Image filtering a bit rubbish for Textures?

Dodgy · Post by **Dodgy** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:40 am

Hi all,

I'm trying to use an image as a texture on a shirt, but it's looking very bitty. Is this a known issue, and is there any way to rectify this? Also, is it possible to specify how many times it tiles, or how big it stretches?

Thanks,
Mike

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:52 pm

Images render very well in AS. Other than some very nitpicky issues some of have with anti-aliasing. If the image you are using is very small and you use it as a texture in AS and the render is larger than the image it's not going to look as good. Try turning on "high quality" images in the render settings. Not sure if this applies to texture fills though.

There is no setting for the number of "tiles" or how much "stretch". The tiling increases to fill the shape. With stretch the image stretches to fill the shape. Those are the only options. If you need more options I suggest you use an image layer with a mask. The image can extend beyond the shape and you could use some bones to warp it.

-vern

Dodgy · Post by **Dodgy** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:27 am

This is the problem I have. This is with 'extra smooth images' turned on in the render settings. As you can see, the image is all bitty. I wouldn't really call this nitpicky, as it basically means you can't use it for its intended function. The thing is, it looks gorgeous in the 'Image Texture' settings panel, it's just when it's rendered that it looks rubbish.

I guess group masking is the only way to go then

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:08 am

That should only occur if the source image resolution is lower than the AS output resolution (at the scale used). What this means is that the source image should be saved at the largest size and resolution you intend to need in AS.

If this isn't the issue, I'd like to take a look at the image to see what's up.

Dodgy · Post by **Dodgy** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:44 am

Here's the files.

http://www.mikegreen.name/MyImages/ASFo ... JsTest.zip

The Texture is 512 x512, so it should be crisp and nice, but it looks like AS isn't filtering/mipmapping the textures for Image textures

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:28 am

This seems to be the anti-aliasing Vern spoke of. I have plenty of images that work well at that size and project dimensions, but I can't put my finger on exactly why. Seems to do with contrast and resolution.

That image in your example shows clear pixelation at 200% in Photoshop. The images that work for me don't really show this until 300%.

Hopefully someone with more image experience will pipe up and set us both straight.

Dodgy · Post by **Dodgy** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:13 am

Bum. Something to get fixed for the next version then. Texture mapping shapes would be really useful.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:00 am

There is definately an issue regarding images used as textures and brushes. The artifacts in the sample are identical to brush image issues that I have encountered. It looks like the anitialiasing isn't exactly right or is "different" with images used this way compared to image layers.

-vern

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:03 am

Overall though, this is going to be animated, right? In motion, you don't notice this problem. Also this only occurs with shapes this small. Even if this is a stationary 'commemorative penguin plate' on the wall, I would hope there's enough going on to draw the attention elsewhere. And if there is enough going on, this image can be blurred until in doesn't show this artifact.

If it needs to be zoomed in on, you just swap it out for the normal version that looks nice zoomed in.

heyvern · Post by **heyvern** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:47 pm

I notice too that this seems to be worse with the tiling option. With the stretch option I barely notice it. I only have ever used the stretch option for texture fills.

I agree with Synthsin on this but ONLY for the texture fills (the brush aliasing is another story

).

-vern