turning UV map to mesh?

[se14.6nh]

Hi, while working on independent project, thought it would be cool if i can make the uv map as mesh/curve/any geometry so that i can blendshape it afterwards. ppl say it can be easily done in blender but couldnt find any answer if i can do it with maya(you can take a snapshot of it though), any help?? 

[mspeer]

Hi!

There is no built-in feature for this in Maya

Why not animating the UVs directly with keys?

[mcw0]

I believe you can do this with Bifrost

[g2m.agent]

Here are some solutions I collected:

1. use SoUP mapToMesh node

http://www.soup-dev.com/

In view of the fact that "Soup" is no longer free, and is only rented but not sold. You can ignore it.

2. PickWalker script.

http://lesterbanks.com/2016/03/retopologize-geometry-animation/

It is very old and may no longer be usable.

3. use Maya Transfer Attributes. (**The following content was copied from a forum, and I forgot specifically.)
Maya can actually do this using the attributeTransfer node.
For example, create a polySphere and a polyPlane. Select the plane and shift select the sphere and do Mesh|Transfer Attributes|Options. Vertex position ON, Sample space UV. Apply.
You'll get the sphere layed out on the plane based on the correspondence between their uv's. Obviously this would work better if you first split the sphere along edges that match the uv shell borders.
David

a little tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etQBVkfXmB0

4. Nyro's script:

https://forums.cgsociety.org/t/unfolding-flattening-multiple-polygons/1420028/10

5. Couture, free python script. recommend.

https://lesterbanks.com/2018/10/couture-maya-available/

6. jQuadCloth 0.20, C++ plugin, free now.

https://modelinghappy.com/archives/14930

It is not a real uv to mesh tool, but it can quickly topology clothes models.

[g2m.agent]

you are right.