ZBrush - Character creation

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a_bertrand
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ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

First of all, a few words of warning. This is a creature I did just for the tutorial and to have some fun. Don't expect something great, it's just to show the workflow and how you can make something quite cool in less than 1 hour.

Second, ZBrush is an unique tool, the GUI is really really odd, even odder than Blender, yet, there is nothing which compares to ZBrush. Why? because it works completely differently than anything else. It doesn't even use your 3D card for all the work. If you are into character design / painting, then ZBrush is something you can't simply skip. I mean, sure it's not free, but for the price you will have more than what you pay for. Also, they tend to give away version after version without asking for an upgrade price. Amazing. Anyhow let's start.

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Here is ZBrush and it's odd interface. By default on the left side you have the brush, color, and other related settings, while on the right most you find the tool palette and the tons of command. Just on the right of the drawing area you find a few toggles to change the view. On top of the screen you find the current mode, brush size and such.

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Let's start to create a rough 3D mesh of our creature. For that ZBrush offers loads of possibilities, but what works best for me is to start with what they call ZSpheres. You find them on the tool palette, and then selecting ZSphere. Once you selected it, drag it inside the drawing area.

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Once your ZSphere is on screen DO NOT forget to change the mode into "Edit" otherwise you will create some mess. That's one of the many odd things with ZBrush and I had my little issues with it ;)

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I changed to a perspective mode and displayed the ground. Also enable the symmetry (X key). While in draw with symmetry on, you will see 2 red dots while moving your mouse over your 3D object. When it's green, it means only 1 area (on the middle of the object) will be affected and that helps to create the head, tail and whatever is only once in our creature ;)

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ZSpheres are basically 3D spheres you can place around and which connect together. You can move them and scale them, to roughly shape your creature. Don't expect to create details with it, it should be the rough shape only.

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Once your are happy with it, you should transform your ZSphere into a 3D model. For that I prefer the Adaptive Skin tool, (click on the title inside the tool menu), and then change the density, and click preview. Does that work? If yes click the "Make Adaptive Skin". If not click again the preview button and continue to work with your ZSpheres.

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Your adaptive skin should appear in the tool palette, click on it, and your object should be on your document area.

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Time to start working on the details. Delete the lower resolution object, and let's transform this into a DynaMesh. Yet another ZBrush feature. This makes ZBrush in charge of the 3D geometry while you concentrate only on the shape. So if you make your object bigger, or push things in and out, ZBrush will add or remove polygons for you. It's pretty clever but the higher resolution the longer it takes to handle the "reprojection".

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Therefore set the resolution to something like 128 or 256 for an object like that, and then press the DynaMesh button. Once your object is a DynaMesh, the button will remain pressed.

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Time to start sculpting. For me, a good brush is the inflat brush which let me add or remove volumes easily. But you may as well be well served with other brushes. To change brush, you select the current brush on the left side, a palette opens and shows quite some, select the one you want and start your work.

You can see my sculpt time laps here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11ZZbBYrZo[/youtube]

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Once your model is mostly ready (don't goo to far with the details yet), it's time to convert this DynaMesh into a static multi-resolution object. Duplicate your object.

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And enable (and make visible) only the second entry.

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Go to Geometry, expand the ZRemesher, choose how many poly it should have (more or less), choose Adapt (for better results), and press ZRemesher. This tool basically create quad polygons over your object at the resolution you requested. The tool is much more powerful that that, but for this tutorial let's just say it makes the object more or less like you want it.

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Once ZBrush finish the creation of the low resolution mesh, let's sub-devide it. basically each quad polygon will be split in 4 smaller one at each division. Yet ZBrush remembers both the low and the high resolution objects, which let you then export the low resolution object for games and apply a displacement map to make all the details appear. Divide a couple of time (till you reach sub-div 4 or so).

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Back to the subtools, show again the first object, but select the second on. And now click on "ReprojectAll". Basically the details of the first object will be passed on the second one allowing us to keep the details of the original object to our low level object.

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Time to delete the first object (the one without low and high resolution version). Select it, and then press Delete.

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Now let's open the Geometry palette, drag the SDiv back to 1.

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Open the ZPlugin menu, and choose UV Master, unwrap. If SDiv is not set to 1, this will fail. UV Master will create a map to place your texture over your 3D object. UV maps are basically a trick which let you have a flat image painted over your 3D object without having too much deformations on the image.

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As our object is still in SDiv 1, let's create the displacement map. Expand Displacement map in the tool menu, and click Create DispMap.

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Ok, the base is set, it's now time to create the texture. We will do only the color texture map yet, but this could be used for any map you want to create. In the tool menu, choose Polypaint, and then click colorize. Polypaint basically let you set a color / material per polygon. To have enough polygons in order to be able to paint details you must have enough sub-division levels. However don't go too crazy either as the higher you go, the more ram you will use.

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Most of the time a texture map is now set as white, and will prevent you to work on your model. So go on the texture map and de-select "texture on" if it was pressed.

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By default your object is like in a red wax. Perfect for sculpting but not for painting. To change it, slect the MatCap on the left side, and choose Skinshader.

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Time to paint on your model. Make sure you change your brush, remove the ZAdd and press the RGB on top. I like also to work with that Alphamap and spray paint and a lower RGB intensity. But you can choose whatever fit you better.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZjo4xOYkNw[/youtube]

The timelaps of the painting.

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And here you are with the result.

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Now that your model is painted, you need to create a texture map from your polypaint as no other software beside ZBrush do understand the polypaint information. In the texture map palette, choose "New from polypaint", and your texture map is done.

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Time to export your textured and modeled object to your preferred 3D soft. ZBrush offers a great way to work with other software. This feature is called GoZ. Press the button, and your 3D soft will be started and will receive the textured model.

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And here you are the new creature inside Modo 701 the soft I use for my 3D work.
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a_bertrand
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

BTW to show what people do with ZBrush:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvCompIskoY[/youtube]

I can tell you, you can't work like that with any other software. Sure this is not a photo-realistic image at the end (but there is some work with ZBrush which would make you wonder if it's a picture or not), as the artist didn't wanted to.

Also shall that kind of thread be considered a tutorial? And if yes, shouldn't be placed somewhere to be found later by everyone looking for info about ZBrush?
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a_bertrand
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

Yet another great timelaps which shows how you can start from ZSpheres (like I did) and up with something totally mad (and game related in my opinion):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z_yg7ImbuY[/youtube]
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vitinho444
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by vitinho444 »

Wow just what i needed for my horror game.

I've only worked with 3dmax and as you know im not that good. If i start using ZBrush with your tutorial, will i be good?
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a_bertrand
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

I can't promise you that you will be great with ZBrush as it pretty much depends on you, your skills, and how much time you invest to learn it. However what I can tell you, is that you will be able to make things you would never be able to with other tools.
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by vitinho444 »

i must try.. It looks good to make odd creatures in "no-time" like the one you did, but how about animation? Is it easy to rig or to do animations like walking and idle?
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a_bertrand
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

ZBrush cannot animate (or not as you expect it). ZBrush must be only one part of your pipeline, and for example export from ZBrush to Max (if that's what you want to use) and animate there.
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by vitinho444 »

What about the rigging? Like.. what i do to move the legs only, then the head blablabla.. its easier with a rigged model.
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a_bertrand
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by a_bertrand »

As said, ZBrush is NOT meant for that. Use ZBrush for creating the mesh or modify / sculpt it, UV map and paint it, but for animating, rigging, and rendering. As said other tools are here for that. You don't like Max? Fine try Modo, Cinema 4D, Maya, Lightwave or others. Personally I work with Modo and I love it.
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Re: ZBrush - Character creation

Post by vitinho444 »

i like max, but i dont know how to rig :(
Is there any tutorials?
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