Prepare a UV mesh for unfolding

To prepare a UV mesh for unfolding

  1. Ensure your polygon model has UVs.

    Perform an initial UV mapping operation to produce a UV mesh. You can create UVs using any UV mapping technique. See Mapping UVs.

  2. Perform a Mesh Cleanup, particularly for non-manifold geometry. You can either do this from Mesh > Cleanup or by activating the Fix Non-Manifold Geometry option in the Unfold options.
    Note: When Maya sends your UV mesh to Unfold, it sends a triangulated mesh. There are currently edge cases involving non-planar faces that may cause non-manifold scenarios in the triangulated mesh.
    If Unfold detects non-manifold geometry in your UV mesh, a Fix non-manifold geometry dialog appears with the following options:
    • Fix: Automatically runs Mesh > Cleanup in an attempt to repair your mesh before calling the Unfold operation.
    • Ignore: Does not run Mesh > Cleanup before calling the Unfold operation.
    • Abort: Stops the Unfold operation, giving you the option to manually fix your mesh.
    If clicking Fix doesn't produce any results, it's possible the triangulation is causing the error.
    Workaround: You can try the following steps to flag the non-manifold geometry, so you can select it and fix it:
    • Select Mesh > Triangulate.
    • Run Mesh > Cleanup.

      In the Cleanup Options window, ensure Select matching polygons and Nonmanifold geometry are selected.

  3. Apply the checker pattern shader. See Apply the checker pattern shader to a UV mesh.

    When the checker pattern looks even, this indicates that the spread of UVs is even. An even spread of UVs is important to avoid texture warping when you apply your texture. In some cases you may need to experiment with different mappings to give you the best base to start with.

  4. Perform edge cuts on your UV mesh, either by manually cutting edges on the UV mesh, or by using the Auto Seams command.

    Anticipate that cuts will result in texture mismatches along edges, and locate edges on the model where they are least visible. For example, make cuts under the arms or on the back of the legs of a character.

    Once you are satisfied with the cuts you’ve made, you are ready to unfold the UV shell. See Unfold a UV mesh.

Related topics

Parent topic: Unfolding a UV mesh