ZBrush 4R2 ZClassroom Movies. Updated to include 17 Movies.

[Pixolator]

Hi:)

We are currently finalizing the ZClassroom movie section for ZBrush 4R2. Although it will take some time before all ZClassroom movies are completed, we opted to share with you the movies as they are available.

The first movie is about Z4R2 capabilities to blend shaders and materials. Learning how to take advantage of this new feature and the other rendering enhancements will benefit you at all stages of creation, from the early concept to the final polished stage.

Enjoy, learn and experiment with these features.

The Pixologic Team



:b3:Troubleshooting questions should be posted in the Questions And Troubleshooting Forums (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?8-Questions-amp-Troubleshooting-Forums).

:b3:If you create cool images utilizing the features described in these movies, please post in this thread and share with us and other members of ZBrushCentral.





SHADER AND MATERIAL BLEND Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-01-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
models (by order of appearance) courtesy of:Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com),Eric Keller (http://www.bloopatone.com/),Magdalena Dadela (http://mdadela.com/),Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com)



WAX PREVIEW Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-02-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
models (by order of appearance) courtesy of: Geert Melis (http://geertmelis.com/),Young Choi (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?161214-ZBrush-4R2-Beta-Testing-By-Young-Choi),Jeremy Lanum (http://jeremylanum.com/),Julian Kenning (http://www.juliankenning.com/),Kurt Papstein (http://kptoons.blogspot.com),Marco Splash (http://www.marcoplouffe.com/),Jeremy Lanum (http://jeremylanum.com/),Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com/),Eric Keller (http://www.bloopatone.com/),Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com/)


CURVE-TRI-FILL BRUSH Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-03-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>


BPR FILTERS Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-04-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
model courtesy of:Maarten Verhoeven (http://verhoevenmaarten.blogspot.com/)
Renders (by order of appearance) courtesy of: Julian Kenning (http://www.juliankenning.com/), Fabio Paiva (http://fabiopaivaart.com), Katon Callaway (http://www.cobracaptain.com), Frederik Storm (http://www.frederikstorm.dk), Jeremy Lanum (http://jeremylanum.com/), Marco Splash (http://www.marcoplouffe.com/), Maarten Verhoeven (http://verhoevenmaarten.blogspot.com)


SLICE CURVE BRUSH Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-05-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>

CURVE SURFACE BRUSH Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-06-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>


MATCAP™ MATERIALS Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-07-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
models (by order of appearance) courtesy of:Marco Splash (http://www.marcoplouffe.com/),Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com),Rudy Massar (http://rudymassar.cghub.com/),Maartin Verhoeven (http://verhoevenmaarten.blogspot.com/),Nicolas Garilhe (http://nicolasgarilhe.com/)


LIGHTCAP™ Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-08-1-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
models (by order of appearance) courtesy of:Marco Splash (http://www.marcoplouffe.com/),Maxence Fleuret (http://mfleuret.blogspot.com/),Kurt Papstein (http://kptoons.blogspot.com),Darrick Pister (http://pister.cgsociety.org/gallery/),Nicolas Garilhe (http://nicolasgarilhe.com/)


INTRODUCING DYNAMESH Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-08-2-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
models (by order of appearance) courtesy of:Katon Callaway (http://www.cobracaptain.com),Gun Park (http://www.oxcube.com/cgpark/),Nicolas Garilhe (http://nicolasgarilhe.com/),Julian Kenning (http://www.juliankenning.com/),Michael Defeol (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?161222-ZBrush-4R2-Beta-Testing-By-Michael-Defeo&p=894126&viewfull=1"),Jeremy Lanum (http://jeremylanum.com/),Young Choi (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?161214-ZBrush-4R2-Beta-Testing-By-Young-Choi),Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com),Frederik Storm (http://www.frederikstorm.dk),James Van Den Bogart (http://vdb3d.com/)


MERGE SIMILAR Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-09-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>

DUPLICATE AND EXTRUDE Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-10-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>

CURVE EDITABLE POLYPAINT Narrator: Louie Tucci
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-14-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
model courtesy of: Matthew Kean (http://www.matthewkean.com)



MESH-INSERT BRUSH 1: Creating A Bolt Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-15-1-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>


MESH-INSERT BRUSH 2: Create A Custom Insert Brush Narrator: Paul Gaboury<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-15-2-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>


MESH-INSERT BRUSH 3: Modify Existing Insert Brush Narrator: Paul Gaboury<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-15-3-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>


SNAKEHOOK BRUSH Narrator: Paul Gaboury
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-15-4-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>
model courtesy of: Marco Splash (http://www.marcoplouffe.com/)



MAKING OF: TIME FOR ART #4 Narrator: Eric Keller
<IFRAME height=616 src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/tut-16-1024.html" frameBorder=0 width=1034></IFRAME>

[idlemind]

sounds good, checking it out now. appreciate the efforts updating the classroom so soon. :tu:

[Spyndel]

I know lots of people only think about the mesh sculpting aspects of Zbrush, but I want to thank you for continuing to give attention to, and developing the material and rendering side of Zbrush. Please never stop.

[phrenzy84]

I think more videos just on the shader mixer would be highly welcomed. Its more powerful than most users think. This video has only scratched the surface in terms of flexibility.

Great demo, i hope for more. :)

[chemkid]

you pixo-people are soo crazy!! WOW! :)
the latest additions to zb-shaders are so cool for look-development - freaking crazy!
thanks a lot!

chem!

ps: mentalray and 3rd party renderer enthusiasts, don't worry! just start thinking outside the box. ;)

[testure]

nicely done, i've just been going through the 'whats new' PDF and tweaking all of the new knobs, but this will certainly help!

[LeoAMD]

New tutorials HOORAY :D

[Santis]

That is crazy awesome! Thank you so much pixologic for this! :tu::tu:

[loki_22]

sweet!! :D

[Jester]

Great, thanks, makes me to turn away from classic rendering :D

[MichaelMaehring]

this allows to paint specularity in a totally new way; as far as i am concerned, this feature (along with the fixed suv-issue) is exceeding my expectations by far; there is really no more compelling reason for a zbrush artist to render outside zbrush (except the 2.5d camera of course ;) )











(still waiting for my upgrade mail)

[DLangley]

Excellent, thanks :cool:

[Sigmund Hentze]

Great keep them coming....:tu:

[The Namek]

this allows to paint specularity in a totally new way; as far as i am concerned, this feature (along with the fixed suv-issue) is exceeding my expectations by far; there is really no more compelling reason for a zbrush artist to render outside zbrush (except the 2.5d camera of course ;) )











(still waiting for my upgrade mail)

All mails were sent , i think you'd need to contact support if you didn't get one.

[Sigmund Hentze]

Great keep them coming....:tu:

I am replying on my own post, as I just watched the video and love it, I prefer the these short discriptive video and this one is WOW...

Sitting back and waiting for the next one...

[dustbin1_uk]

Thank you guys! These videos are always VERY helpful in getting up to speed quickly.

You work hard on them and I thank you for that.

[3dzeiro]

Thanks Mr. Z! :tu::tu::tu:

[allaze-eroler]

very cool ! but do you plan to add a CC (closed captioning) system in your classroom video ? that would be very usefull for everyone who had some problem with english comprehension or still for these peoples who are deaf which it's my case.

[azarnejad]

Many Thanks...:tu:

[cmoffitt]

AMAZING!! Material blending was HUGE on my wish list. Thank you Pixologic!!!

[Pixolator]

...add a CC (closed captioning) system ...for these peoples who are deaf...
I deeply apologize for not taking hearing impairments into consideration earlier. This was an unfortunate oversight, I will investigate the available options and hopefully find a practical solution for this. Please contact me (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=1) with any suggestions you might have to guide my search.

Sincerely,
-Pixolator

[skaale]

nice !! update on the shader side..but it' could be TOP notch to baked it to a texture
hope it will appear in Z5 (strange someone did make a plug-in for baking materials back in the good old days of zbrush 2.0, but it never got any updates shame:-()

[allaze-eroler]

I deeply apologize for not taking hearing impairments into consideration earlier. This was an unfortunate oversight, I will investigate the available options and hopefully find a practical solution for this. Please contact me (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=1) with any suggestions you might have to guide my search.

Sincerely,
-Pixolator

no worry for about it, i will contact you for to get give some hints that you can possibly add the CC system :)

[sculptor.zb]

Thanks for the video Great Help!! :tu:

[SolidSnakexxx]

The Material Blending is awesome.

I did some small testing of ZBrush 4R2 in the last few days....one including the Material Blend. (And must I say...DynaMesh, Noise Maker, Wax Properties + LightCap are just awesome.)

For this piece I did a sculpt based on McFarlane's Tyr: The Legend of Blade Hunter.

I used Material Blend on the Shoulder Guards and some Shader Mixer on the Skin (Very subtle though) and here's the result.

Thank you Pixologic Team.. Great job on this release!

274185274184

[b33nine]

How the heck do I apply the 2nd matcap? The S2 option always stays gray and I can't add another matcap. I'm assuming it's something simple that I just can't figure out.

[Support]

How the heck do I apply the 2nd matcap? The S2 option always stays gray and I can't add another matcap. I'm assuming it's something simple that I just can't figure out.
You need to use a material that has two or more shaders.
To get started, load the "TwoTone_Jelly" project. The selected material has two shaders that you can adjust as needed.

[MINTY]

Another amazing aspect to this superb piece of software. A HUGE thank you for all the incredible work you guys do. :D

[icaba1]

Nice!

[Pixolator]

Thanks:)
The 2nd movie "Wax Preview" added to the first post.

[MealeaYing]

Hya Everyone!
This is because of the wax video, basically I followed the instructions to turn the normal red wax color thing into wax preview wax.... this sounds weird.... anyhow then I went to the bottom of the Materiel Pallets Modifier sub pallet and screwed about with color till it made me ill, then I started over and turned A into a sickening toothpaste green and B I turned black. This is a Sculptris mesh that wouldn't survive dynamesh so I said the heck with dynamesh and subdivided into about 6 million polygons and then played with the deco brush which I have a bit of a thing for, who ever came up with that brush gets a cookie and a smooch on the nose!
What I do not know how to do is save the materiel with out ruining the standard red wax materiel, there is no "save as" button, do I just hit save?
This stuff is fantastic, there is so many possibilities just with changing the color in those four boxes its amazing.

274247

[threetails]

Here is a small test with some of the new BPR settings like wax preview, and the mixers, not PS work at all. I am still having trouble with the shadows and removing the ray lines on the model. Blurring them works but it also obliterates the hard edges, I'm checking my settings and will continue to run further test. Hoping to see some full render tutorials in this batch of videos as well. Having a blast! Well done everyone.
274254

[dapharmer]

malea... it should give yu option to save to new filename.. dont think it overwrites... but you can always use something like a basic material or doubleshader and copy over the mat channels from the red wax one into the doubleshader then save that... it really really should ask you for filename.. pretty sure.. btu if not its at least a more basic material :)

[xsyx]

This is so helpful ! Thank you !

[MealeaYing]

malea... it should give yu option to save to new filename.. dont think it overwrites... but you can always use something like a basic material or doubleshader and copy over the mat channels from the red wax one into the doubleshader then save that... it really really should ask you for filename.. pretty sure.. btu if not its at least a more basic material :)


Oh? So the save button in the materiel menu on the left is basically "save as"????
HA!!!! Thank you!!!

[justadeletedguy]

I know I belong in the Sculptris Thread, I don't have Zbrush, but I watched the first two vids anyway, and while It's completely amazing what your doing with the material channels in both Sculptris, and now Zbrush 4r2, defining them from a texture layer rather than the wire mesh (correct me if I'm wrong), and Zbrush, being the flagship, has a fairly powerful image editor built into it, adjusting blurs, noise, brightness and contrast for your alphas, textures, and now the material as well, and Sculptris users are stuck doing this in an external app. However, most animation and gaming softwares define the materials by the Wire mesh, which was a problem a few ran into in the Sculptris forum, when it came time to export to another software. How would one use these new gradual material transtions on a model meant for export or retopology or both ?

[dapharmer]

start a letter writing campaign to all of those other companies to convince them to natively support zbrush materials ;) ... unfortunately probably the only way that some of the zbrush tools will see themselves go to other apps...for now though we have zapplink and goZ which lets us take all of the information directly into other programs and i imagine somewhere in there is translation tools for at least some material information but ive only ever played with the link to photoshop so cant really tell you for sure whats there.

[alterton]

Hell yes!!!I have ben praying for these videos!!! Thanks a lt Pixo!!

[Spyndel]

That waxy polypainting is really pretty.

[ilusiondigital]

ZB4 R2 has been released?

[allaze-eroler]

ZB4 R2 has been released?

yes since a week, if you didn't get one, it's probably from your serial code that didn't work or you forgot to add your code at pixologic support. make sure it's the serial number from your email that cleverbridge or pixologic did sent you.

[KittyLover]

Thank you very much :) These videos have proven to be very useful to understand how the new features work :)

[Nemoid]

Thank you very much for the new features and for the videos ! Lots of things to learn ! Materials are really powerful in Zbrush and i really hope there will be a way to export those in other apps maybe through some great plugin ! They are a wonderful tool for concepts as well. Nice done Pixologic ! ;)

[Moths]

Grate videos keep em coming.
Loving the Render vid. where mats are mixed :tu:
Thanks for this.

[Zeddicus]

Fantastic videos for a fantastic program! I don't mind reading manuals, but videos convey everything a lot better, not to mention quicker. Thanks for all the effort you've put into this release. If ZB4R2 is this amazing, what will Z5 be like I wonder? :D

[n-drew]

strange that there is no video for dynamesh and the sub-d freeze thing....having some trouble with it.

[Blaine91555]

:tu::tu: Awesome stuff!!! :tu::tu:

A good hair and fur solution (hint, hint ;)) and I can pretty much walk away from the other tedious, boring software.

[runejw]

A flower made according to the technique in #3 (CurveTriFill) and exported as obj and rendered in Modo

274423

[MealeaYing]

A flower made according to the technique in #3 (CurveTriFill) and exported as obj and rendered in Modo



Thats wonderful!!

[The Namek]

the filters being able to be mapped on depth , AO , ... is very interesting. Going to toy with those.

[womball]

I love these videos, make it much easier to figure out what things do.

The Jersey Shore like music is distracting.

[majid_smiley]

thanks so much ! very useful ! more please !!

[yinshiuan]

Thanks! Nice tutorial!! :tu:

[pimeto]

Coulde you please make the music not that loud. At moments i barely hear what the dude is saying.
Thanks for the updates!

[benmillion]

Tanks for posting these vids. The new updates to R2 are mind blowing. Really. Game changer.

I was wondering if there's an alternate source for these vids, YouTube vimeo... Unfortunately there's no flash playback on the iPad.

Thanks!
Ben

[hypnotik]

wow thanks :tu::tu::tu::tu::tu:

[Dan1700]

That slice tool is the most amazing I've seen in a long time.

[Morbius]

Thanks so much for these great videos, Pixo!!

Please keep them coming! :D

[MealeaYing]

This is silly but it uses a lot of the new stuff, the next thing will (hopefully) use all of it.

274682

[MealeaYing]

strange that there is no video for dynamesh and the sub-d freeze thing....having some trouble with it.

What sort of trouble are you having

[Support]

More movies - including DynaMesh movies - will be posted as soon as they are ready:)

[Zeddicus]

A good hair and fur solution (hint, hint ;)) and I can pretty much walk away from the other tedious, boring software.
Don't forget about the ability to render refraction too! ;)

[wethand]

this is awesome!
i mean, you can discover many tools by just exploring them, but the vids are helpful as hell! thanks! :tu:
btw: i love hearing you say "my dog"... C'MON, SLICE THAT DOG! ;)

[Nemoid]

curve brushes rock ! and curve surface brush ! i din't even noticed it ! how powerful this can be !!!!!

[Spyndel]

curve brushes rock ! and curve surface brush ! i din't even noticed it ! how powerful this can be !!!!!

You want to have some fun, clone the Curve Tube brush , and start experimenting putting different primitives into mesh insert preview. You can draw out square tubes, elliptical barrels, rolled up "scrolls", all sorts of fun stuff which you can "bend" after the fact.

Only use Zbrush polymetric primitives though, not polymesh 3d objects. The later either isn't supported, or bugged for some reason, and will cause instability.

[Gazza14]

These Video's are a fantastic help and very enlightening, zbrush is a great piece of software

[JaAzura]

I was looking forward, and asking for some awesome tutorials on these new features... thank you!

~ WOW ~

[NBreslow]

Just wanted to drop a note to say THANKS for the videos. I agree with the other folks here - short videos with clear explanations are extremely helpful. I had read the new documentation but seeing the operations performed made a huge difference in my understanding of the new tools.

Thanks!

-NB

[MealeaYing]

Super quick rock making tutorial.

Ok:

Make an object, a sphere will do.
Hit "Edit".
Hit "Make PolyMesh 3D".
Hit the "Dynamesh" button in the Geometry pallet.
Use the Standard brush or some other simple thing to mush up the shape a bit.
Hit the "Clay Polish" button in the Geometry pallet about 8-10 times.
In the Mask Pallet hit the "Sharpen Mask" button. (you should now see that the edges are all masked off, its neat looking)
In the Deformation pallet bump up "Noise" a bit.
Also in the Deformation Pallet increase (or decrease) "Size" a little, like maybe 3-5.
Screw around with other things, reverse the mask and repeat as needed.


TADA! A Rock!
Note you do not need to use Dynamesh for this, you can do this to anything.
If you have a figure for example you can age it a few thousand years in seconds. Basically the Clay Polish button is masking off anything it thinks is an edge and flattening the rest, the more times you use it the more complex your rock will be.


Cheers!
Mealea

274757

-{(do not smoke, use only as directed, not responsible for broken windows, void where prohibited)}-

[monstermaker]

I am going to be away from my computer for a month but OMG these videos are making me so excited to play with the new update. Again I say I love you guys.
ZBrush and Pixologic are the best!

[electricsun2]

thank you for these great Zbrushclassroom videos for Zbrush4 r2 very usefull. Keep putting them out

[threetails]

Thanks for the great videos Paul and Erik. after looking at the Curv brushes more closely, the slice and other related brushes and how they are able to generate topology, and loops, if feels like parts of these brushes could be utilized in a very dynamic re-topology brush set. Very exciting to watch the growth of this still amazing company and program. Great work.

[industripop]

That curve surface brush is so freaking cool. I predict we'll be seeing a lot more caped figures around here!

[n-drew]

sry support havent read that u wrote they are working on a dynameshvideo...but...isnt dynamesh the main feature?! :confused:

[panphoto]

Hi,

Can I make a plea that all future videos are made without the robotic goosestep beat in the background, I find it very difficult to concentrate on what is said! It adds nothing to the tutorials and trust me guys, your voices are quite beautiful enough to not require pointless embellishment. :td:

David

Grown-ups also use Zbrush!

[Jesper Rytter]

274775
Dynamesh truely is amazing. no more need for planning. adding or deleting parts with no consequenses at all. this character have been made with dynamesh +meshinsert, curvetrifill and a slight calor adjustment with the bpr filters

http://vimeo.com/29842948

[Pi(x)el]

Much needed and appreciated.

[tyrellcorp]

i just tried the "clay polish" with 100 sharpen and when you go to polypaint the mesh it looks terriable

[fishjelly]

This site has tons of traffic so why not offload some of that onto Youtube............WAY too slow here on my connection

[fracture]

Hi, I made some test using dynamesh and Bpr renders, I used a lightcap made by me following the official doc, very fast ang good, in my opinion..
:D

274915
274916
274917
274918
274919

Filters are just amazing.. I used a blue tint for AO and shadows, a fade effect linked to the depth and a dof.
I used Photoshop only on the fourth image.
CU!

