ZBrushCentral

Clay impression tool - displacement

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

My goal is to make a clay impression tool utilizing Zbrush software and a 3d printer

The tool is intended to be used by pressing into clay to get an impression. It is a simple rectangular solid with raised characters on the front face (I may merge a simple handle on the back for a hand hold).

To use it you press the tool into the clay and the characters are pushed in. That’s it.

What is the best approach to accomplish this utilizing a specific high-contrast b/w image as a displacement map on a simple rectangular solid?

#2

Hi Bill!

There are many ways to go about doing this. One of these, or some combination, may be useful depending on the situation:

  1. Simplest: Import your B&W image into the program as an Alpha, load it into the alpha slot for a brush like the Layer Brush (for flat, even displacement), and assign a drag rect or a drag dot stroke type. The former will let you drag out the alpha from the point of contact, and the latter will let you slide it into place. Draw your alpha, adjusting for size and Z-intensity, out on a surface that is subdivided sufficiently to capture the detail.

  2. Use Spotlight to do the same, but with finer control over placement.

  3. Convert the incoming alpha to an actual 3d mesh in the Alpha menus using “Make 3d Mesh”. Likewise, use the Snapshot 3d function in Spotlight to do the same. Combine this mesh with the base mesh to create your object.

#3

Got it. Thank you. It works!