Tutorial2: Import Primstar Sculpt Mesh via Collada

This tutorial is follow up from first tutorial (Using Sculpty Material in Blender 2.5) inside “Blender2.53-Quick-Sculpty-Material.blend” download file you’ve see it has only Sphere 32x32x0 mesh to use.

How can we setup sculpt mesh in Blender2.5 with variety of shape and faces as you working with Primstar in Blender2.49?

The method I use to answer this question is to manualy import sculpt mesh which is what I will show you how to do it in this page. I’ve decide to separate this tutorial into 2 part:

First Part: for beginner who just begin playing with Blender 2.5. You download a provided .blend library and use append command to import mesh. No hassle needed.

Second Part: for real Second Life designer who want to be able to setup every kinds of sculpt mesh. You need to install Blender2.49 and Primstar package separately for exporting purpose.

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First Part: for beginner who want to try sculpty in Blender 2.5

To skip complicated task I have prepared setup 12 sculpt mesh inside “Sculpty-Library.blend” and ready for download here:

>> Download Library <<

You can save it anywhere you want. We will using this file as a sculpt mesh library for Blender 2.5. Inside this file are included with:

Sphere 8x8x0 , 32x32x0
Cylinder 8x8x0 , 32x32x0
Hemi 8x8x0 , 32x32x0
Plane 8x8x0 , 32x32x0
TorusX 8x8x0 , 32x32x0
TorusZ 8x8x0 , 32x32x0

All 12 basic sculpt mesh which imported from Primstar v1.0. If you have no idea what does those numbers AxBxC means. Learn more about Primstar Sculpt Mesh option.

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1. Use Blender 2.5 to open “Blender2.53-Quick-Sculpty-Material.blend” which you got from first tutorial.

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2. I want to show how to import sculpt mesh from library so I will delete the default sphere mesh.

- Right click on Sphere mesh to select it.

- Press key “X” on keyboard to delete.

- Left Click on confirm pop-up to delete mesh.

Your 3D viewport should be left empty without any mesh.

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3. Select Append function and browse to sculpt mesh library file.

- Left click on top left menu select File > Append.

- Browse directory to where you save “Sculpty-Library.blend“

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4. When you Left Click on “Sculpty-Library.blend” it will not load but instead viewing raw data inside. Append function has ability to copy any data from another .blend file to your current working session.

To import sculpt mesh data from library browse to folder name “Object“. You will see list of 12 sculpt mesh inside.

Left click on any sculpt mesh to select and click on top right Link/Append from Library button to confirm import data.

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5. I choose to import TorusX 8x8x0 which is now appear in Blender2.5 workspace as you see in the right screenshot.

To this point we have successful import Primstar sculpt mesh from our custom library ready for modeling and bake into sculpty.

Start from next step will focus on manual import Primstar mesh from old Blender2.49. You should read only if you know why you need it. For a beginner I recommend you to skip reading except the FAQ part at the end of this page.

End of First Part

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Second Part: for an Experienced Sculpty Designer.

If you have been working in Blender 2.49 with Primstar before you’ll know there’s planty of different sculpt mesh you can setup. This part will tech you how to export those mesh from 2.49 and import to Blender2.5.

Requirement: You must have Blender2.49 with Primstar script installed in your machine for exporting. Read how to install Primstar into Blender 2.49 for instruction.

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1. Open Blender 2.49 and delete the default cube.

- Right Click on default Cube.

- Press key “X” on keyboard to delete.

- Left Click on confirm pop-up to delete mesh.

Right now your 3D viewport should be left empty without any mesh.

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2. Hover your mouse over 3D viewport and Press “Spacebar” key and browse to

Add >> Mesh >> Sculpt Mesh

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3. Sculpt Mesh Option appear on the screen. You can start modify any setting you want to setup. (more detail about sculpt mesh options)

In an example I setup mesh with Cylinder 64x16x0

When ready Left Click on Build button to confirm create sculpt mesh.

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4. If no error, you’ll have a custom sculpt mesh appear in the screen.

Right Click on the sculpt mesh again to confirm select object.

PS. In case you want to export many mesh altogether you can do it by repeat add more sculpt mesh into the screen but make sure have them all selected before continue next step.

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5. Let’s do our main job by using Collada Export. From top left menu of Blender2.49 select:

File >> Export >> Collada Export 1.4 (.dae)

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6. A Collada plugin page appear over the screen. You only need to do a few thing in here.

- Click on the “…” button (orange circle in right screenshot) then change filename to you want (but remain .dae as filetype) and browse to where you want file to be save.

- Make “Only Export Selection” button selected (blue circle).

- Then click on the “Export and Close” button (green circle) which appear on the bottom to confirm export.

It should take only a second for exporting. You’ll notice a small sign pop-up “Export Successful” left click on it to close Collada page.

Our work is done you can now close Blender 2.49.

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7. Back to working with Blender 2.5.

Now open file “Blender2.53-Quick-Sculpty-Material.blend” (from first tutorial) so you can working with sculpty material immediately.

Begin import file by select form top left menu..

File >> Import >> COLLADA (.dae)

Browse to file you just exported from last step then Left Click on top right “Import COLLADA” button to confirm.

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8. Completed! you should have a new sculpt mesh appear in Blender2.5 screen.

You can begin modeling or testing bake sculpty texture with sculpty material as describe in the Tutorial1.

End of Second Part.

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FAQ: What’s more you should know?

After done reading this page and start working with an imported sculpt mesh. There’s a few change you must know when working with sculpty material. This info is appy to both user who use append method from .blend library or use collada import.


Question: What size of image file you should use? (Step#6 in Tutorial1)
Answer: Depend vary of you sculpt mesh X&Y faces and resolution. To calculate sculpty image size you double the faces number. See example:

For 32x32x0 ==> Set image to 64×64
For 8x8x0 ==> Set image to 16×16
For 4x256x0 ==> Set image to 8×512

If you enable subdivision for Subsurf/Multires purpose. Double X & Y faces and use last number for multiply times.

8x8x2 ==> Set image to 64×64 (double X,Y and multiply “x2″ two times)
4x16x1 ===> Set image to 16×64 (double X,Y and multiply “x2″ once)
8x32x1===> Set image to 32×128 (double X,Y and multiply “x2″ once)

Still confuse? Just look at the Primstar Setup screen before you export. It will show number of correct Map Size (orange circle) clearly.



Question: Sculpty material disappear when using with imported mesh. (Step#9 in Tutorial1)
Answer: It’s just hiding. Try click on the material icon under Material Selector (green circle) and you should see list there along with other material.



Question: An imported sculpt mesh has no Subsurf/Multires even I choose enable option in Primstar menu?
Answer: When you import sculpt mesh via Collada it will not enable these options. You need to enable it by you own inside Blender2.5 a simple guide post below..

- Swithch to Object Mode
- Right Click to select target sculpt mesh.
- Left Click on the Modifiers button in right panel (in button row)
- Click Add Modifier button and select what you want to use. Select “Subdivision Surface” for subsurf or “Multiresolution” for Multires. (yellow circle)