Normals problem

Complex UV Layout in Maya

Over the last couple of years UV layout in Maya has changed for the better. In this course we're going to be taking a look at some of those changes as we UV map an entire character

Watch

# 1 27-06-2014 , 06:18 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

I'm trying to fix a model I made some time ago and I can't find a way to fix the normals on these faces. They're pretty even, they shouldn't be so dark, they look ugly in the render. Set to face and softening normals doesn't work, any ideas? Thank you.

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name: face normals.png
Views: 493
Size: 181.1 KB
ID: 55907

Quote

# 2 27-06-2014 , 06:25 PM

The thin red line
Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: England

Posts: 4,472

Try running a mesh cleanup (under mesh)on it.................dave

Avatar Challenge Winner 2010

Quote

# 3 27-06-2014 , 06:57 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

I tried that and it doesn't do anything, I also merged it, deleted history etc, extracted those face and rebuilt them, nothing seems to work.

Quote

# 4 27-06-2014 , 07:52 PM

The thin red line
Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: England

Posts: 4,472

Could you show a wire only shot..............dave

Avatar Challenge Winner 2010

Quote

# 5 27-06-2014 , 08:00 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

Here it is, I'm also attaching a tiny zip with an obj of that section.

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name: cgnghgh.png
Views: 372
Size: 62.8 KB
ID: 55908

Attached Files

obj.zip (6.4 KB, 334 views)

Quote

# 6 27-06-2014 , 10:29 PM

The thin red line
Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: England

Posts: 4,472

If you select all the verts and "unlock normal" should clear the black marks, you need to clean your mesh as you go along, there are to many ngons and parts of the that mesh that are not connected..................dave

Avatar Challenge Winner 2010

Quote

# 7 27-06-2014 , 10:47 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

Yea that's what I'm working on, fixing the geometry and all the ngons. I tried "Unlock Normals" but then all the faces are visible and if I do a "Soften Edge" I'm back to where I was. I kinda just gave up, I started retopologizing it 3d-coat.

Quote

# 8 27-06-2014 , 11:05 PM

The thin red line
Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: England

Posts: 4,472

You can change the soften angle to say some thing like 45-60 that should stop the distortions on the 90 degree angles..............dave

Avatar Challenge Winner 2010

Quote

# 9 27-06-2014 , 11:44 PM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

That almost fixes it but... hm I think I'll just continue with the retopoligizing now. That's really good to know though, thank you.

Quote

# 10 28-06-2014 , 07:56 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011

Posts: 53

"Set to Face" should work if you go in it´s settings and choose "Match face normal"

And of course check your topology - if you´re not using the mesh for a game Environment I would do this with "Smooth Mesh" (Button 3) instead of softening the Normals... personal pref

Quote

# 11 29-06-2014 , 07:08 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012

Posts: 293

try deleting the faces and bridge them again

20 year old guy from Sweden

Big Bob Marley fan
Love skateboarding
Maya, Mudbox and Photoshop user

Full name: Marcus Ralman

https://www.facebook.com/MarcusRalman3D

^ My facebook page ^

Quote

# 12 30-06-2014 , 12:24 AM

Registered User
Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 30

Thanks for all the help, I'm ok with the normals for now. Just trying to figure out the topology. Is it ok to have many triangles if drawing extra lines just to have quads wouldn't actually change the geometry? Or is it considered bad geometry to have all those triangles? Thank you.

Attached Thumbnails