Digits
03-10-02, 08:49 AM
As I looked at all of Mentat's Robotools in contemplation of assembling them into a robot I wondered just how in the world I was going to piece them together in proportion and angle to get the pose that I wanted. Other programs I understand have things like "Bones" in which you can position them and the 3D "Skin" follows. This gave me an idea.
Unfortunetely I no longer have the bones I created for my Robo Blading image but here is a rough facimile.
http://www.cyber-webs.com/zbrush/Digits/bonesexample.jpg
On another layer I created a stick figure and positioned its arms and legs. Then as I was building my robot on another layer I was able to use the stick figure as a guide to angle and proportion. Simple! even for my butterfingers.
There is a feature in Digit_Widgets_Utility called MakeALine which was very handy in making my "ZBones". What it does is allows you to place a 3D object on the canvas between two mouse points. Thereby making a 3D connecting Line. This tool I use all the time and I offer it here as a separate script for use. In makeing the stick figure I made a center post at the characters height and shoulders and hips. Then I used spheres and positioned them where I wanted the Elbows, knees, feet and hands. Then I used the MakeALine to draw 3D cylinders between them.
I also included in the script another function that I use often, a 3D Plane maker. Enter the plane angle, 70 degrees makes a nice floor and press the button. It will place a 3D plane on the canvas and size it to the current document height and width. Then it will rotate it to your desired angle. Then you can position it where you like.
Hope this is a help to someone.
Here is the MakeALine script
MakeALine.zip (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-1015778934inl.zip)
Unfortunetely I no longer have the bones I created for my Robo Blading image but here is a rough facimile.
http://www.cyber-webs.com/zbrush/Digits/bonesexample.jpg
On another layer I created a stick figure and positioned its arms and legs. Then as I was building my robot on another layer I was able to use the stick figure as a guide to angle and proportion. Simple! even for my butterfingers.
There is a feature in Digit_Widgets_Utility called MakeALine which was very handy in making my "ZBones". What it does is allows you to place a 3D object on the canvas between two mouse points. Thereby making a 3D connecting Line. This tool I use all the time and I offer it here as a separate script for use. In makeing the stick figure I made a center post at the characters height and shoulders and hips. Then I used spheres and positioned them where I wanted the Elbows, knees, feet and hands. Then I used the MakeALine to draw 3D cylinders between them.
I also included in the script another function that I use often, a 3D Plane maker. Enter the plane angle, 70 degrees makes a nice floor and press the button. It will place a 3D plane on the canvas and size it to the current document height and width. Then it will rotate it to your desired angle. Then you can position it where you like.
Hope this is a help to someone.
Here is the MakeALine script
MakeALine.zip (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_file-1015778934inl.zip)