2D Art On 3D Object, Help

Unity Engine
1

Hi,
If I want to create my art for a 3D game in illustrator, is that possible? Meaning, if I am just working with cubes, how, if at all, must I shape a 2D png?

How can I account for each side?

2

The way textured meshes work is something called UV mapping. They are two extra values you can put in each 3D point of a model in addition to the X, Y, and Z position. Those are typically labeled U and V. They represent a 2D point on a texture that “maps” that 3D point to a 2D texture position. The nice thing is that the U and V values are between 0.0 and 1.0, so they are relative. That means you can use any texture resolution.

The primitive cube in Unity won’t let you draw something different on each side, since its UV coordinates are set up for that (it has each UV overlapping so that the same image is on each side).

A “UV map” can be visualized in tools like Blender and it can even export a background wireframe to use in your image program as a guide. For an unwrapped cube with each face separate, it will look something like the right part of this screenshot:

So you’ll need to import a custom cube similar to that into Unity. Fortunately that’s quite easy with something like Blender.

Here’s a little tutorial on how to do it:

I can post an unwrapped cube like that if you want. It wouldn’t take long.

1 Like
3

Thanks,
So the unwrapped cube, I could use? That layout will, when applied to a material wrap properly?

And thank you!

4

Ok, so I finally got around to watching the video. What I want to be able to do is create a texture in Illustrator and import it in.

I tried to do that, but the image, is just applied to each side. I was hoping for a wrap.

?

5

You’ll need to actually export your custom cube mesh (if you’re using Blender, that’s typically a .fbx file) and import that into your Unity project, not just watch the video. Did you even fire up Blender? Sorry if I’m misunderstanding you, but it seems like you need to re-read my original words:

6

No, I was hoping to simply create a layout in Illustrator and put that into Unity. Can I create one in Illustrator, then port to Blender, then Unity?

Thanks @Steve-Tack

7

The layout is specific to your custom 3D model of a cube. Read this out loud: I need a custom model. You don’t “port” textures to Blender, then to Unity, you import textures directly into Unity.

The steps would be something like:

  1. Create a cube in Blender.
  2. Unwrap it to create your UV layout.
  3. Export an image of the UV layout from Blender to use as a background/guide
  4. Export your model from Blender into Unity as an .fbx file.
  5. Use the UV layout image as a background in Ilustrator, Photoshop, whatever as a guide and create your texture. Save it as a PNG.
  6. Import your PNG texture into Unity.
  7. Create a material (or edit the material that was imported) that uses your texture.
  8. Use that material on your model in Unity.
1 Like
8

Thanks man!
I am on it!

9

@Steve-Tack ,
Thanks. I think I got it. But I am wondering, why would each unwrapped cube, be different? Would it not make sense, in the case of a cube to have a standard model?

Anyhow, I think I can take it from here.
Many thanks