[The Namek]

really impressed with lightcap , starting to wonder why the old light system is still in Zbrush, can't lightcap replace it completely + be more advanced?

[Spyndel]

really impressed with lightcap , starting to wonder why the old light system is still in Zbrush, can't lightcap replace it completely + be more advanced?

Sometimes you just need a more physicalized light model. Unless I'm misunderstanding, lightcap is for the quick creation of matcap materials...it doesnt say, control the direction of the raytraced shadows.

Correct me if Im wrong.


[edit] I'm wrong. Now, that I can finally watch the movie (you tube option would be nice), I see that it looks like it does control the raytraced shadows, so I dunno.

[edit 2] A little birdie told me the old light system is in there for legacy support reasons.

[edit 3] Lightcap is awesome.

[fracture]

I think that old light system is still there to use it as shadow caster in a bpr render, and also to be used if you want to do a 2.5 classic illustration (bpr works only with an active tool)..
I miss some settings about the shadows on the ground, it's always better to use a plane as subtool to simulate the floor also because some strange effect using some filters.
Cu

[RageNrock]

Very cool stuff!

[VISEone]

It takes hours to load and view the videos - wouldn't it be possibe to let them download to registered ZBrush users?
Those videos are most helpful to understand the new functions - but each revisit it takes hours for buffering that part of your interest...

let us download please :)

[The Namek]

They seem to be loading ok for me now , but i guess it depends on the time.

[Sickness]

I really like the ZClassroom videos in general. It's pretty much condensed fundamental knowledge on how to use the new functions.

I would be cool if there were a few more in-depth videos on how to use the new functions to their full extend, though.
Also the music on some of the vids is really too loud compared to the voice over. :confused:

No matter what ... the new ZBrush realease is super-awesome! I love this release so much I can't really describe it. :)

[dustbin1_uk]

I sorry to moan but the backing music in the MATCAPS MATERIALS video is too loud and distracting. Eric (who is a fantastic tutor BTW, as is Paul) has a very natural calm voice, that is sometimes drowned out by the music.

Sorry it's my only real complaint.

Thanks for all your hard work though! :tu:

[Sigmund Hentze]

Sorry, as a hearing impaired person, I seem to agree on the music backing... find this with block buster movies to... other than that... these tuts are priceless... just seemed to dry up...

Keep 'em coming...

[Cathod]

This is really good ! Will buy me a license !

[phrenzy84]

Awesome another one.

Don't forget to do a noise maker one :)

[Sigmund Hentze]

Thanks the Merge Similar video is brilliant, short sweet and to the point... and yes the sound is better.... love to see more of these short videos....

Thanks a Mil...

[Jester]

IMO Dynamesh is the best invention in this release. Changed my workflow, no need to plan. I made several sketches with dynamesh, and really lovely. The only issue I get is the loss of details when I remesh the dynamesh. I have to adjust the density, but it's a quite OK trade off.

[InkySpot]

I will admit, I love everything, currently working with Dynamesh, so much to take in and trying to steel some time, but I am figuring it all out. Amazing though, can't wait to post the results of my trails with ZR4.
Thank you again Pixologic. Zbrush is one of the best things that has every happened to me, and I have had quite of few good things.

[fj8e5la]

I'd enjoy working with zbrush in a 4-view setting (front, top, side and perspective view) as is common in other CAD applications. This would result in a better control when building hard surfaces (e. g. building tangent squares).

[vedanta]

Very much enjoy these tutorials, very helpful,, keep them coming
:tu:

[StephenCook]

274775
Dynamesh truely is amazing. no more need for planning. adding or deleting parts with no consequenses at all. this character have been made with dynamesh +meshinsert, curvetrifill and a slight calor adjustment with the bpr filters

http://vimeo.com/29842948

Looks like it was inspired by a chicken with the part dangling from the chin.
I know he is a Ball chinnian! :D J/K
Looks nice keep up the work. Can't wait to see what it will look like when its finished.

[Lone Deranger]

These tutorials are fantastic. They’re very well presented. I’m learning things about ZBrush I had never bothered with before or never even knew about. Please keep the videos coming guys!! Even if you run out of new R2 features to talk about… :tu:

[5artists]

These chunks of info presented in the videos are GREAT! Each one introduces a new level of potential and the creative possibilities offered by Zbrush now seem endless! Please do keep the videos coming :tu:

[nebular]

I would love to see how the car was rendered. Step by step:)

Very good videos. Great way to know the new features without loosing too much time :tu:

[EricShawn]

I would love to see how the car was rendered. Step by step:)



I, too, would love to see that. It's hard to believe that car was rendered in Zbrush, utterly amazing!!

[electricsun2]

do u have to have low subdivision levels to extrude mutiople times or can have high subdivision levels and still extrude as many times as u like

[Pixolator]

Hi:)


@nebular, EricShawn: The car renders are two very early alpha testing of Z4R2, long before beta testing started. You can achieve much higher quality with the Z4R2 that you have right now! Nonetheless, I will record the process of rendering this model in Z4R2 and post it sometime next week.


I have also included some more test renders from the same folder.
3D models courtesy of : Antropus (http://www.antropus.com/artblog/), Stubi (http://www.stevejubinville.com), Intervain (http://mdadela.com), bLawless (http://www.brandonlawless.com/), TEN 24 (http://www.ten24.info/index.php/shop/character-models/free-3d-head-scan-model-52/)

276033276034


While looking for these images, I stumbled on some fun NoiseMaker tests . I am posting two of these for your viewing pleasure...

3D model and MDD file courtesy of: Janimation (http://www.janimation.com/#pages/head_tech.html)
<iframe src="http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/zbrush4r2/ZBrush4R2-NoiseMaker_544x399.html" frameborder="0" height="409" width="1108"></iframe>



Note: More information about NoiseMaker will be posted at a later date.


276043276027276028276029276030276031276032276035


-Pixolator

[Bas Mazur]

Looks great!! Thanks for posting

[giacoppo]

Nice! Thanks.. looking forward to the breakdown of the car render.

[RJ the eccentric]

Render is looking great.I do have one question about dynamesh.Is it possible to remesh some part?
Because when i hit dynamesh some of the details are getting lost.

[liuning]

Realy Realy Coooooooooooooooool :tu:

[nebular]

That is so cool Pixolator!! Thank you! I Cant wait :D



Render is looking great.I do have one question about dynamesh.Is it possible to remesh some part?
Because when i hit dynamesh some of the details are getting lost.

Change the resolution slider for something biigger. It's placed just below DynaMesh button.
You can only remesh the whole mesh/

[RageNrock]

WOW! Awesome renders.

[EricShawn]

Awesome, Pixolator, thanks!

:tu:

[dustbin1_uk]

Pixolator, those heads animated in ZB timeline?

EDIT: NOPE! sorry didn't read your post properly. :D

[gwainbarek]

wow!
great stuff:)

[BenjiCS]

Random Question, but what is the music used in the videos? Very chill.

Also, The new Zbrush is such a wonderful upgrade! Thanks for all of your hard work!

[dustbin1_uk]

Pixolator:
Wierd! Only just seen those car renders, they didn't come up before?
Anyway, just wanted to add that they look amazing!!!

[andreseloy]

Is possible to download all the tutorials?
thanks in advance

[dobbie]

Amazing. Can't wait to get started, although I've still got to watch a Zbrush 4 training dvd first. I hope by that time there will be some good dynamesh tutorials out, because that seems alot easier to use than shadowbox. Great stuff Pixologic!

[TrappedInFlesh]

hello all

With the Slice Curve brush you can cut a single subtool into pieces. Lets say I have a humanoid model and decide I don't like the legs, so I cut them off with the Slice Curve Brush. Can I delete the legs since they are still part of the original (full body) subtool?

[5artists]

hello all

With the Slice Curve brush you can cut a single subtool into pieces. Lets say I have a humanoid model and decide I don't like the legs, so I cut them off with the Slice Curve Brush. Can I delete the legs since they are still part of the original (full body) subtool?

Yes you can.
When you Slice the model, new Polygroups are being created (you can see them by pressing CTRL+F).
Hide the group you want to delete (hiding or showing polygroup parts can be done by holding down CTRL+SHIFT and clicking on polygroups. (The first click hides every polygroup except the polygroup that you clicked on. By clicking on that Polygroup again you inverse what is hidden. Clicking in the empty space unhides all polygroups).
Once the parts you want to delete are hidden, go to Tool>Geometry and hit the "DelHidden" button (located towards the bottom of the Geometry pallete). :)

[Pixolator]

Hi:)
More renders and information posted in here (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?162330-Ready-Set-Render!)

[Lizardz]

awesome... Zbrush, I'll follow you till death do us part..:D :tu::tu:

[Sigmund Hentze]

This is amazing... but can one use all these features as masking brush? Would be great...!

[dustbin1_uk]

Just watched the CURVE EDITABLE POLYPAINT video.

All I can say is WOW!!! this is going to change the way I do so many things!!

[chalkman]

Every new movie is a surprise and opens a wonderful new door to explore .... you guys are amazing! :D

[gabo1991]

This is amazing... but can one use all these features as masking brush? Would be great...!

Hello Sigmund

You can use the Curve Mode on any masking brush. When you are holding the Ctrl key just go to the stroke palette and turn on Curve Mode. Now when you use that mask brush you will have curve mode.

Paul

[womball]

Are there going to be more dynamesh videos? It sounded like there was going to be a lot on the dynamesh introduction video.

Can curves be used to make a shoelace? For instance the tie and and the lacing that goes through the eyelets that creates the criscross patern seen on most shoes? Does the mesh have to be in a dynamesh mode to use curves?

