Abstract: This paper describes a new approach to texture mapping. A global method to lower the distortion of the mapped image is presented; by considering a general optimization function we view the mapping as an energy-minimization process. We have constructed an interactive texture tool, which is fast and easy to use, to manipulate atlases in texture space. We present the tool's large set of interactive operations on mapping functions. We also introduce an algorithm which automatically generates an atlas for any type of object. These techniques allow the mapping of different textures onto the same object and handle non-continuous mapping functions, needed for complicated mapped objects.