ZBrushCentral

How do I smooth existing UV ?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi:
Anybody has any idea about how to smooth the UV of high level model with unsmoothed UV?

The situation is I checked suv button when I divide the model,but later I tweaked the uv of 1st level model in maya and import it back to zbrush,
and then I found out that the high level uvs became unsmoothed. I tried some solutions:

1.export high level model with unsmoothd uv, then go to level 1 and delete higher level, then divide the model again with suv checked; export the smoothd model, then transfer the smoothed uv to the model with unsmoothed uv in maya, then import the high level with smoothed uv back to Zbrush.

The problem of this method is , for example, I have 6 subdivision levels in ZB, but maya only can handle level4 or it’ll crash. And when I import the level 4 mesh with smoothed uv back to ZB, the uvs of level2 and level 3 are not compelete the same with the result of the uvs smoothed by ZB.

  1. I created displacement map from level 1 and checked smooth uv, then delete higher levels, then re-subdivide the model with suv checked, and then apply the generated displacement map on the model.

The problem of this method is I will lose some detail and get dome artifacts when I re-apply the displacement map.

Anybody has better solution of this kind of problem?

Thanks.

#2

I found a easier solution, I stored the morph target of the highest level model, then go back lowest level, delete higher and re- subdivide with suv checked, then switch back the stored morph target of the highest level, done!!

And I also realized my problem was not happening during importing mesh,
the problem is that every time I switch back from higher level to lower level within ZB, I lost the smoothed uv.

Does anybody has idea about this issue?

#3

I wanna know wats a “morph target”?:frowning:

#4

Morph target is under tool palette, it stores the shape of your current level model and you can switch back later.

#5

I uploaded a picture to explain my problem:

Here is a sphere I uved in maya and divided 4 times with smooth uv in zbrush.
The right one is how it looks like when I projected a grid texture on it. When I switch back to level one and then switch back to level 5, the texture got distorted like the left one.

I don’t know anybody mentioned this before, just be aware of this when paint textures in ZB everybody.

Attachments

uvcompare copy.jpg

#6

u are a genius billly, the morph target solution is amazing

edit: i just found out that Smooth Uvs function in Displacement maps also serves as good function in this case

#7

Smart way, but only issue is that you loose all the polypainting details. Works for a model that hasn’t been painted yet. Tried to put the painting details on a texture, then back to poly, but after smoothin the uvs, the details don’t match.

#8

The texture painting has to be done after sub deviding the mesh, and restoring the morph target.

Thats the only way it can be done at the moment, thats hope zb4 has this sorted.

#9

I am messing around with this problem since years, and I haven´t found a sollution yet

in my view this is the greatest disadvantage in using zbrush

i wonder how the pros deal with that problem

i am sure that there must be a sollution/workaround/script that the studios use

:mad:

#10

Only way I know is to clone the model, go to highest sub d model, store morph target.

Go to lowest sub d level, delete all higher sub d levels, then sub devide the same amount of times as it was before. Switch morph target, then never go down the sub d levels again. Paint your textures, produce them, export them.

As for pro studios they do what ever is needed to get it done. Body paint, Photoshop, most common.

#11

thanks tez,

i think your workaround is the only way to handle this

you write: “As for pro studios they do what ever is needed to get it done. Body paint, Photoshop, most common.”

I guess you´re right with your first sentence - but regarding the second sentence: I would really like to use photoshop - but that´s the rub: working on linear subdivided UV´s in photoshop is just not possible - not even for the “big ones”

regards,

m

#12

When I work in Photoshop for texturing I make a UV template from smooth Uvs.
Again when working from a professional stance you wouldnt just have Zbrush as your only application.

Your looking at 3dsmax, Maya, Xsi, C4D + Bodypaint, and in my Case Modo which exports a smooth UV template. I take this template into Photoshop and texturing in there. In fact just recently iv got a better workflow that does include Zbrush, and does give me the results im after, but this is within a pipeline of Zbrush, Modo, and Photoshop.

[pstexture cgdreams.co.uk.jpg](http://javascript<b></b>:zb_insimg(‘164905’,‘pstexture cgdreams.co.uk.jpg’,1,0))