Apply one image accurately split across one face of 5 boxes.

[designer190]

I am looking for the best way of achieving this effect. I want to apply an image, (one image) accurately split across the surface of 5 boxes. ( so when boxes are put side by side they make one large image.)

what would be the best way to achieve this?

Thankyou in advance.

[propstuff]

I would start by making the image based texture the size of the 5 boxes across.

Then apply the texture to the boxes. In the OIP set the first to 0 offset, the second offset to minus 1/5 of the total width, the third minus 2/5 of the total etc, etc

IE the "origin" of the texture stays in the same place.

Forgot to say, you will probably have to change the Mapping type to Plane.

If your boxes are extrudes you can apply the texture to the top and bottom individually but all the the sides in one go.

If you want to apply it to only one "side" face you will have to Extract the face, offset it from the Extrude by a miniscule amount and apply the texture to that.

The sample is 5 extrudes of 100mm

The texture is set to 500 across.

The first off set is set to -50 (half the width of the object) the second -150 etc

I have separated the extrudes by 2mm so you can see the joins. Otherwise the seam is not visible when rendered

Edited November 17, 2011 by propstuff

[designer190]

Great ill give that a go, Thanks for your help.

[designer190]

How do i set the origin of the texture?

[propstuff]

I have some vague memory it can be done but dont quote me.

By default it is generally the bottom left corner of the image.

[Benson Shaw]

Another way if you are just dealing with the "forward" faces (like an array of video screens) is to use the Shell tool. The faces do not need to be touching or on the same plane or flat.

Extract the faces you need with the Extract tool in Surface mode (creates a grop).

Enter the group. Invoke the Shell Tool.

ShiftClick each of the extracted faces until all are highlighted.

Run the tool and set a thickness - can be minimal. A new shell object is created. The disparate parts accept the texture as a single object.

Mapping may need to be changed to Plane or other type. Texture offsets and scale may need adjusting.

-B

[Nicholas Kargel]

I'm doing something similar, although a more complex mosaic with maybe 50 extrudes, so doing the math for the offsets would become cumbersome at best. I think I could avoid that by using the attribute mapping tool to map the texture on each object to the same point.

Here's my confusion: in the sample picture above (with the camera across 5 boxes) the image is on one face, and stretched across the other faces. This is okay, but I can't figure out how to determine which face will get the image ad which will be stretched. In auto-aligned planar, it appears correctly, but can't be edited with the attribute mapping tool. If I turn off auto-aligned, the image goes to a different plane. I'm sure there's a rule, but I can't figure it out.

[Benson Shaw]

I'm not sure what "stretched" means here.

Could you post a screen shot of your mosaic, or paste the surfaces you want to texturize into a new vwx file?

-B

[Nicholas Kargel]

Thanks for the reply.

Here is a screenshot with the more-or-less desired effect. I've used a workaround (large object behind the frame) that will cause some difficulty, but I can probably live with it.

The second shot show two test cubes showing that with planar mapping (non-auto) the image shows on one surface and stretches across the others. I don't know how to make the image show correctly on the front-facing surface. I doesn't even seem that it is necessarily applied to the "top," as I tried creating some panels in top view and then turning them, without predictable results.

[Kevin McAllister]

So I think there's an easier way in your situation.

Draw each of your rectangles as per your layout. Extrude them all together as one extrude. Map your image texture using planar mapping. You should be able to use the attribute mapping tool to align, scale and rotate your texture. Note that "top" in texture mapping seems to be the plane which you extruded from, not necessarily the top view. Once you have the texture the way you want it you can choose ungroup. Each of your panels will become an individual extrude but the image mapping will hold position so each one will still be the correct piece of the whole image.

Kevin

[michaelk]

This sometimes works for me.

Create a 3D poly and apply the image texture.

Create 3D objects for the negative space.

Subtract solids.

This will sometimes throw the image off a little bit, but you can use the attribute mapping tool to reset the texture.

This means that the image is on a flat 3D poly and not on many separate objects. I find it easier to adjust and/or replace the image this way. Usually this 3D poly goes into a class so its visibility can be controlled.

Example attached...

mk