In 3D view select one polygon and use select connected to select whole shet, move it to side and repeat with the rest. After that simply snap the shets on correct seams :)

Relax "Pin border points" have help also :)

Tihomir

or watch a good tutorial for more complex unwrapping and relaxing :) http://www.cineversity.com/tutorials/lesson.asp?tid=925 Andy

tantarus, Thanks for the reply, but I want to cut the areas in red so I can learn how to do this. I am just trying on this simple sphere before I try on a more complex object like a head for e.g. Can you explain this in simpler step by step? andyvxaraya, Thanks for the link. That is a great tutorial by Kai Pederson but for a newbie like me it skips a bunch of steps like how to define seams on mesh and a buch of others. What I would like is a step by step of how to do that from modeling in C4D to final UV in Bodypaint. Maybe Kai Pederson Could help me. Do you know where I can contact him? Thanks

For a simple model like that I would select the first group of polygons and use Cinema's set selection. Repeat for the remaining groups. Use Cinema's UV interactive mapping to map the various polygon selections. Adjust positioning of the individual selections and scale as needed.

Getting to grips with using polygon selection tags will save you loads of time on more complex models.

All the above is not really needed for a simple sphere though - a texture ratio of 2:1 will suffice and when applied to the sphere will map ok. 

Looks like you're wanting to use the LCSM unwrapping in BodyPaint. 3DKiwi has a video tutorial at C4D Cafe which is an addendum to his excellent DVD on BP. The tutorial is free though, so you could have a look at that.

Step by step: Define seams using edge select in the modeler, select all the edges you want to be your seams. switch to uv editor select all polys that you want to map, go to uv mapping tab, Relax UV subgroup. check the Cut Selected Edges checkbox and hit apply. Pretty simple once you get the hang of it. 10.5 adds a new unwrap method which is supposed to be more accurate which uses the same steps.

If you want to learn UV mapping in BP. Get 3DKiwi BP tutorial DVD, excellent training :)

Tihomir

Quote - Step by step: 1. Define seams using edge select in the modeler, select all the edges you want to be your seams. 2. switch to uv editor select all polys that you want to map, 3. go to uv mapping tab, Relax UV subgroup. 4. check the Cut Selected Edges checkbox and hit apply. Pretty simple once you get the hang of it. 10.5 adds a new unwrap method which is supposed to be more accurate which uses the same steps.

1. Ok I did this using the "Polygon Edge" tool. 2. I selected the "UV Polygon Edit Tool" and selected all of the polygon's I wanted to UV. 3. Now Thanks

Sorry, turn off pin border points. Didn't realize that was checked by default. oh and I forgot a step, first you want to flat map your uv before you do any of the rest of the stuff.

LMcLean: Using relax introduces distorted UV's so I dont think you did anything wrong. Relaxing UV's is ok for removing overlapping UV's - for a sphere I can't see the point!

The old fashioned method of using  polygon selections take a little longer but usually produces better results.

Step by step: 1. Define seams using edge select in the modeler, select all the edges you want to be your seams. 2. switch to uv editor select all polys that you want to map, 3. go to uv mapping tab, Relax UV subgroup. 4. Deselect "Pin Border Points" then check the "Cut Selected Edges" checkbox and hit apply. ___________________________ Q. OK so I added the "turn off pin border points" but what do you mean "first you want to flat map your UV before you do any of the rest of the stuff." Sorry this is quite vague could you explain? Q. Shouldn't the map look something like my diagram? Thanks

the issue is that right now your mapping is split up in 6 overlapping pieces based on sphere type you picked. basically its mapped like a cube is, so in order to do an unwrap you first have to start with the uv map as one continuous mesh, thats why you need to flat map it first. dont worry about the fact that you are just pancaking the uv map, only after you do this can you do the unwrap steps. the others are right though that a sphere will not unwrap really accurately, but I agree this is good practice for doing a head or something rounded like that.

for the unwrapped map to look like in your diagram, you must select correct edges first - i think you're not doing this right.. admittedly selecting the correct ones is slightly more complex than in your first example.. lets see.. your last diagram has 14 sides/edges (3poys in each, say).. divided by two (when they are 'stitched' in real model) means you have to select 7 edges in total but (in your first picture) you're only selecting 4 and the top-middle one doest look right!! so the question is: where are the rest? :) find them, select and then you would have solved the puzzle :)

Oh I understand. So what I see in my above image is a UV of one side of the 6 sides. That makes sense. So please help me. You say i need to start with the UV as one continuous mesh. So When I cut the mesh at the beginning that shouldn't have beend one yet. Your instructions said to "Define Seams using edge select" where I want my seams so this should come later. Q. So would I be correct in saying I need to flat map it first. Should flat mapping come before step #1? Q. Could you please explain how to flat map the sphere? and after I flat map the sphere what is the next step? Thanks

yes flat map before step one. to flat map, select the whole sphere, go to UV Mapping - Projection and hit the Flat button. you can do it also with interactive mapping, and be able to align the plain percisely but no need to do that for this exersize.

