Zbrush book recommendation

Rick Stirling

After getting the heads up (on Gameartisans I think), I pick up [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1598220594?ie=UTF8&tag=gameactors-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1598220594"]Essential Zbrush[/ame] by Wayne Robinson (that link created by Amazon Associates, just so you know).

I have to recommend it, it's kinda like the missing printed manual but it embeds the functionality of the tools in lots of real work examples.

It's about 750 pages long (it's a shame the images are all B&W), and comes with a DVD I've not delved into yet.

Ephesians 2:8-9

I like that book. Have you tried zbrush Central?

Rick Stirling

Have I tried it for what? Workflow stuff? Yup.


Edit: I do visit ZBC every few days, but having a book that you can read on the plane or train or sofa is great.

ImSlightlyBored

cheers for the recommendation, but...
what are the examples based on? Its not all just floating heads and characters, is it, sort of hoping for some more environmental stuff as well.

j_bradford

I have Scott Spencer's book on Zbrush. It's really good.

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZBrush-Character-Creation-Advanced-Sculpting/dp/047024996X/ref=pd_sim_b_1/276-1761556-4738965[/ame]

I'll take a look at the one you recommended as well.

Rick Stirling

ImSlightlyBored wrote: »

cheers for the recommendation, but...
what are the examples based on? Its not all just floating heads and characters, is it, sort of hoping for some more environmental stuff as well.

There's a little environment stuff, but I've not read that yet. There is some hard surfacing stuff using masking and projection master, and although the first tutorial is a floating head, it deals with masking and subtools and the various brushes, so you see what the inflate brush does etc.

There's an entire chapter on Zspheres, a chapter on Zmapper, that sort of thing.

DarthWayne

Rick Stirling wrote: »

After getting the heads up (on Gameartisans I think), I pick up Essential Zbrush by Wayne Robson (that link created by Amazon Associates, just so you know).

I have to recommend it, it's kinda like the missing printed manual but it embeds the functionality of the tools in lots of real work examples.

It's about 750 pages long (it's a shame the images are all B&W), and comes with a DVD I've not delved into yet.

Thanks Rick.... Glad your liking the book, the whole black and white pics thing is a shame, although that was entirely out of my control, (although I did make sure they put the full colour shots on the DVD). Plus as lots of the character stuff is on the DVD it helped to make sure the book didn't end up costing about 6 billion pounds due to all the images lol.

The book is doing phenominally well, even more so when you consider it has had on publicity at al (apart from a couple of posts by myself on it's release on ZBC, cgtalk etc..) If there's ay questoins about what sort of stuff is in the book etc, I'm all ears and wil pass on what I can.

Wayne...

PS thers a few sample chapters on a pdf on my site for those interested. (www.dashdotslash.net)

Sage

I also just bought the Scott Spencer book on Zbrush linked above by J_bradford it's called Zbrush Character Creation: Advanced Digital Sculpting. What sold me on the book was the fact that it has a head sculpting tutorial where you go from sculpting the skull to all the muscles in the head... It seems to cover everything and goes into them in depth. I'm sure the skills taught for the character stuff can be easily translated to sculpting environment stuff.

Mark Dygert

j_bradford wrote: »

I have Scott Spencer's book on Zbrush. It's really good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZBrush-Character-Creation-Advanced-Sculpting/dp/047024996X/ref=pd_sim_b_1/276-1761556-4738965

I'll take a look at the one you recommended as well.

It jumps in pretty deep and assumed you already know the interface pretty well. He also makes mention of the book Rick linked to as good prep for this one. I have them both started off with the advanced and quickly learned I needed to take a step back, ha.
I put my zbrush learning on hold partly out of frustration, but mostly because I have a lot of other things I want to spend my free time on =/

But yea, from what I've read so far, and applied they're great. But if you're new it might be good to do them in order.