Understanding 3D models

Before getting into the 3D painting features of Procreate, this section will help you form an understanding of how painting on 3D models is made possible. For that, we need to look at painted 3D models as a composite of two parts: the model and the UV map. The presence of a UV map allows you to paint on a 3D model, which would otherwise not be possible. In the following subsection, we will discuss UV maps.

UV maps

3D painting in Procreate requires your 3D model to have an associated UV map. Think of a UV map as a two-dimensional skin that covers all the surfaces of your model like wrapping paper. The following diagram explains how a 2D UV map sits on a 3D model:

Figure 15.4 : A 3D model versus an unwrapped UV map

UV maps provide a 2D surface to let you paint. This is because 3D models, by themselves, exist in 3D space and can’t be painted on. When importing a 3D model into Procreate, consider the following things:

...