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New User Workflow Question

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hello everyone, I am new to Zbrush and I am curious about workflow.
I am looking to mainly create Bas Reliefs for CNC Usage. I begin my designs in Adobe Illustrator. However, i would like to bring those designs into Zbrush obviously make them 3d and add more details. Can someone guide me on the workflow needed to take my design from AI and move it over to Zbrush while still maintaining as much of vector based detail as possible? Or should i take the AI design into a program like fusion 360 extrude it, export it, and then bring it into zbrush for final detailing? My head is saying by taking the image from AI and doing an extrude in Fusion 360 or another CAD program it will retain the shape of vector and allow me to then refine it in zbrush…but maybe im over thinking it.

Thank you in advance for your help.

#2

Hi @kiddanplay

You can use the Text 3D & Vector Shapes plugin included with ZBrush and is in the ZPlugin palette. You can import your SVG file from AI directly.

1 Like
#3

Hi @kiddanplay,

Welcome to ZBC!

You can increase the value of the resolution slider when importing your vector shape to increase the accuracy of the curve. You could also assign more points to the curve in your vector editing program.

Take Care! :slightly_smiling_face:

#4

I sculpt bas-relief for a living, and use vectors a lot to create a base mesh, usually if I have a multi layered relief - e.g. I have several figures to sculpt, all with complex silhouettes, but I want to keep them on distinct planes

TBH, I find the easiest way to approach it is to floodfill the vectors in AI to make a grayscale, then either make 3D from alpha in ZB, or use the clay brush set to drag rectangle, with the grayscale as alpha.

I’ve tried building simple base meshes in blender etc, but I always spend too much time faffing around with topology to make them sculptable.