ZBrushCentral

best way to turn photo into zbrush surface model

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I have a picture that I want to imprint onto a zbrush sphere. What is the best way to achieve this? Alpha, texture, brush, etc?

It’s a specific image that I won’t be painting onto the canvas, ie, like an alpha. I need the 3D model to pick up a good bit of the detail from the grayscale .psd.

Ie, here is an example image that I would want to transform into a zbrush surface: bundle of kitties

I am basically taking the quick route instead of modeling all the objects in the photo, I just want an impression of the image on a zbrush surface.

#2

you could,

-import the image
-select your model then select the image as the texture
-mask by intensity (texture intensity)
-use the inflate deformer (under deformations in the tool menu)

should take 5mins, BUT without a proper alpha and the jpeg compression, the result will need alot of TLC.

To get the best result of a surface sculpt use the MRGBZgrabber to pull an alpha off the canvas… it will spit out a texture and alpha, with the alpha selected and model go to the displacment submenu under tool and increase the intenstiy then hit Apply displacement, to get the detail on the surface.

Note: MRGBZgrabber will not pull an alpha from a flat image, you will need either geometry or brush strokes, or a 3D plane which you have sculpted (using the above method).

cheers

EDIT: there is a tutorial over at http://gnomonology.com/
but anything occuled in the image will need to be sculpted by hand