[Nemoid]

curve for polypaint is huge , and the options are great !!! BTW didn't get curve mode is for everything. last vid opened a new world to me ! :D

[Sigmund Hentze]

Hello Sigmund

You can use the Curve Mode on any masking brush. When you are holding the Ctrl key just go to the stroke palette and turn on Curve Mode. Now when you use that mask brush you will have curve mode.

Paul

Thanks Paul... thought there would be a simple solution, we tend to make things complicated and find easier solutions like ripping someone elses brain... this because I haven't had the time to play around with all the new features, to busy and jealous of those who have got the time....

Thanks and next time, I'll make sometime, was a good try and now I know it'll work...

Ziggy

[MealeaYing]

Thanks Paul... thought there would be a simple solution, we tend to make things complicated and find easier solutions like ripping someone elses brain... this because I haven't had the time to play around with all the new features, to busy and jealous of those who have got the time....

Thanks and next time, I'll make sometime, was a good try and now I know it'll work...

Ziggy

I love the fact you just said all that!!!

[Pi(x)el]

This last video on Curve editable Polypaint.... WOW! just WOW!

I'm finding less and less need to have other applications even installed at all!
With every new feature you folks open windows to, you add to my amazement at just how much zbrush has grown since it's first appearance... It has maintained the point on the spearhead of innovation in nearly every aspect of 3d work.

I love you guys at Pixologic!

By the way, although I appreciate your work Mr Kean, you did make watching the video a bit painful... perhaps due to having gone over basics in Zbrush, such as pressing "S" or pressing "B" for brushes... but that's just me... as for the rest GREAT JOB, and thank you!

[CGPoto]

I love you guys at Pixologic! Thank you...:D

[Willpreston23]

awesome stuff, I love it that we can paint spec maps now...

regarding the video "SHADER AND MATERIAL BLEND " does any one know how to export this as a spec/reflection map for use in animation software?

[InvokerArt]

Paul Gaboury in Curve Surface Brush - " this cube is already a dynamite....esh "
LOL! :lol:

[blueferret]

Many thanks for the excellent tutorials......:tu:

[chalkman]

All the tutorials have been first rate! I can't wait until more are available! :D

[xeno3d]

Awesome videos. Are there going to be more?

[usurpator]

I'm new to zbrush and I am all excited: it seems I've arrived at the right moment!

R2 is fantstic, I keep watching the videos over and over .


Many thanks!


U

[slashpot]

So, what? No more? Please make more! These have been just incredible, and the new features do need a little explanation, although not much. R2 has been the biggest, most important update since ZB2, and I can't get enough of learning more about it. I seem to learn something new from every one, and am more and more impressed with R2 each time. I can't begin to imagine what is next.

[Support]

So, what? No more? Please make more! These have been just incredible, and the new features do need a little explanation, although not much. R2 has been the biggest, most important update since ZB2, and I can't get enough of learning more about it. I seem to learn something new from every one, and am more and more impressed with R2 each time. I can't begin to imagine what is next.

No worries, more is coming:)

[dustbin1_uk]

No worries, more is coming:)Woo Hoo!!! :):tu:

[Support]

Four new movies added. More will be added when completed.

[cgmystic]

Pixolator (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/member.php?1-Pixolator)
I must mention the bolt depicted in the video appears to be mechanically questionable in design.
Almost every bolt I've seen in the real world had spiral threads.
Yet, allowing for the freedom of a universal ... Artist creative license.
Lets go with that imaginary bolt created in the video!

[EricShawn]

Pixolator (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/member.php?1-Pixolator)
I must mention the bolt depicted in the video appears to be mechanically questionable in design.
Almost every bolt I've seen in the real world had spiral threads.
Yet, allowing for the freedom of a universal ... Artist creative license.
Lets go with that imaginary bolt created in the video!


I seem to recall that there was a way to actually create spiral threading like on a real bolt.

[Support]

I seem to recall that there was a way to actually create spiral threading like on a real bolt.
That is correct.

The steps to create a spiral-thread are as shown for the first part in the movie ...

1. Select Cylinder3D.
2. Set HDivide to 6. Optional Step: Increase VDivide.
3. Twist.
280004


The reason that the movie uses a different procedure (i.e. inserting another cylinder) is because it is a part of the "Mesh Insert Brush" movies. This movie demonstrates that you can use any existing mesh-insert brushes combined with other PolyMesh3D parts to produce a new mesh-insert brush.

[dargelos]

Thanks a lot for these videos they are really helpfull..

[sergioliv]

Good videos.

When will you correct the issue with .zbr ,document, files? The "work around" that issue is not dueable for me at all.

Please give me a date of correction.

[zayacoon]

Very helpfull videos
thank you

[pixelpunk]

Valuable vid's, full of information needed to maximize my creative potential to a new level.

Thank You!

[nhsubhash]

Great job...Thats really helpful...Thank you somuch Pixologic.

[gwainbarek]

thank you for that last Video!!:)
all the missing links from all the other tutorials,
thank you for that:tu::tu::tu::tu::tu::tu::tu::tu:

[usurpator]

wonderful to have the making of!

The music is obviously by Dany Elfman (or a clone of his :)) can anyone tell me what it is exactly?
I'm afraid I'm not as uptodate with blockbuster movies as I used to be.

Thanks Pixelator and team!!
U

[Santis]

The last viedo (17) is just amazing, thanks a lot for that :)

[dustbin1_uk]

Soooooooooo glad you posted this!!! I figured out a lot from watching Pixolator's making time for art video. But now you have given us the breakdown there is a lot of stuff that is clearer!

Thank you guys! Really appreciate the effort.

[InkySpot]

I would of really love if that last video could of been downloaded. It really made a lot of things clear that was confusing to me before.

I have been using the hell of of Zbrush and the New Dynamesh feature (Although I had the PDF open on the other monitor).

[Sigmund Hentze]

Thanks a mil... video 17 is set out great... if only all you do tutorials will follow this idea... do a full on highspeed sculpt... then a second video with a stop at certain area and the explain the techiques used... I find this the most intuitive tutorial thus far...

Thumbs up, hope to see more of these...

Thanks guys...

[grey32]

I'm learning a lot from these videos. Thanks.

But a quick question on "MESH-INSERT BRUSH 1: Creating A Bolt"

At about 60% when using the meshinsert brush.

"snapping to center point"

How do you do that? I'd love to know. AFAIK ZB has never had any 'snapping' ability?

Ross.

[Ronboy]

:DI love this tutorial its more like an animation, the sculpt and music are inspirational, Dynamesh is revolutional!!.

[arafatmutlu]

hi i am jewellery designer i want to ask some question create shell fonction is not good working , surfaces not same mm ( i am so sorry my english :)



I am replying on my own post, as I just watched the video and love it, I prefer the these short discriptive video and this one is WOW...

Sitting back and waiting for the next one...

[ruhul011]

Thank you for your Tutorial. Can you Upload ZBrush's Animation Tutorial

Thanks
Ruhul
From Bangladesh
Cell:+8801917616040
Email: ruhul011@yahoo.com

[Brocknoviatch]

I love the new tutorial, video 17 "Making of: Time for Art" !
The way that it is set out with stopping the sculpt to show the tool is genius! Great stuff! :D

I was wondering what the name of the music is at the end of the video :qu:

[usurpator]

I love the new tutorial, video 17 "Making of: Time for Art" !
The way that it is set out with stopping the sculpt to show the tool is genius! Great stuff! :D

I was wondering what the name of the music is at the end of the video :qu:

I can only say it's by Dany Elfman, but no idea what movie it's from - something done these past 2 years I'd say.

[Brocknoviatch]

I can only say it's by Dany Elfman, but no idea what movie it's from - something done these past 2 years I'd say.

Thanks! I should be able to find it :)

[usurpator]

please let me know! I want to buy the cd!

cheers

[Stupendoman]

hi all and thaks for these video!
there is any way to download all of them? coz I have some connection problem and it's pretty annoying w8ing for the buffering.
thznks cu

[MealeaYing]

@Support:
If you look at the instructions for the Ant video downloader I tried posting here you will find that not only is this a Mozzila recognized add-on (I got it from the Firefox add-on page, and I seriously have to question the idea that Mozzila is promoting spyware) but that the tracking stuff is optional and it can be turned off easily in the preferences.
These videos are enormous and fail to load for lots of people, also people who have to pay for bandwidth will eventualy pay more for the tutorials then they do for things like Zbrush it self, I know I have.

Anyway its just a thought.
If I did not have this tool the tutorials on this site would be useless to me.

Cheers!
Mealea

[jubala]

In Video MESH-INSERT BRUSH 2: Create A Custom Insert Brush how do u save the bolt so when u had the wheel and used the insert mesh brush and picked the bolt on the wheel?

[chalkman]

Hi Jubala,

Just select any mesh insert brush like insert sphere, then go to menu Brush/Modifiers you will see the current tool (sphere) click and select the tool you created instead .... go to save as, and name the new brush! You now have the beginning of your own set of mesh insert brushes. Hope that helps. :D

[NEOnuts]

So... The videos are not working for me (i used chrome and safari) and just occasionally i can watch one video but it cuts in the middle. Maybe is my internet connection don't know

[aurick]

So... The videos are not working for me (i used chrome and safari) and just occasionally i can watch one video but it cuts in the middle. Maybe is my internet connection don't know

See here: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/announcement.php?f=2

[liuning]

wow nice :tu:












http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?162090-God-of-War-Logo/page3

[jhardisty]

hi all and thaks for these video! there is any way to download all of them? coz I have some connection problem and it's pretty annoying w8ing for the buffering.thznks cuYou can also use HiDownload (not browser dependent and catches most streaming data)or Flashgot/Flashget (FF/IE)

[jhardisty]

Can someone please make a Making of the "Making Of"? :-) Specifically the Nudge brush swirls used in the base and wing sections.I've tried the recommended settings (Once Z, Add, etc), slowed the video down to 0.1 to try and see exactly how it's done but just can't get that damn swirl effect .Would appreciate it as it's driving me NUTS :-D

[MealeaYing]

Can someone please make a Making of the "Making Of"? :-) Specifically the Nudge brush swirls used in the base and wing sections.I've tried the recommended settings (Once Z, Add, etc), slowed the video down to 0.1 to try and see exactly how it's done but just can't get that damn swirl effect .Would appreciate it as it's driving me NUTS :-D

I dont know about the "making of" part but the nudge brush is not all that complicated as it turns out, and the settings are not set in stone and in fact you can use Move or SnakeHook to get the same or close to the same results.
The trick as far as I can tell is to (while using dynamesh) move things a little at a time and remesh (meaning the Add button or Control Drag out side the model).
So:

Pull out a blob.

remesh.
pull it out more. (you will get the hang of it fairly quickly)

remesh and so on.


