Not able to enter EDIT mode

[hausnfranz]

Hello,

I just started using Zbrush, and I’m a little confused about how to switch in/out of EDIT mode at times, at times EDIT is simply not available.

I am following the video tutorials, and it seems that at times I do not have EDIT available, while the video does.

Its also not clear if you can select different 3D objects? Say I draw two 3D Spheres on the stage that are not touching, can I select either one of them separately? How can I tell if something is selected? Does this have to do with why I cannot enter into EDIT mode?

Attached is a picture of a time when I would like to enter EDIT mode, but its not selectable. As soon as I draw another 3D shape, I can EDIT it, but why can’t I edit the two shapes which are already on the screen?

cheers,

haus.

Attachments

[Kerwin]

Try drawing a 3D object and hitting “Edit” right away before doing anything else.

Zbrush’s canvas is not 3D–it’s 2.5D which is just pixels plus depth & material information.

You can only work with one 3D object (or “tool” as Zbrush calls them) at a time. As soon as you take a “tool” out of edit mode, it ceases to be 3D and “drops” to the canvas as 2.5D.

If you need to make a 3D object out multiple pieces, you can append 3D geometry to an exiting 3D object by using the “subtool” pallet.

In Zbrush it’s initially confusing because 3D objects are tools, and as soon as you stop “editing” your tool, it becomes a 2.5D image on the canvas.

So your work flow is draw your intial tool on the canvas and hit “edit” immeditely before doing anyting else. Once it’s there you can spin and sculpt it to your heart’s content. You then “save” the tool (a .ztl file) using the “Save tool” button on the tool pallet. (Be careful you’re not using the document save function–this will save the canvas, a .zbr file, which is 2.5D, NOT 3D.)

If you’re really lost, I suggest you get your hands on some training, such as Ryan K’s Introduction to Zbrush at Gnomon Workshop or some of the intro stuff from digitial tutors. It’s safe to say ZBrush’s interface is unlike most other applications you may have used (or are likely to use. )

HTH,
-K

[hausnfranz]

Thanks, this is helpful. Once you drop an object to the canvas you can never get it back (as an editable 3D form), unless you place another instance of the tool onto the stage via the Tool menu…

It was just a little confusing because you could visually draw two spheres on the stage and it looks like they blob together, but the initial one is 2.5D and the second COULD be 3D if you immediately hit edit.