Once you are ready, conert the front texture map, save it as front_conversion.tga and open it in Photoshop.



Fig. 33 The front_conversion map

If you place this map (Fig. 33) on the top_conversion map you will notice that the violet lines on the very left and on the very right of the two maps coincide. This way we can understand which part of the converted map corresponds to the front part of the model (Fig. 36).

To see this, simply:

1. Open the top_conversion.tga
2. Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C in the front_conversion.tga
3. Ctrl+V in the top_conversion.tga
4. Set the opacity of the new level to 60%





Fig. 34 - Fig. 35



Fig. 36

With these two first maps, we can start drawing what we can name totalMap.

Few lines ago I said that we have to re/draw only those parts that are best seen in the view we are considering. The same stands for the conversions. So, melting the two converted maps we will get a map like the one in Fig. 41:

(In pictures 37 to 40 is shown which parts are best seen in top and front view)





Fig. 37: topProjection map - Fig. 38: converted map





Fig. 39: frontProjection map - Fig. 40: converted map



Fig. 41 � totalMap (starting phase: melting of top and front converted maps)

As you can see in Fig. 41, you must keep only a part of the violet lines (those ones indicated by the arrows); precisely the "conversion" of the part you draw in the frontProjection map (Fig. 39).

(Tip � To get the right map it�s extremely important to test it on the model while modifing it. Not to wait for long software rendering times, you can use the Window>Rendering Editors>Hardware Render Buffer.



Once you open the Hardware Render Buffer window, you can pan or doll the camera exactly as you do in the perspective view. When you are ready, just press at the bottom of the window and in a fraction of second you�ll get the rendered image� incredible, isn�t it!

In the pictures below you can see how I used it to adjust the green color of the border:)







Fig. 42: Too much border - Fig. 43: The right map - Fig. 44: The right map (from above)

Since the back part of the tortoise-shell is well seen from bottom, too, we will draw one map that suits the bottom and the back side. (Tip � As you can see from the images below, considering the back part of the model, some parts of the tortoise-shell are best seen from back, others from bottom; note the difference between front and back view. Fig 45 to 47)







Fig. 45 � Front side Fig. 46 � Back side Fig. 47 � Bottom side

(Tip �To see the back part of the model, just use the Window>Outliner and rotate 180deg in y the camera in the Channel Box after you selected it; do the same for the bottom part, rotating the camera 180deg in x. If after the rotation of the camera you can�t see your model, just press A)

As you did before, using the top_conversion.tga, take a snapshot of the bottom view of the model (Fig. 48), go to Photoshop, cut and resize it to 1000x1000. Start drawing the bottom map. Remember: to better understand how this texture tecnique works, use simple maps, as I did in the following examples:





Fig. 48 - Fig. 49