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Tools, Documents and Projects

Good afternoon.

I am probably asking a really simple question here but hopefully someone will forgive me and be able to help.

I am coming back to ZBrush after not using it for some time and I am confused by the differences between tools, documents and projects.

The reason for this is that when I copy a simple polypaint tutorial, ZBrush works as the tutorial does.

However, when I try and use polypaint on a tool that I have created myself it behaves differently.

The difference seems to be that the starting point for the tutorial is a standard project, accessed through lightbox (a ZPR file) while for my tool my starting point is a document (a ZBR file).

I developed my file by:

  • Creating a new tool and saving it to a ZTL file
  • Saving the document as a ZBR file using the Document menu as I didn’t realise that the File menu was similar but different at that point

I think that the point that I need to get to for my polypaint to work is to convert my ZBR into ZPR format.

To do this, I have opened my document file - then loaded my new tool file and finally saved it as a project using the File menu.

However, when I open this project - via lightbox - when I try to polypaint the tool no colours appear.
Indeed I cannot even use colour fill to make it a different colour completed.

Do I have to go back to an earlier stage or is there another way of converting my tool/document into a project again so that the polypaint will work.

I hope someone can understand what is happening here and set me right.

Aenathras

“I am only an egg”

Project has all stuff.
.zbr document is similar to an image but has depth.
Tools can be sculpted and painted on when in edit mode.
http://docs.pixologic.com/getting-started/basic-concepts/

To make it simple

(Tool -> Save as) will save current tool with all subtools
(Edit -> Save as) will save project it’s mean all your tools with subtools plus undo history and some settings like assigned materials
(Document - > save/save as ) will save 2.5D canvas used for illustrations

More info here: Saving your work

PS. When you hover mouse on button and hold CTRL + SHIFT you should see description of that button