Complete setup advice

[Ella]

I’m going to university to complete an MA which includes zbrush and 3d printing as a large part of the course.
I’m a working (real clay) character sculptor who will be switching up to digital as part of this. I want to invest in the right kit to do this properly. No unnecessary frills, but not cutting corners. Budget is whatever it needs to be to get the job done. I’ve never used zbrush before. I’m totally starting from scratch.

I already have a reasonable desktop pc (amd 1800x (i7 equivalent) gt1030 graphics card, 32gb ram). So would probably lean towards a graphics card upgrade rather than new pc.

What is best as a pen style interface? I am starting to realise there are various options here.

Help gratefully received

[Spyndel]

Hello @Ella ,

Congratulations on your chosen path at the university!

@Ella

No unnecessary frills, but not cutting corners. Budget is whatever it needs to be to get the job done. I’ve never used zbrush before. I’m totally starting from scratch.

@Ella

I already have a reasonable desktop pc (amd 1800x (i7 equivalent) gt1030 graphics card, 32gb ram). So would probably lean towards a graphics card upgrade rather than new pc.

Your desktop machine is already at adequate specs for ZBrush, and a GPU upgrade will provide negligible benefit for ZBrush by itself (though other software may benefit).

Recommended system specs for ZBrush can be found here. Also on that page are notes on how to optimize a computer for ZBrush. You’ll note that ZBrush is almost entirely CPU driven, so CPU and RAM are going to be your most crucial components. A CPU upgrade would provide the biggest bang for your buck, but you may be limited by your motherboard as to what you can upgrade there.

[Edit] Given that your current desktop is probably already adequate for getting things done in ZBrush, you may instead wish to save for a mobile option like a laptop for ZBrush. A student might benefit more from mobility than fixed computing power.

@Ella

What is best as a pen style interface? I am starting to realise there are various options here.

I can’t recommend a specific tablet, but I do recommend some model of Wintab compatible, pressure sensitive tablet. ZBrush is designed around the use of this sort of tablet. You will not need the biggest or the best tablet for sculpting in ZBrush. Digital sculpting doesn’t have the same sensitivity requirements as, say, fine drawing. An entry level tablet from a reputable manufacturer may be sufficient to get you started until you develop the experience to know what you prefer out of a tablet.

Good luck!