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 6 part 2

Introduction to Zbrush Digital Tutors

Working with Subtools

– The Subtool sub-palette is found under the Tool Menu.

– Subtools can be selected from the menu, or navigated through using the selection arrows. Subtools can be re-ordered using the order arrows.

Subtools can be found in the tool palette, and can be navigated and ordered.

– Subtools can be named using the Rename button; make sure to organise subtools in complex models with good names.

– Tool > Subtool > All Low / All High allows you to view all the subtools at their highest or lowest subdivision levels.

– Tool > Subtool > Duplicate creates a new copy of the active subtool in the same position.

– Subtools can be deleted, either with the Delete button which deletes the active subtool or the Del Other which deletes all subtools apart form the active subtool. Neither of these operations can be undone.

The subtool palette contains options for organising, naming and deleting subtools.

– The Tool > Subtool > Split sub-menu contains options to make new subtools from existing geometry:

– Split to similar parts turns any similar geometry into a new subtool. This is useful when using the InsertMesh brush for example adding lots of bolts to a model.

– Split to parts turns and similar geometry into individual subtools. This is useful for individually modifying instances of a common mesh eg teeth.

– Splitting a model into multiple subtools allows you to get a much higher polygon count on the overall model as each subtool has its own subdivision levels.

– Subtools can also be merged using the Tool > Subtool > Merge sub-menu. This operation cannot be undone so use with caution!

– Tools can be added in as new subtools on an existing model using Tool > Subtool > Append. 3D models can be imported in first using Tool > Import.

Other tools can be added to a model as subtools using the append button.

– the Zplugin Subtool Master features many options for manipulating subtools. Mirror allows for mirroring and duplicating a subtool over the X, Y or Z axis. SUbtools may be appended as new subtools or part of an existing subtool.

Subtools can be mirrored using the subtool master, which also contains other options for manipulating subtools.

–Subtool visibility can be manipulated using the eye icon in the subtool menu; turning the eye off means only the active subtool will be visible. Other subtools can then be switched on and off using the eye on that subtool.  Alternatively, Transform > Solo also achieves this function.

Subtool visibility can be modified in the subtool menu pr by using the solo mode

– Alt + LMB on a subtool on the canvas to instantly switch to that subtool.

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.