Dunes revisited

[Zoid]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-996456182dbt.jpg
OK Impending, I can take a hint. The image above is the landscape portion of an image that I posted recently. The key for me in making this started first in letting go of some preconceived notions. As the Saint commented, ZBrush isn't just for head modeling. I also thought that a large sweeping landscape would be difficult and require lots of pieces. The image above was modeled out of one 3D plane.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-996456721pyp.jpg
Step 1 Create a 3D plane and tip it at an angle with the back edge up and the front edge down at about 45 degrees. In the edit>move mode pull up on an area with a medium sized brush to make a hill.

Step 2 Push down with your brush to make a valley next to a hill.

Step3 Still in edit>move mode, pull the top of a hill sideways to create that windblown look. also try pulling towards the back or front. Make hills in the front with a larger brush size and then create smaller ones towards the back with smaller brush sizes to simulate natural perspective.

Step4 After you've created a good amount of topography, rotate the plane further back on its x-axis until it's almost flat with the back a little higher than the front. At this point you can also use your brush in edit>draw mode (red arrows) to add or subtract details and refine the look of it.

I hope this makes sense and is useful to you. I like techniques that are simple and that allow you to get the effect you want quickly and easily.

OK Impending now it's your turn. Quid pro quo.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-996458372ymz.jpg
The rocks that you made in your "Life's Little Surprises" image were amazing. I would love to know the details, as long as we're on the subject of natural formations :cool:

[rhom]

Very cool Mr.Zoid.Well done!Mr.Impending may we please here from your corner(he's right you know,those rocks you did are beautiful)

[impending]

Hey Hey Zoid,

I like how you visually explained your desert dunes. You’re right, you have to toss out your notions of how things are accomplished in other 3D apps. So much that I take for granted in other apps requires forethought in Zbrush, if the Z has a weakness , this is it – in reality it’s my weakness – I’m still learning about perspective.

Ok, my rocks – well as you’ll see here, I let a material do all the work ;) The rocks themselves are push/pulled low poly spheres. The material is a variation of Noise Pattern 1 – a material which I’ve used in every image I’ve made – which isn’t many. The key is the diffuse and noise curves shown below.

http://www.webperception.com/jdorsey/rockexample1.jpg

When used for rocks I like to add just a hint of blue than a little paint as appropriate.

http://www.webperception.com/jdorsey/rockexample.jpg

Little if any Zadd/sub was used after snapshotting. The credit goes to Pix & gang for creating a wonderful combo of material and renderer. Again, I think your image is great – I’d like to see more :tu:

The material may be found here (http://www.webperception.com/jdorsey/rock-gray.zmt). The noise radius should be adjusted between 250-500 to suit your tastes. If anyone is interested the original image may be found here (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000669) Hey Digits & Kathy, your welcome to post this on your sites if you’d like. Better watch out Rhom - sometimes the ref gets more then he deserves :D

jd

[Zoid]

Oh wow Impending,

This kind of information brings tears to my eyes. It is priceless. Thank you so much. I think I'm gonna disappear now for a while to figure out how this works and maybe make something as amazing as yours.

You're right about Rhom. He is an agitator in his own quiet sort of way :D

[Digits]

Thanks guys for sharing some cool techniques. And thanks Impending for the material, it be on Z-Place as we speak.

[william]

Wow, such great info!!!

Many Thanks! :)