# Camera projection on objects

**URL:** <https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728>\
**Category:** Requests\
**Created:** [November 25, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728 "2024-11-25T11:53:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jjoostwoud](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/jjoostwoud/32/16512_2.png) [@jjoostwoud](https://forums.chaos.com/u/jjoostwoud)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/1 "2024-11-25T11:53:37Z")

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Hi there,

I have a question: is it possible to project an image onto an object in Rhino/V-Ray/vantage? In 3ds Max, this can be done, as shown in this video at the 2:09 mark.

It would be fantastic if I could figure out how to achieve this!

Thank you!  
​[https://youtu.be/CURBiaRvdrA?si=HVT6YwB8iY2JKfH-](https://youtu.be/CURBiaRvdrA?si=HVT6YwB8iY2JKfH-)

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**Author:** ![Micha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/micha/32/59168_2.png) [@Micha](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 9:53am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/2 "2024-12-19T09:53:47Z")

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You get a camera mapping if you set the Texture Placement to ‘Environment’ and Mapping to ‘Screen’.

 ![image.png](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/original/3X/6/a/6aea4e90be1ed82bf6e07356cb3ff729bdba4326.png)​

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**Author:** ![jjoostwoud](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/jjoostwoud/32/16512_2.png) [@jjoostwoud](https://forums.chaos.com/u/jjoostwoud)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 12:04pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/3 "2024-12-19T12:04:34Z")

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Hi Micha, thanks for your reaction, but this is not what I meant. This is called camera mapping. But I don’t think it is possible in rhino. The closest could get is to project an image through a rectangular light

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**Author:** ![Micha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/micha/32/59168_2.png) [@Micha](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/4 "2024-12-19T18:09:39Z")

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Ah, I understand. You want a fixed projection. Could be great to get it per V-Ray, so we could get cleaner result than per work around I use since years. Some years before David Rutten wrote a script which do what you want for mesh objects. Here you find the script:

> **[Wish: Camera mapping](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/wish-camera-mapping/1231/10)**
>
> This screenshot shows the custom mapping object in the back.

But if V-Ray support it than I would prefer it. Should be on the wish list. Best you add it here and I vote for it. 😉

[https://chaosvray.ideas.aha.io/?project=VRHINO](https://chaosvray.ideas.aha.io/?project=VRHINO)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Micha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/micha/32/59168_2.png) [@Micha](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/5 "2024-12-19T18:21:13Z")

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And I have one more workaround which works for all kind of objects. I got the idea by the “custom object” mapping at the Rhino thread above.

Since years I use a little toolset to move the focus plane and it contain a script which create a plane parallel to the current camera to show where the focus is. You can use the scrip to create the plane and use this as custom mapping object. I tested it in this moment and it works fine. I suppose so it is what you ask for. 🙂

[https://forums.chaos.com/forum/v-ray-for-rhino-forums/v-ray-for-rhino-wishlist/1097784-save-camera-focus-distance-in-rhino-named-views#post1097889](https://forums.chaos.com/forum/v-ray-for-rhino-forums/v-ray-for-rhino-wishlist/1097784-save-camera-focus-distance-in-rhino-named-views#post1097889)

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**Author:** ![jjoostwoud](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/jjoostwoud/32/16512_2.png) [@jjoostwoud](https://forums.chaos.com/u/jjoostwoud)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/6 "2024-12-20T14:23:36Z")

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Hi Misha, thank you. But this is not what I’m looking for. I render yachts and my goal is to project the seawater on the hull. The reflection from the wake and the horizon. This image is bouncing from the picture to the hull and then back into the camera without using a ground plane. I find it difficult to explain. But It’s good to see in the movie I attached.

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**Author:** ![Micha](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/micha/32/59168_2.png) [@Micha](https://forums.chaos.com/u/Micha)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/7 "2024-12-20T15:25:35Z")

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I have tested it in detail and unfortunately the custom mapping method does not work properly. I had only just discovered it in the Rhino forum, but somehow it doesn’t really work today.

But the method with the script from David Rutten is pretty good and I have used it a few times in the past with exactly the same goals as you. I just realized that the script no longer works properly in Rhino 8 and 9. In Rhino 7, however, everything is as it should be. The mesh should not be too coarse. I have used it in the past to render trains with shiny paint. The bottom mesh was flat under the train and stretched upwards behind the train. Like a typical studio background.

Here is a test scene where I tried it out. Perhaps you still have a Rhino 7 for projecting the UV coordinates. Maybe David can update the script for Rhino 8.

But the best would be if we could use the V-Ray function.  
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 ![image.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/original/3X/f/0/f0611ec05142008f8eb83ca9c7c31f86a4b9970e.jpeg)​

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jjoostwoud](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/chaosprd/user_avatar/forums.chaos.com/jjoostwoud/32/16512_2.png) [@jjoostwoud](https://forums.chaos.com/u/jjoostwoud)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2025, 8:29am UTC](https://forums.chaos.com/t/camera-projection-on-objects/120728/8 "2025-01-17T08:29:26Z")

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Thank you for your time, Micha. I think I’ll try to use Photoshop to do the trick, I think this is getting too complicated for me.
