This is functionally the same as scaling to zero along the X or Y axis, but it automatically picks whichever axis it is closest to.
![blender 2.8 generated type uv grid blender 2.8 generated type uv grid](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/optimized/4X/5/d/7/5d7d13bcb8e9d3100c33e737e7ee09c49eb5c733_2_1024x576.png)
The first thing you can do to straighten out individual UV edges is use Auto Align. It's not always something that you need to do, but it's generally good practice to straighten out your UVs if at all possible. Having crooked UVs prevents you from being able to draw perfectly straight lines on your texture (exaggerated example below). Then, just place your seams in Edit Mode but tab into Object Mode temporarily whenever you need to check the final result. My usual solution is to keep the modifier enabled in the viewport but turn it off in Edit Mode, which is the next button to the left on the modifier. It's often really difficult to see edges in Edit Mode while a Subdivision Surface modifier is enabled but it's also important to check to see if the subdiv is causing any UV stretching. Switch that to Tag Seam and you'll be able to use the Ctrl + Select shortcut to place seams faster than a sewing cheetah. Blender will select the shortest path of edges between the two, which is already amazing, but you can also set an Edge Tag in the Redo panel (F9). Select an edge in Edge Select mode, hold Ctrl, and then select any other Edge. This is probably my favorite tip here because it's what makes UV unwrapping in Blender so blazing fast when combined with Live Unwrap. To use Live Unwrap in the UV Editor, you can turn it on there as well in the UV menu. You can enable it in the 3D View in the Options popover or, if you don't have the tool settings visible in the header, in the Tool section of the Properties Editor. Live Unwrap in Blender is amazing because it takes away half of that work for you by unwrapping your mesh again every time you mark or clear a seam.
![blender 2.8 generated type uv grid blender 2.8 generated type uv grid](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/3X/d/9/d9ff05462440f44a58c84b78df30511dadf9c8c4.jpg)
Placing seams and then unwrapping can be quite tedious if you have hundreds of cuts to make. Need a clear introduction to UVs, seams, and unwrapping in general? Watch the Fundamentals of Texturing! 4.
![blender 2.8 generated type uv grid blender 2.8 generated type uv grid](https://www.rizom-lab.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/shaderball17.png)
Then, to see the change reflected in your UV layout, select everything and go to UV / Unwrap. You can always place a seam in Edit Mode by going to UV / Mark Seam, but you can also access that command faster while in Edge Select mode by using the right click context menu. If you have any problems with your current unwrap and you want a fresh start for your UV unwrapping, select all of your mesh in Edit Mode and go to UV / Clear Seam and then UV / Reset. I like to use the brightest Studio Light while unwrapping so that I can see the texture clearly but also get a hint of the 3D form of the object. Then, to see it applied to your mesh in the 3D View, add it to your Shader Editor as an image texture, make sure it's the selected texture node, and set your Viewport Shading Color to Texture. You can easily create a grid texture in Blender's Image Editor or UV Editor by going to Image / New and setting the Generated Type to UV Grid or Color Grid. In other words, it's the universal way to test if your UVs look good.
![blender 2.8 generated type uv grid blender 2.8 generated type uv grid](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/optimized/4X/a/d/d/add527a78af3d7069b7a772ab482e387ac0baacb_2_1380x862.jpg)
The evenly spaced square checkers clearly show how large your UV islands are in comparison to other UV islands and whether or not your unwrap is causing any stretching. But, there are a few tips and tricks that I’ve found over the years that make it faster, easier, and even sometimes, dare I say, kind of fun!Ī checkerboard texture can be seen in many artists workflows while they're unwrapping for good reason. maybe that’s just projection (dad joke), because it’s traditionally not been mine. If I had to guess, I would say that UV unwrapping in Blender 3D probably isn’t your favorite part of the 3d process.