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Is retopology necessary in still images?

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m pretty new to all of this, and some of it seems to be pretty straight forward, while other things seem far out of my depth. In just reading and watching all the media about Zbrush, I see a lot of people talking about retopology a lot when it comes to modeling, especially when they are talking about game engines and animation.

My interest in modeling is on the other end of the spectrum. I’m interested in still renderings. My basic interest is to be able to set up the models in a scene, adjust the lighting and then take a snapshot. With that in mind, is there a need to focus on topology and retopology?

#2

Someone with more experience should answer this.
I also am not interested in games or animation.
My themes are in illustration and figurines (3D print)
Regarding retopo in ZBrush I find it’s greatest asset is in simplifying the painting of objects, mapping color to them and in creating cleaner files, usually with smaller file sizes.
The cleaner meshes are also an asset in making files that are “printable” for figurines…

HorsemanRP.jpgLvizWIPz4.jpg

#3

If your forms are good there should be no need to worry at all for still images. Mainly it applies to allow good animation of a mesh.

#4

Retopology can still help when it comes to sculpting. In this case you wont have to worry about edgeloops to the same extent as a mesh that needs to deform, so automatic retopology solutions like dynamesh/remesh/qremesh would be more than sufficient.

#5

I think you should ask how complex your retopology should be in still images. I think retopology is also needed with still images when you have high poly sculpt (dynamesh) without low poly level. Then you should do even simple retopology to get low poly mesh. You creating low poly cage for projection high poly details. When you will do that retopology for still image you shouldnt worry about good polygon flow after rigging etc (becouse its still). So that retopology may be more simple than that retopology dedicated for mesh with poly motion. It should give you only good “project all” method from high poly to subdivided low poly (mesh after retopology). This is my opinion. Maybe it`s wrong.

Edit: I forgot to say that all is needed to short your render time (normal maps, bump maps) and give you more fast work with the scene with you 3d app (displacement maps, vector displacement maps). If you are able to wait weeks for final images or you have strong cpu+gpu power you shouldnt worry about retopology for still images. But you should remember that always may be so complex scene that you cpu+gpu power will be too weak for that and you again will be pushed to use retopology method. I dont like retopology becouse I thing its most boring time for doing that and I am waiting for better qremesher :) as for salvation :) but till than its necessary for everyone in CG I think.

#6

I think that with still images you can likely get away without fussing too much with edge flow and retopology but I would do just enough retopology so that UV mapping will be more useable, more uniform quads, and to minimize distortions of textures, better control where your seams and will be maybe make it better for painting and further modeling - esp. with detail, etc - etc. But depends on the model and the type of texturing you want to do. If in doubt, then just try one with and without retopology and see if you can get by without it.