you want, Anton. Maxon has BodyPaint (or something new now that is part of their Cinema package) that is also very worth looking at. You can paint right on the mesh or use a uvmap screen. On the low end, there are painters built in to some programs like Metasequoia. The problem with Metasequoia is that the full version is only available in Japan because the guy does not take US purchases. Shade I think had some paint capabilities and was very expensive, we'll just have to see what CL does with it. I have not tried this Meshpaint program yet, but it looks interesting. http://www.id8media.com/framesets_3dprod/meshtruv_frame.htm Ok, Deep Paint and BodyPaint are worth your time to look at and both have demos as I recall.

Attached Link: http://www.5star-shareware.com/Graphics/CAD-Design-Modeling/meshpaint.html

I see Meshpaint has a demo now. Going to check it out myself, but from the screen shots, it doesn't look like it compares to DeepPaint.

Attached Link: http://www.righthemisphere.com/

Ok, forget meshpaint. it sux. Maxon as swamp says or DeepPaint which I think is tops.

I've been meaning to ask, Anton, which software you use for UV-mapping. DeepUV? After seeing the unwrapped UVs you made for the Neftoon Gal, I decided to do something similar for Furrette 2.0. But it isn't an easy task to accomplish with UVMapper or Ultimate Unwrap3D alone. Did you do the preliminary mapping for DAZ's Unimesh, also?

Cool. I will check out the links. Thanks. No I didn't map the unimesh, but did urge Daz to find new ways to revamp their UV mapping which they did. I think the MilDragon was the first revamped mapping from their older method. I map all my own models and some for other people on occassion. I use DeepUV WITH UV mapper. I am a real sticler about mapping. Merrilyn Ellison(d"mentia/SilverleifStudios) taught me how to map better in UVmapper years ago. -In LW, I pre-assign materials for pre-mapping in UV Mapper. -I scale up the mesh as then work on a copy in Deep UV. -Then I use UV Mapper to assign new UV's to original. DeepUV works best on a model with NO materials or groups. -Anton

Hmm. DeepPaint is pricy. If Adobe was smart they would get into this area.

I'm saving my pennies for Deep Paint & Deep UV..having used the demo I'm sure it would be an essential tool in the arsenal. another is Ghost painter,though I think thats for max only. Painting directly on a 3d model makes all the difference..especially if your making organics

Ooo ... $795 for DeepUV. Out of my current price range, unfortunately. I'll just keep tweaking in UU3D. Thanks for responding.

You know what I am amazed all these companies have overlooked is a UV push tool like Photoshops smudge tool. It would be grand to be able to push or pull uv's like a poser magnet does with mesh. I am also amazed that these companies have such lousy product pages. Very stingy on the pics. -Anton

Sometimes there's an unopened package on ebay. Take your chances there of course. I've been buying occasionally on ebay for years and running about a 600 batting average (that means 40 percent of the stuff I bought was no good). But when it comes to software, if they say its unopened in the package, its probably ok. Make sure its not academic (unless you want that). Or, just avoid the fraud trap all together. LOL.

Yes Anton...wouldn't that be nice (snicker)

Attached Link: http://www.cix.co.uk/~colbeck/graffiti.html

Well I'm not sure if this is in the same league as ZBrush, Painter, Deep Paint, Body Paint, etc. but believe it or not there's a free program that will allow you to paint directly on 3d models called "Graffiti". I haven't downloaded it myself but if any of you want to check it out, feel free.

yep bodypaint has magnets which I use all the time for adjusting uv maps I wouldnt do without them. its really a well rounded program for both mapping and painting.

I tell ya if I was around 12 years ago I'd be a millionaire by now. :( It is nice the feature exists already though. :) Is Bodypaint the one people have problems with or was that texture weapons or something? Do people have any problems with Bodypaint?

no problems with bodypaint that I know and the new version plugs in to all of the major modeling programs now

Never heard of anyone having "problems".... Just that the older version's UI wasn't the greatest and lacked features. This new version changed that.

.... a UV push tool like Photoshops smudge tool.

UU3D has a feature like that, also. It's called soft selection.

link for Ultimate Unwrap 3D?

Attached Link: http://www.unwrap3d.com/

Ultimate Unwrap at link. I tryed DeepPaint and Deep UV full version from friend and it was over my head, crashed it a few times gave back to friend. very glad I tryed before dropping a grand. I managed to snag a copy of Maxon BodyPaint R2 off ebay cheap, really lucked out. really great application, lots of features, very stable. 800 page book only prob is lacking tutorials it's more of a deep reference guide. there are not a lot of tutorials or BodyPaint sites for support, even Maxon kinda treats it as a orphan step child. Though the program is very good. Full retail is cheaper than DeepPaint and a lot of the deeppaint tutorials I've been able to convert learning to bodypaint. Bodypaint is also very photoshop like os a lot of the funtions are intuative. One of the best BodyPaint features is the UV wizard. press a few buttons on the wizard and it lays out the parts in 2d for ya and makes a template, quite well and easy. if your serious about texturing on 3d models DeepPaint and BodyPaint are really the 2 pro applications. Both work with Lightwave through plugins also.