I have found that if you are quick with your fingers you can even do this with Inflate and oddly enough it works better as you dont end up with the Swiss Cheese effect ruining your work.
What you are not seeing in the video as near as I can tell is the repetition and unless I'm missing something that is the crucial bit.
If I am incorrect about this someone please correct me ok?


Cheers and good luck!
Mealea

[jhardisty]

Tx. After watching in slow mo, I noticed that Pixolator used smaller individual strokes as opposed to what looks like one or two strokes. So I tried that as well as the pull/remesh/pull/remesh but my results are disgusting to say the least :-DDoes brush size, intensity, focal shift play a big part?Do they change at all while working on the same swirl, eg: the upper wing/shoulder swirl because you can't see that in the video?Am I right in assuming that even at 10x slower, Pixolator is so fast that I'm still missing some separate strokes that may look like a single stroke? :-)Maybe I just need to spend a few more hours playing around with it...I am a newbie after all and practice does make perfect :-)

[MealeaYing]

Tx. After watching in slow mo, I noticed that Pixolator used smaller individual strokes as opposed to what looks like one or two strokes. So I tried that as well as the pull/remesh/pull/remesh but my results are disgusting to say the least :-DDoes brush size, intensity, focal shift play a big part?Do they change at all while working on the same swirl, eg: the upper wing/shoulder swirl because you can't see that in the video?Am I right in assuming that even at 10x slower, Pixolator is so fast that I'm still missing some separate strokes that may look like a single stroke? :-)Maybe I just need to spend a few more hours playing around with it...I am a newbie after all and practice does make perfect :-)

GRIN!
I had the same impression that Pixolators results were exceptional, I have been trying to have results like that since R2 came out with as you put it disgusting results when I look at his....
After posting my response to your question I realized that I forgot to add Smooth so this would be more like it:


Pull out a blob.

Smooth if needed.
remesh.
pull it out more. (you will get the hang of it fairly quickly, right Pixolator???)

Smooth.
remesh and so on.

I dont think you missed anything honestly, I think that he is using a tablet but beyond that he's just bloody good at this stuff.
I would also guess that as you said; a few hours (years) of practice might help. If it doesn't I'm screwed cause thats what I'm doing too.
And now I will shut up before Pixolators head gets any bigger.


Cheers!
Mealea

[jhardisty]

I use a tablet as well. Thought there was maybe a trick to rotating the pen or something. :-D Def can't us ZB with a mouse. Guess its just more practice until I figure how to use the brush properly :-)

[MealeaYing]

I decided that it might help not only me but you as well if I made something using almost nothing other than Pixolators trick and make it into a video.
I included the menu stuff and did it as a time lapse so if you slow it down you can see every thing I do including brush selections and stuff.
At the end I use a few other things like insert brushes just cause it seemed to need it.
I hope this is helpful, it was rather fun to make.

33458094


285840

[chalkman]

Hi Mealea,

Anxiously awaiting your video tutorial! Cheers, David :lol:

[MealeaYing]

Hi Mealea,

Anxiously awaiting your video tutorial! Cheers, David :lol:


GRIN!!!!
Its up!
I wish it didn't take so long for them to process that stuff.... and I should have added music to it, I have an outrageous song from the Sex Pistols that would have fit perfectly... and gotten me banned for life. hehehehe.....

[chalkman]

I'm impressed! Pixolator watch out! I enjoyed your other movies as wellQ Cheers, David :D

[MealeaYing]

I suspect that by the time I catch up with Pixolator pigs will be cheerfully flying in a frozen hell, I think the dear boy is too good and way to far ahead!

[nickz]

I have a question for you, it looks like when you added the "suckers" (Small spheres) the the main tentacles, it looks like you used the mesh insert tool, is that correct? If so how did you create them is such a nice straight line and created them with uniform scale. I'm hoping there is a tool that makes this task easy.

Nice work by the way!! Peace-NickZ. :)

[MealeaYing]

I have a question for you, it looks like when you added the "suckers" (Small spheres) the the main tentacles, it looks like you used the mesh insert tool, is that correct? If so how did you create them is such a nice straight line and created them with uniform scale. I'm hoping there is a tool that makes this task easy.

Nice work by the way!! Peace-NickZ. :)

Thank you and you are exactly correct, I used mesh insert, but nothing fancy a bunch of spheres. I think if you watch I screw up a few dozen times and hit undo while making those.
I use undo a lot, its one of my favorite things (redo is good to, they allow you to look at and examine how stuff looks and flip back and forth).
I did read (at least I think I did) somewhere once that its possible to do what I think you are looking for with Zspheres, where you lay a bunch of Zspheres down and then somehow change the mesh they are made of from spheres to what ever you want. If that is indeed possible it would be an awesome tool.
Being a complete ditz and a total airhead I completely forget where I read this or if I just dreamed it up...
Oh!
Speaking of being an airhead after noticing it looked like a beasty and adding those spheres you mentioned I went a bit over the edge playing with color too:

33469781

Cheers!
Mealea

[chalkman]

Hi Mealea,

Once again this video was really great and informative. I was wondering what software to you use to capture the tutorials. I am not sure what I would make a tutorial of .... but you never know! Legacy for the Grandchildren ... not! :lol:

Cheers,
David

[MealeaYing]

Hi Mealea,

Once again this video was really great and informative. I was wondering what software to you use to capture the tutorials. I am not sure what I would make a tutorial of .... but you never know! Legacy for the Grandchildren ... not! :lol:

Cheers,
David

I made it with Zbrush, if you look in the Movie menu and hit the Time Lapse button you start recording the way I have been but with out the menu changes.
If you hit Record it records all movement which while far clearer and easier to understand uses far more disk space.
To get the menus in like I have turn off Skip Menus in the Modifiers pallet.
Once you have recorded for a while you can preview by hitting Pause (it should be the only thing available if you are recording) and hit the Play button.
To save your movie in Zbrush movie format (.ZMV) obviously you hit Save (this is a very cool thing, it allows you to resume recording your movie at any time you like using Load Movie), but to export it as something that can be seen here you are stuck with QuickTime, and to do that you hit Export.
In the middle of working on something you can do all sorts of cool stuff like hit Pause, then hit TurnTable a few times and then hit TimeLapse again and continue onward, I tend to be lazy and spin things by hand a lot (I'm not sure how this is lazy actually as its far more work)
Also you can do thing like a render and then beat the snot out of the Actual button to have a long continuous shot of your render, you need like three seconds or so for this to be effective so hit it about 90 or so times.
There is a bunch of stuff also in the Timeline feature but honestly I cant get it to do what I want so far and it seems to do things that have nothing to do with animation aside from being able to do stuff with sound... I'm not sure why this is in there as the movie you make does not seem to show up in the timeline at all, but this could be me not understanding how it works, that would be typical.
Ok my fingers are starting to smoke, I will shut the hell up now!

Cheers!
Mealea

[jhardisty]

Finally after many hours playing around this is as close as I could get.:(

1. Nudge brush needs a LOT of practice. You can see how out of wack the wings are...all wavey :-)
2. Still not sure how Pixolator cut both wings. Tried symmetry Ctrl Move but things just went horribly wrong. I ended up cutting the one wing, hid/del half the model then used Mirror&Weld. Tried Smart Resym and a few others which didn't work.
3. Couldn't get the color right, ie. when cutting, etc. on top of that my pc had problems handling the Sub operation and ZB crashd a lot....time to upgrade
4. Watching the video, I'm not sure if he inserted a new sphere of different color (black,red,blue) or used a polypaint trick to change the color
5. Need to figure out Insert brush controls, ie. rotation, scaling, etc. My object always out upside down or back to front or something and I have to use W/E/R to get it correct.
6. Polypaint - Lazymouse only seems to work with the initial drawing of a curve but not after you pull the curve to paint
7. Polypaint - Not sure how to get the glow effect around the balls. Is the intensity just set very low so the it creates a gradient effect and doesn't wash out the black behind it?

Thanks again for the Making Of video guys....helped a lot :-)

[tyrellcorp]

anyone been working with the " curve tube " brush ? been trying to work out how to get a continual tube around a spherical object

[MealeaYing]

Finally after many hours playing around this is as close as I could get.:(

1. Nudge brush needs a LOT of practice. You can see how out of wack the wings are...all wavey :-)
2. Still not sure how Pixolator cut both wings. Tried symmetry Ctrl Move but things just went horribly wrong. I ended up cutting the one wing, hid/del half the model then used Mirror&Weld. Tried Smart Resym and a few others which didn't work.
3. Couldn't get the color right, ie. when cutting, etc. on top of that my pc had problems handling the Sub operation and ZB crashd a lot....time to upgrade
4. Watching the video, I'm not sure if he inserted a new sphere of different color (black,red,blue) or used a polypaint trick to change the color
5. Need to figure out Insert brush controls, ie. rotation, scaling, etc. My object always out upside down or back to front or something and I have to use W/E/R to get it correct.
6. Polypaint - Lazymouse only seems to work with the initial drawing of a curve but not after you pull the curve to paint
7. Polypaint - Not sure how to get the glow effect around the balls. Is the intensity just set very low so the it creates a gradient effect and doesn't wash out the black behind it?

