Guides from Mesh Operator
The Guides from Mesh operator grows guides on a polygon mesh. It scatters guide roots across the surface and extrudes a guide from each root along the surface normal. It is usually the first operator in a groom, producing the sparse guides that later operators shape and interpolate into dense hair.
Because dense hair distribution is normally defined later by Hair from Guides Operator, it is best to keep the guide count modest: sparse, evenly spread guides interpolate into better hair and are quicker to comb.
Distribution
The root distribution controls how guides are placed on the surface. The main methods are:
- Uniform - roots placed in a regular grid-like pattern.
- Random (area-based) - roots scattered randomly, with each face receiving a share of roots proportional to its area, giving an even overall spread. A seed controls the randomization.
- Random (face-based) - the same number of roots per face regardless of face size.
- Random (UV-based) - like area-based, but using UV area, so you can steer density by editing the UV layout.
- Vertex - one root at each mesh vertex.
You can limit guides to part of the surface with a face selection or a distribution map, and control how many guides are created and how long they are.
Surface dependence and topology
Guides created by this operator are attached to the surface, so they deform with the mesh during animation. The operator is topology dependent: changing the distribution mesh's topology after the roots are generated can cause the roots to be regenerated, which may disturb a groom you have already styled. Plan your base mesh topology before investing in detailed guide work.
Typical use
Add Guides from Mesh at the bottom of the stack, set a distribution and guide count, then continue with the Edit Guides Operator to shape the guides and Hair from Guides Operator to generate dense hair. See Adding Hair to Objects and Hair and Guides.