If you guys have been keeping up with posts by Dave Cardwell and Zack Petroc you should know that the “3d sketch” is only the first step in the process. With tools like Silo 1.3’s topology brush you can take that “sketch” and easily re-work your topology ang get all your edge-loops exactly how you want them. Granted, you are modelling twice, but the speed that you can get your ideas out is soooo worth it.
Awesome models Alex!
Man I can’t wait to see what Carlos does with Zbrush.
~Mike D.
Fantastic Alex. What a start! This truley looks like a program that you resonate with. I look forward to seeing more of your talents applied here. PS. Thanks for all of your help in getting me rolling with this program. You are the best!!!
When Carlos gets his hands on this we can all just leave with our heads hung low. But hopefully return with a vengeance from his inspiring work. Yeah, can’t wait!!
The topology is irrelevant in this case. I’m speaking of effective ways to model with zbrush. With much improved z-spheres it really is not nessesary to re-topologise the model mid way through the modelling process. Also I have tried it and its a real pain when your in the middle of “creativity wave” and you have to stop and start again. I think it should be done as an after process and definently not with Silo 1.3’s topology brush ! I have only played with the beta but its seem to be the lamest implemenation of such a feature I’ve ever seen! I would love is someone could correct me on these points :
Btw hi ed:), I think the sphere approach is still pretty valuable but only when your just working on quick rough out of an idea, just to see how different volumes and forms fit together.
Cheers
I guess I should have said - “the “3d sketch” can be the first step in the process”. I don’t really want to argue about work flows, as everyone has their own preferences.
As far as topology rebuilding tools, Silo has gotten alot more stable in the last couple of revisions, and is now very usable. They have fixed alot of bugs and added functionality that makes it alot easier to use with a drawing tablet. It still has a few bugs to work out, but that’s why it’s still in “beta”. I find it very usable now. And you just can’t beat the price.
What tools have you used to re-draw topolgy? Silo was the first I’ve heard of the technique. I also heard you can do it in Paraform, but that seems prohibitively expensive? Unless I’m mistaken, you suggest in your other post on the subject that there’s a way to do it solely in Zbrush?
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?p=177653#post177653
(post # 7)
This would be great, but I can’t figure out what your method is from your post. I’m looking foreward to seeing your tutorial.
ops sorry double post:(
Kircho
frogspasm ,
" everyone has there own preference" , it is possible to define a set of methods that are right based on efficency and productivity. I despise greately that type of conclusion!
Also I have not suggested that it is possible inside zbrush, infact I stated the opposite " I can’t see this happening in zbrush…"(Post #7). How ever what I’m proposing , since these applications are very expensive and not very well known outside some specialised uses is to showcase the tools required for this workflow , the benefits and uses, this will build upon the tools present in paraform as in my view they are the most complete. I hope that it will bring to light the value of such tools ,so they become implemented in pupular programs.If I was a programmer this would not be nessesary
Sorry Alex:) keep on posting hehe
Kircho
Nice work Alex. Welcome to the dark side… heh. I’m sure you’re probably already thinking of new and exciting ways to implement stuff, and I’m anxious to see how your work progresses.
Nil posted a thread in the community discussion forum about different methods to redo Zbrush models. It’s a pretty good thread you might want to check out.
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=21093&page=1&pp=15
Personally, I like the Zbrush 3D sketch> Silo Topology redo> Zbrush hi-res detail mesh workflow. You just need to find a balance that fits your needs. I’ve seen folks like Ambient use some pretty dense topology brush strokes to redo his topology, and I’ve seen others use very little. So it’s a pretty broad ranging tool IMO. Personally, I’ve found redoing topology isn’t all that hard, especially once you get into a “rhythm”. I’ve tried different techniques of utilizing the topology brush, and I think I’m getting somewhere with my last attempts as illustrated in Nil’s thread.
Thanks for posting Alex!
