メタ:
- id: en/linking-blender-and-3d-coat-modeling-in-blender-and-verifying-texturing-in-3dcoat
- slug: en/linking-blender-and-3d-coat-modeling-in-blender-and-verifying-texturing-in-3dcoat
- url: /blog/en/linking-blender-and-3d-coat-modeling-in-blender-and-verifying-texturing-in-3dcoat/
- title: Part 1: linking Blender and 3DCoat for modeling and texturing
- date: 2024-01-20 18:43
- tags: Blender, 3DCoat, 3D Models, Textures, Projects

> **Note:** This article was published **more than a year ago**.
> - Blender and 3DCoat Applink and file round-trip procedures vary by version. Check the official integration documentation for each.
> - Scale, normals, and UV handling in intermediate formats such as FBX and OBJ depend on the export preset.
> - 3DCoat feature names and license conditions may change with updates.

3DCoat is software by Pilgway, a developer headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine. Using it also supports Ukraine. It handles a wide range of tasks, including modeling, texturing, rendering, and UV mapping.
Competing products include ZBrush and Substance Painter.

It is available at a lower price than those products, through either a perpetual license or subscription.

Each has its strengths, but 3DCoat is also very approachable.

I use it for sculpting and texturing.

Free Blender can perform similar work on its own, but knowing several applications can make a workflow smoother by taking advantage of their individual strengths.

3D-Coat

<https://3dcoat.com/>

I will link Blender and 3DCoat, model in Blender, and texture in 3DCoat, using a box as the example.

## Link Blender and 3DCoat

Add the plugin through Preferences to connect Blender with 3DCoat.
![](/blog-assets/media/e2a0bb32ff372ab1587be44b1425bd75e4ad812fa91ce6572f3aa3c601552389/2024-01-20-15-36-17-761-scaled.webp)
Search for 3D and enable 3D-Coat.
![](/blog-assets/media/b74f6f91f3dd8783d24c6027d05cc13489466deb015abe08a5a23c9fc3a5e84d/2024-01-20-15-37-09-119-scaled.webp)
A 3D-Coat tab appears on the right.
![](/blog-assets/media/68f5f56b2639ebb44cfe4990c465d077f11761bf3254c6b8396ed69d8460455c/2024-01-20-15-38-04-772-scaled.webp)
Choose the specific folder to use for the exchange.
![](/blog-assets/media/631009db4a553fd6e8119ffcd17b475861c924d649dc6b5a3add63d830264572/2024-01-20-15-38-42-383-scaled.webp)
Selecting the Exchange folder is sufficient.
![](/blog-assets/media/e8474dce636c0d6457608ca6ec55a3d604d5340bb519b8a369a7d50900ae0ef0/2024-01-20-15-39-37-884-scaled.webp)
Save the settings. Setup is complete.
![](/blog-assets/media/36a339ec6de86c636797de22b09f69db73427f3efc743867fcc58f1a6d2527fe/2024-01-20-15-40-03-514-scaled.webp)
Photograph a Babu bath-tablet package.
![](/blog-assets/media/ac771c72443df03469c92b5d37ff20f20593107664876e78f6303455084cfeb0/2024-01-20-16-06-12-336-scaled.webp)
Crop the photographs into separate images for each side.
![](/blog-assets/media/b4f181953ee5838d9ee9e70c3492eb23627196711c6e498031434a0b36197b3d/2024-01-20-16-08-25-517-scaled.webp)
Set a straight-on view in Blender to insert the guide images.
![](/blog-assets/media/5e242119b892dc400a489a7b54529ab2eed47008c45eeed6621534856c952b78/2024-01-20-16-17-16-973-scaled.webp)
In Layout, choose Image > Reference.
![](/blog-assets/media/45f9e7e84a54fcfe9ef5daff2ec6134b05337dc2694a35ba4aeea8ddddf5ef58/2024-01-20-16-17-45-205-scaled.webp)
Select the reference image.
![](/blog-assets/media/fe633496c2325d257e87c894cc7c8ebb7153c924743594de0078db5787e5fd35/2024-01-20-16-18-03-312-scaled.webp)
The reference image appears.
![](/blog-assets/media/49e752b178c325591af7ea2504d1812e7c83d01ac3fa1c253ac21ccbc54605b6/2024-01-20-16-18-16-108-scaled.webp)
Do the same for the other sides, checking that top, bottom, left, and right are all oriented correctly.
![](/blog-assets/media/35e247bcfd56488828e1d1ac07a2be0be88c66e1e2ae2b960a4d320994e4656f/2024-01-20-16-18-29-844-scaled.webp)
Adjust the sizes to get a layout like this.
![](/blog-assets/media/42e6840e6bbebf3445d43307c1c7098171c164b6ac465dfbbe8d6c811fd961e3/2024-01-20-16-19-43-370-scaled.webp)
Create a cube using the guides.
![](/blog-assets/media/07d2e29f880bedee3cb0d74b0704deaf0f9d93826de993a14e17569327b8f730/2024-01-20-16-21-17-844-scaled.webp)
In modeling, enable X-ray so all vertices can be selected, then select them all.
![](/blog-assets/media/10bbf03cb6f050881e18a9022c20b70151155e69c6c1ced295a3b69f34e41dc1/2024-01-20-16-23-10-407-scaled.webp)
Run Smart UV Project from the UV menu.
![](/blog-assets/media/80c7ccb471c956bf2c66bdca6a83ad4d1815f8f11c06ea3c66d4261c81706050/2024-01-20-16-23-33-743-scaled.webp)
A UV map is created, but the face proportions are wrong: the sides are still too small.
![](/blog-assets/media/025b117dbdb2e4ce40c2d3f14473425b1581c506da5c2c9be447ec260ca8fdac/2024-01-20-16-23-59-356-scaled.webp)
Select the model and send it to 3DCoat.
![](/blog-assets/media/2dc7fb8b388199645706da39b84b4ed68885ab1f20e99d02ca38d920b95c2333/2024-01-20-16-25-05-072-scaled.webp)
Because of the incorrect proportions, the texture proportions are wrong too.
![](/blog-assets/media/bcc3df5d6a9e4380e995aaec8fc3de955ba46dccfef5399030ac7dac653e3370/2024-01-20-16-28-53-583-scaled.webp)
Looking at the item's scale, Z is doubled, which explains the mismatch.
![](/blog-assets/media/bcf5865e3d25c4d108d84d816537dff6e371506f8f52e0d49f155772e5462e33/2024-01-20-16-29-17-383-scaled.webp)
Return the scale to 1.
![](/blog-assets/media/6d1a322698806eaeb132c84f1a04a667f1272515c2ca1bcfc08c0f3c8c2ae980/2024-01-20-16-29-34-258-scaled.webp)
Move vertices to enlarge the geometry instead.
![](/blog-assets/media/37bc968b8c432d14952d91276af92054480e59c0e070dbfab9c88d622bea43e8/2024-01-20-16-30-54-918-scaled.webp)
The scale is now 1.
![](/blog-assets/media/74023186ea536a2b6345cf7e7f290967de605937b49b6d0534e3212a82e4f46b/2024-01-20-16-31-27-178-scaled.webp)
Alternatively, apply the scale through the Object menu. That is easier, and Ctrl+A provides the same option.
![](/blog-assets/media/307f9885ce7ad10b660073aa832ed07d8570e4586e1f377844d8a8b631120238/2024-01-20-19-17-29-923-scaled.webp)
Select the model and run Smart UV Project again.
![](/blog-assets/media/73973565d642bbb09d18380e1b085d263aad8f73aea867d1e6e2adaab1b266b9/2024-01-20-16-33-42-441-scaled.webp)
The texture regions now have matching proportions.
![](/blog-assets/media/dc12dd2d261ca6898a25c2f4009f9de51b4a5d2f1285d1f90c1ba3dbe4146765/2024-01-20-16-34-21-530-scaled.webp)
Send the data over.
![](/blog-assets/media/2dc7fb8b388199645706da39b84b4ed68885ab1f20e99d02ca38d920b95c2333/2024-01-20-16-25-05-072-scaled.webp)
Painting makes it clear which region corresponds to which part.
![](/blog-assets/media/fdeef3ba0a04d527381ed8a83cef9cd2f72202a28b472fa8fa37677aeaa77fe2/2024-01-20-16-36-12-073-scaled.webp)
The current layer can also be edited in an external editor.
![](/blog-assets/media/6bf680debe0c8e81241dcf0adbe39a936cd32d4700bfd212b3483180fd436bf2/2024-01-20-16-36-19-868-scaled.webp)
I can edit the texture in Photoshop.
![](/blog-assets/media/4c6ff9cf4011b3bbffffb6efc2e94c114e2925ec14ea41e16a57a84520712dc4/2024-01-20-16-36-33-182-scaled.webp)
Use the visible wireframe guide to place the images.
![](/blog-assets/media/21a2b40bef025060c0576cb658e107788c88f1f916413b23511e2ae1196e33c6/2024-01-20-16-40-04-539-scaled.webp)
Cover every face using the guide.
![](/blog-assets/media/924b9db183367de9bd22d2d24968f2211ca355183ab6bbc59186167a9ede97ef/2024-01-20-16-43-05-302-scaled.webp)
When finished, choose the export-back option.
![](/blog-assets/media/315a25b8a65615cc6dbcdb1d26241e8830545b8be44d6af94f22bc892a4062fd/2024-01-20-16-44-09-221-scaled.webp)
The result is imported into Blender. Export it as OBJ or FBX. FBX sometimes requires setting the textures again; OBJ works well here.
![](/blog-assets/media/5a4258efa965d12668ee0eaf991c901901beec1cff831ad4ac1bc92a5b62e8fd/2024-01-20-16-44-56-158-scaled.webp)
I imported it into UE5.
![](/blog-assets/media/612306d8709744c87210a5a1951681039dbedc3577850a90ceb50c783426ccc2/2024-01-20-16-59-45-009-scaled.webp) ![](/blog-assets/media/e829088a260f15d6a8932b8444b2d05fc205c007e1da59030f5529db239f7646/2024-01-20-17-00-04-667-scaled.webp)
Finished!