With this article we would like to introduce you to the basics of UV mapping (very important process to create a 3D configurator). We use the 3D software Maya from autodesk.
According to Wikipedia, UV mapping means “…a geometric manufacturing process for the production of a 2D image representing a 3D model”,
UV mapping is a technique for applying a 2D texture to a 3D object. U and V denote the axes of a 2D image, while X, Y and Z denote 3D modelled objects. A 2D image is wrapped around a 3D object. UV mapping distributes polygons of a 3D model to a 2D layer to map the texture to it.
UV Mapping in Maya.
Maya contains many useful functions for UV mapping projections such as planar, automatic or spherical camera-based UVs. You can use any of the above options according to your needs.
Suggestions for UV Mapping.
Display any object in the UV room. You will be able to apply textures to any object area.
Stretching is often difficult with UV mapping. It often becomes problematic when polygons are laid differently than their actual shape. To avoid expansion, you should check you model with the Control Map. You should also check that the checkers look square and evenly distributed. The quality of the product depends on how well the UVs are placed.
The overlap means that one UV passes over another UV. Most of the time, you don`t need overlaps at the end of the process, so you can paint your texture over the entire surface of the model separately.
Reduce UV space.
Arrange UVs in the layout and optimize as much as possible. Do not place large spaces between objects. The resolution of the haptics remains high and clean when it comes to reducing the UV space.
Seams.
Seams are the places where you cut out your 3D model so that it can be unpacked in 2D. As a result, few seams are accessible, making it easy to texture the model.
Tests with the Checkers Map.
When you create UVs, check whether they work well or not. To test the UV mapping it is best to use the Tillable Checker Map on a 3D object. Testing on a Checker Map is very useful because it shows where exactly a correction is needed.
UV mapping for face modeling.
The following image shows a face model in Maya:
For the uv mapping of faces, follow the path Create UVs > Planar Projection and then perform projection on the Z-axis.
You will then need to apply the Checker Map Texture to the face to see the current UV layout.
This projects the face and it looks quite good from the front:
In the last step you select the edges of the surface.
To cut the UVs, go to Edit > Cut UVs in the next step. Then select Horizontal and Vertical and click Apply.
These steps lead to the following image.
You have now become acuainted with the working process of UV mapping in Maya.
We hope you found this blog post helpful. If you still have any questions, please feel free to contract us by e-mail at marketing@viscircle.com. We will answer you as soon as possible.
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