Proxy > Subdiv Proxy

Subdiv Proxy smooths the selected polygon mesh by adding polygons and keeps the original non-smoothed mesh as a proxy. A node connection is made between the proxy and smoothed version of the mesh so that changes to the proxy's shape or topology update the smoothed version of the mesh.

Subdiv Proxy is useful for reshaping and/or animating a coarser version of a polygonal model (with fewer components to worry about) while seeing what the smoothed version will look like.

Related topics

Hotkeys for Sudiv Proxy

+ ` (left single quote beside the 1 key)	Turns on/off the display of the proxy mesh or the smooth mesh.
+ `	Displays both the proxy mesh and the smooth mesh.
+ `	Proxy > Subdiv Proxy
+ + `	Proxy > Subdiv Proxy >
Page Up	Increases the denseness of the smooth mesh.
Page Down	Decreases the denseness of the smooth mesh.

Proxy > Subdiv Proxy >

Inherit Smooth Mesh Preview: Turn this setting on when you want to convert a mesh from Smooth Mesh Preview display mode to a Subdiv Proxy and retain the current Smooth Mesh Preview settings. For example, if you want to render or animate a smoothed version of the object.
Exponential Smoothing Controls: For information on the Exponential Smoothing Controls, see Mesh > Smooth.
Linear Smoothing Controls: For information on the Linear Smoothing Controls, see Mesh > Smooth.

Setup

Mirror Behavior

Controls how the smooth mesh and proxy mesh are mirrored and/or located relative to each other.

None: The smooth mesh is created within the proxy mesh.
Full: The smooth mesh is created within the proxy mesh, and both the proxy mesh and the smooth mesh are mirrored about the Mirror Direction.

Adjustments that you make to one half of the proxy mesh are automatically mirrored onto the other half, making symmetrical modeling much easier.
Half: The smooth mesh is created adjacent to the proxy mesh (based on the Mirror Direction). This allows you to modify the proxy mesh and clearly see the result on the smooth mesh.

NoteYou would usually use mirroring for modeling an object, not animating it. Otherwise, the object’s animation would be symmetrical.
After you have finished modeling an object with mirroring, use Proxy > Remove Subdiv Proxy Mirror to remove the smooth mesh. Then create a new subdiv proxy (with Mirror Behavior set to None) for animating the object.

NoteIf you modify the mirrored half of the subdiv proxy in object space mode, dragging a manipulator in one direction will modify the proxy in the opposite direction.
If you modify the mirrored half of the subdiv proxy in world space mode, dragging a manipulator in one direction will modify the proxy in the same direction.

If you modify the original half of the subdiv proxy, in object space or world space mode, dragging a manipulator in one direction will modify the proxy in the same direction.

Note
Mirroring only works across the world axes. Mirroring an object that has been arbitrarily rotated may produce unexpected results; some geometry may be overlapping.

Mirror Direction: The direction that the selected mesh will be mirrored. That is, positive or negative X, Y, or Z.

Subdiv Proxy will mirror the proxy mesh at the extent of its bounding box in the Mirror Direction.
Merge Vertex Tolerance: When a vertex on the original mesh and its corresponding mirrored vertex are closer than the Merge Vertex Tolerance, then they will be merged into a single vertex.

Share Transform Node

Controls whether the smooth mesh is transformed when you transform the proxy mesh.

For example, you may prefer to move the proxy mesh away from the smooth mesh in order to adjust the proxy mesh and clearly see the effect on the smooth mesh. In this case, turn off Share Transform Node.

Or you may prefer to keep the proxy mesh and smooth mesh together. In this case, turn on Share Transform Node.

On: If you transform the proxy mesh, the smooth mesh will also be transformed.
Off: If you transform the proxy mesh, the smooth mesh will not be transformed.

TipWhen working with Subdiv Proxy, you can save the low resolution mesh and use it for fast interactive playback provided you have not performed additional modifications to the node that would affect its history.
Use Proxy > Subdiv Proxy with Share Transform Node turned off. Bind the proxy mesh to a skeleton, and hide the smooth mesh using the hotkey ` (left open quote beside the 1 key). The low resolution mesh will provide fast interactive playback.

To display the smooth mesh (for example, for rendering), press the ` hotkey again. (Or turn off the Subdiv Proxy Renderable option so the proxy mesh is not rendered.)

Note
If you create a subdiv proxy with Share Transform Node turned on, and then delete history on the proxy mesh, the proxy mesh and smooth mesh will appear to become a single object. This is because they share a transform node. To select either the proxy mesh or the smooth mesh (for example, in order to delete one of them), press the arrow key and then press either the or key.

Display Settings

Subdiv Proxy Shader: Controls the appearance of the proxy mesh’s material to best suit the way you like to work.

Transparent: Assigns a new Lambert material with partial transparency to the proxy mesh. This lets you view the smooth mesh beneath the proxy.
Remove: Eliminates the connection between the proxy mesh and its material.
Keep: Maintains the original connection between the proxy mesh and its material. If you choose Keep, you’ll need to move the proxy and smooth mesh side-by-side.
Subdiv Proxy Transparency

Sets the Transparency attribute of the proxy mesh material. This material is created by the Subdiv Proxy operation.

Subdiv Proxy Renderable

Controls whether the proxy mesh is rendered (on) or not (off).

Subdiv Proxy In Layer

When on, Maya adds the proxy mesh to a new layer so you can control the visibility of the proxy mesh. When off, no layer is created. For example, if the object is already in another layer, you might want to turn off this option so that the proxy mesh only belongs to one layer and not two.

Smooth Mesh In Layer

Turns on the ability to add the smooth mesh to a layer in the Layer Editor.

Smooth Layer Display

Sets the default state for the smooth mesh layer. These options are only available when the Smooth Mesh in Layer option is turned on
Normal

The smooth mesh is fully visible and selectable in this display state.

Template

The smooth mesh is visible as a template only and is not selectable as an object.

Reference

The Reference display state restricts you from editing the smooth mesh directly. This is the default setting.

Note
Mesh > Smooth and Proxy > Subdiv Proxy each output the polygon vertex order differently. If you need to perform operations that require identical topologies, for example, using Blend Shape, you may wish to use the same smoothing tool for smoothing the polygon meshes to avoid unexpected results.