How do i get clean normals for produced environment objects?

ahvdesign

Hello,

First off, I'm a terrible modeler. I've been at it on and off for 2 years (mostly off) but I really want to buckle down and get my portfolio together because it is the only thing I really love just sitting down and doing. Unfortunately I get frustrated when I run into issues like this where I lack knowledge on how to proceed and give up for months. This time instead of giving up I'm reaching out for help. Here's the issue:

I'm attempting to make this: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwfnRMP0Ex0Yb01Ia001Z0NsZEE

I can model it out, but when I hit the point where I need to add normals for surface detail I feel like I'm going about it all wrong. I am using zbrush with the new zmodeler brush to take my low poly model and add in creases using dynamic subdivision to make sure it holds the shape I want while subdividing. When I get done with that step I can't seem to make clean details like you see in that picture after subdividing with any brush. I don't have the most steady hand, but I feel like there has to be a better way to get this type of detail on an object than manually attempting to lazymouse my way to victory for hours. I attempted making alphas for the bottom detail (the detail that goes around the base in the little indent) but my alpha creation process may be terrible (creating shapes in Photoshop and using things like outer glow to soften the edges) because it takes forever to get any decent result (especially because the only way I know to place alphas in zbrush properly is to use dragrect with a standardish brush and just keep trying until it aligns correctly *sadness*)but I don't feel this is the way to go for more complex areas like the upper part of the base detail due to the amount of time it would take me. 

TLDR: How would you go about getting the normals done for this lamp base? Any tips are seriously appreciated. 

Something to note: I use Maya, zbrush, Substance painter and designer, and own quixel but do not have much knowledge on using it. If there are any tips on a solid workflow using these available programs feel free to drop advice.

Mirbobo

I can't quite follow the steps you are doing in zbrush, some images would probably help.
Personally I would just model most of the the details in Max or Maya, including the bottom detail that's just capsules really. I'd might make the upper kinda leaf like shapes in zbrush, by masking and extracting a shape I want and creating a separate subtool from that that you could then duplicate and edit quite freely. You could also dynamesh it all together in the end for some extra detailing/Polishing, depending what kind of a prop it will be and how it will be presented.

And I'm sure that some might give a different and possibly better workflow for that, but I'd just go in and try different things out. Failure is part of the learning.  Hope any of that helps.

Mossbros

Some model it in zbrush, some do it in box modelling software. 
If lazymouse and trying to draw the details isn't working for you in zbrush it might not be the technique thats the problem.
Everyone has different methodologies to produce the end result you just have to find something that works for you.

I would personally approach this object differently in 3DS max, as I don't like organic hard surface details in zbrush, the first thing I would do is look at how to break it down into parts. The details are on top of the mesh so I can just duplicate a shape that works around the original form. 
I do this by first creating the mesh and then using slideknit on it, Simon Fuchs has a good tutorial on this. 
https://simonfuchs.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/tutorial-adding-detail-to-your-highpoly-objects-using-the-slideknit-script/


And the additional detail to add that can be tiled. (I know it looks horrible)


Then wrap it. 


The other little part for duplicating tilable trims can be done using path deform modifier, once again you make a tilable pattern you want, then duplicate it along a path you extract from the model. 




Not the best presentation of the techniques because I rushed. But it should be self explanatory. 

ahvdesign

The presentation is good enough in my opinion. I appreciate the replies. I use Maya so I don't really have the option of using the max script but I can manually recreate those steps to get that going. Organic sculpting is definitely not my thing unless it has to do with damage on assets. I probably could have added some images to give a better idea of what I'm doing but I think I will go with modeling the details out in Maya and baking the high poly to the low poly. Here is my last uploaded mesh although not up to date as I have made changes to the base of the lamp to reflect the reference's overall shape more accurately. I'll be happy to post an update when I get something going in the next day or two. 

https://sketchfab.com/models/81680bf4e12a462e9d24ee497ec251da

Thanks again for the tips!!!