# Surface & UV Mapping

***

### Texture Mapping

This adjusts how your texture wraps around your object. There are Box, Sphere, Plane, and per Polygon mapping options under the dropdown.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2FR75YVoSmsAR0qkLCkKEi%2FTexture%20Mapping%20option.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=4a197f19-653f-4791-8eca-855cc69a28fd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**UV mapping vs. Box**\
For example, to the left is the difference between the default UV mapping and the Box (Preserve Aspect Ratio) option. The checkerboards are overlayed just to show the difference in which they wrap.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2FTnJW3o1CUkyLLFByhXjw%2FUV-differences-thumb(1).jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=f34ec408-33db-4513-8e70-68a24bee295a" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

### UV REPEAT

Adjust how many times the the material will repeat. This will tile the material.

<figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2FUurlbB6qOLWBJ838RdKd%2FUV%20Repeat%20option.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=de20fe78-5c9f-4599-b7a0-3ce862159be3" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

### UV OFFSET

Shifts the position of the texture.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2F3ple2e52Yk3fOsUdYAMn%2FUV%20offset%20option%20thumb.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=c89d3c1c-8e1d-46cc-8771-4fbe9cdda937" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

***

### AUTO NORMALS

This auto-calculates the normals for shading based on a mesh’s geometry. This can be used as a solution to generate smoothing if your model was not able be exported with smoothing groups or normals. This may prove helpful in many scenarios, although it is more efficient to have the normals and smoothing fixed before importing into Element.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://2307539615-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVXPIT6wWK7VeTYMAHNYe%2Fuploads%2F2ySXx8B8p05adtKzjEZY%2Fnormals%20general%20thumb.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=c083fc7e-0906-488b-b2c4-206e6f56d39d" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

For more info and uses for Auto Normals and Edge Threshold see [3D Object Troubleshooting](https://www.videocopilot.net/help/element/help_files_v2/importing_3d_objects_into_element_3d/3d_object_troubleshooting/) and [Exporting 3D Objects for Element 3D](https://www.videocopilot.net/help/element/help_files_v2/importing_3d_objects_into_element_3d/exporting_3d_objects_for_element_3d/).

***

### EDGE THRESHOLD

Adjusts the angle at which auto normals will generate a sharp edge.

***

### INVERT NORMALS

Inverts all polygon normals.