|
With the preparation stages done you are now ready to unwrap the model.
We will do this by applying both the UVW Map and the Unwrap UVW modifiers repeatedly, once each to every section of the model.
To avoid scrolling through the modifier list each time, press the Configure Modifer Sets button below the Stack and turn on Show Buttons, then press it again to choose UV Coordinate Modifiers.
|
a) Select map-able polygon area (for Cylindrical, Planar, or Spherical map).
The planar UVW Map modifier creates a flat gizmo that “projects” the 2D art of a texture map parallel to its surface (and so is good for very litle on a person aisde from the bottom of shoes or, for very simple unwraps, the hands).
The Cylindrical map wraps the projection around long, round forms, and is best for most areas of the human body: the arms, legs, chest, undercarriage, shoulder, neck and head.
We will start with the arm.
|
Unwrapping the Arm
Choose the Polygon sub-object level and select all the arm polygons.
|
b) Apply the UVW Map modifier.
This modifier always requires 5 steps:
1. Activate Gizmo sub-object level, to see the yellow and green lines.
|
2. Make “regular” (give the map even dimensions) by hitting the Spherical option and then back to Planar. Then choose the final mapping type (in this case, Cylindrical).
|
3. Adjust orientation so the UVW map follows the overall direction of the selected polys. If the surface is flat, rotate the planar UV Map to be parallel with the surface. if teh surface is cylindrical, like this arm, rotate the cylindrial UV Map so it fits as neatly around the cylinder as you can make it.
Check front, side and top views of the UV Map to be sure they are all rotated in the direction of the selected surface!
|
4. Set the Pupik and Green Line: Note a green line and a small extra line sticking from a side (I call it “pupik,” Yiddish for bellybutton, and so should you). Pupiks indicate the “up” direction. In Planar put the green to the pupik’s right or textures will be reversed. For Cylindrical maps, the green line is where the seams will appear.
Use the Alignment parameter and Rotate transform tool. For arm unwrapping, rotate to point the pupik toward the shoulder and green line down, so the seam will be on the inside of the arm. Similarly, the leg seam should be in the thigh, and with half a body the green line on the torso and head should be on the empty side.
|
5. Scale the gizmo: Cylindrical maps are scaled to fix
checker pattern stretching. Planar maps are scaled
so that the entire object fits inside the gizmo.
|
c) Apply the Unwrap UVW modifier.
Hit the [Edit] button in the parameters to open the Edit UVWs dialogue.
|
Note the Reference Mapping is not visible (the scaled dot of UVs placed outside of the 0-1 square in step [1]c). This is because the Unwrap UVW modifier was only applied to the arm, and so only the arm UVs will be visible.
Hit the Select by Element option on the bottom and use the Move tool in the upper left to move the arm UVs outside of the 0-1 space. Do not scale them or in any other way adjust the arm UVs until all the body has been unwrapped.
Close the Edit UVWs dialogue.
|
d) Bake the Unwrap UVW and UVW Map modifiers into the mesh by right-clicking the model to Convert to Editable Poly.
|
You have now successfully unwapped the arm of the model!
Choose another area to map (step [2]a) and repeat until all parts are unwrapped. On the next page, see the other parts of the model unwrapped.
When all areas have been unwrapped, confirm that no polys were missed by applying Unwrap UVW at the object level and check to be sure the entire Reference Map is gone, and only the hand-unwrapped pieces are visible.
|
Unwrapping the Leg and Chest
Use cylindrical mapping to unwrap the leg, chest, and undercarriage.
Note the half-chest cylindrical map is centered with the green line outside the model.
Move each piece outside of the zero-to-one square.
|
Unwrapping the Shoulder, Neck and Head
Cylindrical unwrap the shoulder, neck and head. Keep the green line “outside” the selection cyclinder.
|
Unwrapping the Foot
Cylindrical unwrap around the foot. Planar unwrap foot bottom.
For boxy shoes like this, planar map the top as well.
|
Unwrapping the Hand
Cylindrical unwrap the wrist.
Fingers and palm can be cylindrical unwrapped, or for simpler unwraps try planar mapping the entire top and bottom (for when the sides of the hand will not be seen up close). The top and bottom of the hand UVs are separated later.
|
Each part of the body is now unwrapped.
In the next page of this tutorial we will usefully organize the map
before exporting and painting the texture art.
|
