Second Life Forums Archive

Ayesha Bisiani

Registered User

Join date: 22 Nov 2006

Posts: 71

01-10-2007 02:22

I grabbed the demo version of Bodypaint a short while ago in the hope of making some skins and clothes. The idea is to switch between Bodypaint and Adobe's Photoshop adding detail as I go along.

Now whilst Robin's earlier post on using Bodypaint was a HUGE help, I am somewhat stuck at the point where I cannot import textures from photoshop into bodypaint. I'd also like to know if it is possible to save (once I buy bodypaint) the textures in bodypaint so I can open and work on these in photoshop. I am sure this is possible and knowing me, I am overlooking the obvious, but a little help will really be appreciated.

I'd like to learn how to use bodypaint better before I commit to buying it so if there are any tutorials available online that anyone is aware of, please point me in that direction.

Thanks so much.

Robin Sojourner

Registered User

Join date: 16 Sep 2004

Posts: 1,080

01-10-2007 13:47

Hi Ayesha!

As I mentioned before, I wouldn't recommend buying BodyPaint if you are only going to use it for SL. It's pretty expensive for that. However, if you have other uses for it to, it can be well worth the money.

One of the problems with writing tutorials for BodyPaint is that the interface is so completely customizable that things are likely to look different for different users. So I'm going to use one of the default layouts. To make your screen look like this, go to the main Menu bar, to Window > Layout > BP 3D Paint (as shown here.)

To import a Photoshop image, assuming that you have already made the model "paintable"

1. There is a Materials palette in the lower right corner of your screen, showing the three materials that go on the Avatar. Double-click the sphere icon, to the left of the name for the material you want to apply a texture to. This will open the Material panel.

2. Click the Image button in the Material panel to open a browser that lets you find and load an image. BodyPaint can read lots of different file formats, including .psd, so just find the one you want. (Note that it can't read some of the adjustment layers, or some blending modes (such as Offset,) So work on a copy of the file, not the original, if you are using them.

3. A dialog will open telling you that the image isn't in the Search Path, and asking if you want to make a copy. Unless you really want extra copies of your documents piling up in the folder where you keep your mannequins, tell it no.

That's it. It will take a moment for the program to read in the texture, but then you're ready to start painting.

To save the texture from BodyPaint as a .psd file

1. Right click on the texture Thumbnail (from any layer, it doesn't matter.)

2. Choose Texture > Save Texture (or Save Texture As...) from the fly out menu.

3. Save the texture, making sure you are using the file format you want.

To reload the image, after tweaking in Photoshop

1. Double-click on the Sphere Icon, to open the Material panel again.

2. Click on the flippy after the text field with the Image path.

3. Choose Reload Image from the fly out menu.

That's really all there is to that. The important thing to remember (so I'm going to repeat it,) is that BodyPaint won't read all the various special Photoshop layers, such as adjustment layers, clipped layers, Smart Objects, and some Blending modes, the way that PS does.

If you overwrite a file that has those things after opening it in BodyPaint, you will lose them permanently. So work on a copy of the file, not the original. (You might want to delete, merge, rasterize or apply such things on the image you're taking into BP, so you can see what your texture actually looks like. Sometimes BP's attempts to read things it can't read aren't pretty. Otherwise, just hide those layers in BP.)

For BP tutorials, you'll find a few here, or just Google for them. But there's not much in English, I'm afraid.

Hope this helps!

_____________________

Robin (Sojourner) Wood
www.robinwood.com

"Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia

Jax Huskerdu

Registered User

Join date: 28 Jun 2006

Posts: 250

Hiya Ayesha

01-10-2007 14:00

I downloaded "the Gimp". Just do a web search. It's a free application similar to Photoshop. I've stopped using photoshop completely for the time being as I find Gimp to be much more natural to work with. good luck!

Robin Sojourner

Registered User

Join date: 16 Sep 2004

Posts: 1,080

01-10-2007 14:26

Hi Jax!

BodyPaint allows you to paint directly onto a 3D object, so you can paint right over the seams in the maps without any trouble.

The free equivalent (if you're on a PC) would be Tattoo, I believe (I'm on a Mac) not the GIMP.

The only reason I don't recommend it for SL is that the downloadable avatar is different enough from the one in-game (whether because of slider differences, or because it's a different mesh, or for whatever reason) that it's really not useful for much except painting over the seams.

Any other shapes you paint will be distorted so badly when uploaded that, in my experience, you're better off just painting directly on the maps using your favorite Graphics program.

_____________________

Robin (Sojourner) Wood
www.robinwood.com

"Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia

Ayesha Bisiani

Registered User

Join date: 22 Nov 2006

Posts: 71

01-10-2007 22:36

Hi Robin,
Thanks for your detailed post explaining and clearing up a lot of grey areas. Now that I know how to convert and use the textures between both platforms it will make things easier, a LOT easier to design something.

My idea is to work on the basic shape by drawing a texture (say a seamless fabric texture) onto the body and then taking it to photoshop adding buttons, borders and glitzy extras. I can check back in body paint so see if seams line up properly etc...

Thanks again, you have been a huge help as always.

Jax, thanks for takng the time to write with your suggestions. Since I do enjoy working in photoshop, I'd rather stick to it until I can learn it's functioning better.

Cheers!!

Welcome to the Second Life Forums Archive

Bodypaint woes

Bodypaint woes
Ayesha Bisiani Registered User Join date: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 71	01-10-2007 02:22 I grabbed the demo version of Bodypaint a short while ago in the hope of making some skins and clothes. The idea is to switch between Bodypaint and Adobe's Photoshop adding detail as I go along. Now whilst Robin's earlier post on using Bodypaint was a HUGE help, I am somewhat stuck at the point where I cannot import textures from photoshop into bodypaint. I'd also like to know if it is possible to save (once I buy bodypaint) the textures in bodypaint so I can open and work on these in photoshop. I am sure this is possible and knowing me, I am overlooking the obvious, but a little help will really be appreciated. I'd like to learn how to use bodypaint better before I commit to buying it so if there are any tutorials available online that anyone is aware of, please point me in that direction. Thanks so much.
Robin Sojourner Registered User Join date: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 1,080	01-10-2007 13:47 Hi Ayesha! As I mentioned before, I wouldn't recommend buying BodyPaint if you are only going to use it for SL. It's pretty expensive for that. However, if you have other uses for it to, it can be well worth the money. One of the problems with writing tutorials for BodyPaint is that the interface is so completely customizable that things are likely to look different for different users. So I'm going to use one of the default layouts. To make your screen look like this, go to the main Menu bar, to Window > Layout > BP 3D Paint (as shown here.) To import a Photoshop image, assuming that you have already made the model "paintable" 1. There is a Materials palette in the lower right corner of your screen, showing the three materials that go on the Avatar. Double-click the sphere icon, to the left of the name for the material you want to apply a texture to. This will open the Material panel. 2. Click the Image button in the Material panel to open a browser that lets you find and load an image. BodyPaint can read lots of different file formats, including .psd, so just find the one you want. (Note that it can't read some of the adjustment layers, or some blending modes (such as Offset,) So work on a copy of the file, not the original, if you are using them. 3. A dialog will open telling you that the image isn't in the Search Path, and asking if you want to make a copy. Unless you really want extra copies of your documents piling up in the folder where you keep your mannequins, tell it no. That's it. It will take a moment for the program to read in the texture, but then you're ready to start painting. To save the texture from BodyPaint as a .psd file 1. Right click on the texture Thumbnail (from any layer, it doesn't matter.) 2. Choose Texture > Save Texture (or Save Texture As...) from the fly out menu. 3. Save the texture, making sure you are using the file format you want. To reload the image, after tweaking in Photoshop 1. Double-click on the Sphere Icon, to open the Material panel again. 2. Click on the flippy after the text field with the Image path. 3. Choose Reload Image from the fly out menu. That's really all there is to that. The important thing to remember (so I'm going to repeat it,) is that BodyPaint won't read all the various special Photoshop layers, such as adjustment layers, clipped layers, Smart Objects, and some Blending modes, the way that PS does. If you overwrite a file that has those things after opening it in BodyPaint, you will lose them permanently. So work on a copy of the file, not the original. (You might want to delete, merge, rasterize or apply such things on the image you're taking into BP, so you can see what your texture actually looks like. Sometimes BP's attempts to read things it can't read aren't pretty. Otherwise, just hide those layers in BP.) For BP tutorials, you'll find a few here, or just Google for them. But there's not much in English, I'm afraid. Hope this helps! _____________________ Robin (Sojourner) Wood www.robinwood.com "Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia
Jax Huskerdu Registered User Join date: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 250	Hiya Ayesha 01-10-2007 14:00 I downloaded "the Gimp". Just do a web search. It's a free application similar to Photoshop. I've stopped using photoshop completely for the time being as I find Gimp to be much more natural to work with. good luck!
Robin Sojourner Registered User Join date: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 1,080	01-10-2007 14:26 Hi Jax! BodyPaint allows you to paint directly onto a 3D object, so you can paint right over the seams in the maps without any trouble. The free equivalent (if you're on a PC) would be Tattoo, I believe (I'm on a Mac) not the GIMP. The only reason I don't recommend it for SL is that the downloadable avatar is different enough from the one in-game (whether because of slider differences, or because it's a different mesh, or for whatever reason) that it's really not useful for much except painting over the seams. Any other shapes you paint will be distorted so badly when uploaded that, in my experience, you're better off just painting directly on the maps using your favorite Graphics program. _____________________ Robin (Sojourner) Wood www.robinwood.com "Second Life ... is an Internet-based virtual world ... and a libertarian anarchy..." Wikipedia
Ayesha Bisiani Registered User Join date: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 71	01-10-2007 22:36 Hi Robin, Thanks for your detailed post explaining and clearing up a lot of grey areas. Now that I know how to convert and use the textures between both platforms it will make things easier, a LOT easier to design something. My idea is to work on the basic shape by drawing a texture (say a seamless fabric texture) onto the body and then taking it to photoshop adding buttons, borders and glitzy extras. I can check back in body paint so see if seams line up properly etc... Thanks again, you have been a huge help as always. Jax, thanks for takng the time to write with your suggestions. Since I do enjoy working in photoshop, I'd rather stick to it until I can learn it's functioning better. Cheers!!