1. Creating UV Shell

Step 1

Start Maya and open the file that was saved in the last part of the tutorial.

Step 2

With the mesh selected, go to UV > UV Editor to open the UV Editor window.

Step 3

You'll notice a very complicated nested and tangled UV structure of the dinosaur mesh in the UV Editor window. You need to restructure the UV flow to make it one UVs shell.

Step 4

With the dinosaur poly mesh selected, go to UV > Planar command as shown in the following image.

Step 5

You can see the planar unwrapping of the mesh in the UV Editor window as shown in the following image.

Step 6

Select the centre edge loop as shown in the following image.

Step 7

With the centre edge loop selected, go to UV > Cut UV Edges command as shown in the following image.

Step 8

It divides the mesh UVs in two parts. With one face selected, go to Select > Select Shell. It selects the entire shell of that particular side.

Step 9

Turn on Display Shell Border Edges Loops option in the UV Editor window to show the thicker visible edges of the UVs as shown in the following image. 

Step 10

For mirror selection, go to Symmetry drop down menu and select Object X. 

Step 11

With the indicated leg edge loop selected, go to UV > Cut UV Edges command.

Step 12

Following the same way and with the hand edge loop selected, apply Cut UV Edges command as shown in the following image.

Step 13

Following the same way and with the fingers edge loop selected, apply Cut UV Edges command as shown in the following image.

Step 14

Follow the same method for the feet also.

Step 15

With the mouth border edge loop selected, apply Cut UV Edges as shown in the following image.

Step 16

With both upper and lower gum meshes selected, go to Mesh > Combine command to attach them together.

Step 17

In this way, you have created multi shells for unwrapping and relaxing of the UVs.

3. Applying Planar Projection

Step 1

With one indicated shell selected, go to Select > Select Shell command.

Step 2

It selects the entire part of the selected shell as shown in the following image.

Step 3

With the shell selected, go to UV > Planar command and click on its option box.

Step 4

In the Planar Mapping Options window, turn on Bounding box and X Axis radio buttons and then click on Project button to apply the Planar command.

Step 5

You can see the unwrapped shell in the UV editor window. For your ease, move it aside as shown in the following image. 

Step 6

Following the same way, apply the same planar projection for the other side's shell as well.

Step 7

Scale both shells together and evenly.

Step 8

Select the left thigh shell and apply planar projection as shown in the following image.

Step 9

You can see the projected faces of the shell in the UV editor window as shown in the following image.

Step 10

Scale the thigh shell as per the size of the body and as appeared in the UV editor window.

Step 11

Following the same way, apply planar projection map on the rest thigh shells as well.

Step 12

Following the same way, apply the same planar projection for the other side's shell as well.

Step 13

Now, extract the top and bottom shells of the left foot as shown in the following image.

Step 14

Next, extract the right side foot as shown in the following image.

Step 15

Following the same method, extract the hand UVs as shown in the following image.

Step 16

Following the same way, extract the inner mouth shells as shown in the following image.

Step 17

Scale all shells according to the size and ratio. 

4. Optimising and Relaxing UVs Shells 

Step 1

One of the side body shells selected, go to Polygons > Flip command to flip its UVs.

Step 2

With the indicated border edges of the shells selected, press Shift key with Right mouse click and select Sew UVs from the fly out menu. 

Step 3

Both UVs get stitched as shown in the following image.

Step 4

With the UV shell selected, go to Polygon > Optimize command and click on its option box.

Step 5

In the Optimize UVs Options window, turn on Unfold3D radio button and then click on Apply button two or three times to optimize the selected UVs as shown in the following image.

Step 6

In the same Optimize UVs Options window, turn on Legacy (Relax) radio button and Pin UV border option. 

Click on the Apply button to make it relaxed as shown in the following image.

Step 7

Select the UVs around the eyes area and then go to Tool > Smooth UV Tool to relax and unfold the mesh UVs.

Step 8

Following the same way, relax and unfold the UVs around the nose area.

Step 9

Following the same way, unfold, relax and smooth rest of the UVs shells as shown in the following image.