Day 8

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Remeshing Geometry

– Zbrush contains tools for creating a new unified mesh from individual parts. Tool > Subtool > Remesh > Remesh all creates a new mesh from everything in the current subtool. Symmetry options can be used to make symmetrical models from asymmetrical subtools.

Subtool > Remesh all can be used to create a single mesh form a group of objects.

– Objects within the subtool can be set as additive or subtractive objects for boolean operations.

– The Res slider under Remesh determines the resolution of the new geometry.

Subtools can be used to add or subtract from the new mesh.

– Tool > Geometry > ZRemesher contains tools for changing the resolution of a mesh or improving the flow of polygons in the geometry, for example making sure the polygon flow on a face follows muscle groups.

– ZRemesher > Target Polygons Count determines how many thousand polygons are in the new mesh. Press ZRemesher to complete the action.

– Use the ZRemesherGuides Brush from the brush palette to lay guidelines for the new mesh. Use the Zremesher > Curve Strength slider to determine how closely the guidelines are followed.

Zremesher can be used to change the resolution and polygon flow of a mesh.

Day 7 part 2

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Insert Mesh Techniques

– The Insert Mesh brushes can be used to draw previously created geometry onto an active tool without automatically merging or creating new subtools.

– Brush > MeshInsert Dot allows you to add mesh instances. To define which mesh go to Brush > Modifiers > MeshInsert Preview which brings up the tool palette to select a mesh from. Once a mesh has been selected it can be drawn on the surface of the model.

The InsertMesh Dot brush can be used to add new meshes to the tool once the mesh has been defined.

– When a new mesh is drawn, the rest of the model is automatically masked. This allows you to modify the inserted mesh like dynamesh, but the geometry will still be separate pieces.

– The Tool > Subtool > Split commands can be used to separate out inserted meshes into their own subtools.

– Tool > Subtool > Split > Split to Similar Parts will split all the instances of the same mesh into a single subtool containing all the instances, even if they have been moved and rescaled.

– Tool > Subtool > Split > Split to Parts will split all the visible inserted meshes into individual subtools. Hide any subtools made of inserted meshes before performing this action to control how inserted meshes are grouped.

Inserted meshes can be split off into separate subtools using the split commands.

– Some InsertMesh brushes create open geometry which will leave a gap between it and the model. To make joins first create a new polygroup in that area, draw the new InsertMesh then unmask. New geometry will be created to bridge the gap. This is similar to dynamesh but without replacing the existing geometry.

Open geometry can be added and bridged to the existing tool by first creating a new polygroup in that area then unmasking after adding the open geometry.

– Curve brushes can be used to create inserted meshes. CurveTube creates geometry along a defined curve that can then be manipulated.

– Stroke > Curve Modifiers contains options for changing how the curve creates geometry including tapering. Click on the manipulator ends to apply the effects.

Curve tools can also be used to create inserted geometry.

Different curve tools can create different geometry.

– InsertMultiMesh brushes combine several different meshes into a single brush. When using a MultiMesh brush press M to bring up the MultiMesh palette.

Multi Mesh brushes combine several different meshes into a single brush. The palette can be opened by pressing M.

– You can create new insertmesh brushes using Brush > Create InsertMesh. The active tool can then be a new insert mesh brush or appended to an existing multimesh brush.

Any tool can be turned into an InsertMesh brush in the brush palette.

– How deep in the tool the inserted mesh is drawn can be modified using Brush > Depth and moving the circle up and down.

How deep in the tool the mesh is inserted can be modified using the depth setting

– X / Y / Z / Radial Symmetry can be used when using InsertMesh brushes to quickly add lots of detail across a model.

Day 5

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Working with Polygroups

– Polygons can be hidden at any time, holding Ctrl + Shift  activates the SelectRect tool; dragging a rectangle then releasing hides everything that isn’t in the green box.

Ctrl + Shift enables the selection tool, which hides everything outside the selection box.

– Ctrl + Shift + LMB click outside the model reveals the hidden polygons – Ctrl + Shift + Drag outside the model inverts the visibility, revealing the hidden polygons and hiding the visible polygons. – Ctrl + Shift + Alt hides any polygons in the red box.

Ctrl + SHift + Alt hides any polygons inside the red box.

– models can be modified once polygons are hidden eg Tool > Geometry > Delete Hidden will delete any hidden polygons, making an open mesh.

– Polygroups are a quick and easy way to handle visibility by hiding entire parts of a model with a single click. – There are several tools to create a polygroup which can be found under Tool > Polygroups: the easiest way is by selecting some polygons then pressing Ctrl + W which assigns any visible polygons to a new polygroup.

– other options for creating polygroups include From Masking which converts any masked polygons into a new polygroup and Group Front which merges any polygons facing the camera.

POlygroups can be made based on visibility, colour or masking using these tools.

