The UV Mapping Problem

UV Mapping is a technique used by 3D artists. This technique allows 3D software to be "aware" of how a 3D surface flows. Without this information, a computer program would not be able to apply images as textures to 3D objects.

If you think of a very simple 3D model, like a cube, UV Mapping this cube can be thought of as simply unwrapping it into a flat plane. (Figure 1)

Figure 1

Unwrapping the object's surface into a flat plane allows the 3D program to "see" the surface in 2D coordinates. This is easy for the program to understand, and is currently the only way 3D programs will allow you to paint a 3D [polygonal] object's surface. (Figure 2)

Figure 2

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