Thanks again for the Making Of video guys....helped a lot :-)

Holy cow!
I never suspected you were going to remake the whole thing!!!

Nudge is WAY harder then move, but easier (for some stuff then SnakeHook).
I think I would have used Mirror and Weld on the wings as well. (I do not think that Pixolator did however.)
Not sure what you mean by "Sub Operation".
I think the spheres are mesh insert with different color, just set to RGB? (you need to set the initial color and materiel to do this using "Fill Object" in the Color Menu while set to MRGB).
I have no control over MeshInsert brushes either, If I move the mouse at all after the first stroke they go insane.
Lazymouse baffles me mostly, I try to avoid it as it makes lines I did not draw..... I think.....
Glow only works in Best render mode which is apparently geared to 2.5D I think.... but I would ask some one who has a clue, Zbrush rendering is different from every thing else evidently. I honestly haven't a clue, I dont have anything else yet!

GRIN!!!
I cant believe you remade that and not only that how well it came out!



anyone been working with the " curve tube " brush ? been trying to work out how to get a continual tube around a spherical object

The only way I can think to do that would be symmetry, but I think I would use a ring tool instead, its quicker and more precise I think.


Cheers!
Mealea

[tyrellcorp]

i just used a sphere as a example .. i have been using zspheres to create a dense patch of creeping vines on a tree trunk and some one suggested using the curvetube brush to speed up the workflow, i had tried zsketch aswell which produced a more organic look ,over the zspheres , but obviously the mesh is too dense.

with the curvetube brush it produces a nice "organic" looking branch but the mesh itself has triangles on the caps and the mesh is still quite dense, there doesnt seem to be a way to lower the rez on the strokes., or to create "one" winding stroke around another mesh..

thats why i came to this thread i thought there might have been a tutorial on this brush , the only other one i have found on the use of the " curvetube" brush is in german..!

[MealeaYing]

i just used a sphere as a example .. i have been using zspheres to create a dense patch of creeping vines on a tree trunk and some one suggested using the curvetube brush to speed up the workflow, i had tried zsketch aswell which produced a more organic look ,over the zspheres , but obviously the mesh is too dense.

with the curvetube brush it produces a nice "organic" looking branch but the mesh itself has triangles on the caps and the mesh is still quite dense, there doesnt seem to be a way to lower the rez on the strokes., or to create "one" winding stroke around another mesh..

thats why i came to this thread i thought there might have been a tutorial on this brush , the only other one i have found on the use of the " curvetube" brush is in german..!

I have had a lot of fun messing with the CurveTube brush but have not done much worth looking at, I find it hard to control, however ZSpheres are great for things like vines and trees.
Have a look at this thread:
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?145403-David-Desplat-s-sketchbook

I also use a thing called Ivy Generator which is seriously fun and easy to use (provided you dont feed it a broken mesh and honestly I dont know how to prevent that some times its good and some times its not, its those things called normals I think but I cant even figure out what those are....)
It actually exports textures so that leaves can look like leaves and stems look like stems, but not in Zbrush for some reason, I think its a .MTL file that does that stuff....
http://graphics.uni-konstanz.de/~luft/ivy_generator/

You know...... I think I know the thing you want for CurveTube brush.... look in the Stroke menu and turn on Snap.... some how I had totally forgotten about that... and now that I mention that I think there is a tutorial on using it in here... ok nope but the other curve tools are covered and they all work sort of the same way.
Maybe if I have a moment I will try out what you are after and make a video of that also, they are rather fun to make


Cheers!
Mealea

[tyrellcorp]

well been messing about with the curvetube brush and "sort of " came up with a solution for using multiple strokes, as you make the strokes they auto group but they are inside the subtool you are using for the guide so you have to group split and then merge down so that each individual stroke become one subtool you can then dynamesh it and then youve got a " vine "..
however .. i really dont like the way the mesh is generated ,, its nothing like zspheres..

looks like i will have to stay with zspheres.. takes too long..!!287064

[MealeaYing]

well been messing about with the curvetube brush and "sort of " came up with a solution for using multiple strokes, as you make the strokes they auto group but they are inside the subtool you are using for the guide so you have to group split and then merge down so that each individual stroke become one subtool you can then dynamesh it and then youve got a " vine "..
however .. i really dont like the way the mesh is generated ,, its nothing like zspheres..

looks like i will have to stay with zspheres.. takes too long..!!

I think you just gave me another idea, try the MatchMaker brush (if you can find it, Im looking but its sort of missing somewhere...)

[Zeddicus]

@ tyrellcorp (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/member.php?69569-tyrellcorp)

1) Select the CurveTubeSnap brush.
2) Decrease the brush size.
3) Draw on your polymesh.
4) Adjust the curve if needed.
5) Press CTRL+D to subdivide the tube if needed.
6) Smooth if needed.
7) Unmask and go to step 3.

You can do this either as a dynamesh or not, it's your choice. Some things to experiment with:

- Brush:Modifiers:MeshInsert Preview (You can choose a polymesh to draw with. Stroke doesn't have to be drag.)
- Brush:Depth:Imbed (Increase this if your tube is too imbedded.)
- Stroke:CurveEdit Radius (Decrease to make finer edits to the curve after drawing it.)

The CurveTube brush with snap turned on works too, but changing the imbed for it has little effect.

287206

[tyrellcorp]

i will give it a try .. but how do you turn youre mesh around to another angle and still draw out the same tube? this is really what i am trying to achieve.. as soon as you go to rotate your mesh you end up having to draw out another tube and not the same one.. if that makes any sense,...

thanks by the way..!!

[MealeaYing]

i will give it a try .. but how do you turn youre mesh around to another angle and still draw out the same tube? this is really what i am trying to achieve.. as soon as you go to rotate your mesh you end up having to draw out another tube and not the same one.. if that makes any sense,...

thanks by the way..!!

The only way to do that is to use symmetry as far as I know... MatchMaker wont even do that as far as I know. Basically you are going to have to make it with either the tubes or Zspheres and then sculpt the imperfections I suspect, but even with the tubes that is not all that hard to do I wouldent think....

[Zeddicus]

i will give it a try .. but how do you turn youre mesh around to another angle and still draw out the same tube? this is really what i am trying to achieve.. as soon as you go to rotate your mesh you end up having to draw out another tube and not the same one.. if that makes any sense,...

thanks by the way..!!

You'll have to start a new tube where the last one left off. This isn't so bad, just make sure your happy with the one you've created before drawing another. After drawing the next tube, simply grab the end (the circle at each end of the dotted line) and move it so it blends seamlessly with the previous tube. As long as your cursor is cyan colored, you should be able to edit the current tube as much as you want. You can even change it's diameter after you've drawn it by changing the draw size and then clicking anywhere on the line you drew. If the tube moves inside your mesh when attempting to edit it's position, turn snap on in the stroke menu. Just make sure you turn it off again before drawing your next tube, otherwise weird things can happen.

[gabo1991]

Hey

Thought I would jump in here on a couple of things.

Someone asked how to change the spans of the CurveTube. This can be done by changing the Brush Modifier in the Brush>Modifiers sub-palette. By default this will be set at 20. The higher you go the smoother the tube will be. Try putting it to 4 and you get a cube. :)

To make sure the Tube is staying on the surface you are drawing on you can turn the Snap button on in the Stroke Palette.

The fact there are poles at the end of the TubeCurve is because the Cylinder3D is being stretched along the curve. This mesh has poles. I would either turn the tube into a DynaMesh when drawn out so the pole will not matter or change the mesh that is being stretched across the curve.

In Brush>Modifiers you will see a little window grey out that says "MeshInsert Preview". click on that and your Tool Palette will open. This will allow you to select any mesh to be stretch along the curve. Try selecting the Ring3D and then draw out the curve. Now you will really have a tube. :) Select any mesh here to be stretched across the curve. In essence the CurveTubes brush is like an InsertBrush with Curve Mode on.

Now you can not have a continues curve go all the way around but you could try two things.

#1. Just draw a curve half way around and then use the Mirror and Weld to do the other side.
#2 Use the CurveSurface brush. This will allow you to draw multiple curves that will use the previous curve drawn to continue the geometry. Video 5 will give you an example.

Hope this all helps. Let me know.

Paul

[Treece]

hi all and thaks for these video!
there is any way to download all of them? coz I have some connection problem and it's pretty annoying w8ing for the buffering.
thznks cu


If you are on internet explorer, If you let the video load play out or wait till the bar fills at the bottom of the video, you can select Tools>Internet Options - Browser History>Settings>View Files. If you then sort it by file size you should find it's at the top of the list or near the top if you have viewed other Flash movies. I believe the movies are named accordingly so shouldn't be hard to find.

Hope that helps

[tyrellcorp]

cheers guys.. !

that insert ring3d works great , i just tried it .. still have problems with trying to get a more quad based mesh though , brush modifier doesnt do much i mean i see the curve has more points but the mesh looks the same..(see picture)


287281


this picture below is what i am trying to do with the "vines" currently i am using zspheres but the curvetube brush is alot more "fluidly" if thats a word and it makes nicer looking vines opposed to zspheres and i am just trying to speed things up a bit as pulling out each vine with zspheres is taking ages and i still have a lot more to do..

287282

[MealeaYing]

HOLY SHI.....(ahem) stuff!!!!!!
That thing is fantastic!!!

[Bas Mazur]

In Brush>Modifiers you will see a little window grey out that says "MeshInsert Preview". click on that and your Tool Palette will open. This will allow you to select any mesh to be stretch along the curve. Try selecting the Ring3D and then draw out the curve. Now you will really have a tube. :) Select any mesh here to be stretched across the curve. In essence the CurveTubes brush is like an InsertBrush with Curve Mode on.



'Any mesh' does not work well. Some primitives are ok, but the sphere does not work here. Using a mesh like a low-poly head (just to make a long funny face) makes ZBrush crash. Now it only stretches the tube, can we repeat it also? Like making a chain from two rings?

