ZBrushCentral

ZBrush Learning Cruve, Is it just me or what?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m new, really new.
In fact I am probably wrong for even posting this here, but I have to do something.
I have been working with Zbrush for about a week now and in that time have crammed literally every tutorial I can into my waking day. I spend about 8- 16 hours a day studying Zbrush and practicing different techniques.

The problem however is that I feel like aside from the very basic stuff, I can not seem to progress. I watch these video tutorials from Eat 3D and Gnoman and of course these Zbrush gods make it look easy but seriously…I can not even get Zspheres to work right. I may spend an hour on one small aspect of a design only to accidentally Frack it up by pushing the wrong button.

So I guess I am asking how long it takes to get…a little good at Zbrush. I can sculpt no problem that’s easy. Artistic license also easy, since I have been a commercial artist for 13+ years now creativity is no problem. But Damn if I am having a hell of a time dealing with the wiles of Zbrush and it’s technical side.

Making hands is impossible, yes I have seen the impossible tutorials.
Making armatures is futile, yes I have attempted a 100 times.
Transposing…Ridiculous, just ridiculous.

Whats the learning curve man this is getting old fast, and I really want to get good? Hos long has it taken others to really get decent at it? I have purchased 3 different books to help and they are great but lack the small detail in common problem solving.
Maybe I’m just retarded.

#2

Not sure if it helps you but when I started working with zspheres I found it confusing moving them around as they ALL seemed to move. Setting your brush size to 1 fixed this.

I am still pretty new to zbrush but I feel pretty comfortable with the tools, took about 3 or 4 weeks to get good at most things from a cold start. But there is sooooo much to do and learn and then practice. Just have fun with it and amazing things will start to happen…

#3

I would say the intitial learning curve can be a steep one. ZBrush lives on the bleeding edge and as such makes amazing leaps forward with every release. There is much to learn and experiment with.

I’ve been using ZBrush for 5 years and I’m still exploring and learning not because it is extremely difficult but because it offers virtually unlimited flexibility. There is rarely a day goes by that I don’t have a new “AH HA!” moment.

I assure you, you will get there. Don’t give up. It will take some time before you “get it” but when you do you’ll be faster and more efficient every time you open the program.

Be sure to post images of things you don’t quite get and specific questions too. This community can be a great resource and I’m more than happy to help whenever I can.

Dave

#4

Well said Dave! I couldn’t agree more.

snowen20, it sounds like your a victim of information overload. Too much, too soon can lead to frustration. Just treat ZBrush as a toy for now and just have fun playing around with it. Watch a tutorial to get the general gist of how ZBrush works, then just experiment on your own. Like Dave said, if you have any questions, there’s lots of people in this forum that would be glad to help you out.

“Maybe I’m just retarded.” ROFL…made my day. I know the feeling. :slight_smile:

#5

It originally took me about two weeks of working every day with Zbrush, learning things for myself, before I felt I was really starting to understand everything that was going on, and about a month before I felt completely comfortable. And that was 8 years , and how many updates ago.

Have goals. Zbrush is a massive toolset, and it can be overwhelming. Know what specific things you’re interested in doing, and learn how to make a couple of those things work every day. Don’t just follow books or tutorials blindly…know what you want to do, and if you cant figure it out, looks for resources that help explain it. Your own interest will fuel your discovery. Don’t try to simply absorb the entire toolset by osmosis. There are dark alleys in Zbrush I still don’t know very well, and am nervous to walk down at night.

Nothing really worthwhile comes without effort. You can get things from Zbrush that you just cant get anywhere else, and once you understand those things, they open up a great many possibilities for you. But you do have to take them for yourself.

In the end, though, Zbrush is just a tool, like a pencil or an eraser. The skill to use them, you have to develop yourself, at the cost of time and effort.

#6

Excellent advise thank you.
I’m sure this program will be another never ending study course. I have been using Adobe Photoshop, professionally for well over a decade now and I’m still learning new things. That program is simple compared to ZBrush.
Thanks for the comment.

#7

Wow!
Thanks everyone, I really wasn’t expecting such positive, let alone encouraging feedback. Thanks a lot.
I guess we have all been where I currently am at one time or another so we all have something in common in that sense.

Spyndel

In reply to your post, you are right. I actually do set goals for myself every time I want to have an advancement.
My first goals were in a group.
Learn how to make alphas.
Learn how to make brushes.
Learn how to use subtools.
You get the picture.

Anyway I do things like that, and I continue until I get them. So making goals has worked great for me so for.

I also considered making a kind of scrapbook that allows me to see my progress over time, so I will be able to laugh at myself in the future.

Thanks for the comment.:+1:

#8

I think you suffer the same fat as all of us, its just a steep learning curve. practice helps ,so just keep at it.

Personally I think what this software really needs is some dedicated mentors who help out with the same person over extended periods. but thats unlikely to happen. so in the mean time, use the support forum, and ask loads of questions when your stuck.

#9

THAT is a brilliant idea. I would volunteer instantly but I would do more harm then good.

Snowen:
Look at tutorials by Jason Walsh (I will include some links), take your time, and if things do not work as you think they should dont worry about it, come here and ask. The main thing in the beginning especially as people have said is to treat it as a toy, a gigantically complex toy but a fantastic one that you will grow to love (or if you are like me become addicted to).
I have been at it for about eight months or more with no previous experience other then some dabbling in Blender and an infatuation with Sculptris and while I am still what I would call a beginner I am having an astonishingly huge amount of fun.

Heres the links:

This one got me off to a roaring start:
http://www.3dtotal.com/team/Tutorials_3/zbrush_training/lesson_01/zbrush_lesson_01.asp

This one is confusing, but rummage about:
http://www.youtube.com/cannedmushrooms

Hope these help!

Cheers!
Mealea

#10

Thanks, I have used several of these already, and I will use the others. They are a help to me for sure. I have a lot of fun with this program too, and the constant level of discovery keeps me coming back, and thankfully out weighs the frustration of screwing something up.
Thanks for the links. :+1: