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enter image description here

I have been trying for a day to create something similar to the above. I need to repeat a small text on a UV sphere (ideally created by subdividing a cube and then converting to sphere for equal face size) 6-8 times uniformly distributed on the sphere.

A lot of the suggestions and tutorials suggest to create text and convert to mesh, then use something like boolean modifier on the sphere but that will create a high poly object. I want to create it using only texture. It would be best if the method allows for baking into a single image.

I have tried to first add a base material to sphere, then adding image texture to select faces only but because of scale perhaps the image of the text doesn't show. I created the texture as a simple png file.

I also tried to add Mapper with Texture coordinate in node editor, but I couldn't make that work either.

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    $\begingroup$ Subdividing a cube should work for this. Add cube, create UVs by U->Reset, add subdivision modifier and shrinkwrap to a sphere to create nicely mapped spheres. Then use UV coordinates for the textures. $\endgroup$
    – kheetor
    Commented May 8, 2018 at 7:53
  • $\begingroup$ I tried something similar but I couldn't figure out how the Texture panel's "scale" and positions controls could be used to not repeat texture and scale properly. I'll try with U-reset this time, but it will be a long process as it needs to be repeated 6-8 times for every object. Is there no way to add the texture with specific margins and placement on whole sphere? $\endgroup$
    – soslearn
    Commented May 8, 2018 at 13:19
  • $\begingroup$ If you start with a cube, it has 6 sides. Each of those sides is going to receive the texture after resetting UVs so you don't want to tile the texture more than that. Afterwards follow this tutorial youtube.com/watch?v=AOn1HXSMMI4 or use subdivision modifier and shrinkwrap. I can post an answer with images later if somebody doesn't beat me to it. $\endgroup$
    – kheetor
    Commented May 8, 2018 at 14:06
  • $\begingroup$ I did convert the cube to a sphere with that method, but apparently I should have applied texture before converting to sphere? Right now this is the best I can do: i.imgur.com/nlmQ7nv.png I want a base texture/material which is slightly glossy, and the numbers to be on top. But for one they are distorted, and secondly they have white background even though my PNG has transparent background. $\endgroup$
    – soslearn
    Commented May 8, 2018 at 14:29

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Sphere or rounded cube, from Generated coordinates, the Image texture can be projected not as FLAT, but drop down and find, BOX. Blend 0.0 is fine for you but you'll need to tweak some polygons in the UV Editor to flip the numbers around correctly.

I'd love to make a video of this if anyone's still having trouble. It's a great question! Also, don't use the image directly as a color; use it to control the FACTOR in a Mix Color Node between two other colors or black and white.

You can also use this image texture to mix between two shaders in a Mix Shader Node. Using a .png directly can lead to odd problems that you don't need to experience. If it's distorting, ensure your modifiers are applied if they distort the mesh.

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  • $\begingroup$ Love this answer—I mostly follow. I think you should make a video because I, for one, think it would be useful to many. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Commented Mar 5, 2020 at 2:47

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