ZBrushCentral

Looking for good topology references

Community
#1

Hello,

I am struggling with a project of mine and cannot seem to be able to locate the correct material.

I see mentioned everywhere that the basemesh I create should have relatively good edge loops and topology before bringing it into zbrush.

I want to do a series of sculptures of the female form in motion (mostly sports and physical activities). I would like to create a good basemesh to work from but have tried a few times now with unsatisfied confidence in my mesh. As in, the mesh I have made is all quads, I have included rough ears, hands and feet with fingers and toes but everything is very low poly with no real shape.

I don’t honestly know what good edge loops are suppose to look like, nor good topology. I have always been told model with quads only and never have been really instructed in the finer points of modeling.

Any resources you could point me to would be great or any pictures of what a good female wire frame should look like. I am more afraid of getting devoting more time in zbrush on my current mesh and later on in the sculpting process realize that the bulk of my problems are coming from the underlying mesh.

#2

Realistic face modeling by PhungDinhDzung
This one has been the best start for me, as to how to make good topology, and WHY it should be so. Don’t forget the retopo tools inside Zbrush

#3

In order to realy get topology down, you need to know a reasonable amount of anatomy in order to plan the edge flow. Iv seen so many ways that people create topology, but all have prety much the same loops in the same places.

We have the loops for the eyes, and mouth. Sholders must have good flow through from the chest to the back where the scapula is. We need to be carefull where we have polls in our topology.

All my base meshes are very low poly, I just Sub devide them, then form additional shape, and form in Zbrush.

Check my thread out linked below, and see how low poly my meshes are, yet how detailed they end up.

#4

thanks for all the help so far. both of you have provided exactly what I am looking for.

Any particulars i need to watch out for in the feet and hands?

how about the ears, should i model them on my base mesh or no?

#5

Hands and feet just need to be kept simple for sculpting. I like to add the nails as geometry on the base, but it can be tricky when sub deviding the hands, as somtimes the nails smooth too much.

For that reason most add the nails at high sud d levels by using masking methods.

Ears can vary alot on the base. Some make them as very simple loops, while others put the time and effort into the base mesh and produce the topology.

Because im as much a modeler as a Digital sculpter I tend to make my base meshes with all loops and topology to get the basic forms. Modeling and digital sculpting seems to have got merged since we have the likes of Zbrush Mud box, and now 3D coat. In reality Zbrush wont produce good 3D modelers, and in some cases many dont need to be as illustrations for artest is what its about for many.

If you become skilled in both your bound to get the best results.

I recomend checking this guys topology out. Its simple and ideal for sculpting. Be shure to downlaod the PDF artical, and videos.

http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/artistspotlight/0810scotteaton/

#6

Hi, and thanks for your Thanx.
Don’t know about your main 3d package. Try this one tut, done in Maya but fairly generic. it’s simple and efficient : http://erraticimagery.com/extras/earmodeling.mov
Head, Hand and torso on the same : http://erraticimagery.com/extras

#7

thanks. these references are working out great.

:+1: