Introduction to Maya 2025: UV Toolkit

Texturing Fundamentals using Maya & ZBrush with Eric Keller

Mastering the creation, editing, and layout of UV texture coordinates is fundamental for anyone involved in modeling and texturing. These coordinates are essential as they dictate how 2D textures map onto 3D surfaces, playing a pivotal role in nearly every computer graphics pipeline, from gaming to visual effects, and even motion graphics. Maya's UV Toolkit offers a comprehensive suite of tools, refined across numerous software updates. This workshop provides an in-depth analysis of the toolkit, examining each tool, option, and setting available, along with insights into the UV Editor itself.

The detailed tutorial begins with the first 11 chapters focusing on a thorough walkthrough of the UV toolkit. Instructor Eric Keller explains and demonstrates each function from the top of the interface to the bottom, detailing the UV Editor's layout and highlighting special tools found on the UV Editor shelf. From chapters 12 to 17, he shifts to a practical application using a character model to demonstrate how these tools are utilized in real-world scenarios. 

You'll learn how UVs are created and laid out for different parts of a model, including the body and clothing. Remember, the methods to create and arrange UVs vary greatly depending on the end use of the model. While these examples showcase the toolkit in action, they are not prescriptive but rather illustrative of various techniques. In the concluding chapter, Eric shares some advanced tips and strategies for managing UV texture coordinates in Maxon’s ZBrush.