Get started with XGen interactive grooming

Here is a quick overview of the main steps for creating hair and fur using interactive groom tools.

1. Select the character mesh or the faces of the character mesh on which you want to generate hair and fur.
   Tip: If you are creating hair on a character's head, create a mesh of the scalp region only and select that mesh object.
2. Select Generate > Create Interactive Groom Splines > .

   In the Interactive Groom Splines Options window, you might need to adjust Density, Length, Width and CV Count settings to suite the type of hair or fur you want to create. For example, for long hair, increase the default Length and the CV count values.

   You can also make these adjustments later on using other the Scale modifier and description node attributes or by sculpting with the interactive grooming brushes.

   See Create hair and fur using interactive grooming tools.

   Tip: Switch to the Interactive Groom workspace by selecting Windows > XGen- Interactive Groom. This optimizes the Maya interface configuration for working with the tools and windows used for grooming.
3. By default, descriptions are also created with Sculpt and Scale modifiers. When you start sculpting using the interactive groom brushes, the Sculpt modifier stores and applies the effects to the hairs. You can determine how modifiers affect the hairs in your groom using the Interactive Groom Editor. For example:
   • Globally increase or decrease the length of each hair by adjusting the Scale modifier Scale attribute.
   • Increase or decrease the effects of the grooming tool strokes, by selecting the Sculpt modifier and adjusting the Sculpt Layer weight control slider.
   • By default, Sculpt modifiers have one sculpt layer, but you can add more by selecting Add Sculpt Layer.

   Sculpting layers are useful for blending the effects of the different interacting grooming tools. One way you can use them is to create the base hair shape for you groom on the default sculpt layer. Add more sculpt layers and isolate the strokes and effect of each grooming tool to the new layers. Then, use the layers' slider controls to blend the weights of the layer to influence the overall look of the groom.

   See Work with sculpt layers.

4. Select an interactive grooming tool from the XGen shelf or by selecting one from the Generate > Interactive Grooming Tool menu.

   Begin sketching out the base shape of the hair or fur by using the following tools:

   • Comb tool () , to drag through hairs to change their direction and orientation as you work toward a base shape.

     If you find that hairs are interpenetrating the surface of the character mesh, turn on Collide with Mesh in the tool settings.

     Also, turn on Symmetry so that your brush strokes reflect from one side of a model to the other. See Interactive grooming Display and Symmetry Settings.

   • Grab tool () to shape hair by pulling or pushing a selection of hair.
   • Smooth tool (), to apply a straightening effect to the hairs or to blend their orientation.
   • Freeze tool () to lock hair CVs in certain areas so they cannot be modified while you groom. Freezing hairs is also a good way to create a hair part.
   Tip: Press the B key to adjust the brush Size and M key to adjust the brush Strength.
5. Break up the uniform shape of each hair and make them appear more natural by adding a 3D noise effect. To do this, in the Interactive Groom Editor, select the description node, click Add Modifier, and select Noise.

   Maya adds a Noise modifier node the description, applies noise globally. To add noise effects to areas locally, use the Noise tool. See Working with interactive grooming modifiers.

6. Using the other interactive grooming tools, add more details and effects to specific areas of the hair.
   • Reproduce the natural clumping effect of real hair using the Clumping tool ().
   • Trim the hair length or remove stray hair strands using the Cut ().
   • Thicken or thin hair and fur using the Density tool (). For example, use this tool to thin out the hair around the mouth, eyes, and ears of animal characters.

     See Control the density and width of the hairs.

   • Break up the uniform flow of hair and fur using the Part tool (). This tool is useful for directing the orientation of the hairs in areas where hair rubs together, such as in skin folds or limb joints.
   Tip: Press Shift +RMB to quickly switch between interactive grooming tools using the marking menu. Right-click to access the marking menu for the selected tool.

   For more information on the available grooming brushes, see Interactive Grooming Tools and Interactive Grooming Tool settings.

7. As you finalize your groom, add more task-specific modifiers to control the behavior of the hairs. For example, you can:
   • Add a Displacement modifier to increase the accuracy of hair generated on mesh surfaces that have displacement maps. See Interactive Groom Modifiers.
   • Shape the hair in multiple descriptions using the same set of hair guides. See Control multiple descriptions using a Guide or Linear Wire modifier.
   • Apply dynamic effects to the hairs using a Linear Wire modifier. See Simulate hair using a Linear Wire modifier .
8. Adjust the hair color by adjusting the hair shader settings.
9. When satisfied with the final look, you can render the result. You can also convert the hair to an Alembic cache file.