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Re-UVing, Combining Mesh

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey Everyone,

We are trying to bring a model that we textured in Maya, into Zbrush. It’s in multiple pieces and has Multiple shaders/texture files.

We want to combine the meshes (which is simple enough) But we want to know if there is a way of doing this without re-UVing and redoing the textures. And then combining the maps into one piece. We want to put this on Sketch Fab. Normally we just make film stuff and don’t have to worry about the tech details otherwise we would have build it different from the beginning. :
(We want to 3D print it too)

Here is an image of the model. Thanks a lot if anyone can help us.

Attachments

02_tiny.jpg

02_tiny.jpg

#2

You could do this several ways. Here are a couple of ways you could do this.

Are the UVs in multiple regions?

You could just use the Import of a FBX with the FBX plug-in in the zplugs menu along the top to do steps 1 - 5. If you also have a way to already export the textures as per vertex color instead by the texture this will save a lot of time. This will make it water tight for 3D printing as well.

However, you will most likely need to decimate the model which you can use the Decimation Master plug-in to do.

  1. Import the model into ZBrush. Each Pieces as it’s own SubTool.
  2. Select each SubTool and import the texture for each. You will need to flip the maps vertically.
  3. Assign each texture to the corresponding SubTool in the Tool>Texture Map menu.
  4. Make sure antialiased is on for each texture in the Texture Map menu.
  5. Subdivide the mesh up so there are enough polygons to capture the texture. There is no set number here. It will depend by each SubTool.
  6. Go to Tool>Polypaint and click the PolyPaint from Texture button. This apply the texture to the SubTool.
  7. Now that each piece has it’s color you can combine all the SubTools into one by clicking the MergeVisible button in the Tool>SubTool>Merge Menu. This will create a new Tool with all the pieces merged as one with the color information.
  8. Select that Tool and click the Duplicate button in the Tool>SubTool menu.
  9. Turn this into a DynaMesh in the Tool>Geometry>Dynamesh menu. You will need to find the right resolution so all of the details are not lost. Don’t worry about the color you will get that back. Don’t worry if all the exact details are there at this step. you will get this back as well.
  10. Now remesh this one with one click in the Tool>Geometry>ZRemesher
  11. Now with one click assign new UVs with the zplugs>UV Master. Just click the unwrap button.
  12. Divide the mesh once and click the Project all button in the Tool>SubTool menu.
  13. Do this last step for every subdivision level until you have the exact copy of the original.