unfold polygons

[Nolan Scott]

Well, I guess, you’re talking about UV-mapping or -unwrapping…

Please have a look at 3D Kiwi’s free Video-Tutorials (Discovering Body Paint):
https://www.c4dcafe.com/ipb/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=12

Especially Part 4, LSCM-Unwrapping, might be of interest to you.

Or even get his Body Paint DVD, highly recommended:
https://www.c4dcafe.com/ipb/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=46

Cheers
Nolan

[Kenneth Kirkpatrick]

Nolan:

Thanks for your reply. I have already tried Bodypaint, and I can’t figure out how I can get it to do exactly what I need. I want to be able to lay all the polygons of my object out flat, on a plane, undistorted in any way: all the exact same size and shape they occur on the model. Then I want to be able to render this out , print it on paper and be able to cut the pieces out and tape them together to form the model in the real world (it’s all flat planes, no curves.)

No matter how I have worked UV mapping in Bodypaint, it always adds some distortion in the layout, and when I print it out I immediately can see these distortions, scaling differences and angle misallignents when I cut out the elements and start contructing.

I even tried disconnecting all the polygons before I UV mapped. I still get distortions.

Any other suggestions? Someone told me there was an “unfold” command, but I haven’t been able to find it.

Again, thanks for your reply.

Ken Kirkpatrick

[Nolan Scott]

Well, I guess, it all depends on the object, the more complex the harder it becomes for the Algorithm to align or calculate the polygons… some stretching will occur.

If you like, please have a look at this tutorial:
https://www.cineversity.com/tutorials/lesson.asp?tid=925

Cheers
Nolan

[Kenneth Kirkpatrick]

Nolan:

Thanks for your post. I looked at the tutorial, and it still includes some distortion of the polygons.

Another question, though: is there some way to select a polygon and then snap it to a construction plane?

I have been very careful in the construction process (through about 12 incarnations now) to keep all polygons perfectly flat. If I can individually or in a group snap each polygon to the same plane, without distorting any of their angles, then I can move them around so they don’t overlap and achieve the effect I am looking for.

Any ideas?

Thanks again.

Ken Kirkpatrick

[Nolan Scott]

Try this:
Create a polygon or use the plane-object, move some points in all directions…
Select all points (or only the one you like to adjust)…
Go to Structure / Set Point Value…
In the Attributes-Manager change Y to Set, Val. 0, click Apply…
This should flatten all selected points to “ground 0”.

Cheers
Nolan

[Nolan Scott]

Well, I should have mentioned that “Set Point Value”
applies to Polygons and Edges as well.

Cheers
Nolan

[Kenneth Kirkpatrick]

Nolan:

Thanks, but not quite there yet. Basically that just flattens all points to 0 on the Y axis. What I’m looking for is something that rotates each polygon so every corner point is alligned to the same plane, rather than squishing them down from above to be flat.

Ken Kirkpatrick

[Nolan Scott]

What about and disconnect your polygons (Functions / Disconnect)…
(if you prefer to leave the original object intact you might prefer the Split-function)

Rotate them horizontal… and if still necessary set them to zero with Set Point Value.

Cheers
Nolan