UV Texture Layout

UV texture mapping is a necessary part of completing a model. UVs provide space for painted images to be placed on your model. In Maya, using UVs goes beyond texture mapping. Having good UVs also provides you with a surface to paint skin weight maps, fur attributes, and simulation parameters. UV mapping has been simplified in Maya to a couple of tools and can be done very rapidly.

UVs are often looked at as tedious and difficult but a necessary evil. There is a lot of truth to this; however, UV mapping has a strong purpose and should be looked at as an important part of the process. UV mapping is a lot like wrapping a present, where you have a flat sheet of paper that needs to go around an awkwardly shaped object with as few seams as possible.