ZBrushCentral

Locking or masking off by element (contiguous mesh)

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I searched the forum and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for.

Is there a way to lock mask off entire elements (this is what Max would call them) of inorganic/hard forms that you need as reference within Zbrush though you only wish to alter organic elements within the tool?

The best example I can give is a fat man bound in tight chains.

You model the fat man’s low poly cage in Max and you have the chains in place there too.

If you bring in one tool that has the fat man’s body and his binding chains and subdivide, and you want to puff the skin around the chains, you will inevitably alter the chains as well.

Currently, the only way I have been able to do these integrations of hard and soft forms is to basically model the indentions and puffy areas where the chains would pinch and puff the skin on the fat man, and then return to Max to place the chains in those areas specifically. It would make more sense in many applications to have the chains in Zbrush all the while, but be locked from editing on an element level.

Am I making any sense, and does anyone know if it can be done?

TIA

Mark

#2

Im not sure if i interpreted correctly your point:
The easy way to do what you want is to work each model in one layer per object in that way you can modified whatever without problem¡
Andreseloy

#3

if you can make the fatman one group and the chains a second group then export from chosen program and import into zbrush you should be able to see the two groups by turning frames on.

you could then use the select hide method to do your thing to isolate the fatman…mask him bring the two models back together then you can work on the chains without affecting the fat man. or vice versa.

#4

You can also hide the group that you’re going to want to edit, then Ctrl+Click on the canvas to mask the other group in its entirety. When you unhide the first group, you’ll be able to edit it however you please without affecting the masked (but still visible) group.

#5

Thanks gents-

The major piece I was missing was how to hide parts of an object by poly groups.

Thanks again,

Mark