ZBrushCentral

Background image frustration

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I was able in 3.5 to open my tool, load image background behind the tool, then play with transparency to move the tool around. It was horrible but it was usable.

Now in 4R4 whatever I do I am just drawing with 1000 instance of my tool after I press load image… or should I use that plane created with subtools? If I take it and append my tool , it is impossible to manipulate and scale it the way I want. Youtube tutorials on this subject are even worse.
Can you PLEASE give me just 1-5 points where to click to load it the way 3.5 did it, or some better way.

#2

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?96432-Questions-amp-Troubleshooting-for-Image-Plane-4

#3

Also, I recommend that you read the ZBrush 4R4 PDF found in your installation’s Documentation folder. Near the page 100 mark there are sections on the new background features in ZBrush, including the new Grids.

#4

If you want to work with an image in the background, something else you can try…

  1. Load and draw your Tool on the canvas and turn on ‘Edit’ (T)
  2. Go to ‘Texture > Image Plane’ and click ‘Load Image’ to select and load the image you want in the background.
  3. If you want to make your Tool more tranparent, go to ‘Texture > Image Plane > Reference Views’ and adjust ‘Model Opacity’ slider.
#5

Thank you all. I did not get the new grids functionality before. This will work.

By the way #1…
Image plane does not work here, or at least not in the way it should (both speaking as artist and as UX Professional).

@zber2 That did not work. It was my old workflow, and when I do that my model disappears. I am left with only en empty screen. Brushing around it places dozens of models with no ability to enter edit mode.

By the way #2…
Working in a school Computer Art department, I see everybody hating ZBrush interface. I know it has been years, but sooner or later they will have to hire a team of User Experience professionals to redo the whole thing. Too bad that all that powerful functionality is buried inside bad UI. Pixologic guys did revolutionize 3d modeling, but they should not have tried revolutionizing 3d navigation logic, user interface and every other aspect of 3d that Autodesk, Discreet, Kinetix, Alias and all the others have already had spent decades developing and refining.

Cheers

#6

Then you are not doing it correctly. Follow the directions exactly.

What version of ZBrush are you using?

#7

Hehe, it is a 3 step process, how wrong can I go :slight_smile:
I have 4R4 updated yesterday to the latest release.

#8

LOL…I was thinking the same thing. :slight_smile:

#9

When using Image Plane, if your model disappears then you have Lightbox open. Close Lightbox before using Image Plane and it will work correctly. (This will be fixed in the next update to Image Plane.)

#10

Thank you Marcus so much! I have lost hours and hours because of something this stupid. I never even used Lightbox, I don’t even notice it at all. When I read this I did not even want to try because it really makes no sense, but this did fix the problem. Thanks again!

#11

No problem. It was a long time before I learned of this issue. It simply didn’t occur to me that anyone would leave Lightbox open!

#12

Ditto!