UV Mapping In Maya

This is the return of the most tedious task in 3D modelling, UV unwrapping. This time around it was done in Maya instead of last years 3ds Max. After finishing the Mudbox version of the golem I imported a lower poly version of it back into Maya. The reason for this is because the amount of poly's that would have to be taken into account for the high poly model would be over 33,000! The lower poly version is around 6,000 but it will still have the amount of detail that the high poly model will have for the textures.







This task was much easier in Maya than in 3ds Max, because you don't have to register every polygon individually and scale it. You treat the polygons as like a 2D cloth in pieces to peace it together. The way that I UV-unwrapped the model is by taking one part of the model and splitting it down the middle (like vertically down the middle of the arms). Once in two parts the polygons are then smoothed out into a flat plane and scaled right to size the planes are then sowed together in one of the cuts of where you want the texture rip to not be visible.

This tactic also applies to most of the model including the arms, legs and torso. However the hands, fingers, the head and the feet have a bit more complicated. Some specific features need individual parts to get there own mapping. Next week I will finish the mapping of the model and start texturing.