ZBrush2 Tutorials?

neolith

I could use a little help. Or, to be honest, a lot.

Yesterday I decided that it might be a good idea to learn how to use ZBrush. So I sacrificed a whole day off to dig into the program and through some tutorials. Unfortunately with no success whatsoever.

Right now I am really, really frustrated, because the software is so alien to me and my efforts seem to get me nowhere. All I want to learn is how to get a base model from max into ZBrush and how to detail it so that I might be able to create a normal map. But I have no idea how to work with ZBrush (and TBH the interface of it just freaks me out - partly because I have no idea why I have to work on a canvas when I want to do 3d stuff), I have no idea how to use its tools and I don't know what steps are necessary to detail my model.

So please share links to good tutorials if you have some. Preferebly step-by-step stuff that is written for four year olds as I seem to be just to stupid to get anything done on my own.

sinistergfx

All the ZScript-based tutorials that come with ZB are pretty damn good for getting all the basics down.

Also, the ZBrush Practical Guide on Pixologic's site is quite useful after you've gotten a good start

Daz

http://pixologic.com/zbrush/class/classroom.html

pior

Or, just get that fish timelapse vid from the pixologic website. Clear enough to follow, and guides you through most of what you want to know. You can even skip the Zspheres bit.

Basic tip : tool>import an obj you made in onother app, hit 't' to edit, have fun with the 3d paint tools. Thats really all there is to it (sortof )

neolith

Thanks a lot guys, I'll try those tomorrow and see if I can get something done.

Husch

I learned how to use Zbrush by going step by step:

1. learn how to import a Mesh from another 3d app as a 3d Brush

2. learn how to subdivide the mesh and other geometry and tool options like symmetry

3. learn how to use the 3d paint tools

4. learn how to use projection master for more details

5. learn how to hide and unhide meshparts for increasing performance

6. learn how to use Zmapper for creating Normal Maps


There are other usefull things in Zbrush like modelling with Zspheres but like pior said, first learn the basics and then you can decide how much more you want to learn.

nkoste

I am at step 3 there. What exactly does projection master do?

Mongrelman

Projection master drops the model onto the canvas so it becomes "2.5D". You can't rotate it in projection master, but you can use all the 2D brushes on it at this point, or even primitives. For example if you drop your mesh into projection master and select the torus primitive, you can place toruses...tori....not one torus, but several....onto your mesh. When you 'pick up' the mesh again (so you can rotate around it like normal), the mesh will be displaced outwards in the shape of the torus.

Do a quick test like this:
Subdivide your mesh so it is around a million polys
Press G to open the projection master window
Tick deform and normalize, untick colour and material
Select the 'Simple brush' tool
In the alpha menu select one of the aplhas (like the cluster of dots)
In the stroke menu, select the spray (cluster of dots)
Now paint over your mesh, try altering the brush size, zdepth etc.
Now press G again and pick up your mesh.

All that detail is now part of your mesh geometry. This is just a quick example of the many things you can do.

nkoste

Thanks a million, I'll try it out soon

neolith

Most of the time, I cannot even get ZBrush to import my models properly:

left: 3ds max
middle: ZBrush
right: my exporter settings

It's no difference from which version of max I am exporting - 90% of my models get screwed up like the one above.
What am I doing wrong?

MoP

Turn off "Compress numbers" and "Relative Vertex" numbers, and put the "# of digits" spinner as high as it will go (12). That should sort it out.

neolith

Thank you!

Soccerman18

Been trying to use the projection master on a simple sphere but it keeps saying that the model needs to be converted to a polymesh3D to use deformation, how would I convert it?