Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
03/04/2025 10:55 am
Hey 3Dmodels community! I'm trying to create a character for a game dev project and I'm absolutely struggling with UV mapping in Maya. I've watched a few tutorials but I just can't seem to get it right. My character's UVs end up looking like a tornado hit them and when I apply textures, some parts look fine while others are stretched or have obvious seams running through important details like the face.
I understand the basic concept (I think?) that I need to "unfold" the 3D model into 2D space for texturing, but I'm really lost on how to properly plan the cuts, unfold them efficiently, and organize them so textures apply correctly.
My workflow so far is just selecting parts, hitting "Automatic Mapping" then "Unfold" and praying, but my results are inconsistent. The face and hands especially are giving me trouble. Any tips or resources that explain this in simple terms? I need a real beginner-friendly approach here!
04/04/2025 3:42 pm
The orange peel analogy really helped me when I first started UV mapping. Imagine taking an orange and peeling it. You need to make cuts in the peel so it can lie flat on a table without overlapping, but you want to keep it as intact as possible.
For characters, you typically want seams in places that aren't as noticeable - under the arms, back of the head, inside of legs, etc. Avoid cutting across the face if possible.
For a beginner workflow, try this:
1. Create camera-based UVs first (UV Editor > Create > Camera Based)
2. Use the Cut tool to make strategic seams
3. Select shells and Unfold them
4. Adjust texel density (Transform > Texel Density)
5. Arrange shells within your 0-1 UV space
Check out this tutorial from Flipped Normals which explains it really well:
Friender reacted
08/04/2025 8:28 pm
I feel your pain... I still struggle with UVs sometimes even after a few years. It's like trying to flatten a balloon without popping it 😂
14/04/2025 8:25 am
For characters I usually plan my seams like this:
- Down the back of the head and neck
- Under the arms
- Inside of the legs
- Bottom of the feet
The key is to hide the seams in places that aren't very visible or where texture discontinuity won't be obvious. Don't stress too much about making them perfect at first - get the basics down and refine from there.
Topic starter
17/04/2025 11:07 am
I appreciate all the answers, but I'm still a bit confused about one thing - when I try to make cuts with the Cut tool, sometimes I end up with weird distortions when I unfold. Am I cutting in the wrong places? And how do I know how many cuts to make?
24/04/2025 7:46 am
Imagine you're trying to flatten a T-shirt onto a table. You'd need to cut along the sides, shoulders, and maybe sleeves to get it to lie flat without stretching.
For your character, you want to make cuts that allow complex curved surfaces to flatten properly. If you're getting distortion after unfolding, it might mean:
1. You don't have enough cuts (can't flatten a sphere without enough cuts)
2. You have contradictory cuts that create impossible unwrapping
A good test: apply a checker texture to your model after mapping. If the checkers look square and evenly sized all over your model, your UVs are good. If they're stretched or squished in areas, you need to adjust those UV shells.