ZBrushCentral

including original zsphere structure in zsketch output as a unified skin

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey, using zsketch,…is there a way to include the underlying zsphere skeleton/structure as part of the unified skin output, along with the sketched zspheres?

I like having the control/rigidity of manipulating traditional zspheres, and I find it a little tedious to layout those original zspheres, and then have to ‘zsketch’ over them just to relcaim that volume of the original structure…I find I mostly like using traditional zspheres for making a unified skin, but that it would be nice to refine with a few zsketch pieces…I suppose using multiple subtools and remeshing might be a kindof workaround,…but it would seem most efficient to have an option to include the orignal zsphere structure…is this not available at the moment? I can’t find a setting that would allow for that, but if anyone can suggest something I’d appreciate it,

thanks,

-j

#2

For this, you’ll want to generate an adaptive skin. Exit sketch mode (Edit Sketch Off), and make sure that the zsketch is either bound to the armature (zsketch>Bind) or that “Show Sketch” (Zsketch>Show Zsketch) is ON.

This method previews an “adapative skin” which is based on the underlying Zphere armature, but will incorporate the Zsketch information if it is visible (ghosted).

The limitation here, is that any Zsketching that deviates too far from the influence of the underlying Zsphere rig will be clipped off, so you must make sure the armature is sufficient to hold all the detail. Some adjusting may be necessary.

#3

why not just make a skin of both, zspheres, and zketch and then append and merge together then to a unified skin of that.

#4

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The New re-meshing functions do open up a lot of new possibilities that I havent explored yet.

But based on initial experience, I would say that you are likely to get a more accurate form with multiple subD levels making the skin directly, than re-mehsing the two together. Re-mehsing seems like it becomes very performance intensive to get accurate results with, and then you only get one very dense mesh with no lower subD levels, that cant be reconstructed any lower.

This may or may not be a problem for you, and there may be plenty of factors I am yet ignorant of, having only started working the new version yesterday.

#5

I’m hoping that the guys at pixologic will restore the option to turn zspheres directly into a unified skin…it often yeilds a more desirable result and in less steps than creating an adaptive skin and remeshing…the reason being that sometimes an adaptive skin (while much better than in 3.1) will still crumple in regions so as not to represent the layout of the zspheres, also, remeshing does not give the perfect hand in glove fit that unified skin did previously, there is more webbing and lumpiness,…and doing a project all often creates artifacts,…I found the old way very useful, so hopefully in later versions it will be back or somehow a better alternative will be present…Really, if adaptive skin zspheres could be made to re-connect in upon itself, this would be awesome,…having the ability to make a closed loop would allow for a wider variety, something I’d love to see happen…

-J

#6

I’ve been having this webbing effect with my models too lately, using the unified skin option :confused: