9

882 Chapter 8: Modifiers
Edge sub-object level of the modifier gives
you handy Ring and Loop tools as well as
buttonstoexpandandshrinktheedgeselection
automatically.
Tip: Creating the pelt seams is more art than
exact science. Visualize the way the mesh
should lie flat, and then select edges so the UVs
can split in a natural way.
3. Go to the Face sub-object level of the modifier
andselectthefacestopeltmap. Toselect
all faces, press
Ct rl +A .Ifyou’renot
pelt-mappingtheentiremesh,youcanskipthis
step.
4. Ifyoumadeanedgeselectioninstep2,click
Map Parameters rollout > Edge Sel To Pelt
Seams. Thiscopiestheedgeselectiontopelt
seams. If you didn’t specif y the pelt seams at
theEdgesub-objectlevelofthemodifier,turn
on Edit Seams or Point To Point Seam and then
specify seams in the viewp orts.
Thepeltseamsappearonthemeshasbluelines.
5. If you’re not pelt-mapping the entire mesh, you
probably want to map a region enclosed by a
peltseam.Clickafacewithintheregiontomap
and then click Exp. Face Sel to Pelt Seams.
This expands the face selection to the full size
of the region defined by the pelt seam.
Note: Yo u c a n p e l t m a p on l y o n e s u c h r e g i o n
at a time.
6. Turn on Pelt, and then adjust the planar
mapgizmothewayyouwant.Youcandoso
manually or automatically with one of the Align
buttons on the Map Parameters rollout. For a
vertical humanoid character facing the Y axis,
try using the Align X button. The ideal result in
theEditUVWsdialog(seestep7)isanoutline
of the object as viewed from the front or back.
Tip: For b est results with cylindrical areas such
as limbs, alig n the plane at right ang les to the
seam of the area to pelt map. For example, if the
seam runs down the back side of a leg, orient
the plane along a line running from the right
side to the lef t side of the leg.
7. On the Map Parameters rollout, click E dit Pelt
Map.
This opens the Edit UVWs dialog, if necessary,
and displays the pelt UVWs and the stretcher
in the editor window. By default, the st retcher
appearsasacircleofpointscenteredonthe
pelt UVWs, with only the st retcher vertices
selected. A ls o, springs, represente d as dashed
lines, connect the stretcher points and the
pelt-seam vertices.
8. If necessary, rotate the Pelt UVs so that the
mapping coordinates are oriented correctly,
and rotate the stretcher s o t hat the springs form
a sy mmetrical pattern. Typically you’re looking
for left-right symmetry.
Tip: Using Ctrl +click adds to the existing
select ion, as in the viewports.
9. On the Pelt Map Parameters dialog, click
Simulate Pelt Pulling.
Thespringscontract,pullingthepeltseam
vertices toward the stretcher points. The
internal UV vertices are also affected by this
action. You can adjust the extent to which
they’re affected with the Decay setting.
10. Continue adjusting the st retcher points,
mapping vertices, dialog sett ings, etc., and
re-running the solution until you get the
desired results. If things get out of hand, simply
undo, or click Reset Stretcher and star t over.
To ex por t tex tur e coordina tes to a pai nt pr ogra m:
1.
Apply the Unwrap UVW modifier to your
object and use the modifier tools to set up the
mapping. Texture-coordinate clusters that will
use the same texture area should overlap.
2. FromtheEditUVWsdialogmenubar,choose
Tools > Render UVW Template.