I always do it that way with my alphas and stencils. That way, you avoid making mistakes by changing a file with 4 layers (Color, Height, Spec, Erase), it's much easier to work on your original alpha (texture) with just a single layer. If you want to edit these alphas, I advise you to open the original alpha (texture), make your changes, save to the appropriate extension, and then import Alpha again into 3D-Coat. Remember that if you want a 16-bit alpha (texture) that has logically more quality, convert or save your alphas (texture) in TIF, PNG or EXR format (which are the only extensions currently accepted by 3D-Coat in 16-bit) and then import it into 3D-Coat. 3D Coat can create color, spec, normal/displacement, color spec, glow and glow alpha mask maps, and that's about it for the time being. This is the first time I've heard of curvature maps.because it is largely a dDo/Substance thing.

3D-coat will automatically create for you the alpha with all channels. Mudbox came along a few years later and supported it. The most practical and easy way to create alpha in 3D-Coat and I always do this is to drag this Alpha (texture) from your Explorer to the Alpha palette. This should get you going enough to really play a bit.I know it's not what you'd like to hear, but for me it's the best option to deal with in creating alphas or stencils: Tools I use the most are at the top of the left hand side: Grow, Smooth, Scrape, Pinch, Smudge. Your interface does not look like mine, but you can move those interface sections around to suit your organizational desires.

Usually for stamping options using the Alphas, I use the 'Extrude' tool. When you do this, your model will be resampled into the sharp edges you expected. I usually decide by a quick test of how fast it will stamp things or the grow or smooth tools operate. This will be way too low to preserve detail so, I usually start somewhere around 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 to see if it is what I want. Just left click into the value field and it will pop up a dialogue that lets you retype the numbers to your liking. It usually (not always) defaults to some odd voxel value like '200,000'.

Now, this can be a bit tricky until you get a feel for what you are working with. Where there is an 'S' on that new layer, left click and it will bring up the 'convert to Voxels' dialogue. It will remain when you duplicate the layer.ĭuplicate a layer to preserve my original model (G). Click on a 'colour box' in the 'Shaders' box. This preserves the raw model without changes. I find this useful if I am doing work and want to save 'stages' of development. Where you can increase resolution if you want to 'slow down' the effects of the tools. I just put them there because I use them a bunch and want them very easily accessible.į. Keeps you from getting the 'black' look you got on your model import.Į. I use the Polymer colours for colouring my models to differentiate between parts or just setting a base colour. For instance, this is a set of transorms from 'JRO Tools.' Not that expensive and very, very useful. This is the 'Ornament Alphas' I use for a lot of my decorative things. So, you just hit 'Reset Space' and it puts the transforms back to their original values.Ĭ. If you bring in a new model into a new blank layer, it will remember that. Say, if you move and scale and rotate (transforms in 3D parlance) it will remember that. Make sure you 'park' the 'Tool Options' to make it easy to get to things. This button will toggle you between orthographic and perspective modes.ī. Here is a quick breakdown on the basic interface as I use it for modeling:Ī. Why? So you have a lo-rez proxy in back up. BUT!! make a copy of the object then convert. Ahhhh, ok, here is the trick with getting something into 3D coat.įirst off, if you are looking to add texture to the model, then you must convert to a volumetric object.

Create alpha in 3d coat