OK, thanks for the excellent help. I am at the point of selecing the edges. Do I select edges in Bodypaint UV edit and if so how do I select the edges in there? I seem to be able to select whole polys only in BP UV edit. or do I go back into modeling mode and select the edges there? It would be nice to be able to select the edges in Bodypaint if possible. Does it matter? Thanks

its easier to select the edges in the modeler simply becouse those buttons are already there, and edge mode is easy to select. But saying that, it is important to note that C4D is probably the most customizable tool on the market and pretty much all of the tools are availible to you in any layout you are in. since I use edge mode a fair amount in uv edit mode, I added edge tool buttons to the interface. but you don't even have to, you can switch to edge mode under Tools - c4d tools. then you can select edges, no problem. and all the advanced tools like Loop, Ring and Path selection are under the Select Geometry tab.

I don't think anyone has spelled this out, but it may save you some work in the future to be aware of this: when you're doing subdivision modeling, it is much, much easier to UVmap at a lower resolution, and also making polygon and edge selection groups; they will all be retained when you convert the HyperNURBs container + base polygon object to a high-poly form.

Quote - I don't think anyone has spelled this out, but it may save you some work in the future to be aware of this: when you're doing subdivision modeling, it is much, much easier to UVmap at a lower resolution,

One thing I need to note if you are doing your mapping at a lower resolution is that the mapping doesnt take the sub-d into consideration so if you don't do a relax after final subdivision you will get some distortion in your map. This issue with uv mapping and sub-d is an unfortunate side effect of having subdivision as a seperate "Object" rather then just a mesh setting like some other modelers. this is one of the reasons I like Modo so much it automatically adjusts the map for subdivision, I would love to see this added in C4D.

Oops, that's a good point, sure enough.  All the more reason though to make polygon and edge selections at the start, as Becco first pointed out, so that it's easy enough to redo.

Ok, I've selected all 7 edges and I was able to do this while in Bodypaint. Thanks for the tip. Now can I create an "Edge Selection Tag" within the BP interface? Wait I think I found it. is it "Select Geometry > Set selection"

you dont actually need to create an edge selection tag for this operation. just switch back to uv poly view and do your relax steps. but yes thats how you do it.

wdupre, Ok I am totally lost again. I was following your steps above. Is this correct. Please add or delete any wromg steps and i am going to do it from scratch again. Thanks Step by step: 1. Create a flat map. 2. Define seams using edge select in the modeler, select all the edges you want to be your seams. 3. switch to uv editor select all polys that you want to map, 4. go to uv mapping tab, Relax UV subgroup. 5. check the Cut Selected Edges checkbox and hit apply.

yep that should cover it.

Thanks. I'm going to try this from the start again.

Incidentally I highly recommend this video tutorial on C4D 10.5's improvements to UV relaxing:
http://www.cineversity.com/tutorials/lesson.asp?tid=925

pjz99, Thanks for the tips on rotate scale etc. And yes I watched that video about a week ago. Very informative. Thanks

Well, the way I do it is I hand it to a texturer, and if they try to hit me or spit on me or things like that, then I reckon I got it wrong.  I think there's a more accurate way though.

Attached Link: http://willsmind.com/images/UVGrid.jpg

Quote - Well, the way I do it is I hand it to a texturer, and if they try to hit me or spit on me or things like that, then I reckon I got it wrong.  I think there's a more accurate way though.

That's funny! I only wish I had a texturer a modeler a rigger and an animator to do all of my grunt work and I could be the art God who gave all of the orders and received all of the praise, but that's not going to happen any time soon and besides as much as I don't like being stuck I like the feeling I get when I finally figure something out! So I guess I'm the grunt right now!. LOL.

wdupre, That sounds like an excellent idea. So I'm not sure how i would use this grid though. Do I load the grid as my texture in C4D modeling mode before I go into Bodypaint. Should I use the "Magnet Tool" on my mesh above? Another question: How do I see the vertical and horizontal alignment on my mesh? Sorry I don't understand how this works. AAARGH! I'm such a newb when it comes to Bodypaint! Please explain! Thanks

Attached Link: http://www.c4dcafe.com/ipb/index.php?

Quote - That's funny! I only wish I had a texturer a modeler a rigger and an animator to do all of my grunt work and I could be the art God who gave all of the orders and received all of the praise, ...

Hmm, so do I.