ZBrushCentral

Snap brush to curve?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,
is it possible to snap a brush to a curve so I can manually paint along certain segments of the curve?

Cheers

#2

Try these videos for inspiration
Poly painting with curves


The brush discussed in this video can be found > ZBrush folder >ZBrushes>Curves>Curve Editable
But you can easily create your own. NB: Since this video was made ZBrush now has two great new features in the Strokes>Curves>Curve Mode , Elastic and Liquid. Elastic is good for sharper curve changes , Liquid is good for smoother curve changes when editing the curve (depending on brush size) or continuing to draw out lines at the end of the curve. To smooth out a curve hold over the curve and press shift or keyboard shortcut ‘6’. NB: Smooth curve - 6. Snapshot curve - 5.Delete a curve - Alt + draw across curve

Stroke >Snap to track

from: http://docs.pixologic.com/features/whats-new-in-zbrush-2018/other-additions/

"New Curve Stroke Functions and Actions

The curves which can be assigned to sculpting brushes have several additions to improve their effects.

Elastic and Liquid Curve Stroke ModeFound in the Stroke >> Curve sub-palette, these modes affect the behavior of the curve after its creation:

Liquid
This mode lets you freely reshape the curve by dragging on it. You can also lengthen or shorten the curve shape when dragging the curve to modify it. Drag the end point away from the curve to extend it. Drag the end point back along the curve line to shorten it.

Elastic
Elastic mode is very similar to Liquid mode except that the curve deformation will only occur with the Draw Size radius of your brush. This mode can also be used to extend or shorten the curve by dragging its end points.

Smoothing a Curve
After manipulating a curve you may find that parts have become too angular or can even have a small loop appear. To fix these aberrations, you can locally smooth your curve.
Smoothing a curve uses the same Shift modifier that you use to toggle the Smooth brush. Just follow these steps:

Draw a curve on your model using a curve-based brush such as an IMM Curve brush. Now hover over the curve with your cursor. The brush circles should change to a cyan color, telling you that the brush is in curve manipulation mode. Click on the curve and while holding the click, press the Shift key. While still holding the Shift key and your click, move the cursor to smooth the curve. To end the smoothing operation, release the click and then the Shift key. Rotation Along the CurveWhen drawing a curve along a complex model, it may happen that instead of the replicated model following the curve orientation, you want to use the model orientation or even something else entirely. You can use the brush size radius to locally orient the mesh along your curve: Use a curve-based brush such as an IMM Curve brush to draw a curve on your model. Now hover over the curve with your cursor. The brush circles should change to a cyan color, telling you that the brush is in curve manipulation mode. Click on the curve and while holding your click, press the Ctrl key. While still holding the Ctrl key and your click, move the cursor left/right to rotate the curve at the cursor position. To end the rotation operation, release the click and then the Ctrl key.'
#3

Sorry for being late to your answer. I am basically looking for a way to snap a sculpting brush with an applied alpha along a curve or to apply it with the single click solution on the curve without deforming the curve.

The one click solution is not possible at the moment as confirmed by Pixologic support. As soon as an alpha is applied to a brush the one click breaks. Nasty workaround is to convert your alpha into mesh and use an Insert mesh brush.