So I'm having a first round dabble at actually texturing a character model... I've textured other things before in Maya but never anything quite so complex in terms of shapes and pieces.

The method I've gone for is to basically duplicate my character mesh and cut up the copied mesh into manageable pieces. I've managed to get a somewhat reasonable looking Head and shoulders section done and now I want to be able to copy it across to the original copy of the model (the one still in once piece).

Basically what I'm wanting to know is whether or not there is an easy way to copy just the textured head UVs across to the whole model without having to re-attach all of the edges to the cut up model? I cannot seem to be able to find any sort of 'copy UVs' tool in Maya to accomplish this?


** As a side note, if you read this and think you have a better way of doing what I'm trying to do (be it a completely different method of texturing a model or whatever) I'm all eager to hear it ;-).

Here's a Screenie in case my explination was not very clear.

So I have my main model and then the duplicated model which i've cut up to do the texturing.

Would you normally cut up your main model and then reattach everything after you've textured it or do as I've done and then copy the UV's across somehow?

If the latter.... How do you do so? Nothing I've tried has worked for me yet.

Thanks

So in Maya 2010, you select the model your transferring from then the model to transfer to and go to Mesh > Transfer Attribute and select UV's, Vertices, Vertex Colours etc as you wish to transfer them from one mesh to another which is what I want, I've gotten that far.

If I do this though, the non cut up model's UV's are a horrible mess and not as they should be. Do you need to select the exact same faces and then copy across? or would I still need to re-attach the cut up copy of my model prior to copying the UV's across as already described?

Am I missing something when I do this which is why it's a horrible mess?

I know there are other ways to texture a character model but I'm trying to get a method that I like and can repeat again and again quickly with practice..

Thanks for any help you can offer here.

I'm pretty sure the geometry needs to be exactly the same otherwise transferring the attributes won't work. 

select the faces of the head that is attached to the body, so that it matches the polygon count of the head that is dismembered.  When you have the exact match in faces(polygons) go to mesh-> extract.  This will separate the head from the body and make them two distinct pieces.  Now select the floating head and then the head you just separated.  Then transfer the attributes.

To reattach the head just Shift+select the body and then the head and go to mesh-> combine.

Let me know if that works.

Hmm so I've tried a few times but still lookin a bit jumbled. Luckily i'd saved the head portion as a quick-selection set so I know i have the exact same faces...

Two questions...

1. Do the 2 objects need to be exactly on top of eachother?
2. Are the settings I have selected (as in the image) look correct? I'm not 100% with them.

Thanks in advance ;)

ok... no you don't have the right settings.

1.  click the
floating head, and then shift+click the attached head
2.  Go to ->
mesh -> transfer attributes -> options(by clicking the small box
to the right)
3.  under attributes to transfer: set the Color and UV
sets to All
4.  under Attribute settings:  sample space should be set
to component
5.  click transfer

This should do it.  I tried
it on one of my models and it worked.

I'll post a pic so you can
see my settings.

Thanks Josh, that worked great. If anyone else stumbles accross a similar issue, don't forget to delete history after you copy the UVs across.

This also works if you are only altering the UVs, if you position the cut up piece exactly on top of the original model in position and then use 'World' or 'local' sample space and keep the rest of the settings the same as Josh described.