The one reason I would fully unwrap a model before doing this is if I was using a pipeline where the models I would be doing this to would have very similar, or the same UV layout. This means I could then simply tweak this map into shape in Photoshop and save myself a bit of time.
With our model ready for export (and making sure we haven’t gone mad with the amount of polys we’re using in Zbrush), we export the high level mesh (not the low level mesh, once we’re redone out topology this low resolution mesh will be meaningless), and save to our work folders. You may have to make sure you flip your poly layout texture map before export as most apps will view it as upside down. You have deleted half of the model as I mentioned earlier didn’t you? As I mentioned, this will save half the work of re-topologising the whole mesh and save on memory.
The Maya part (any of the big apps will do) :
Now for this I’m using Maya 8 although this will work equally well with any recent version or any of the main applications if it come to that matter. Import your high resolution mesh and make sure your only using half of the model. This will save on valuable system resources so that your computer doesn’t grind to a halt (image 6)
image 6
Once your model is imported Put it on it own layer so that you can toggle it on and off easily. This again will save some time later as we progress through our re-topologising (image 7).
