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zremesher results in topology bad for polygrouping?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Alright this is probably another stupid question.

Ive been learning about polygroups. In one video the guy has very low polycount with clean topology so he can easily select the squares and mask off hands and feet etc to turn them into polygroups. Ive used zremesher on my model and then projected details onto each new subdivision so I also had a nice clean topology to practice this. Or so I thought.

What’s happened now is that for the right hand it works fine. (I did the model with symmetry on) I can mask it off cleanly on the wrist and turn just the hand into a polygroup. But on the other hand the wrist doesn’t seem to finish cleanly; instead I always have a few squares sticking out.

When I hide those I start to basically unravel the arm/hand because it seems the thing goes in a spiral pattern (you can’t see that when looking at it but thats how it goes trying to mask off the thing cleanly) instead of rings of squares.

I hope you understand what I mean. Basically trying to get rid of the one square sticking out above the wrist leads to me taking out more and more squares that go further up the arm or down the hand, like frogging a knitted sweater.

How can I fix this?

Thank you

#2

Turn Symmetry on while running Zremesher for a symmetrical mesh.

Use Tool> Geoemtry> Mirror and weld in order to mirror the geometry on your existing mesh so that the “good” hand is repeated on the other side. You may have to first flip the mesh (tool> deformation> Mirror) in order for it to duplicate the preferred side of the model.

Use the Slice curve brush to slice the resulting mesh into polygroups with clean cuts (for instance, slice the arm at the wrist to get a clean hand group).

Use the Zremesher guides brush to suggest polyflow to zremsher before running it, and establish logical groups. Holding down shift while using it will let you auto draw loops around roughly cylindrical forms like arms, necks, torso, etc.

#3

Yes ZRemesher will cause spiral topology in some places, not all. In that case, you could use the SliceCurve brush to create your polygroups, which will give you a straight edge. You have to consider that ZRemesher is still relatively new, and as a 1 click solution, does a pretty good job in that respect. Possibly, in a future update, it won’t make spiral topology, but for now, it’s a quick and easy solution as is. The only other option right now is manual retopology which can be time consuming. Try the SliceCurve brushes and see if that would be suitable for you.