Full Version: Import image as an image plane or image mesh

Blender and Wings3D have the ability to to import an image as an image mesh (often refered to as an image plane). By doing so, you now have a mesh plane with the image as the texture map. It is great for modeling windows, doors, walls, buildings, etc in Blender and Wings3D.

Is there a way to do this in MOI3D?

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Hi KENMO, yes there is a View > Image command in MOI that will bring in an image as a plane with a texture map displayed on it.

It's not meant to be used as a part of an actual model directly itself but you can use it as a tracing reference.

Info here:
https://moi3d.com/4.0/docs/moi_command_reference5.htm#image

- Michael

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Thanks for the reply. I was well aware of the ability to bring in reference images. I was asking if you could bring in a photo of a building wall as a mesh which can be done in Blender and Wings3D.

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Hi Ken, I guess maybe you mean with the image being used as a displacement map not just a color texture map?

That's a polygon mesh modeling technique and since MOI is not a polygon mesh modeling program no it doesn't do that.

You should use Blender or Wings3D for that modeling method.

In general lumpy bumpy organic type models are not very suitable to be done in CAD geometry.

There are some kind of hacky methods you can attempt if it's not too complex, there's a converter program called ZSurf, info here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=2423.2
and there's a HeightMap MOI plugin from Max here:
https://moi3d.com/wiki/MaxScriptArchive

But usually it's better to do polygon modeling techniques in a poly modeling focused program which MOI is not.

- Michael

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No, when I import an image into Blender (or Wings3D) as an image mesh, it comes into Blender as a plane mesh with the image applied like a diffuse map.

Image Attachments:
Tower.jpg 

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After some extruding and loop cutting I have something like this in Blender.

Image Attachments:
ScreenCap01.jpg  ScreenCap02.jpg  ScreenCap03.jpg 

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I can now import the finalized mesh into Vue, DAZ3D or 3D Coat and the texture is applied to the model.

Below imported into Vue





I have used MOI3D and a reference map to trace over the image and get a much nicer model, but I do not have the image as a map.

I did try uv mapping the MOI3D export OBJ in 3D Coat, but have had issues with 3D Coat uv mapping MOI3D OBJs.

However if I retop the MOI3D in Blender via Quad Remesher add-on, I can uv map the retopo model in 3D Coat.

I was hoping MOI3D may incorporate some sort of projection mapping like Blender and circumvent the reopo and uv mapping process.

Cheers

Ken

Image Attachments:
ScreenCap04.jpg 

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Here is a screen capture of the water wheel building when I import the OBJ into 3D Coat for UV Mapping. I get this mess. It looks to me as the normals maybe flipped. But when the model is imported into Blender by the MOI3D Blender Import/Export addon/plugin/script, I check for flipped normals and all are showing BLUE. No RED faces on the outside of the mesh.




I can only get the mesh UV'd properly if I retopo it in Blender via Quad Remesher and doing this I lose most of my filets and chamfers.

Is there another way to UV MOI3D models other than 3D Coat?

AND NO, I do not have or want substance painter.

This only happens if I use texture maps. If I use Vue's shader materials which requires NO UV mapping (and not their image based textures ) everything if fine. But for most architecture I refer image based textures (bricks, walls, shingles, rust, etc).

Cheers

Ken

Image Attachments:
3dcuv.jpg 

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After posting this, I recalled I've ran into similar problems in the past with models that did not consist mostly of quads and I used the FREE app UVMapper Classic and it worked.

I was able to UV the model with UVMapper and apply the UV set to the model and bring it into 3D Coats paint room as an UV mapped model.

Seems like it worked fine. I can not find any holes in the mesh.

Image Attachments:
3dcuv2.jpg 

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Hi Ken,

re:
> No, when I import an image into Blender (or Wings3D) as an image mesh, it comes into Blender
> as a plane mesh with the image applied like a diffuse map.
> <.....>
> After some extruding and loop cutting I have something like this in Blender.

Yes, Blender and Wings3D have this functionality because they are "DCC" (Digital Content Creation) tools.

They work with polygon mesh geometry and their overall focus is on producing rendered images. They don't care very much about making accurate geometry, they just care about how things look.

MOI on the other hand, is a CAD program, not a DCC app.

CAD is much more focused on making accurate geometry and uses a much different system for representing objects.

You can transfer models from a CAD representation into a DCC mesh by dicing up stuff like a CAD sphere surface into a bunch of polygons but it is not easy to go the reverse way and create an accurate CAD type model from already diced up polygons.

That's why the tools are different in MOI and Blender/Wings3D and why you can transfer models in one direction but not the other.

- Michael

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Thanks Michael. I do prefer MOI3D over Blender for creating doors and windows. They just look better. But most of my models I use in digital illustrations, if completely 3D they are render 70% of the time in Vue, 20% of the time in DAZ3D, 10% in 3D Coat. OR for props in 2D paint overs (ArtRage, Photoshop, Corel Painter or Rebelle). I am mostly a photographer of landscapes and scenes in my native Nova Scotia and neighboring province New Brunswick and the US state of Maine as well as car shows in NS, NB and ME.

Again thanks for your explanation. Much appreciated.

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The images as planes feature is just a shortcut for adding a plane yourself and applying a uv->project from view, from an orthographic view. It still is not correct uv mapping. The sides of your door example model will get stretched. They'll get a repeating color of the pixel that lies in those coordinates.
To do the same thing with MOI, do the outline of the door, make a planar surface and extrude (all inside MOI), and export to Blender. In Blender add the door texture to your model's material and do a uv->project from view (Bounds).
You'll get the exact same result.

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Cool, I must check that.

Cheers and many thanks...

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