Thanks Neville… can’t wait to see what you come up with…
Chad/Kircho/Frogspasm… thanks for all the info regarding topology issues. I’ve had to do this stuff in the past with Maya, rebuilding blocked out forms into NURBS patch models by tracing curves on ‘live’ surfaces… I’m just looking forward to more elegant/automatic/fast tools in the future. Sculpting in Zbrush is fun… remodeling something for the sake of topology is work… right now I’m just making heads for fun, so I’ll worry about topology when I decide to rig/animate one of these things. 
ok, so here’s head #5… Made this evening, with an interuption to watch I,Robot… I should be in bed right now, but no… had to post this image before I crash. Perhaps I’ll work on him some more, but most likely I’ll just move on to another one tomorow.
head#5
-Alex
Well, well, well! that is looking awesome! you are getting an immense control over the major and subforms of your sculptures and I do consider these sculptures. I love the vulva-esque eyes and the contrast between sharp detail and soft detail.
This figure has a particular level of believability. the structure of his neck and his jaw is very real to me. I really love the skeletal structure at the bottom part of the neck! and the way his sterno-cleido-mastoid (spelling?) flattens out as it approaches the base of the skull. very clear, very believable.
there seems to be less noodling being done here and more clearly defined anatomy. very awesome. 
I would love to see you print these out and do a small gallery showing of them and others you make moving forward.
best,
r
ooh, i really like this last one. the flipped eyes are awesome!
dado
Thanks _dado. Ryan, yeah, on the last one I tried to contain my desire to detail(noodle) everything… its just so much fun to do, but for the sake of design, it can be a bad idea, so I tried to keep the details where I would want people to focus (face)… btw, saw Cam last night… he said you did a great job with his character. Look forward to seeing it.
-Alex
lets see the zshpheres for these.
I have been trying to use zbrush
but find it hard how to I select a object
after i clicked off it?
Alvarez is whipping these heads out like a mad man. Those look great Alex. I totally agree about the 3D space, and image plains. I also miss basic manipulators now, and again as well. Especially in adaptive skin w/polly frame on. Sometimes I’d rather get in there, and do it the old fashioned way for a minute.
I can’t wait to see meats DVD’s in December.
BTW, Are there no more Maya modeling videos coming from gnomon then?
A.Alvarez vbmenu_register(“postmenu_177959”, true); .[color=black]nice work .you mentioned working with curves .to nurbs patches .on a live surface in maya .with that understanding in place .you will have little trouble rebuilding animation ready geometry poly by poly .using a similar technique .though i don 't doubt you are already well aware of the fact
it takes a surprisingly short amount of time if one is familiar with their anatomy and edgeloops .search for posts by skycastle for an interesting and credible reference on the subject
Elfufu: Miguel, the Zpheres for these are super simple… a sphere for the head, one for the neck, two negative spheres for the eye sockets, a negative sphere for the mouth, positive spheres for the ears, and spheres pulled out from the neck for the shoulder mass.
wierdPal: Actually, we have four new Maya poly modeling DVDs coming out next month, since you mention it.
Nil: Yep, read all of skycastles posts… Dave’s work is beautiful.
All right.! You heard it here first folks. See what a little prying can get you. …LOL…
cool looking stuff alex! the speed at which these can be created is pretty amazing. i need to get into zbrush a little more to fool around with it. i’m learning a lot in meats’ class, just a matter of practicing more and more…looking forward to seeing more
hey Alex awesome heads BTW.
I found really nice modelling with Zspheres .
z brush really make you feel like modelling in clay, so that natural shapes are easier to achieve because you’re focused on the shape rather than on polys, isolines or things like that.
I think that for now, even if starting from zspheres is so cool and natural, the best workflow for animation ZBrush /Maya is starting with a mesh with a good polyflow made in Maya or another package,(or also started on zbrush, then imported and tweaked and reimportedafterwards for further cool detailing) import it in z brush and go beyond and detail and model your final extra detailed character in it.
the opposite process of making a model entirely on ZBrush and rebuild it with silo is interesting too, but i find this probably more time consuming than the standard process.
BTW modelling in Z brush is such a pleasure that IMO if it had a rebuilding polyflow tool or something the circle would be closed ending up with the ultimate tool for organic modelling!!!