Projection Mapping

[benjo09]

Hi everyone,

First a bit of background on my projection mapping experience. I have been using Resolume with the IRMapio plug in to map to both curved a flat surfaces but not to meshes. Video mapping works by selecting an input area of an image that will be shown on the output surface.

I've now been asked to explore mapping to meshes and have been recommended Ventuz. What I'm looking for is some guidance on where to start. I've watched the tutorials and have had a bit of a play now so understand a lot of the basic features and functionality of the program but just don't have a clue where to start with a projection mapping project. I've seen the Dunlop car map and although impressive I know it will take a lot of time to learn how to create a project like that.

The main thing I want to get my head around is how to apply content to a 3d model. I have tried with a basic cube but the same image gets attached to each side. What I would like to be able to do is attach different content to different areas of the mesh. This would then allow the mesh to be rotated and the content stay in its place to allow the projector to be placed in any position.

Is this the correct way to approach projection mapping in Ventuz or am I way off the mark? Does the content need to be created externally as one image and then wrapped? If so any tips for this. Or can smaller pieces of content be attached to a mesh?

I'm really after any tips anyone can give me as I feel way in over my head at the moment.

Thanks and I appreciate any help I get,

Ben

[Oliver]

Hey,

glad you found us and welcome to our forums.

Read sth about texture coordinates (UV) if u havent yet.
Having a correct mapping on a mesh is all about correct UV coordinates.
You can switch the mapping on e.g. a Cube by clicking on the cube node and switch under texture from flat to cubic.
This changes the UVs of the Cube and as long as your Texture layout fits this mapping you will have different images on each side out of one texture.
Anyways, a more simple attemp is to build the cube yourself out of rectangles - this has the advantage that you can easily render images on each side and also - and more important, every image can be made touchable by dropping a touchnode in front of it.

And i dont know if you noticed the 2d mapping preferences at the texture node.
you can change the projection type under "mapping" id suggest you play around with it and google things you dont understand.
this whole projection , UV, texturing stuff is not Ventuz specific but common 3d graphics knowledge and can therefore be learned quite everywhere.

cheers
o

[Daniel R]

Hi,

Basic primitives found in Ventuz have default UV coordinates applied to them. If you want more control over the UVs and their placement you need a 3D software that was intended for that kind of work like Maya or 3dsmax.
With those tools you can create complex 3D models and their UVs. You could then create a texture in Photoshop that match those Uvs.
After everything is ready(the mesh and the texture that goes with it), you are ready to export your model as .obj and then to import it in Ventuz. Then you use the node Mesh Loader to load that mesh which is now a native Ventuz model into your scene.
After this process, the rest of the work is just to import your texture in Ventuz so it can be applied to the mesh you have just imported.

Like Oliver said, the best to start off is to learn about UV mapping and also all the different types of mapping that can be used(Planar, Cylindrical etc..)
There is a lot of good tutorials on the net about that.

Good luck