Blender Advice?

[ednadolski]

I'm a raw noob to Blender, so I would like to ask:   Could anyone please advise how to create a textured 3D surface from mapping a photo image?   Basically, I am thinking there ought to be a way to do that for wood railroad ties, to create the grained surface from a photo say like this:






Any thoughts, advice, info, links, tutorials?

TIA,
Ed

[CNR5529]

Just in case you didnt see this @ednadolski, I had included some links to tutorials on UV unwrapping and applying textures with displacement maps a while back, when I first started using blender for similar purposes.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=53831.msg738384#msg738384

To answer your question, you will have to convert your image of the ties into grey scale displacement maps, where the contrast in white and black (and every shade of grey in between) is what dictates the relative depth of the displacement at any given location. If you take a look at existing displacement maps, you will see what I mean. I have managed to make a board and batten texture from scratch this way. Alternatively, there are thousands of free textures and displacement maps online, surely one of the existing wood grain textures will be close enough for your needs.

[timwatson]

What you are trying to do @ednadolski is what I have graduated to but it was a painful process in getting there. If you have skill with technical software then you'll be ok but it's a daunting undertaking. @CNR5529 had some great findings he shared.

This is the series I started watching to get me down the right path.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsTrrO4tWtg

[ednadolski]

Thanks @CNR5529 and @timwatson ,  it does look involved but your info looks like a great starting point.  One thing I am trying to figure at the moment w/Blender is, how to export a model as a .STL file?

(Seems I am also going to have to make a field trip and try to get some better pics of the tie surfaces.)

Ed