[MealeaYing]

Tyrellcorp you caused me to delve so far into the curve tube brush that I made something with 16.4 million polygons, having accomplished that (in one object) with out crashing I decided to make something out of it, and so by you asking your questions and me failing to answer them I learned something interesting: how to make something look somewhat vast. Thank you!
This drawing is nothing but curve tubes, and LOTS of them:

287291

[gabo1991]

'Any mesh' does not work well. Some primitives are ok, but the sphere does not work here. Using a mesh like a low-poly head (just to make a long funny face) makes ZBrush crash. Now it only stretches the tube, can we repeat it also? Like making a chain from two rings?

Yes you can repeat. Just click the 5 key or the Snapshot button that is in the Stroke palette and ZBrush will drop the chain and allow you to move the curve around. I would also turn bend off if you were going to do the above.

To change the spades you are looking for you need to first add those spans to the ring before selecting it on the brush. In the example below I change the SDivide and LDivide to 100 for the tube that is to the left of the plane and the tube that is on the right I changed the SDivide and LDivide to 19.

Make sure to make these changes before you select the ring on the CurveTube brush.

287293

Let me know if this is what you were looking for.

Paul

[tyrellcorp]

thanks dude, you suggestion only works on the ring3d brush i am assuming?.. how do you get a more quad output on the curvetube brush? when you make the curve too tight like in a "S" shape the bends dont have enough topo across the axis which makes them straight... just tried curvetubesnap and that works great out of the box..

really, i am not in love with the idea of using dynamesh to make all of the vines into one mesh as this messes up all of the clean topo (see pic) maybe theres another way , which i havent found yet.287301

still cant get around using the curvetube "around" an object with a single stroke though


@MealeaYing (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/member.php?229759-MealeaYing)

thats ALL curvetubes? holy cow.. great stuff

-------------------------------------------------------------


well i just tried lowering the denisty of the ring in the initialize tab and then cloned it , to add to insert mesh tab , but still not getting the resolution the same as the curvetube brush (see below)


287302

[gabo1991]

thanks dude, you suggestion only works on the ring3d brush i am assuming?.. how do you get a more quad output on the curvetube brush? when you make the curve too tight like in a "S" shape the bends dont have enough topo across the axis which makes them straight... just tried curvetubesnap and that works great out of the box..

really, i am not in love with the idea of using dynamesh to make all of the vines into one mesh as this messes up all of the clean topo (see pic) maybe theres another way , which i havent found yet.287301

still cant get around using the curvetube "around" an object with a single stroke though


@MealeaYing (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/member.php?229759-MealeaYing)

thats ALL curvetubes? holy cow.. great stuff


All the default CurveTube brush is using for the mesh is the Cylinder3D so if you do the same as you did with Ring3D and change the initialize state of the Cylinder3D then select that in that preview window in the Brush>Modifiers palette you will get what you want.

Turn up the resolution a little in your DynaMesh and you will get even a more detailed result. Why is it so important to keep the good geo?

Paul

[Zeddicus]

This drawing is nothing but curve tubes, and LOTS of them
I really like it. You should create a Zmovie showing your sculpting method for this and put it on Youtube or Vimeo. ;)

[tyrellcorp]

@Paul

i really need the tidy mesh like what you get with zspheres as i export them out for render/animation in Maya like in the picture above. and using the curvetube brush to make a tree branch has sperate pieces so you have to dynamesh them to create a single mesh , but this becomes "lumpy" and unweilding , the topo is in all the wrong directions and i wouldnt want to spend ages retopoing.. the idea to use the curvetube brush on the above model was supposed to speed my workflow up not slow it down..


also the cylinder3d has those triangle poles which are undesirable for this model..and the ring3d is open and make a nice "tube" , but i think it will be double sided which could cause issues in Maya.. i will have to check that..

[MealeaYing]

@Paul

i really need the tidy mesh like what you get with zspheres as i export them out for render/animation in Maya like in the picture above. and using the curvetube brush to make a tree branch has sperate pieces so you have to dynamesh them to create a single mesh , but this becomes "lumpy" and unweilding , the topo is in all the wrong directions and i wouldnt want to spend ages retopoing.. the idea to use the curvetube brush on the above model was supposed to speed my workflow up not slow it down..


also the cylinder3d has those triangle poles which are undesirable for this model..and the ring3d is open and make a nice "tube" , but i think it will be double sided which could cause issues in Maya.. i will have to check that..

If you dynamesh the cylenders they will lose the triangles at the poles right?
Also I just looked at your website and I LOVE WHAT YOU MAKE!!!!

[MealeaYing]

I really like it. You should create a Zmovie showing your sculpting method for this and put it on Youtube or Vimeo. ;)

Its funny you should say that because even though I was not trying to make this I actually was recording in case I figured out Tyrellcorp's problem (which I think is WAY over my head)
So maybe tomorrow I can upload that video.....
GRIN!

[gabo1991]

@Paul

i really need the tidy mesh like what you get with zspheres as i export them out for render/animation in Maya like in the picture above. and using the curvetube brush to make a tree branch has sperate pieces so you have to dynamesh them to create a single mesh , but this becomes "lumpy" and unweilding , the topo is in all the wrong directions and i wouldnt want to spend ages retopoing.. the idea to use the curvetube brush on the above model was supposed to speed my workflow up not slow it down..


also the cylinder3d has those triangle poles which are undesirable for this model..and the ring3d is open and make a nice "tube" , but i think it will be double sided which could cause issues in Maya.. i will have to check that..

Hello

If that is what you are looking to do then you will have to use ZSpheres. That is really the only thing that will give you everything that you are looking for. To make it faster on yourself are you just clicking on the surface when the ZSphere is selected? What I mean is this.

Append the ZSphere as a SubTool
Place the first one where you want.
You could turn on Transparancy here but make sure Ghost is off.
Now if you just click anywhere on the mesh ZBrush will draw out the ZSphere where you clicked. Of course you can hold the shift key to make sure the ZSphere is the same size.

Are you using this method?

Paul

[tyrellcorp]

@PAUL

Yeah thats the usual method with zspheres , thats how i made the balloon plant thingy above WIP. i still have a lot of vines to do so i was looking for a faster way over placing each zsphere seperatley.. i like how the curvetube brush looks which is why i started experimenting with it.

looks like i will just have to stay with zspheres.. i just thought you could use curves like you do in maya , manipulate the curve around an object and then loft it

[Zeddicus]

@ MealeaYing: Cool, I'm really looking forward to watching it! :tu:

@ tyrellcorp: I've gotten decent results by using a combination of the snake hook, inflat, and smooth brushes on the DefaultDynaWax mesh. I had to increase the focal shift a bit on the snake hook to get good curves but it's still a bit hit or miss, often requiring several undos. I decreased the z intensity of the inflat brush to 2 and used it to balloon the end of the vine if it got too pointy, and the smooth brushes alternate algorithm for areas that got too lumpy. Then it was just a matter of remeshing over and over. It's still kind of slow compared to curve tubes, but is perhaps a bit faster than zspheres. The only problem I foresee is getting it to follow a surface, though it may be possible to use the match maker brush for that, followed by a move brush and transpose tools to make the final tweaks. I would suggest assigning a hotkey to the snake hook and inflat brushes as well since you have to jump back and forth between them constantly to get the best results.

[MealeaYing]

Here is the video, its nothing special and it needs music but I dont know how to fit music to it and all the editors I have tried are not able to either do what I want to do or even cope with quicktime.
Why is it that this sort of video is so much better with music?

34126282

This is the final result as well, it seems to me to have somewhat more depth (its 4k over the 500k limit!... hang on.. this is irritating....)

287380


Cheers!
Mealea

[Bas Mazur]

Yes you can repeat. Just click the 5 key or the Snapshot button that is in the Stroke palette and ZBrush will drop the chain and allow you to move the curve around. I would also turn bend off if you were going to do the above.
Let me know if this is what you were looking for.
Paul
Thanks for your answer, but this is not what I'm looking for. If we could repeat a shape inside of the chain/curve...

287381

[MealeaYing]

Thanks for your answer, but this is not what I'm looking for. If we could repeat a shape inside of the chain/curve...

287381

Oh my god!
Is that an example of something you can do, or something you want to be able to do?
I want that too, and I seem to remember that there is a way of doing that with Zspheres but I dont remember where I read it... Something about making your Zspphere object then replacing the spheres them selves with another mesh....
I wish I could remember....

[Bas Mazur]

Mealea, this is something I should like to do:-) It can be done with ZSpheres but that's a bit complicated.
http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Joseph_Drust#Insert_Local_Mesh.2C_Insert_Connector _Mesh

[MealeaYing]

Mealea, this is something I should like to do:-) It can be done with ZSpheres but that's a bit complicated.
http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Joseph_Drust#Insert_Local_Mesh.2C_Insert_Connector _Mesh


THIS IS IT!!! I read this ages ago when I dident know ANYTHING!!!!
Thank you so much!!!!
Now I have something new to dive into!!
THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tyrellcorp]

wow .. it seems ive really started something here...

i just thought of an idea.. when you make a clay pot on a spinning wheel ... cant think of the name.. its like when you were at primary school and you get to make those clay coil pots , the wheel turns as you lay in a tube of clay and build it up like that..

now with this method you could use the curvetube brush "around" any auto-rotating object.. i am sure that would work..

[MealeaYing]

wow .. it seems ive really started something here...

i just thought of an idea.. when you make a clay pot on a spinning wheel ... cant think of the name.. its like when you were at primary school and you get to make those clay coil pots , the wheel turns as you lay in a tube of clay and build it up like that..

now with this method you could use the curvetube brush "around" any auto-rotating object.. i am sure that would work..

