texturing

Texturing has proven to be an eye opener. 

I didn't think texturing would be so hard, but to produce good looking textures takes time, and effort. 

From 3DS Max it is possible to Map components of your model with the UV Map modifier tool.
This is a simple way of telling the texture what the object is like and how to wrap round it, using the gizmo sub 'object' of the UV map. But, you need to have a good texture to place onto the model in the first place, or its not really worth it!

I also went further as to unwrap some of the more advanced components. this is done by applying a UV map, and the the UV Unwrap modifier tool, this allows you too select faces and then unwrap the model flat, creating an image I then imported into GIMP too really allow me to add more detail to each individual polygons / face. 

Problem - Creating the models originally I feel I have no created enough separate components. Meaning it is a lot harder to make sense of the UV unwrap! especially as I wanted different sections to have a different texture on it. 

Solution - The way i got around this was too detach the sections creating separate components from them, this would not be the best way to do it, and I understand now that i should have created separate components in the first place, as to me this is a very messy way of doing it. 

Using GIMP is good, but I have not used it for a while, so have found it difficult remembering the tools, you do need to be a good artist to create good textures. 






The textures themselves are very easy too apply after the uv map has been applied, and quite often if the component is mainly one color  it is better not too add the unwrap complicating the process.