Maya: Unwrapping

What us UV Unwrapping?

UV unwrapping is the process of flattening a 3D model’s surface into a 2D layout. The 2D layout is called a UV map. This allows textures (images) to wrap around 3D shapes correctly.

What does UV stand for?

U” and “V” represent the 2D texture coordinates
“X”, “Y”, and “Z” are already used for 3D space
U = horizontal, V = vertical in texture space
2D map, or UV layout, of a 3D model's surface

WHY DO I NEED TO UNWRAP MY MODEL?

Ensures textures fit models properly
Prevents stretching and distortion
Needed for game engines, baking, and material setup

UV Editor interface

UV Space – This is where your model’s UVs are laid out. Make sure all UVs are inside the highlighted square before exporting.
UV Toolkit – This contains all of your UV unwrapping tools.
You can enable the checkered map here to check for stretching or distortion.
These options let you change how your UVs are displayed.

What do the UV tools do?

Cut

Splits a UV shell along selected edges.
Creates a seam where the texture can separate, allowing complex surfaces to flatten without stretching.
Use in hidden or natural areas to hide seams.

Sew

Joins matching edges of separate UV shells.
Helps make a continuous surface for texturing.
After sewing, you may need to Unfold to reduce distortion.

Unfold

Automatically spreads UVs to reduce stretching.
Works on a UV shell to make checker textures appear even.
Useful after cutting or modifying UVs.

Optimise

Adjusts UVs to further reduce distortion after unfolding.
Smooths out uneven spacing without changing shell shape.
Often used iteratively with Unfold.

Locks selected UVs or edges in place during unfolding or optimization.
Keeps important areas fixed while adjusting others.
Useful for borders or corners that must stay aligned.

Orient

Rotates UV shells to align them logically in the UV space.
Helps maintain consistent texture direction and reduces rotation for layout.
Often applied before straightening or packing shells.

Straighten

Aligns UV edges horizontally or vertically.
Ideal for mechanical or planar surfaces to keep textures neat.
Avoid over-straightening organic shapes to prevent distortion.

Layout

Automatically arranges UV shells within the 0–1 UV space.
Packs shells efficiently and applies consistent padding.
Ensures good texture space usage and reduces overlaps.

How to Unwrap in Maya

Prepare the mesh

Freeze transforms. Modify >> Freeze Transformations.
Delete history. Edit >> Delete by Type >>History
Clean-up bad geometry, click here to see how

Info: If you do not clean up your geometry you can run into issues when it comes to unwrapping

2. Open UV tools and a checker

Open UV Editor. UV >> UV Editor
Open the UV Toolkit. Keep it docked
Assign a checker material. (This will allow you to see any distortions in your unwrap) Select the small checkered box on the top right of the UV editor
Any you select, the unwrap will appear in the UV editor

Open UV editor

Checker Map

3. Apply a Projection

Choose a projection method based on the mesh shape:

Select your object or selection of faces >> UV >> Then select one of the following

Planar Projection: For flat surfaces like walls or panels.
Camera Projection: Will show the object from the camera view into the UV editor. This is a good starting point in most cases.
Cylindrical Projection: For arms, legs, or pipes.
Spherical Projection: For round objects like heads or spheres.
Automatic Projection: For complex meshes where multiple projections are needed.

Info: Automatic projection is not a good projection to rely on

4. Cuts

Now it is time to determine where to make cuts. Start by analysing your model and identifying its separate parts.

For example, a chair can be split into the seat and the legs. We will work on these parts individually.

When making a cut, place it in less visible areas, such as the underside of the chair or along the back. Natural edges and corners are also good locations.

To make a cut:

Select the edges you want to cut.
In the UV Editor Toolkit, click Cut.
The edges you cut will now appear white in the UV Editor.

5. Unfolding

Unfolding redistributes UVs to minimise stretching.

Select a UV shell in the UV Editor.
Click Unfold in the UV Toolkit.
Adjust Options: You can pin borders or constrain shell edges if you want certain seams to remain fixed.

Explanation: Unfold spreads the UVs evenly across the surface, keeping checker squares uniform.

6. Stitching

Sometimes you have multiple shells that should form a continuous surface.

Select matching edges across shells.
Click Sew in the UV Toolkit.
Re-unfold if necessary to fix distortions introduced by sewing.

Tip: Keep seams where they will be least visible, like under arms, inside legs, or on the back of a hard surface.

7. UV Layout

Once you have unwrapped your model you need to lay them out appropriately before exporting your model.

Select your UV shells
In the UV toolkit select layout. This will layout all the shells within the 0 - 10 UV space
You can stack similar UV's to save space
Ensure your UV shells are not overlapping

Resources

Page updated

Report abuse