how to properly subdivide a mesh imported to zbrush

WindchILL · May 2013

Hi, I'm new to Zbrush so I apologize if the questions Im about to ask have simple answers. I just imported a mesh into Zbrush which is made up of several objects that I combined in Maya before importing (so it's treated as one object). When I try to subdivide in Zbrush though, nothing happens. For instance

in the image above I want to subdivide the pillars so I can sculpt more detail on them. As you can see its gotten more than one subd level but it still looks the same. Idk why it doesnt show the extra faces on the pillars, let alone the entire combined mesh.

Ive also tried using dynamesh to a slightly more successful degree, except it distorts some areas, for instance the paper tags by the top. Is this all because the object I imported is actually several objects combined together and Zbrush can't handle it, or am I missing a step or two?

BARDLER · May 2013

That SMT button next to divide will smooth the mesh, when you have it unchecked it just adds more geo without smoothing anything. On a side note when you import objects into zbrush for sculpting try to make sure the topology is evenly distributed. This way when you smoothing you don't get crazy dense areas or areas that have not enough geo.

WindchILL · May 2013

thanks for the quick reply. isnt dynamesh supposed to fulfill that? and if thats the case why does it distort the areas aboe? or is it just better practice to do all the high-res stuff in Maya? (ie. add more horizontal/vertical edge loops in the pillars)

Brian "Panda" Choi · May 2013

Don't bother Dynameshing and sculpting the rope and hanging paper. You can jsut do that as a detail plane in the low poly and save yourself the time.

ZBrush can deal with multple meshes that are NOT fused together in one scene. You can import each piece of your full item separately as separate meshes as they show in Maya. With that, you can work on each mesh individually instead of dynameshing everything, If you do bring in the whole object as one object instead of separate meshes, group split to parts will get everything split to the separate meshes they are.

Fwap · May 2013

I always dub divide my base mesh into even squares, then chuck a turbo smooth modifier on it and tick smooth by smoothing groups, it will basically tessellate it without smoothing.

cryrid · May 2013

Also, dynamesh attempts to preserve your existing shape (especially with that project option on by default), so if your pillars look faceted before dynamesh they'll probably look faceted after.

Easiest thing you can do for yourself (as suggested by others) is to split your model into relevant subtools so you can control each area individually, and subdivide normally if the topology allows.

passerby · May 2013

ya if you use goZ with multiple objects, it will bring them into zbrush scene as one, but separates to multiple subobjects and polygroups.

how to properly subdivide a mesh imported to zbrush

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