editing UVs: is there an easier way?

Upirium

I edit UVs in photoshop (to just add specific details to some of my characters) but most of the time I think something looks good, I get it into Daz, and I find it's off. I was wondering if there was some kind of bridge or something, a plugin, like substance painter? I just want to be able to work on the UVs and see where it's going in real time instead of guessing

crosswind

You mean you're creating texture maps based on UV template? If so, yes, I would say there is a better way rather than a really easier way but using substance painter (Pt) will bring you the effect on the fly. It's worth learning it.

Upirium

crosswind said:

You mean you're creating texture maps based on UV template? If so, yes, I would say there is a better way rather than a really easier way but using substance painter (Pt) will bring you the effect on the fly. It's worth learning it.

it's more like if I want to add a tattoo to an already existing skin UV

i had substance painter briefly but i was only using the trial, and it's expired now ...

crosswind

Understood ~ Making a tattoo would be easier as per UV template(s), as long as the tattoo does not cross the seam of material zone (s), then assign the map to the target surface with LIE. 

If the tattoo crosses the seams, you may use decal node in DS to proejct the tattoo on a certain part of the figure, instead of using a painter.

Upirium

crosswind said:

Understood ~ Making a tattoo would be easier as per UV template(s), as long as the tattoo does not cross the seam of material zone (s), then assign the map to the target surface with LIE. 

If the tattoo crosses the seams, you may use decal node in DS to proejct the tattoo on a certain part of the figure, instead of using a painter.

well a tattoo was just an example. it's one of the things i do with editing uvs but i also do other things like frakenstining textures together or making makeup. i have two characters with really complicated makeup, and i want to try to remake them on genesis 9 but thinking of redoing the makeup again without being able to see it on the mesh as i do it sounds like a nightmare.

i'd be willing to pay for substance painter for a bit longer if i could figure out how to make this happen

duckbomb

 

This is where I started.  Substance Painter is absolutely worth the expense and effort if you're going down the custom textures rabbit hole, IMO.

crosswind

iDiru said:

crosswind said:

Understood ~ Making a tattoo would be easier as per UV template(s), as long as the tattoo does not cross the seam of material zone (s), then assign the map to the target surface with LIE. 

If the tattoo crosses the seams, you may use decal node in DS to proejct the tattoo on a certain part of the figure, instead of using a painter.

well a tattoo was just an example. it's one of the things i do with editing uvs but i also do other things like frakenstining textures together or making makeup. i have two characters with really complicated makeup, and i want to try to remake them on genesis 9 but thinking of redoing the makeup again without being able to see it on the mesh as i do it sounds like a nightmare.

i'd be willing to pay for substance painter for a bit longer if i could figure out how to make this happen

OK ~ Another option is to use Texture Paint in Blender for free, and there're some good Blender add-ons like Ravage, Philogix Pbr Painter... that can help with speeding up you workflow with good results but cost you less.  It's up to your choice anyway. Good luck!

Richard Haseltine

The UVs are what tells the model how to wrap a texture image around it, editing them means changing the way the textues wrap. You are editing textures, which you may do using a UV template to show you what should go where.

cgidesign

A few thoughts regarding 3D painting:

In case you like Substance Painter (SP) but not the Adobe subscription, you can buy SP via Steam. It is a perpetual version there.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2199970/Substance_3D_Painter_2023/

Early each year they release the then current version on Steam and you get updates till the end of that year. The software keeps working the following years but without further updates. Same if someone gets it now - updates only until end of this year.

There is a limitation though - quote from the steam site:

"This license does not include access to the Substance 3D Assets platform (previously Substance Source)."

And: it is not guaranteed that Adobe continues to offer it on steam - maybe they do in 2024, maybe not.

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Another option is Armorpaint - open source but not free:

https://armorpaint.org/

Price is 19$ (or download the source code and compile yourself for free)

I think the current stable version is 0.9, while 1.0 alpha was released on Aug. 30.

Never used it myself, so I can't say how well it works.

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Another one is 3dcoattextura:

https://pilgway.com/product/3dcoattextura

This is a downstripped version of 3Dcoat (sculpting and texture painting app). It focuses on texture painting and lacks the sculpting features. Available as subscription, rent to own and perpetual purchase.

WendyLuvsCatz

https://quixel.com/mixer