Creation of small, repeating patterns

hooblegooblin

What is the workflow y'all use for creating small, repeating patterns (such as the checked grip pattern on this pistol)?

I know in Zbrush alphas can be used for such features, but I don't know how they would be applied so uniformly and without fading around the edges.

Does anyone use Maya/Max for creation of these details? If so, what is your workflow?

passerby

Just do it in Photoshop in ndo2, or if you really want to do it in a high poly, make it flat, and use modifers to repeat and shape it how you want.

Pabs

i'd do it in PS as well, i seem to get better/crisper results that way.

if you still want to do it in zbrush i recommend this
http://pixologic.com/zbrush/features/Surface-Noise/

just make sure you have good uv's applied to your model.

Phil-Sanchez

Not sure exactly what you have in mind, but if you play around in the alpha menu (trt making sure the "surface" mode is on) and mess with your brush's focal shift, that should deal with the fading edges (if you want to keep the whole thing in Zbrush).

as for keeping things uniform, maybe try using the drag rectangle stroke option? Or maybe surface noise, like scapulator suggested (though I've never really used surface noise myself)