Mapping logos onto conical surfaces

#1

What is the best method for mapping a logo onto a conical shape? Planar mapping isn’t accurate since it just projects the logo from one direction. Cylindrical mapping also squeezes the top and distorts the logo! Is this a case where UV mapping is needed?

Example%20Image
Example Image.jpg512×512 20 KB

#2

Hello Christopher,

Yes, this is an area where UV mapping would help.

Planar projection:

planar
planar.jpg1080×1080 219 KB

Cylinder projection:

cylinder
cylinder.jpg1080×1080 213 KB

UV mapping setup:

UV%20seams
UV seams.png767×649 156 KB
UV%20front
UV front.png923×708 180 KB

1 seam along the back, one along the base. I didn’t include any direction guides for this.

UV mapping result:

UV
UV.jpg1080×1080 219 KB

Note that as you make the logo larger (or the cone more “squashed”), you might get a more distorted result even with UV mapping.

UV%20large
UV large.jpg1080×1080 235 KB

6 Likes
#3

Excellent and helpful reply here! Love to see this.

3 Likes
#4

Thanks Calvin, appreciate your response! Very thoughtful and clear.
Will look into using Rhino or blender to create a UV map, since SolidWorks doesn’t support that.

#5

Hey Christopher,

I actually modeled that cone in SolidWorks and used KeyShot’s built in UV unwrapping tool. For something like your beaker example, that should be totally doable without having to involve a third program.

PixelFondue has a nice 1 minute tutorial: https://youtu.be/ADv_MwWCi1M?si=oD-g25Kshf8Yqfxd

And Will (made an appearance earlier in this thread) has a great deep dive here:

#6

I had no idea Keyshot had a UV tool. Thanks for pointing this out - I appreciate the video links!