Updating model topology

00:03

Let's update this topology

00:06

first, it's good practice to back up the main model.

00:09

So let's duplicate it

00:12

and rename the original

00:14

and then press H to hide it.

00:17

We need a copy because later we will use that to update this model's UVS,

00:22

let's isolate the main body model.

00:25

Ideally, we need nice clean lines made up of polygon strips with quads,

00:30

not triangles,

00:32

something like this model.

00:37

OK. Let's look at this area first on the inner thigh

00:41

because this model is symmetrical.

00:43

We can use the symmetry tools to work on one

00:45

side and it will automatically update the opposite side,

00:50

holding control and shift right, click to bring up the marking menu.

00:54

Now go up to symmetry and then make sure symmetry is enabled.

00:59

You can now see the edges are highlighted blue,

01:01

meaning that they are symmetrical.

01:04

If they turn red, it means that those edges aren't symmetrical.

01:08

So any changes you do on this side will not be updated on the opposite side.

01:13

Now, this is basing the symmetry of the world's position of each edge.

01:17

And as you can see it's mirroring across the X axis.

01:22

If you have issues with the model you can also base it on the model's topology too.

01:27

You just need to define an edge which will

01:29

be the mirror point and choose topology instead.

01:33

OK. Let's switch back to world.

01:36

You can also mirror across the other axes too if needed.

01:41

What I want to do here is simply turn these two triangles into quads.

01:45

So they join the other quads below

01:48

the quickest way to do this,

01:49

which will be less disruptive to the actual model. And its UVS

01:53

is to select these three edges here,

01:57

hold down, shift and right click to bring up the marking menu

02:01

and go down to connect components.

02:05

I'm going to use the insert with edge flow option two because that will

02:09

add the edges while also maintaining the natural curve on the models surface.

02:14

Let's apply that.

02:17

So that's given us more quads.

02:19

But what we can now do is select these edges,

02:23

bring up the marking menu again

02:25

and go to merge collapse edges,

02:28

collapse edge.

02:30

You can see that this has now left us with four triangles,

02:33

but we can quickly turn these into quads,

02:36

just select and delete the inner edges.

02:39

Now let's do the same down here to connect these triangles.

02:43

So select the edges next to the triangles

02:46

and connect the components to add an edge loop.

02:49

Now merge the upper and lower edges

02:52

to convert those quads into triangles.

02:55

Finally delete these edges to turn these into quads.

03:00

So that's the inner thighs looking much better now.

03:03

And the other side has been updated too.

03:06

The new edges we added are making the surface look wrong now

03:09

because the surface normals in these areas are set to hard,

03:13

which makes it look like there's a crease.

03:15

So we just need to soften these back down,

03:18

right, click on the model and go to object mode.

03:20

So we are working on the model as a whole and not the components.

03:25

Although you could just select these edges and do the same thing.

03:28

Now hold shift in the right mouse button to bring up the marking menu again

03:33

and go to soften harden edges,

03:36

soften edge

03:39

that's fixed the surface. Now,

03:43

if we look over in the channel box,

03:44

we can see that all the work we have done is building up under the input section.

03:48

This is the modeling history and it's good practice to clear

03:51

this when you're at a stage that you're happy with the model

03:55

to do this, go to edit

03:57

delete by type history

04:01

and that's all baked into the model.

04:04

So we've cleaned up the topology in this area,

04:06

but the edges aren't flowing in a nice uniform way.

04:09

So let's look at fixing that. Next.

04:12

This time, we are going to use my sculpting tools to help even out the spacing,

04:17

go to the sculpting shelf and click on the relax tool.

04:22

As you can see in the tool tip,

04:24

this will smooth the model's surface without altering its shape.

04:29

This will give us a circular brush to work with,

04:33

let's make sure symmetry is on.

04:35

So right, click on the model and go to symmetry

04:39

also make sure you select object X.

04:41

So it will mirror across the X axis.

04:46

Now as we paint, the surface is evened out, giving us much cleaner topology.