Do any of these programs work directly on poser models?

Poser models are OBJ file format 3d objects. DeepPaint, BodyPaint will import many different file formats, OBJ file format being just one of the formats. any paint on OBJ file format application will save the textures out as jpg textures that you assign in poser with the material room. so yes they work on poser models. none of the paint programs import poser format cr files, they only deal with the geometry files.

Yes, we use BodyPaint too, but also work with UV Mapper Pro. Sharen

Actually in Body Paint,after you bring in your Poser model (or complete set of models,props,etc)as an obj...there is a free plugin that will allow you to apply all the textures from Poser useing cr2,pz2,hr2,etc...very easy. You don't have to create textures from scratch,but can alter the ones you already have...either painting/cloning directly on the model,or on the texture map (and watch it applied to the model in real time). You can save those textures to take back into Poser,or render everything right in BP,as it uses the same lights,cameras,material editor and render engine as Cinema 4d 8.5. SWAMP

I don't know about this bodypaint plugin. where or what is this?

Attached Link: http://www.amazonescity.com/download/free3dformembers/index.php

Found in freestuff (here is a direct link). It is for Cinema 8.1/8.2,but you can use it with Cinema 8.5 and the new BP. The only thing you need to do to use it with your BP is to bring in the obj(s)with file>open instead of useing the plugin to import. After that you just drag the object into the plugin window,brows to your cr2,pz2,or any file that has the material/mat info and click apply...then your done..easy. You can do complete scenes this way. SWAMP

Ahhhh plugin for Cinema. I use BodyPaint standalone with plugins for lightwave. I import obj files directly into bodypaint and paint textures then save those and use poser material room to set the texture I do.

Yep..It takes any plugin for Cinema (course modeling plugins won't do anything). I set up everything in Poser..then export as obj's and do all my rendering in BodyPaint..it's sooo easy,and the results and control are alot better.

Do you think you could send me to a link to help me understand how you do that...did you read a tutorial about it. Sharen

The only thing I read was the info about the plugin (found at the link I gave above). It took me three or four tries to understand how it worked (mainly because I couldn't use the plugin to import the obj with the newer version of BP). You need to set up BP to work with Poser by... 1)In BP preference set the texture path to your Poser textures folder(s). 2)Change the default Wavefront import setting from 1 to at least 500...I use 1000 (else you will be zooming in on a grain of sand). In Poser just set up your scene and pose as you normally do. Now just export the scene as an obj... Uncheck universe and ground,and check everything else. Leave the default setting of weld seams and include figure names in poly groups as is....(you'll have all the material zones showing in BP without a zillion bodypart names). In BP just file>open that obj. Open the plugin window and drag the figure name to it from the object panel. Hit build,and then brows to your Poser mat file that contains the material info (can be anything prop,hair,cr2,fc2,pz2 EXCEPT Poser5 crz). Then hit apply and your textures,trans,and color are applied (just like in Poser). To make it real simple when you were setting up in Poser... save each figure with all the cloths,hair,attached props,etc as a cr2,and use that cr2 as a reference to apply all the textures at once (instead of going to each individual mat file). You can change textures at any time by going to a different mat file. In other words you work just like you were in Poser except you brows to your mat files with the plugin, instead of clicking on the library. I like the "soft" renders I get with BP default settings,but if you want a sharper image,change the texture sample style from MIP (which is soft) to none. Sorry if I was long-winded but,I really don't know of any tut's that explain this. Hope this helps,SWAMP

Thank you for your time...Sharen

Your very welcome Sharen. I hope what I posted was understandable. If not just IM me. I know you are use to useing Vue...this is only three or four mouse clicks harder. It's really alot easier to do, than to explain. Have fun,SWAMP

"DeepUV works best on a model with NO materials or groups". yes if you work with poser models that are scaled, DeepUV have well a bug regarding scaled Poser models that blow up the polygons while you use the relax option or export the files.. I work right now on my cartoon figures in DeepUV that are not scaled and include well materials, everything works fantastic ;) and no data is lost or other problem.. Righthemisphere are going to fix the problems regarding poser model in the next version of the product and this will amazing!! I am beta tester for the new RH product line and I can only say that it looks fantastic!!!! will blow off all other products in the next time.. but ok this is pricy. cath