Camera Projection Mapping: What Actually Works
Projecting a painted or photographed image onto simple 3D geometry from a camera so it can be viewed with limited camera movement.
Imogen Clarke
What is at stake
Projection turns a single image into a scene with parallax, used in matte painting and visual effects at a fraction of full 3D cost.
The playbook
- Plan camera moves before painting
- Build simple geometry that matches the image
- Paint extra coverage for revealed areas
- Use several projections for bigger moves
- Check stretching at the ends of moves
Where it goes wrong
Avoid:
- Large camera moves on one projection
- Geometry that does not match the image
- Visible stretching on edges
- Projecting low-resolution images
The numbers behind it
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Projection | an image is mapped from the camera onto geometry |
| Limits | moving far from the projection camera reveals stretching |
| Nuke | includes 3D projection tools for compositing |
| Blender | the UV Project modifier can project textures from objects |
Getting outside help
When to hand it over: Bring in help when matte paintings must support camera movement.
Where this comes from
- Foundry — Nuke User Guide
- Blender Foundation — Blender Manual: UV Project modifier
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
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Where to go next
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