Complicated model won't 'unfold' in texture editor

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I've made this model - probably badly, I just can't seem to find a way to make it more simple and still get the shape I want:

I want to put a texture only on the front face of the model, so I thought the best way to do that would be to create a UV map for it?

When I put the model's uv's into the UV texture editor and try to 'unfold' it, this happens:

I think I have to unfold it to be able to make a good uv map that I can texture in Photoshop and then apply to my model in Maya?

I am just learning Maya, and would really apprectiate it if anybody has any advice or knows what I should do to make it 'unfold' without going crazy.

Thank you for your time

[damaggio]

Uv takes some time to master, an unfold here won't give you a good result right away, try the automatic map option and then sew together some shells that will be visible at camera , then you can do an unfold to relax the Uvs and then export for texturing.

I quick and dirty way if you are only intersted in one side of the model is to do a camera based UV.

There's tons of tutorials on the net check em out too and keep testing the different options available in Maya.

Best

[LifeArtist]

Hi again ^^

... Is it a repeatable texture ?

If it is ... Then you can select the faces you want and put a new mat on it.

And then you can select the texture for this mat only :S

Regards

Edit:

What I forgot ... to make uv editing a lot more easier you can create a uv snapshot  ( So you can import this map into e.g Paint 😄 -other software ) And then making the texture. Maybe this helps a bit ~

You can find it here: Uv texture editor -> Polygons -> Uv Snapshot

[Anonymous]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply!

I'd watched tonnes of tutorial videos on Lynda and CGMotionBox but couldn't find anything that helped in this particular case. But I tried 'sewing' together the UV's like you said and it worked! The UV's unfolded perfectly.So thank you very much!

But I've now got another annoying problem:

I applied the texture I made (from my painted UV snapshot) to my model, and I can see the texture on the model, but when I try to reposition it in the UV texture editor, my texture doesn't show up at all: 

If anyone knows why this is or what I should do it would be a great help!

I tried to see what would happen when I created a new scene, made a cube, applied the same texture that I had made and that worked - the texture shows up in the uv texture editor:

I dont want to make my arm model all over again, so I'm wondering if there is anything I'm missing?

Thank you very much for your help

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'd done all of that but thank you for trying to help!

I've got another problem, which I have just posted. If you have any ideas of what I can do to fix this issue I will be very grateful.

Thanks again 

[damaggio]

If the texture is not showing in the UV check the menu above TEXTURES and make sure the file you want is checked...if you have several maps like transparency spec reflections they will show up there and you can see each one that is applied to the model.

Make sure the object is selected as well.

Remember to name your textures accordenly , thats a must.

[Anonymous]

I tried this thing called 'UV Texture Editor Baking' - I don't know what it is, but it made my texture show up in the UV Texture Editor. Except now, my texture isn't showing up on my model at all!

As you can see, my texture is selected (I named it 'arm'):

I am so confused, and don't know how to get my texture to show up on my model.

Thank you for your time

[damaggio]

Start over again with a new UV projection , you were in the right track before...and please post larger images is impossible to see what's in there , at least 1k to 2k.