New to Zbrush, need some advice

[badhacks]

So I started with blender but really wanted to get into Zbrush. But it was super intimidating for some reason. I watched a Ryan Kingsley video and it broke it down to a point so I figured id give it a go. Heres my stuff so far, not much but I would like some critiques. Better I learn what I’m doing wrong now and correct it before I put a lot of time doing the wrong thing.

Lastly id like see if anyone has any advice as to what courses, or tutorials I should watch and in what order maybe. Aaaaaaand I realize I’m asking people to make my curriculum, haha, but really any advice in that aspect would help tremendously as I don’t have a lot of time to learn so I need to make sure when I do practice and learn it is productive.

Thanks in advance. I work in restaurants so I have a VERY thick skin. Trial by fire, please.

[Spyndel]

My #1 advice for new users before they run off having fun, is to understand the functions of hiding, masking, and polygrouping in Zbrush, and to commit the various shortcuts to muscle memory. They are, simply, how you get things done in Zbrush. So much work in Zbrush comes down to affecting only the polygons you want to affect. If you can do these things as easily as breathing, you will be able to isolate polygon segments at will, and you will have an easier time with Zbrush than even longer term users who haven’t mastered this.

Good luck and happy Zbrushing!

[badhacks]

Excellent. I think that’s exactly something I was looking for, some basic must-knows before I just start sculpting away. As of now, I have the common shortcuts to memory at least when it comes to brushes… But I def see the benefit in the long run. The plan is to eliminate a lot of the nuisance inducing things by learning them now.

Someone else on another platform also recommended focusing on layers and morphing, early on. What would be your take on that?

Thanks a lot. I am very grateful that you took the time to reply.

[badhacks]

I got some advice to use a reference skull to fix the bad proportions on my male skull, I did this very quickly with the move and inflate tool to wrap it around the skull and the results seem to be very helpful for my visual library. I don’t plan on hyper-focusing on this sculpt since I’m still learning.

I would, however, like to get some feedback on it if anyone is game as to what they might see that’s still off.

Thanks ahead of time.

(of course, v1 is original and v2 is the one using a ref skull)

[zakcat]

You might like a series of videos by Danny Mac (google it) He does animation style heads and busts but they are based on real world skull forms, planes and proportions with a very sound approach, and understandable descriptive vids. Covers how to do eyes noses ears lips hair. In fact he has switched from doing hair in zbrush back to blender so there you go!

For example he lays out his basic skull from on the gird for checking proportions, uses masking and the transform gizmo, dynameshing etc a lot of the core scultpting tools and brushes and talks you through it pretty clearly. Hope that helps!

PS the vids I’m referring to are titled like "How to do a stylized head, a stylized mouth, stylized nose etc as opposed to his speed sculpt videos.

[badhacks]

Awesome man, thanks a lot. just picked up a book called anatomy for sculptors but seeing someone actually use the tools the proper way will be a godsend.

I go to school for software development (c++, etc) so this is a spare time type of thing. Making this blog has been a pursuit for a clear path to this side of the game development process. Thanks for the guidance, as you hit the nail on the head of the style I most like. EPIC.

[badhacks]

quick update, this is my first attempt at a full body. I went with an alien to have fun with it and not burn myself out trying to do a human. I feel more confident after this. I def added too much detail in the muscles for the poly count and I plan on thinning up the upper body.
speaking of what kind of poly count should i be around for this level of detail? Not even sure im asking the right question tbh.