UV mapping is what allows designers and artists to create interesting motion and still graphic textures for 3D geometry. It bridges the 2D world that motion and still graphics are created in with the 3D world of the geometry.

UV mapping is a three-step process. The first step is the unwrapping of the 3D object into a 2D plane. This unwrapped texture is called a UV map. It is referred to as a map, because much like any other type of map, it takes a 3D object and accurately, and proportionally, creates a 2D reference. This is the same as street maps or world maps, that take the 3D universe and represent them on a 2D plane.

The third step is the application of the texture onto the 3D geometry. This varies depending on the software used.

The combination of these three steps are referred to as UV mapping.

Below is an example of a simple 3D box, and it’s UV map: