ZBrushCentral

Displacement and Alphas

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi ZBC users,

I’m relatively new to zbrush but have been using softimage for a little while. I’m wondering if it’s possible to apply a zbrush alpha to a mesh with a spherical projection, the way one can apply an image as a displacement of geometry to a mesh in softimage or maya, with a spherical texture projection. I’m working with displacement maps in Softimage, but I can’t get the resolution and subdivision levels i need without slowing down my system quite a bit. The displacement maps I’m working with are terrain height maps. So I’d like to be able to bring my displacement maps and objects into zbrush to beef up resolution, and export normal maps into softimage. I’ve tried converting my displacement maps into alphas, and then painting them on to the zbrush mesh, but this feels really clumsy. Surely there’s a way to apply the image/alpha to the entire mesh without having to fiddle arround with the brush size, etc.

If anyone has any advice on how to do this or changing my workflow to get better results, I would greatly appreciate it!

best,

Conrad

#2

Yes, you can do that:

  1. Import the object you want to apply the map to using the Import button in the Tool palette. It should have UVs assigned. Subdivide so there’s enough resolution for the detail you want.
  2. Select white in the color picker then in the Tool>Texture Map sub-palette click the New Txtr button. The reason for this is that a texture must be applied to the model for the next stage to work.
  3. Click the image icon in the Tool > Displacement Map sub-palette. From the pop-up, click the Import button to select your displacement map image from disk. (Alternatively, if you have already imported the image into the Alpha palette its icon will appear in the pop-up and you can select it.)
  4. Turn on the Tool > Displacement Map > Mode button.
  5. Adjust the Tool > Displacement Map > Intensity slider until you get the effect you want.
  6. Press Tool > Displacement Map > Appl DispMap to convert the dispalcement to actual geometry.

You may need to undo and reset the Intensity slider to get the best result.

#3

Thanks so much, I’ll give this a whirl and report back!

Conrad