I can't see to understand exactly what JL is clicking. Thankfully I have UV Squares which allows me to do this just by selecting all and pressing a button but I'd like to understand. I managed to do this once by trial and error but then couldn't replicate it. I think it's one of the options below
1. Select edge A or B > Align Auto
2. Select edge C or D > Align Auto
3. Select Quad(s) E or F > CTL + L > Follow Active Quads
Just pick one Quad in the UV Editor and Select one Edge and Align Auto and then do the same for the other three Edges (or, use SHIFT+R to repeat the last Operation, so: Select one Edge and Align Auto, Select the next Edge and SHIFT+R and the next Edge, SHIFT+R,...) until all Edges (of that Quad) are aligned to either X or Y and you have a perfect rectangle. Select that rectangle and CTRL+L to select the whole Island (what is connected to that Face in the UV Editor) and Uv > Unwrap > Follow Active Quads (it's only one Active Quad, so I don't know what that ending s is doing there). Done
Thanks. I updated the diagram to make it clearer for others who might be stuck but then saw Martin's follow-up. So do we actually need to select all 4 edges of a quad and auto align?
So this is the process - all 4 edges need selecting and auto - aligning? In the video JL JL says 'I'll select the sides here' but we only see 1 further align auto - so only 2 align autos in total. It's hard to tell what he's actually clicking and auto-aligning in the video.
Hi thehomme,
Jonathan really 'Aligns Auto' all 4 Edges in the video: in order: bottom, top, right and left.
OK now I see. I think there's a cut in the video after he makes a mistake. The bottom edge you don't see align auto menu - he just says 'ok so I'll select just this edge and not the ones next to it" and then it moves straight into the top edge and you see the align auto menu, then he does right and left. So you see 3 align auto menus in total but not 4
In the end the point is to have a perfectly aligned square, because that's the template the follow active quads will use to unwrap. Most importantly, that is the quad that has to be active, for that will be the one to follow. But JL does that trick a lot throughout the whole Pothead lessons, so no need to focus on just this one.
Thanks all. I understand how it all works now. Hopefully this helps others who watch and get stuck/confused
