Vegetation Tutorial

[aurick]

Well, you folks asked for it, so (for better or worse) here it is: The ZBrush 1.23 Green Thumb Tutorial (http://www.pixologic.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-998385808skz.zip).

It is in the form of an interactive ZScript that will draw this picture:
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-998385925knm.jpg

It's not much for art, but I've deliberately tried to use a variety of the techniques that I have employed in my images to date.

Just unzip the file's contents into your ZScripts folder. It includes a bitmap texture, which you want to leave in the same folder as the tutorial script in order for the program to run right.

Have fun, happy ZBrushing, and let me know if you find it useful! :)

[Kruzr]

'Morning Aurick . . . :)

I have just downloaded your "ZScript Tutorial". By the looks of the image, it should guide or teach several who choose to download it, quite a bit about creating vegetation in ZBrush. ;)

Thank you much for taking the time to create a one on one, ( via ZScripts ), "How To" tutorial. I will post something as soon as I have a chance to view the ZScript, & attempt to grow something in ZBrush. :rolleyes:

I've got a busy day today, so I won't be able to view it until later this afternoon. It's about 6:56 A.M. right now & I've got to jump in the shower, eat breakfast & hit the bricks, so I'll talk to'ya later. :)

You have a good one . . . :cool: Mark.

[davey]

Just outstanding! :D

I like the "lecturette" style of describing the techniques with [ButtonFind's first, then presenting Play buttons that enact them.

And your extensive use of the Fiber Brush is very informative; it's inspired me to try new ideas myself.

Naturally, I'm interested in the paragraph that says there's a bug in the playback software; if you can give us more information it'll help us track down the problem. Wouldn't you know, it worked fine for me.

Thanks for putting this together; I wanna see more!

dave

[jaime]

Just plain F A N T A S T I C!
Very well executed and easy to follow...
Great stuff ;)
jaime

[aurick]

Thank you, folks! I'm glad it's useful (especially since I was up until 3:00 this morning writing the interface and dialogue -- the script took about 30 minutes to record, but another 5 hours to annotate). I'd love to see posts from people who've tried applying some of the stuff. I'm also open to comments that would help me make any future tutorials better.

Davey, the problem that I got also happened on my work computer. When it starts adding branches to the trunk, the gyros sometimes don't drag correctly. Most common is the top branch on the right side, which usually doesn't rotate to point away from the trunk. Other branches also sometimes don't quite land in the right places, but that one is the worst. Both of my computers are Windows Me machines, if that helps. Also, the Snake Hook Brush has a couple of times grabbed part of the stone when drawing the roots (which will teach me to draw trees on yet another layer, and then merge my stone and tree layers before adding the grass and doing the final merge :rolleyes: ).

[Muvlo]

Thanks for the tutorial Aurick! :)
Great information. :tu:
I've been through, now to go through at lower speeds and see just how you did all that!!! :)
(BTW, I saw the ZScript error with the branches.)

[Digits]

I am anxious to run your script when I get home Aurick. I think it is really great that you have put so much of your personal time for the benefit of others in a true Zbrush vision using scripts. Yee Doggie!

[Zoid]

Hi Aurick,

I just got home from my vacation which was in a place with lots of rocks and moss, and of course the whole time I was thinking,how can I make this in ZBrush? Your tutorial played perfectly for me and I can really see how much time and effort you put into it. I had never used the fiberbrush before. Your explanation of the process makes it very clear and is useful for me just when I need it. I will try to post an image soon. Thanks so much :tu: :tu: :tu:

[thelonious]

Aurick,
I've just been through your script and I am bursting with excitement. I believe this could help me make that all important breakthrough.

I can't express my appreciation enough that you take so much time to use these scripts to share your knowledge. I guess the best way to show my appreciation is to get an image posted. Won't be long now.

With the new manual and all the other fantastic tutorials that everyone has posted I feel like I am drowning in knowledge. This is truly an awesome forum.

Must stop talking must start painting must stop talking must...etc.

thelonious

[Stacey]

Thank you aurick!!!! You are aces in my book :)

[juandel]

thank you aurick! i will grow something following your script asap (no access to my rendering machine for a few days, i’m afraid) and show my results asap. i guess it will become something like tribute-ferns but we shall see! :D

- juandel

[Zoid]

Ok Aurick,

I was able to add some lichens to the tops of these rocks based on your technique, but not the thick layer of moss that I was hoping for. Using the flatcolor material with the fiberbrush is definitely a good trick. Anyway, I'm off to a good start thanks to you :D
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-998454786vhx.jpg

[aurick]

A very nice start, indeed! That lichen is a very subtle, but effective, touch. Had you baked the stone layer before starting to add the moss to it? If not, that would explain the color not coming out right. And what were your Picker settings? It should be set the same for what you're doing here as when you first start the program. For the color settings on moss, I normally use a very dark background color and a slightly lighter main color. For the Fiber Brush settings, I usually go with a density somewhere around 30, -100 gravity, 0 grooming, 15 turbulence, Back Color (so that it uses the color settings on the Color palette rather than having a base color that matches your object), and a thickness of 1. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the image as it progresses!