– Ctrl + Shift + LMB on a polygroup hides every other polygroup. Ctrl + Shift + LMB on the visible polygroup again to hide that group and reveal the hidden groups.

– Polygroups created at a low subdivision level are retained at higher subdivision levels.

– Polygroups can be made by masking areas then pressing Ctrl + W. This works the same as Tool > Polygroups > Group Masked.

– Use the PolishGroups slider next to Tool > Polygroups > Group Masked to create smooth-edged polygroups at higher subdivision levels. This modifies the geometry around the polygroup.

The polishgroups slider can be used to create smooth-edged polygroups from masked areas at the expense of deforming geometry.

– Slice tools can be used to quickly create polygroups: Ctrl + Shift brings up the Slice tool menu.

Slice tools can be used to quickly create lots of polygroups on a model.

– Holding Ctrl with the transpose tool selected eg Move or Rotate then clicking on a polygroup aligns the transpose tool with the normal of that polygroup while masking all other groups. Holding Shift while dragging the transpose line moves just that polygroup along the transpose axis.

An example of using polygroups and the transpose tool to manipulate a mesh.

– POlygroups can be used to easily break a mesh into subtools by hiding a polygroup then using the Tool > Subtools > Split > Split Hidden command. The hidden polygroup is separated into a separate piece of geometry.

POlygroups can be used to create subtools by selectively hiding polygroups.

– POlygroups can be used to maintain crisp edges when subdividing using the Tool > Geometry > Edgeloop > Edgeloop command: Hide all but the desired polygroup, select the crisp button then press edgeloop. A new ring of polygons is added around the polygroup close to the border. Now when the model is subdivided this edge will stay sharper.

POlygroups and the edgeloop tool can be used to create features that stay crisp-edged even when the model is heavily subdivided.

Day 4 part 3

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Working with Masks

– Hold Ctrl to activate the current Masking Brush. Ctrl + LMB creates a masked area.

– Masked areas are not affected by sculpting or polypainting while active.

Masked areas are protected from sculpting and polypainting.

– Ctrl + Alt + LMB is a Subtractive Mask Brush and can be used to unmask masked areas.

– Ctrl + LMB starting off the model draws a Masking box. Ctrl + Alt + LMB makes the box an unmasking box. If the masking box doesn’t touch the model when Ctrl is released any current masks are cleared.

– Hold spacebar while drawing a masking box to drag the box around the screen.

Hold CTrl and drag starting off the model to create a masking box. Ctrl + Alt creates an unmasking box.

– Ctrl + Brush palette shows all the masking tools.

– MaskLasso is a freeform tool for quickly creating large masks.

Masklasso quickly creates large freeform masks.

– MaskCurvePen draws a curve that can be dragged around to mask areas.

MaskCurvePen draws out a curve that can be dragged around to mask areas around it.

– MaskCurve draws a straight line mask border. Press Alt while drawing to add a bend to the curve. Hold spacebar at any point to move the MaskCurve.

Maskcurve draws a straight line that masks everything to one side of it. Press ALt to add a curve to the line.

– Tool > Masking contains extra options for masks. ViewMask makes the mask invisible without removing it. Inverse flips the mask (can also be done by holding Ctrl + LMB off the model).

– BlurMask and SharpenMask can be used to sharpen or soften the edge of the mask.

– MaskByCavity automatically masks areas deeper than the set depth.

The masking sub-palette in tool has several options for manipulating and creating masks.

– Primitives have an extra sub-palette for masking called Mask by Alpha. Start by masking the whole primitive then using the buttons to unmask areas by Row, Col and Grd according to the Sel and Skp settings.

Primitives only can be masked by polygons using the sel and skp settings and grid, row and column buttons.

– The Move tool can be used to draw out topological masks. Hold Ctrl + LMB starting on the model to mask the whole model along the transpose axis.

Hold Ctrl + Move to drag out a transpose line that masks the whole model.

– Ctrl + LMB on masked areas to soften the mask boundary.

Day 4 part 2

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Basic Polypainting

– Polypainting is colouring a mesh using the polygons rather than a UV-based texture map. Polypainted models can be used to create texture maps, but for high-resolution maps a high-polygon model is required.

– Polypainting uses the same brushes as sculpting, but ZAdd and ZSub should be switched off and the RGB channel switched on.

Polypainting is usually started by switching the Zadd/Zsub buttons off and enabling the Rgb channel, once a base colour has been chosen.

– If you try to choose a colour now the whole mesh will change. To start polypainting properly, select Colour > FillObject. The mesh now has a colour applied and new colours can be selected for polypainting.

USe the FillObject button to set the base colour on the model, allowing for polypainting to proceed.

– Colour can be combined with strokes and alphas to get different paint effects.

Colour and brushes can be combined with strokes and alphas for many different effects.

