Textures by Zbrush and Pixolator - thank you

[PinheadPaul]

Happy Moanday all,

All mats, tower objects and terrains in this image were done in ZBrush with the help of the new TextureMaster script.
(I was one of those folks zooming the last rev to death)

The large model is WIP..I got lazy cutting windows..
Upham suggested I post it here so please blame him! Really!
Also, I formatted Part 5 of the script (Texturing Imported Objects) for print with a few findings of my own.
If Pixolator agrees I will make it available as plain text, rtf, html or doc.

Many thanks and my respects to Pixolator.


http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1005599335ell.jpg

Paul a/k/a Pinhead :ex:

[upham]

Hey I like it! It shows the community how ZBrush is being applied elsewhere in the big wide world and how Texture-Master has influenced people who normally use other apps to incorperate ZBrush into their work!
Sweet stuff Paul.
Thanks for posting!
Upham :)

[maga]

What a unique and personal use of the program, it's really beautiful!
Mari

[Stargo]

Wow,it's a fantastic work :tu: :tu: :tu:

_______

Stargo

[Stonecutter]

Thanx for the splendiferous textures! :tu:
I'd certainly like to see your take on chapter 5....
:tu: :D :tu:
Really interesting place you've depicted there!

[robotalk]

That is just great to look at --the lost city of gold at least !! --a sensational Image !!!

[drjjwow]

a pinhead i love this image but i have to ask you was any part of this image done with bryce,.. im just asking because ive seen your work in bryce over at 3d commune.. everybody here should check out that site for his artwork and his bryce material and ojects.... im so glad that you decided to come to this website because this site is the best for art... maybe someday you can give us a little sample of your work using a zscript.. thanks again

[startpeace]

Pinhead - another masterpiece. I am so impressed. Looking forward to a script sometime.

Marion

[Zoid]

Hi Paul, I can understand your enthusiasm. It's exciting to find out that you can take all of your favorite things about ZBrush and your favorite things about (Bryce?) and combine them to make a fantastic image like this. I've been doing the same with Carrara lately, and it works great. Seeing this grand golden palace makes me wonder what it looks like inside. Your TM #5 notes will come in handy. Thanks :cool:

[PinheadPaul]

Good Afternoon all,
Thank you again for your kindness.

To answer dr. jjwow and Zoid,
This image is mostly, perhaps 80%, ZBrush (and a ton of import/export work) with Bryce elements imported into ZB for render.
I rendered the sky in Bryce (pure black on lower half), saved the image and put it on a 2d plane in a separate layer in Zbrush. I had to crank the GDI lighting and render contrast adjustments waaaaay up.
(see image)
I can't do decent clouds/fog in ZB yet but am working on it. That's why the image is relativly "clear".
I did a mask and distance render for the shadows which were composited in photoshop.
Some shadows were drawn in ZBrush also.

The models were either made in, or imported into ZBrush and all texturing was done there also.
I had a ridiculous amount of layers going and lost the image many times because of my lack of understanding of how ZBrush uses layers and transparancy during render.
The end result was mostly luck but stll didn't come out as I wished it to.
Apparently I kept choosing the wrong layer for primary render (??)
I'm unsure as to whether I should look at the layers as similar to photoshop or a modeling apps - advice is more than welcome!

My favorite thing with Bryce is it's ease of use for scene/environment setup.
I'm used to a perspective view and tried very hard to duplicate it in ZBrush.
This took me well over 45 hours to do.
I didn't record a continuous script but will glad to do so next scene. Hahahahaha...want to watch a 45 hour script?
I have a small sample file which shows how I started to set the scene up for ZBrush.
It shows sky and positioning of objects.
All are welcome to it - will upload as a zip to my space.
Am uploading the TM Part 5 as txt, rtf and doc in about a minute on a new thread.

All the best to you,

Paul

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1005681321vgn.jpg

This shows the basic scene set up...just kept adding stuff and things at different depths.

[william]

Very Beautiful work !!!! :tu: :tu: :tu:

[Kerstin]

That´s a beautiful image. I love the colors and medelling.