You have!
And I think I know how to make the vines you want using masking, I just tried it and its fast and easy, all you have to do is draw your vines as a mask onto what ever object you want them on, then when you like your drawing use Extract in the subtool menu and set its thickness to roughly the width (in polygons) of your stems and branches (That part is obviously variable so you might play a bit with inflate and smooth or something later). Once you hit Extract go into Geometry and hit Group Loops, it makes things nice and smooth.
I did this on a cylinder in the first attempt and it worked very well, I did need to use inflate in the deformation pallet because I did not adjust for thickness.
I think from looking at your model you could do this dozens of times and use the Move brush to make things overlap how ever you like.
Does this make any sense?
One other thing, there is a feature like the potters wheel idea in Sculptris but I do not think its what you have in mind, it is however VERY fun!


Cheers!
Mealea

[MealeaYing]

This took maybe five minuets from thinking of how to do it to getting it round, it obviously
could be better but its so easy and quick I think it might be just what you are after.

287432

[tyrellcorp]

sorry but i never use the extract method , it just makes a mess of a mesh which is really unusable in Maya..

[MealeaYing]

I have never seen Maya, how (and why) does it make a mesh unusable?

[gabo1991]

sorry but i never use the extract method , it just makes a mess of a mesh which is really unusable in Maya..

The extract mesh is one of the most popular features in ZBrush. There are two sliders that control smoothness. The extract is using the underlying geometry so if you already have good geometry you can use this in Maya.

Extract is using masking and is found at the bottom of the SubTool palette.

Paul

[gabo1991]

Thanks for your answer, but this is not what I'm looking for. If we could repeat a shape inside of the chain/curve...

287381

Bas

right now you can not do that. Still have to use ZSpheres.

Paul

[tyrellcorp]

extract is fine if you are staying in ZB. using the extracted mesh in Maya makes your scenes very heavy and the mesh has loads of un even topo/triangles especially if you do a intricately detailed mask extraction it just doesnt work. if i want to make cloth (for example) i just bring the mesh into maya to make the base mesh .. i am always trying to avoid doing any retopo stuff as i cant stand doing it..

[Zeddicus]

a mesh which is really unusable in Maya.
It might be easier to just export a low poly cage of the mesh your trying to wrap around, then model your vine around it in Maya seeing as you're already using that. That is what I would have done if it were me anyways. Since I use 3ds Max, I'd create a spline that wraps around the cage first, then simply extrude a shape along this path. Then I'd create more splines to extrude along for the branches. I really don't think it can be done any faster or easier than that. I'm no Zbrush master though so I could easily be mistaken about this. ;)

I think the reason it's generated so much interest, besides the fact that a lot of people have some free time to spare because of the holidays, is because it's an interesting challenge that can be accomplished many different ways. By trying to help, we too gain insight into elements of Zbrush we may have not considered or known about before.


Here is the video, its nothing special

Don't sell yourself short, MealeaYing! I feel that what you've created is actually pretty cool. Thanks for posting the video, it was very much appreciated! :D:tu:

[tyrellcorp]

yes , i too use curves and lofting in Maya but its not as intuitive as zspheres which is why i do most of my Vines/tubes/pipes/branches etc using zspheres.. i will still keep playing around to get the look i am after..!!

i just really like how the curvetube brush works as an orgainic way of " painting" branches as you go... i dont know , it feels more "artistic" and less techical if that makes any sense. its just a shame that you can only use it on a flat surface .

[Zeddicus]

yes , i too use curves and lofting in Maya but its not as intuitive as zspheres which is why i do most of my Vines/tubes/pipes/branches etc using zspheres.. i will still keep playing around to get the look i am after..!!

i just really like how the curvetube brush works as an orgainic way of " painting" branches as you go... i dont know , it feels more "artistic" and less techical if that makes any sense. its just a shame that you can only use it on a flat surface .
I completely agree with you. Creating vines/tubes doesn't really seem to be the problem here, which is what many of us have been focusing on. It's more about how much time one is willing to spend doing the work, and therein lies the rub. Obtaining the best results almost always requires more effort. We all hate it, but it's a common truth that often applies to all aspects of life, not just art. Setting up Zspheres is indeed time consuming, and I believe you mentioned that you hate doing retopo as well (me too). It's unfortunate, but until some much needed improvements are made to ZBrush, you're just going to have to bite the bullet, dig in, and get it done.

The fact that one cannot continue a curve where they left off is kind of odd really. Being able to do so seems like a very obvious and simple feature that's been overlooked. You may want to post it in the wishlist thread (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?139903-Zbrush-5-0-Wishlist-%28or-4-5-if-possible%29) if it's not there already. There are other annoying things about curves that bother me as well. For example, editing them can get quite difficult sometimes. I'd love it if the start and end points could be locked so they don't move while doing so. I also wish we weren't limited to screen view alignment when drawing one. The ability to loft any polymesh would be welcome as well. I know similar results can achieved with zspheres, but a quick an easy means of lofting just makes sense, especially given how making the artists job easier (and fun) has always seemed to be Pixologic's primary focus. The list is long, and despite how good ZBrush is already, it can always be better. Hopefully they're listening and not resistant to friendly suggestions from the artists.

[tyrellcorp]

287516

yes man. the above image is something else i am working on which is just an extraction which looks good but unusable , now if the curvetube brush could do this ....

[Zeddicus]

now if the curvetube brush could do this
I've been doing research on those 3dConnexion (http://www.3dconnexion.com) devices and came across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIcZrxJLa4k

It dawned on me that this would be the perfect solution for the problem you're having with the curve tube brush. The idea would be to draw the curve while simultaneously rotating the mesh. In fact this could be a quick way to a number of interesting things I think. Unfortunately I also discovered that ZBrush doesn't play nice at all with the Space Pilot.

www.google.ca/#hl=en&q=+site:zbrushcentral.com+zbrush+central+3dconnexi on

I really need the simplicity of this device so I'm probably still going to buy one. They seem pretty popular, hopefully Pixologic and 3dConnexion (or some other company that makes 3d mice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJdIvu4v1q4)) can work together on making these work harmoniously somewhere down the line, or at least add a way to continue a curve where you last left off (without the diameter constantly changing every time you zoom the view in and out).

Here are a couple more videos I found interesting, just in case anyone else is interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUqY4NyGT4#t=33s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmgiW4z1vow

[MealeaYing]

Don't sell yourself short, MealeaYing


Thank you! It was a lot of fun.... especially adding the blue bit!

[tyrellcorp]

well.. i think i should really start another thread just about the curve tube brush...

but anyway i did the above extraction as a zsphere mesh , but as we know you cant "close" zsphere chains so you still have to use another package to connect them, unfortunatly this also seems to take ages.. so to get this mesh finished it has been almost a week , this is just far too long,...289151

[MealeaYing]

I realize this is a little less complex, or at least has less holes but it also took about 30 seconds to make in TopMod (http://www.viz.tamu.edu/faculty/ergun/research/topology/) and export as a .obj, then less then 30 seconds to import and render after distorting slightly and rotating in ZBrush:

289154

Posting it here was the longest part of the process.

[tyrellcorp]

thats the kind of nice topo i am looking for but i think topomod is for more mathematical shapes is it not? like this?


289181

[MealeaYing]

That thing wonderful!
You did that with Topmod?
How???
That program is a never ending series of surprises....

Anyhow if what I made is the sort of thing you are after, then Topmod is the tool to use, it does some rather tricky things very fast, I'm serious when I say it took longer to upload the image here than it took to create it from start to finish.

Topmod is sort of for math related stuff but you can do all sorts of other things with it, its great fun and on top of all the obvious things like just making topology and screwing about with it you can also use 35 or more methods of subdivision and most of them are neat too.
What I made was a simple "soccerball" object, honeycomb subdivided and then framed at a low setting like 0.040 or something.

[tyrellcorp]

sorry to disapoint but that wasnt made with topomod..

i just had a look at topomod and unfortunately Maya pretty much does everything that topomod can..

but i think we are getting a bit distracted from the original question about the curvetube brush..

But thanks anyway man.. :D

[chalkman]

Try this one in Maya .... about 30 seconds in Topmod, rendered in Zbrush BPR low poly count . :D


289223

[Zeddicus]

I've never played with TopMod before. It's certainly a nifty little application that simplifies certain things. The video on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nsa_dFhRBE) showcasing what it can accomplish was interesting to watch as well. :D

I got my 3dConnexion mouse the other day and one of the first things I tried was the hypothesis I previously posted. Since ZBrush doesn't support them, I had to use 3D Coat instead. It worked perfectly! The only way I can describe it is that it made sculpting exactly like using a pottery wheel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6C4dAqyhZI), which is fitting all things considered lol. :cool:

[jubala]

thanks for the videos helped alot

[yoogy]

thats the kind of nice topo i am looking for but i think topomod is for more mathematical shapes is it not? like this?


289181

(http://k3dsurf.sourceforge.net/)

K3DSurf is a program to visualize and manipulate
Mathematical models in three, four, five and six dimensions.
K3DSurf supports Parametric equations and Isosurfaces.
A little bit difficult to use - i think you must have good Knowledge with Math.
There is a obj - export.
Than insert in Zbrush - Voila

Its Freeware

Have Fun -

Cheers

This is done with K3Surf (http://k3dsurf.sourceforge.net/)
http://k3dsurf.sourceforge.net/

[intHiki]

just find thread very interesting , thx

[jamad]

Hi,
I tried to follow the video 'MESH-INSERT BRUSH 2: Create A Custom Insert Brush' but I didn't have a luck to get the mesh intersected with the base model.
Wonder why the result is different from the tutorial movie.
Is there any button or setting cause this effect?

Here is the movie I captured to show the problem.
As you see, the bolt has its origin around its center.

http://goo.gl/0f57O

Tried it with the version 4R5 on MacOSX after pushing Init Zbrush button.

[MichaelMaehring]

you could adjust the brush>depth value(s), especially by moving the circle-icon (brush placement)

[jamad]

you could adjust the brush>depth value(s), especially by moving the circle-icon (brush placement)


Thanks for the quick help.
Now it works like the tutorial by changing Inbed (Brush > Depth) from 100 (default) to 0.

http://goo.gl/Pj6qV