By the way, you did a great job with the water, too. You even remembered all the little stones on the bed. Awesome. :)

[Digits]

I just want to say that your script was fantastic. I learned quite a few important things and for that I thank you

[Nikko]

Aurick, I gotta thank you for such a wonderful, informative, and enjoyable Z-script. Only one branch was out of place (reversed rotational angle) when I ran the script, and it was pretty much covered up by vegetation when the script had run it's course. Very nice rocks sculpting, using the same tool in various positions made them look like they were all unique. Excellent :tu: :cool: :tu:

[Kruzr]

'Morning Aurick . . . :) I viewed you tutorial last night after getting home, I've got to try your method today. You make it look so easy! ;)

You guys have a good one . . . :cool: Mark.

[upham]

Hey aurick you've got me excited here! The picture is great, but I want to ask you how you created the script?????
Yeah, I know a text program & ZBrush, but how have you seperated the recored parts with the text-instructions? Did you start recording, do your actions, stop recording, save the file, and then copy and paste it into your master text file underneath the written text?
Your very clever! Well done!
Upham :)

[aurick]

Thank you, Upham.

It wasn't easy to create the ZScript, since I hadn't even messed with them before. I'm sure that any future ones will be somewhat more refined, now that I've had this learning experience under my belt.

As far as the process was concerned, I started out by creating the entire scene in one recorded session. I then went back with Wordpad and analyzed what made the Picnic tutorials work the way that they did. It was then a matter of reading through my recorded script to find the logical breaks in each segment and insert the comments/commands that make it all work. I did this last part side by side with ZBrush, making and saving changes with the text editor and then reloading the script in ZBrush to make sure that it was doing what I wanted it to do. (Which unfortunately did not happen nearly often enough! LOL)

The worst was when I accidentally said "FindButton" instead of "ButtonFind". This was after the very long stretch that draws the tree's needles and had the effect of essentially blowing the entire script up on me. In ZBrush, the script switched to its full text mode (like it always does when there's an error), but instead of showing the error in red like usual, it just suddenly stopped displaying about halfway through the process. I was just about ready to chuck my computer out the window when I figured out what I'd done. Then I wanted to chuck myself out the window for having made such a simple mistake. LOL

Anyway, it all worked out in the end, and I have an idea for a really sweet tutorial surprise in the near future. It's going to take a lot of work to create, though, so you'll have to be patient.

[upham]

Yikes! and you still managed to finish it by 3am! (in one sitting?!)
Maybe there's a way to put a "marker" in the script ... um, by selecting somthing and then deselecting it, so when you look at the text file you would know where to break it?
Thanks for answering.
Upham :)

[Vikki]

Aurick,

I'm speechless! Thanks so much for the time you take to do all these things for all of us!

You are truly amazing. I'll get this downloaded and as soon as I get caught up on the happening at ZBCentral I'll check it out.

Thanks again for all you do and the time you give to teach us all the amazing techniques you use! :D

[Jade]

Hi all! Had lots of fun with Aurick's Vegetation Tutorial. Here's the results of my playing around with it. Many thanks to aurick for the tut, the rocks, the tree branches and the rock and tree materials. Also thanks to davey for the clouds material.

http://www.jadedimages.com/gallery/fiberbrush.jpg

Jade

[juandel]

this, Jade, is a veryveryvery :cool: and :tu: :tu: :tu: 1st contribution! the tree seems to feel very happy with the place it has to hang it’s hat :D (and it/he/she? is right to feel like that) welcome to ZBCentral and keep sharing, please! :D

- juandel

[PinheadPaul]

As a very new member here I'd like to thank you aurick for taking the time to write the script for us not as familiar with fiber brush techniques.
The image posted used your technique for *all* mats/textures excluding the water plane and clouds. You can see the results are subtle and I didn't use it quite the way the tutorial did - I got a bit carried away. An amazing app.

Best regards,

Paul a/k/a pinhead

(Sorry, I posted as new - please delete new thread?) http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads0/user_image-1004929721bms.jpg

[aurick]

Please DON'T delete that new thread. The scene deserves to be showcased, rather than hidden away in another thread somewhere.

Paul, if you really want, just stick a link to this tutorial in your other post and I'll be more than happy. You don't really have to do that, though.

I now know what teachers mean when they say that their proudest moments are when a student exceeds their own ability/knowledge. You've done phenomenal work here, and it's a great feeling to know that I helped you achieve such mastery.

[PinheadPaul]

aurick,
Thank you very much - I really don't know what to say.
The image wouldn't be if it wasn't for your instruction.
In my opinion you deserve the credit.
I'll take some on my next post, ok?
And I ain't no master!!!! Lol.
The post was my way of thanking you for all the tutorials and time you put in.
I am very glad that it pleased you.
To be honest I was hesitant to post.
Have you seen what H2 at 3d com is doing with ZBrush? Now there's a Master!

All the best,

Paul