ZBrushCentral

Clueless newbie question about grids/floors

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi again,

OK I’m trying to do something I thought would be simple and intuitive but can’t seem to make it happen. Please bear in mind I’m an absolute beginner.

I want to open a grid/floor that doesn’t have a picture on it. All I want is a grid, in all 3 axis, that I could set to a particular measurement/size and units of measurement (eg millimetres) so I can create objects of the correct scale for 3d printing at a later date. I read on another thread this was a way of getting past the scaling issues in Zbrush, but the thread didn’t actually say how to do it. When I went to try it, the only grids I seem to be able to load in have pictures of heads and things on them, not a plain one or one with measureable units on. Do I have to make one myself? If so, how? Surely someone somewhere has done a nice little download of this already?

Please help, feeling a bit deflated to have such simple problems so soon. x

#2

turn on the floor (shift+p)

draw.floor (select all 3 axis)

By default they have no image assigned to them. You can use the front/back, etc options to set up the images you would like.

#3

T

Thank you. I will try this again tomorrow morning. I thought that was what I tried the first time. But I was having issues that the floor buttons were greyed out and I could only get them on by bringing a sphere or other object into the screen first and then changing the edit mode before it would even let me press the floor button and then it automatically brought in one with a head on it without offering me a choice. But I will try again from scratch just in case I clicked the wrong thing before. I’m using the latest version of Zbrush and finding a lot of the tutorials and help files are aimed at older versions too, with buttons being in completely different places. So it is confusing. But I so appreciate you taking the time to answer what probably seems like a dopey question. x

#4

In addition. When you have the floor on Shift+P, you can also find it on the side toolbar or Draw (dropdown). Don’t forget the small xyz at the top of the button to turn on the necessary axis. I would also look in the Draw dropdown because you also have Fill Mode Slider (0-3) this will put the colours to the planes at various transparencies. Also you have the Tiles Slider which will change the grid square sizes. One of my favourites, in the Draw dropdown again, is Axis Slider. This will increase the line length of your X,Y,Z axis. Excellent for those coming from a normal 3d package into Zbrush, especially when you mess around with the deformation pallet trying to figure out what’s x,y,z. Hope that helps. Recommend having an in-depth look at the Draw dropdown though, lots of bods seam to dismiss it.

#5

Just popping back to say a huge thank you for all the help I was given by everyone getting started. Managed to get going with a bit of paid for tuition in the end, and some fantastic help from a lovely Zbrush artist called Jonathan Reilly. If anyone wants to see what my partner and I ended up making then check out this link http://www.mastersandmunn.co.uk/Icarus_slideshow.html

Before you say anything, just the individual feathers were designed on the computer and printed out, and then finished with a real copper veneer and hand-patinated, etc. The body and plinth were made using traditional sculpting methods so it’s a bit of a hybrid. But for our first go with digital sculpting and printing we were really thrilled and inspired. We did have a lot of help getting started, but by the very end we were modelling feathers independently and even if it’s one small step, it’s given us the confidence and inspiration to keep going. We were also astounded to win an award at the 3d Print Show for ‘Rising Star’ 2013 so that was a huge surprise and a big honour. Thank you again for all your help, we’ve had such a steep learning curve and have so much respect for you guys and the amazing things you do with Zbrush. x