Basics of texture mapping concepts	Polygon Mapping	Using the UV Texture Editor	Mapping Harvey’s hand
Working with both procedural textures and external textures	Creating texture maps in Photoshop	Main

Working with both procedural textures and external textures	Layers, layers, layers	Tiling
File types	Exporting procedural maps as an external map

Working with Both Procedural Textures and External Textures

Which is more render-time efficient?

• Simple procedural maps
• Complex but unchanging maps

Resolution

• What is the level of detail needed with this map?
  • Gaming, speaking close-ups, distant backgrounds, photo-realism, etc.
• Try to keep the values square.
  • Keeping the image map values square cuts down on render time (128x128, 256x256, etc.).
  • Also try to use square numbers (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, etc.).
  • You can use other numbers that would create a rectangular map size but be aware that this may up the rendering time a little.

Layers, Layers, Layers

Always work with layers. If you 2D image manipulation software allows, create and use as many layers as necessary to build up the image you need for your shaders.

Tiling

1. Video offsetting
2. Blend edges to make them
• Use the clone tool with lowered opacity or use the healing brush or a combination of both.
3. Offset layers
4. Copy-paste larger areas

File Types

Always use a lossless format.

• Targa
  1. 24-bit: three 8-bit color channels.
  2. 32-bit: three 8-bit color channels and one 8-bit alpha channel.
• Tiff

Save a master file with all the layers so you can go back later and manipulate the texture map as needed. The best way to manage this is to save a separate Photoshop file (psd) with all the layers intact.

Exporting Procedural Maps as an External Map

Once we have created a beautiful procedural map, you may want to export as a stand-alone file so that you may manipulate the image in ways that would take longer while still in Maya.

In the Hypershade window, select the shader or the procedural image node, go to Edit > Convert to File Texture (Maya Software).

1. Make sure Anti-alias is checked.
2. Background Mode should be Shader default.
3. At the very least, Fill Texture Seams should be checked. Bake Shading Group Lighting will take the lighting information in the scene and also include that in the texture file. At this point you may not want to do this. You can bake shadows onto a texture map later. Bake Transparency only if you want the texture map file itself to have an alpha channel. This is usually undesirable because you can export the alpha channel as a separate file. Double Sided is unnecessary for what we are working with in this workshop.
4. UV Range should be selected to Default.
5. Choose a X and Y Resolution (keep in mind the resolution we have been working with prior to this choice).
6. Select a File Format (TGA works the best for editing in Photoshop or any other 2D paint program and its lossless).
7. Click on Convert and Close to start and complete this function. If you have multiple shaders you want to export, just click on Convert and repeat all these steps until finished.
8. Depending on how complex your shading network is and the speed of you computer, this procedure could take a few minutes