Quad draw only snapping to default mesh preview, not smooth mesh

[Anonymous]

I'm having this issue where the quad draw tool isn't snapping to the live mesh when it is in smooth preview. I did a bit of troubleshooting and thought it might have been a problem with the transforms, my settings, maybe I hadn't deleted my histories. It turns out that the vertices are snapping seamlessly to the surfaces of the mesh but only in the default preview not when smooth mesh preview is turned on.

Left picture shows the mesh in the default mode where the quad draw has snapped perfectly to the surface, but when it's in the smooth preview (in the right pic) the vertices sit away from the mesh.

To note, I am quad drawing in smooth mesh preview to retopologise my mesh. I have no clue how to fix this, is it something in the settings I am missing? 

(I'm using student version of 2020 Maya)

Thanks!

[brentmc · Accepted solution]

Hi,

QuadDraw will only snap the the actual mesh, not the smoothed display mesh.

However, it is easy to make a smoothed copy for QuadDraw:

1) Duplicate your original mesh

2) Mesh > Smooth

3) Adjust the smooth mesh divisions (3 or 4 should be enough)

Now you can use QuadDraw on the smoothed copy of your original mesh.

--

Brent

[mihirsbcc]

Smooth Mesh Preview,   as it says only for preview for us. So not only in your case but, there are many other scenarios where some tools will not work unless you have the actual polygons.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much! I feel a bit silly for not realising this myself but the smoothed copy worked perfectly.

[mihirsbcc]

Is all cool man... it is a part of this line.