Is Zbrush incomplete without Maya or 3d Studio max? If I want to create say realistic skin render color and create other polygon objects, would these be impossible to do so in Zbrush?
Zbrush is extremely powerful and capable of so many things without another app. It depends on what you want to do as well. All you need is Zbrush for what you’re asking though. Plus “other polygon objects” as you say can be anything and Zbrush is more or less about organic modeling. Hope that helps.
Thanks CordyCep!
Take for example this tutorial http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Tutorial:_Pinup
The accessories, boots, umbrella, etc are all made in 3d Studio Max. Am I able to do such things in Zbrush? I don’t want to spend 2500 on another software.
You can do a LOT of this sort of basic polygon modeling with the retopology tools and mesh extraction. Search for a thread called “the tumbler” to see how this guy made a batmobile by bending and stretching polyspheres then retopolizing them into armor shapes.
What it really comes down to is what are your goals with your art? If you want to become a pro animator you’re gonna need to learn a production 3D package like 3dsmax, maya, xsi, or any other. If you just want to make art as a hobby you can get by with ZBrush.
Also, if you do buy another package find a friend with a student ID to buy it for you, you can usually save about 80-90 percent with a student discount.
Use Blender. It’s easy, it’s powerful. And it’s free. But man, Zbrush can do almost everything the other packages do. I don’t think it’s worth to spend 2500 just to make accessories and better renders in another Autodesk software.