A Question on Zbrush

NAIMA

Hello I have a small question on Zbrush 4 ... I am definetly new and reading lots of tutorials and following videos but there is this question I can't get an answer for ....

I try to describe the situation as it may be a bit weird request...

Let's suppose I have a nice model , with lots of details , small details , large details , alpha displacement details here and there ... then I want to add an extra box estruding out of the model , I could get I guess an alpha and drag over the model and increase the size with the mouse , thats what I would lik eto apart from the fact that I would like it to ignore the details under and so actually grow over the details covering them ....

like if I make a belt with lots of underdetail of the skin leather and small rings etc , then I want to add over a bunch of plates here and there along the belt that tough must cover the belt details ....

All this I 'd like to do without having to create new mesh from the basic one so that it coudl all look like if sculpted out of the same rock ....

how coul'd I do something like that?

thanks for any answer .....

cryrid

In the belt example, I would embrace the thought of extra meshes for parts that aren't seamlessly connected in life. But as for what you want to do, perhaps you could smooth the area before or after (don't forget about masks, they can be a big help isolating what gets smoothed).

So in your box example, slap the alpha onto the mask, and draw it over the surface where you want to extrude. Invert this and now the rest of the model is masked except for that area; you can then smooth it out and go over it with another brush to begin to extrude it (or use deforms, or transpose, etc)

NAIMA

Oh ok good but can I create an image shape and design in B&W to use as a mask if so how do I do or where I can read how to do ? I do not mean to use it as a brush but as a drag draw alpha mask ?

cryrid

Yup, you can create such an image in zbrush or a program like photoshop. 16-bit images are recommended though you can still get away with 8-bit ones depending on what you're doing. When you click on the alpha button and the list pops up with different alphas to choose from, at the bottom of the list is a button for importing new alphas. You can also use the import button at the top of the Alpha palette/menu.

Aside from making your own, you can find a lot of collections other people have made (including on http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/downloadcenter/alpha/ )

NAIMA

Ok thanks but I know how to make it like a brush but how do I do to make it like a mask? I mean I just need to set it as a brush then press the mask button and drag draw?

cryrid

Hold down Ctrl to switch to the masking brushes, and while holding it change the stroke to Drag Rectangle and the Alpha to the one you want.

NAIMA

Ok thankyou very helpfull ....