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enter image description hereI have modeled a 430-face six-panel door in Blender. I now want to UV map it. I followed all of the steps in Neil Hirsig's videos on UV mapping: (1) drag-open a second window; (2) set it to UV/Image Editor mode; (3) go to my main window and select the door object; (4) Tab into Edit mode; (5) choose Face selection; (6) box-select all faces; (7) U-key and Unwrap>Cubic Projection ...

... and ...

... my UV map window remains empty. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

If I follow exactly the same steps with a plain cube, I get a UV map for the cube. Does Blender's UV mapping only work for simple objects?

Crissie Brown
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  • Welcome to BSE, Adding more details will help you get an accurate answer, add screen shot, and upload your .blend here: http://blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com/ – Georges D Jun 09 '16 at 20:05
  • In the UV editor, look for the image file you want maooed in the list for the little field entry box on the menu header. – Anthony Forwood Jun 09 '16 at 20:13
  • Here is the blender file: – Crissie Brown Jun 09 '16 at 21:31
  • Related - http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/9138/stuck-at-uv-mapping-mesh-doesnt-show-in-uv-window and http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/7889/why-doesnt-my-unwrapped-model-appear-in-the-uv-editor. From your file it looks like your unwrapping is substituted with Render Result image (which is empty for now as nothing is rendered). – Mr Zak Jun 09 '16 at 23:06
  • Yes, I know. I can't find any selection or toggle to get out of Render Result and into UV Unwrapping. – Crissie Brown Jun 10 '16 at 07:29
  • I've added an annotated screenshot to illustrate the problem. – Crissie Brown Jun 10 '16 at 08:22
  • You don't have to check image's properties in order to show UV map. You should close opened image (htis is Render Result in this case) by clicking X button next ot it name. – Mr Zak Jun 10 '16 at 09:13
  • Thank you, Mr Zak. :-) I had already found that in another thread, linked in my self-answer below, but thank you for answering here also. – Crissie Brown Jun 10 '16 at 10:30

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I found my problem in an answer to this question. I had to click the X beside the Render Result, so it would display my UV Map.

Thank you all for your help! :-)

Community
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Crissie Brown
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  • I feel like everyone will eventually encounter this problem and try and google the solution. Seems like a ridiculous pointless and annoying obstacle they should fix. But then again their whole UI is annoying and confusing. – deanresin Oct 02 '17 at 03:52
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You have to imagine your 3D model like a papercraft Car.

Unwrapping turns a 3D object into a 2D one to apply images to it.

If you have a ball for example there is not a way of simply squishing all sides to the floor since its impossible. You need to cut the Ball up.

Not literally in blender though.

If you are in edit mode you can define seams where Blender is supposed to cut the object to project it flat on a surface.

You can follow a few tutorials on Youtube. Writing it here in BSE (Blender Stack Exchange) would take too long. And would be too complex. There can be a whole sience to it.

  • I understand UV mapping. I've done it in Hexagon, and in UV Mapper Pro. This is my first time trying it in Blender, and I can easily map a cube, sphere, or cylinder. But when I apply the same steps to my door -- or even to a single face of my door -- I get an empty UV Map window. – Crissie Brown Jun 09 '16 at 21:37
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If the UV/Image editor window is in Render Result or Viewer you will not see the UV mapping. The UV needs an image to operate on.

You have two options:

1- Create a new image (it can be blank, UV grid or color grid)

Once there is an image upon which to map the UV map, you'll be able to see the UV grid. Note that this image is not necessarily the image that will be part of the material. You can change that later.

enter image description here

2- Open an image that already exists in your drive (an image that you'd like to use as part of your material texure. Again, once there is an image loaded the UV grid will be displayed.