Kerstin

[Muvlo]

Creative and unique! :) Pretty shapes and colors. An imaginitave town. I like the sky and trees particularly, they suggest that it isn't quite on earth. :)

[impending]

Hello PinheadPaul,

This is a very interesting image you posted, it's obvious this took tremendous effort and time. I find it worth your effort ;) - I hope you do too! Few images with significant architectural elements are posted here for the reasons you have discovered, lack of perspective window and shadow issues, I find your shadow technique to be quite creative.

You ask about layers in ZB vs Photoshop - they have nothing in common other than to allow you to group elements. As you've probably noticed, layer order in ZB does not correspond to layer order in Photoshop. As far as what is in front/behind, only Z depth matters. Each ZB layer can have elements at varying Z depth which remain true even if you rearrange layer order. One of the few times you'll need to be aware of layer order is when using transparency. The transparent element must be on the layer above the layers with the elements that are seen through the transparent element (did that sound right :) ) - anyway I've never used transparency so this advice is given based on my general knowledge of ZB, your mileage may vary.

You mention GDI and contrast adjustments for your Bryce sky - this should not have been necessary. I too have used Bryce skies in ZB, I love playing with Bryce skies :D Here are some general thoughts on backgrounds in ZB:

When adding a background you have two methods at your disposal. 1) position a 2D plane and fill or 2) simply fill the layer.

The only time using a 2D plane is desired is if you will be deforming the plane or if you wish it to receive shadows - otherwise - a simple layer fill is the better choice such as when adding a sky.

To add a sky layer, import the texture then choose Material 0, flat color - then Layers>Modifiers>Fill - you should then displace this layer (push to the rear clipping plane) on Z by Layers>Modifiers>DisplaceZ by enough of a positive amount (sorry I don't remember the distance to the clipping plane off the top of my head) so it's just shy of disappearing. The reason you do this is so you won't have to adjust the Z depth of the objects you add, so they don't intersect the sky layer, as often as you would if you did not displace the layer.

This sky will now appear identical to how you saw it in Bryce - regardless of how you set your lighting in ZB. If you liked it when it left Bryce, you'll make no adjustments in ZB.

I look forward to seeing more of your creativity displayed here :tu: :tu:

jd

[Stonecutter]

Hey JD, there is one other method for backgrounds...Paint them! If you use 'Flat Color' they won't react to lighting, (You won't get washout from your lighting...) I guess this follows from your 'fill' method, but I personally think this is an incredible paint program as well as a 3-2.5D PROGRAM.

[rhom]

This is one mighty fine image paul-really excellent.Well done textures.

[PinheadPaul]

Thank you all for your remarks, advice and comments!
I wish I got around more ( I have some minor difficulties which impede my online time) and will try to do so when my situation improves.

Hello impending! I appreciate the detailed explanation and yes, I do know what you mean.
Now. lol...
It was worth the effort for learning. I can be patient on occasion and feel ZBrush is worth all the time I can give it.

I wish I could post the results of my experimenting but the image that I ended up with is very grotesque. Very.
(I did post it at my regular site though - they're used to my insanity there)
I've found the clip distance and now use numerical displace as you you mentioned and figured out how to work with transparent layers with some sucess..actually some startling results to me.
Awesome effects with Shake'n Bake, burn and gel shaders with metallic properties.
Alternate layers, bake, no bake, gel over and over. Lost count on the last image!
The sky was very dark and as a seperate 2d plane was the only way I could get it to look as I wanted - I put it way back in the scene, baked the shading and lighting and then move up progressive layers.
I'm used to cad, rhino, max layers but not the transpaent aspects of ZBrush.
You explanation helped quite a bit and I've kept it as a "Impending zTips" file.
Hahahhaa...dont tell anyone I'm organized.
They'll die of shock.

Hi Stonecutter - thank you also.
I was having problems switchiing mindsets from 2, 2.5 and 3d modes...
I wasn't aware that flat color is in fact a mask which will protect a layer from shading.
That tip alone will save me tons of time.
I already had a file going on you. Don't be scared! Hahahahahaha.
An awesome program that has had an enormous impact on all that I do.

Hope to catch up with you nice people soon.

Many thanks,


Paul

[PinheadPaul]

Oh geez rhom - I didn't see your comment on the next page!
Thank you so much friend.

Paul again
<Pinhead for good reason eh?>