Smooth shading problem

[smile2547]

Hi, I have literally just started using Maya this week. So far, for what I'm doing, I've had no problems until now. I'm trying to model lips and want them to be shaded in so I can see them properly, with smooth shading - normally I'd just press '5', but instead of shading as expected, it adds diagonal lines across the polygons (See screen shot).

I'm not sure how clear I am being, but the desired view is that shown in the 'front' view. All other views show the problem..

Has anyone else come across this before and no how to fix it. I think I clicked something by accident because it was fine earlier, I just have no idea what I've clicked and how to unselect whatever it is..

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

It looks like it's been two weeks since you have posted this, and I am sorry that no one posted back to you. I just stumbled across this today. While I don't know the math behind it, the weird triangles that you are seeing are not an issue. If you were to switch over to perspective view and made that full screen, those triangles would go away. You'd actually see them in the Front screen if you are focused on perspective. Those triangles are not a problem. 🙂