One of my mapping techniques. (3ds max)

While uvw unwrapping gives 100% control, you rarely want that as it's easy to mess up and takes a lot of time to make it look good, I tend to simply add uvw maps and play around with the gizmos, if needed I use several map channels learnt that in 3d it's all about the end result, and while some knowledge of uvw unwrapping or at least a basic understanding of it is of course essential, it's best to avoid it when possible you might ask- how then do all these maps fit so well?

texturing it was a blast. for texturing the central part that kinda looks like a fish, all I did was go to a side viewport, create a screenshot, and draw the map on top of it in photoshop, then I just added a planar map, played around with the gizmo to make it fit, and voila

First I started with a simple Untextured model, for all intents and purposes it won't be provided.

next I went into a side viewport- any one will do as long as it's isometric, and made a screenshot.

then in photoshop, based upon that screenshot I've created a bump map

then I added a planar map

the, so I could see the bump map and set it up correctly, I've plaed into a diffuse slot of a new material:

this concludes my explanation on mapping. To create the actual I've used an awsome free plugin for 3ds max called nodejoe. Iit allows for graphical editing of materials so it all looks like a diagram, similar to shaderFx or DarkTree. Does wonders- without it making all the numerous materials of engravings covered by rust would have been a headache at the very least, but with it it's just a creative process- the way things should be, and best of all- enjoyable.

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