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Dynamesh seems great. So why use ZSpheres or Edge Loops? Also, max polys?[Answered]

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m just getting acquainted with ZB4R2, and I’m pretty blown away by the new Dynamesh mode. It makes me wonder: why bother modeling with ZSpheres at all? You can just use a big ol sphere, push things around, and re-mesh.

Along the same lines: I was struggling to follow along Eric Keller’s book “Introducing Zbrush 4”, in which he has me sculpting a dragon head. At one point he asks me to extrude a neck, using edge loops. I’ve had all sorts of trouble doing this with edge loops: I get weird jaggies when I make the loop, or when I increase subdivision levels. Posted about this separately. But when I switch to Dynamesh, I pull out the neck, re-mesh, done in about 20 seconds. Why ever use edge loops for extrusion?

One other question: using Dynamesh, how do you unmask something, since Dynamesh uses the “unmask” gesture (CTL draw-rect)?

Finally, what’s the upper limit on polys for a Dynamesh? The docs seem to suggest as much as 6 million polys – is that right?

#2

Dynamesh is new technology in ZBrush which is intended to provide another way to be creative. If you prefer it to ZSpheres then that’s OK but it’s not meant as a replacement for them and there are some things that ZSpheres can do that you can’t do (so easily) with Dynamesh - for example building on top of subtools.

Likewise, people who want close control of the topology will still find edgeloops useful.

When using Dynamesh, if there is masking on the model then the first Ctrl+click+drag action will unmask and you need to repeat the action to activate Dynamesh.

As for an upper limit for polys using Dynamesh, I don’t know what that might be. But you should remember that Dynamesh is intended as a low to medium density tool, not for high detail. Have used Dynamesh to explore and create the form you want you should then subdivide the mesh as necessary for high detail sculpting.

#3

Thanks, Marcus. Dynamesh certainly seems to work with a high number of polygons, but I do understand that it’s designed for low- and medium-resolution models.

For me, Dynamesh is a huge plus. I love ZBrush, but I’ve always had trouble controlling the mesh when I sculpt freely. I’d “run out” of polygons, or get weird twists and spikes in my polygons, etc. I know there have always been tools to help with that, but I’ve never been adept at using them. Dynamesh makes it so easy that I have no excuse!