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Chloe99
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Here are three images of Tara.

Tara_7-16 is from a 3d scan I just did. Yo_honey.jpg is where I created hair on a hairless 3d scan of Tara with the muscle tool in 3D Coat. And finally, graffiti_Tara.jpg is where I imported a 3d scan of Tara and airbrushed on it in 3D Coat.

But here's the question: Is there any way I can marry these 3 techniques in 3D Coat? I want to:

1.) Import Tara_7-16.obj (or whatever kind of file with the 3d-scan photo texture) to 3D Coat.

2.) Then build muscly hair in 3D Coat like I did in yo_honey.

3.) Then airbrush (realistic blond/brunette) colors on the hair like I did with the random colors in graffiti_Tara.jpg.

But the problem is I can "import mesh for voxeling" to create the hair with the muscle tool but I don't know how to apply or preserve the surface texture of the original scan. The texture data is not imported in as far as I can tell. In fact I don't even know how to open up a 3d file in 3D Coat with the photographic surface texture of the scan.

Is it possible to marry these 3 techniques on one model in 3D Coat: import model with photographic texture, create 3d hair/color hair...?

post-6850-0-75130700-1310846110_thumb.jp

post-6850-0-18232700-1310846136_thumb.jp

post-6850-0-60823200-1310846146_thumb.jp

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For example, while on the Paint Tab I was airbrushing on the model in the graffiti image, but then when I try to click over to the Voxels Tab, so I can create some 3d hair, the model of Tara completely disappears (but reappears when I click back into the Paint Tab). ---and of course in neither case have I been able to start with the nice photographic texture of the original 3d scan. I'd love to be able to airbrush on that. What 'm ah to do? (North Carolina accent)

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Okay, I figured out much of this answer, so I can greatly simplify the remaining question. Say I 3d-scan the girl in the attached image. But since no hair is scanned, I want to model her a "digital wig" in the 3DC voxel room. Assuming (i hate to...) it is not possible to directly import the fully-textured scan into the voxel room, then what is the next best thing? When I build up the 3d hair in the voxel room I obviously want it to conform to the scanned-model's head size and shape. I can see and manipulate the scanned model in the paint and even sculpture room, but how can i view the form in the voxel room so that I can make hair structures to conform to it... sort of like the green modeled hair I PhotoShopped into the attached image.

The following thread suggests this is a tough challenge, but how might you 3DC experts go about modeling hair to go on the hairless scanned model?

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6623

post-6850-0-18908300-1310859602_thumb.jp

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If your system has enough CPU, GPU and memory power, you can probably merge your mesh to voxels at very high resolution - to preserve the details.

This assumes that the scan is of sufficient quality.

In the opening 3D-Coat "Wizard" - just make sure that you use the merging "Scale" tool to enlarge your model so it nearly fills the screen. This should give it sufficient resolution. It will take some time to load, so be patient.

If the details are still being lost, your scan data is probably not good enough.

In this case, you could smooth the hair parts "away" and add new hair on another layer - using the muscle tool and "Conform" in the top tool panel.

Greg Smith

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hi Greg,

Thanks, now I feel like I'm getting pointed in the right direction. But I think I'm missing one step maybe. As you can see in the images below (you probably don't even need to look, but..)

1.) I open 3DC, then open obj model for Per Pixel Painting.

2.) I Import Mesh for Voxeling

3.) I select "merge as skin", "respect negative volumes" is pre-selected, "transform" is pre-highlighted, then I click "Apply". As shown in screenshot 3 it looks like 2 overlapping/merged layers.

4.) I select muscle and draw on some snaky Medusa hair.

?.) But now I want to begin painting on the hair I've just created. If I click pack to the Paint tab, the Medusa hair is not there. How do I get it there?

Gratefully yours,

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post-6850-0-80260900-1311005618_thumb.jp

post-6850-0-43200600-1311005630_thumb.jp

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I photoshopped the voxel-built, blue Medusa hair on my textured skin (from the paint room) in this image. Isn't there some way I could produce this kind of combination so that I could then paint the hair color (something other than voxel-default blue) AND touch up the skin at the same time... Then then export the while thing as a textured file hair+skin and so on for eventual printout on a zcorp printer?

post-6850-0-14789500-1311009390_thumb.jp

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I have been trying endlessly to figure out how to do something in 3D Coat:

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8367

So just took a break from clicking around in circles and posted an ad on elance to pay someone to tell me how to do this simple task in 3D Coat.

http://www.elance.com/php/bid/main/proposalConfirm.php?jobid=25249624

so what are you slackers doing driving home from work when you could be helping me for lunch and/or beer $?

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I'm a little bit confused as to what you are trying to do, but here is a stab.

I assume you have a 3D Scan without hair, and you used the muscles tool to sculpt some hair on her. Correct? You can Retopologize the whole thing, hair and all, or if you had the hair on a separate layer, you could perhaps use the Autopo (Auto Retopology) feature on it and see if you get decent results. It may take a few attempts to get it right.

Then create UV maps, or elect to Merge with PTex (sort of an elegant Auto UV tool, which allows you to later paint select areas you want Ptex to scale up in the UV texture space, so you have more resolution in those areas. Hair, Eyes, Lips, etc., might be areas where you want to do that. Another option would be, if you haven't already done so, is sculpt your hair onto the original scan, but using a different layer. The Muscles tool will still stick to the visible object (head layer), but the actual hair strands will be its own discreet layer/object. From experience, forget retopo'ing the hair. It's generally going to be static, so you can simply right click the hair layer and choose EXPORT > OBJECT. You will get a prompt that allows you to reduce the amount of Polygons. I would try one at 95% reduction and name it "Hair_low_poly". And try exporting another version at maybe 75%, and name it "Hair_HiPoly."

Now, you can close the scene and then open the one where you painted the textures onto the bust. Go to the File menu and choose MERGE, and in the options panel, you will probably want to choose AutoUV. You want to find the low poly version and bring it into the scene. In the Object Materials panel, you should see it as a separate object.

Once merged into the Paint Room, you can start painting away, and then export the whole thing back out, when you're done. Now if you want a 3D Printer to print this out with all this painting...I don't know that it's possible. That sort of thing is usually either airbrushed after the fact or they can print on a material that get heat wrapped onto the object.

Could you possibly make a video screen capture of where you are at and try to explain what you are trying to do? Sometimes even the simple tasks can be hard to communicate if you don't understand the procedures yourself. I think a video would help communicate that better and get you a faster answer.

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I've done similar things before. The workflow essentially should be similar to this:

  • Merge Scan to Voxels, Repair it so that it missing parts from the Face a filled in if need be.
  • Export High Poly Quadmesh (you don't need to retopo when the goal is 3D.Printing)
  • import to the Paint workspace with Ptex
  • Bake the original textures from the Scan-Model to the new mesh
  • edit imperfections from the baking-process with the original Texture
  • Create Hair on another Voxel Layer. Here I would suggest to do an automatic Retopo with Ptex
  • Hand Paint the Hair in the Voxel-Workspace
  • Save out the Hair along with the Texture with high Polycount.
  • Join both models an send to 3D-Printer as .stl or .ply

Note that the Detail-Level acheiveable through Zcorp Colour-Printing is very limited.

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  • Merge Scan to Voxels, Repair it so that it missing parts from the Face a filled in if need be.
  • Export High Poly Quadmesh (you don't need to retopo when the goal is 3D.Printing)
  • import to the Paint workspace with Ptex
  • Bake the original textures from the Scan-Model to the new mesh
  • edit imperfections from the baking-process with the original Texture
  • Create Hair on another Voxel Layer. Here I would suggest to do an automatic Retopo with Ptex
  • Hand Paint the Hair in the Voxel-Workspace
  • Save out the Hair along with the Texture with high Polycount.
  • Join both models an send to 3D-Printer as .stl or .ply

I am on Day 9 of an attempt to simply take an .obj file from color 3d scan, extrude it and save it to be printed on a zcorp color printer (the only color printer?). I can open it and extrude it in 3D Coat or Blender. (or Rhino, but I can't see the texture in Rhino). It behaves like one surface when I open it in 3D Coat or Blender. But then if I extrude it and open it in Accutrans to makes sure it's a (required) watertight vrml file, Accutrans says it's not watertight. Accutrans thinks it's a quilt of about 8 meshes with separate textures. If I then try to tell Accutrans to merge the meshes (called layers in Accutrans) it does so but looks like the texture(s) have been through a lawn mower.

I think polyxo sounds like the voice of experience and great oracle of knowledge, but, pathetically, I'm not so sure I'm capable of even implementing these guidelines, though I am trying. I did what I think may be the first 4 bullet points but I don't see the texture. --heck with adding the hair. I'd be thrilled to just import the face, extrude it, and successfully export a vrml to shapeways. --but to keep the texture(s) intact. (I have 3d coat, blender, rhino, meshlab, accutrans, but proficiency with just rhino so far.)

but how?

p.s. I tried to attach the scan, but altogether it's more than the 7 mb forum limit) I'd be happy to send it anywhere else.

post-6850-0-53590800-1311281412_thumb.jp

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Question: Could anyone do the following type of task in 3D Coat?

My one 3d Scan, previously referenced in other posts, is a composite of several scans. [Due to the Artec MHT 3D scanner technology output] I know this because when I open it in Accutrans it shows up as 10 meshes, each with its own texture (see image below that shows 9 of 10 meshes and 10/10 meshes). Does anyone think there is any way 3D Coat could combine these meshes and textures into one mesh/texture in 3D Coat? [Note the meshes are each complex collections of islands.]

post-6850-0-18847600-1311306216_thumb.jp

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Question: Could anyone do the following type of task in 3D Coat?

My one 3d Scan, previously referenced in other posts, is a composite of several scans. [Due to the Artec MHT 3D scanner technology output] I know this because when I open it in Accutrans it shows up as 10 meshes, each with its own texture (see image below that shows 9 of 10 meshes and 10/10 meshes). Does anyone think there is any way 3D Coat could combine these meshes and textures into one mesh/texture in 3D Coat? [Note the meshes are each complex collections of islands.]

What about the scan without color? It looks like you did something earlier on one object (where you did the hair). I think what you are trying to do is too complex for it to output correctly. Color 3D printers usually output to much simpler objects. Gradients and such are probably messing with the scan big time. You may have to break the model down into a few discreet parts with solid colors. White for the shirt. Skin tone for the skin, and something else for the hair. I've never seen a 3D Print with this much color complexity.

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I am using dropbox for the transfer of bigger files between me and a partner.

Ah, you're going to Shapeways. I really hope you will succeed and tell us how you did because i'm trying the same things.

Did you print colour before? Is it suitable for a fairly good resolution picture like that?

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Please don't start yet another thread about this now. :rolleyes:

GrandmasterB-- merging meshes onto voxel object, then retopo mesh of the voxel object with textures(?) that sounds like something I'll have to attempt... then after that you say 'project the textures on it'... wouldn't I not need to project if I could retopo mesh with textures, or is that the same thing as projecting the texture?

I have hundreds of these scan files on the way to convert so I need quick and preferably idiot-proof (yeah, I know, you deduced that part) workflow plan. One idea is to convert the idea to some format that recognizes texture but only one layer (is there such a thing?). Or could it be converted so that each vertex is assigned a color?

AbnRanger, there's a bunch of gradient zcorp printing, see examples on sculpteo.com.

here's a sample texture. It looks like there are 9 of these for the particular scan.

post-6850-0-18054400-1311339146_thumb.pn

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If you have several meshes that you want to join to one the voxel room is perfect for this. I cant promise that it all works but lets try:

1. Start 3D-Coat, in the start-up wizard under "Voxel Sculpting" pick the empty cross (second from the left). This is an empty voxel scene!

2. In the left toolbox under "Objects" click "Merge". An dialog opens, pick "Select mesh" and select the first mesh on your disk.

3. If you dont see the mesh on the screen, its too small. Press "Scale" and try "10.0" or something else. Depends!

4. Check if the mesh has visible flat faces, if they are pretty obvious, try the "Subdivide" button. This may take very long if the mesh is dense!

5. If you are satisfied click "Apply". Now its important to check if the voxel resolution is fine enough for your needs, if you feel like you loosed detail the voxel resolution needs to be increased. To increase the voxel resolution press "Res+" under "Commands" - BUT you have to do it before you "Merge" your mesh. So start over but now press "Res+" after Step 1.

6. Continue to "Merge" the other meshes the same way... all the meshes will be part of the same voxel object.

7. Save your work!

8. You probably have to sculpt and fix artifacts here and there. Hold the "Shift" key and paint the the left mouse button over artifacts. I recommend to Enable "Accurate Smoothing" found in the "Voxels" top-menu.

9. You may also create "hair" with sculpting, its not easy tho.

10. Save your work!

11. In the "VoxTree" right click on the "Volume1" and select "AUTOPO", change the "Approximate polycount" to something you like the output of the mesh to be. I assume 9000 should be enough. The other dialogs are not that imporant then.

12. After a while you are in the Retopo room, you have the option to get automatically created UV-seams. Lets start with that!

13. Again, left toolbox. "UV"->"Mark seams".

14. "Commands"->"Auto seams"

15. You now manually adjust the seams, be sure to create islands that can be easily unwrapped onto a 2D image. If possible avoid very small islands and seams that cross the face.

16. Hit "Unwrap".

17. In the top-menu. "Retopo"->"Merge with NM (per pixel)". You will be asked if you want "Ambient Occlusion", may be a good choice. You may delete the layer later anyway.

18. The next dialog asks about "Initial subdivision" and "UV-mapping type". You can choose the first subdivision number and "Keep UV". Also choose the texture width and height to your liking.

19. Save!

20. Go into the "Paint" Room. On the right bottom are your painting layers, there is "BakedOcclusion", "Normalmap", "Volume1" and "Layer 0". Create another one by clicking the first symbol on the bottom (looks like a piece of paper). Double click on the name and rename the layer to "Color" or something.

21. There is another tab named "Materials" with a few small images, here you need to load your textures to project them manually on the model. Click the "+" and in the dialog select a texture for the "Color texture". Hit "Ok" then, you dont need the other channels. In fact, lets deactivate them:

22. In the topmost toolbar is a tiny green sphere, a purple sphere and a black sphere. Deactivate the purple and the black. The green must be activated to paint only on the color channel.

23. From step 21. the "Preview options" dialog has opened, try the icons on the right to place onto the model. Place both, the image and the model to a good angle to draw the image onto the model.

24. Pick white as your drawing color and 100% opacity by pressing "C" on the keyboard and selecting the options.

25. Now with the left mouse button start to paint the image onto the model.

26. Repeat the steps 21-25 for different angles with different textures until your model is fully painted.

27. Dont forget to save often.

28. When done "File"->"Export Model". On the dialog choose "Export mid-poly mesh", "Export color", "Create padding". Leave the other options unchecked.

Done! (?)

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