– to pick a colour from the model, LMB + Drag from the colour palette onto the model. The cursor will change to the Pick symbol.

– Use DragRect stroke with alphas to draw coloured instances of that alpha.

Use the Dragrect stroke to precisely place coloured alphas.

– Rgb Intensity slider determines the strength of the polypainting colour. A higher intensity builds up colour more quickly.

– Sculpting and polypainting can be done at the same time, eg for sculpting boils and pimples.

Use Zadd/Zsub in conjunction with polypainting to sculpt and colour detail in one go.

Day 4

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Basic Sculpting

– Sculpting Brushes can be found in the top left of the Left Shelf, or by pressing B.

– Specific brushes can be selected by pressing the first letter of the brush name followed by a specific letter eg to select ClayTubes press B > C > T.

Sculpting brushes can be found in the brush palette or by pressing specific letter combinations.

– The red rings represent the Draw Size and Focal Shift of the brush, and can be modified using the Draw Size and Focal Shift Sliders. The Draw Size Slider can also be brought up at the cursor position using S, the Focal Shift Slider using O.

– A Focal Shift of 0 will produce a very sharp edged result.

The cursor shows the draw size and focal shift, and can be modified by using sliders or the hotkey S and O.

– the ZAdd and ZSub buttons change between raising or lowering the mesh when sculpting. Holding Alt + LMB will switch between modes.

– the Z Intensity Slider controls the strength of the brush.

ZAdd and ZSub control what happens when sculpting, while the Z Intensity slider controls the strength of the brush.

– By default Shift + LMB is the Smooth Brush which can be used to blend sculpting. Other brushes can also be set to the Shift modifier.

Hold shift to activate the sculpting-smoothing brush, which smooths geometry.

– The Move Brush works by clicking and dragging geometry in or out. It is good for quickly reshaping a mesh but can lead to undesirable geometry if not careful.

The move brush can quickly reshape a model.

– Symmetry can be turned on using Transform > Activate Symmetry. Specific Axes can be selected using the X Y Z buttons or the X, Y and Z keys. Symmetry can be axial or radial (use the RadialCount Slider to vary how many instances are sculpted).

Radial and axial symmetry can be switched on to sculpt multiple areas of the mesh at the same time.

– RMB brings up a Quick Menu with many common commands and sliders.

RMB brings up a quick menu with easy access to most of the common drawing and sculpting commands.

– Strokes and Alphas can be combined with sculpting brushes to get different results:

– Dots and Freehand produce similar continuous results.

– Spray and ColourSpray apply randomised instances of the brush and alpha.

– DragRect and DragDot allow for precise positioning of alphas on the mesh.

Strokes and alphas can be combined with sculpting brushes to get different effects.

Day 1 Part 3

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Pixols and the 2.5D canvas

– a pixol is a pixel that contains colour, depth, and material information.

– open the tool quick menu to select 2.5D brushes. 2.5D brushes can have strokes and alphas applied to them like sculpting brushes.

open the tool quick menu to see the 2.5D brushes.

– pixols can be tranformed using the Move, Scale and Rotate buttons. Select Draw to continue drawing in 2.5D.

Pixols drawn on the canvas can be transformed using the move, scale and rotate tools

– use EraserBrush to remove pixols from the canvas.

Use the EraserBrush to remove pixols from the canvas.

– materials and colours can be changed during the drawing to overwrite pixols already on the canvas.

the material and colour applied to the pixols can be changed during the drawing.

– disable Zadd / Zsub during the drawing to avoid adding depth to pixols already on the canvas, only painting with colour and / or material.

– Mrgb allows for changing colour and material of pixols on the canvas without affecting depth.

–RGB allows for changing colour of pixols on the canvas without affecting depth or material.

– Mrgb / RGB buttons can be disabled entirely to allow drawing depth without affecting the colour or material of the pixols.

Use combinations of ZAdd/Zsub, Mrgb and RGB options to draw with different depth, colour and material affects.

– Document > Save As saves the canvas out as an image, not a 3D model.

– SnakeHookBrush allows for dragging out tendrils with depth.

– FibreBrush allows for covering pixols in fibres / hair

Other brushes can be combined to get interesting 2.5D effects

– SphereBrush always paints with a perfectly round edge, which can be made larger with more pen pressure or larger strokes.

The SphereBrush with different strokes.

– AlphaBrush draws in the shape of the current Alpha at a single depth until a new stroke is started.

– Smudge brush can be used to smear pixols around on the canvas. Combining different strokes and alphas will give different effects.

Different effects using the Smudge Brush with different strokes and alphas.

– Hook Brush can be used to pull pixols out. LMB + Anti-clockwise spirals shrinks the pixols, while LMB + Clockwise spirals enlarges them. Hook Brush can be combined with alphas for different effects.

The effects of the Hook Brush using spiral gestures and alphas.