ZBrushCentral

Starting from Zbrush for production

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#1

Hey Guys, after seeing tutorials for Zbrush and new updates. I wanted to ask more experience, and who does work in VFX or game industry. Can you start something from Zbrush, and latter to be used for rigging and animation. For example, creating high end character/creature or even vehicle, hard surface things, inside of Zbrush, take that later to 3D app, and do fixing topology, and then rigging etc?

Or studios, still use first Maya/maya and then using Zbrush for final details?

I got really annoyed from pulling, extruding edges, faces, adding edge loops and so on.

#2

Yes you can start in ZB and just retopo (keep an eye out for QRemesher) for rigging and animation in an app like Maya.

The other option is create an animation ready base mesh in Maya and bring it into ZB for further sculpting.

Both work but I think it’s better to start with topology that is consistent and evenly spaced for modelling then retopo for animation as an “animation ready” base mesh has specific edge loops that may fight the way you want to sculpt and is less flexible.

Try both methods and see which you prefer.

Hope this helps.

#3

I am not sure did i understand you well. For starting with a topology, did you mean to start from 3D app like Maya, subdivide in Zbrush, and work in Zbrush for details?

#4

Mate, you pretty much just answered your own questions in the original post. I thought I would reply just to clarify for you.

You have obviously done some research but if you can’t grasp what I am saying then you need to do some more.

But for the time being, the answer is YES, you can start a base mesh in Maya and bring in to ZB for details. OR you can start in ZB (with ZSphere’s and/or DynaMesh) and retopologize in ZB or Maya for rigging and animation.

This process will vary depending on the project and the individual or studio doing the work.

Just don’t expect anyone from a VFX studio to jump right in and tell you all of their secrets from production :lol:

Good luck.

#5

Basically it comes down to this -

You can start with a base mesh already optimized for animation (created in Maya in your case) then import into ZBrush, subdivide and sculpt. This is probably the easiest method.

OR you can start by creating a base mesh that is more suited to the modeling phase using ZSpheres or DynaMesh, then subdivide, sculpt and THEN retopologize for animation.

It’s my opinion that the second method will give you better results, and this is necessary especially in film that requires sculpted detail to be reproduced with accuracy.

As I mentioned earlier, a good reason to start with a base mesh designed for modelling specifically is that the polygons will be arranged in a way that give you more control and flexibility in your sculpt. Using a base mesh designed for animation in the sculpting phase will sometimes fight the way you want to manipulate the surface.

This is what I have gathered from various resources on and off the web over about a year. It’s all a matter of learning as you go and figuring out the best workflow for your current project. Realize that as technologies evolve so do the techniques in any give production.

It may help your cause to google the making of films such as Avatar, John Carter and The Hobbit to give you an idea of what is involved.

Anyway I hope this helps and good luck! :smiley: