I guess this applies to any brush really, and it is likely a newbie question (I am a newbie still nonetheless) but in the event that I want to quickly break a hard edge concept model down into polygroups dividing where the edges are or something, the easiest way I figured to do so would be to somehow paint only visible areas and then orientate the camera around as I go so that it’s only seeing corners that I paint side on. As is, brushes have a sort of spherical influence, meaning the mask will wrap around the corner if I try this.
There is actually a ‘Group Front’ option for creating polygroups which will perhaps help with what you’re doing. See here:
http://docs.pixologic.com/reference-guide/tool/polymesh/polygroups/#group-front
Not really what I’m looking for. I mean something like this:
http://i.imgur.com/6vn9wJA.jpg
Basically, some sort of ability to use that same sort of “front” detection to have the mask tool only affect the visible area without bleeding over. The polygroups approach would be even more work than just carefully following the edge manually 
Brush size affects masking ‘depth’, so does mesh resolution. I’d have to disagree with your opinion on the masking. Polygroups are very powerful. Two sliders, one for draw size and the other for focus should be investigated as well. Groups from Polypaint, group masked and many options are available to you.
I never said they aren’t powerful, I said that the “group front” approach to this sort of scenario might be counterproductive (that’s a lot of breaking up and regrouping since it’s a sweeping application to the entire visible area if I’m not mistaken) compared to just carefully following all the edges by hand. I’m ultimately trying to get that one piece there as a polygroup and exploring my options, and figure this one - if it exists anyway, though with zbrush having such depth-from-camera functionality I imagine it does - would be the fastest and easiest.
You can hide parts of the model first and then mask them as needed or all at once. What is the final purpose of ‘the model’? Do you have the Axis plug to switch views?
You’re drastically over complicating my inquiry. Look, let me make another image:
http://i.imgur.com/FR9hCin.jpg
On the top, what I do, on the bottom left, what happens, and on the right, what I’d like to happen (automatically, because that region wasn’t visible to the camera).
I just wanna know: Does this exist? Or does it not? In the time since posting this I found a roughly equivalent approach with the Backface Culling, by manipulating the curve so that normals only facing me close to straight on are affected, but still I’m curious if a similar solution exists that simply uses camera visibility rather than normals to the same effect.
I can’t see the density of your mesh. The brush is larger than the thickness of the mesh. How did you make the object? What will it be for? Do you have the Axis plug?
There’s no other way that I know of.
I answer and I ask questions to know more, to possibly help better. People don’t answer them. :rolleyes:
What you could try is using the ‘Dots’ stroke with your mask and making sure you have BackFaceMask enabled for the mask brush. It will bleed through to the other side a little bit but you can turn the mesh to the back side and clean that up with Alt+mask.
HTH
I’ll add that sometimes it can be lots quicker to recreate your object using a different method, than to try something that doesn’t work as well as you’d like.
I should also add that Rect, Circle, Curve and Lasso strokes will not work with BackfaceMask. They will go through to the other side.
Yeah, the backface approach I mentioned earlier is working well. Not perfect, though that’s more a product of my mesh. I marked out a few polygroups and used the polish by groups feature on the result to see how it cleaned up, which I like.
Also, no I don’t have that Axis plug. I’ve just been using the hold shift while rotating approach to lining myself up on exact sides. I’m guessing the plug is a quicker solution to those moments than holding shift?
Just to clarify, because I didn’t mention this in my first post.
BackfaceMask is in 'Brush > Auto Masking"
You could try the MAHmask Bias brush found here; http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?75050-Zskiff-a-licious!/page22&p=900731&viewfull=1#post900731
That might help do part of what you need. Even if it’s not it’s a great masking brush to have in your arsenal of tools.
I was going to say that!
GRIN!
Are they fixed? 4R6 seems to have broken them…
EDIT: Nevermind, they are not fixed, and they give a 404 error as well, I think he is trying to make them work again.
is here
