UV EDITING

 This is basics of uving in Maya it was a very tedious process which reacquired me to use a guide to complete throughout it I learnt these basic skills which helped me uv my sword. The uv editor allows me to unfold my model so it when I add textures or colours or even normal maps they will not stretch.

 After getting my model into the uv editor I select the entire model and go into the uv drop down menu and select planar mapping what planar mapping allows me to do is select the axis on which there is a camera for each axis there is x y and z I have done a really quick sketch on what this is.

     For example when you select z the camera it will look down on your model allowing you to edit it from the top same for x it will look at the from of your model.

Now I am at the stage which is important where we are dissembling the model into pieces by unfolding it I select the entire model press the uv button then shift right click to then unfold it this opens the entire model up and lets us see inside. Now we have to sow it back together. you select all the edges and then use the move and sow key.

    After using that key the model will be quite messy with small oddities like parts out of place this is when you go over it with the select tool and use the align selected uv tools to neaten them and bump out any oddities.

 These are my full uvs all clean unfolded and sown back together not touching each if the uvs where to touch each other any texture on one would pass over onto the other overlapping and can cause some lighting problems. This was a very long process and it was tedious to get through but with the help of the guide I know to create basic uvs for in the future. now I have uved my model I can now colour and start texturing it.