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Need help with Radial Symmetry at an awkward angle...

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey guys! New to Zbrush 4R2 (and the forums).

My question is about Radial Symmetry. I have a semi-organic model (not symmetrical), with dome-shaped portions of the mesh at odd angles (say, like around 60 degrees as opposed to 90). Using Local Symmetry and Pivot Points, I’m able to make the center point of Radial Symmetry the center of the dome; my goal here it to make a radial design on this dome, and then export normal maps for the model as a whole.

However, Radial Symmetry only seems to obey the X, Y, or Z axis, and will not conform to the surface of the object I’m working on.

I’ve tried rotating the entire model, so that the dome I’m currently working on lies directly on the X, Y, or Z… but the results are imperfect at best, and constantly rotating the model depending on what surface I’m working on is gonna be a pain. I’ve also tried selecting the dome and splitting it into a new subtool, but that doesn’t fix the issue Radial Symmetry only obeying the X, Y, Z (not to mention that these domes in question are part of the model itself, and rotating them but not the overall model is gonna cause a lot of stretching).

Long story short: Need to find a way for Radial Symmetry to conform to the unmasked portion of the model I’m working on, instead of the model as a whole and the strict X, Y, and Z axes.

Is there an easy fix/setting I’m missing? Or am I just going to have to bite the bullet and re-export these objects which need radial symmety on a straight axis?

#2

I have only a few things I can suggest to you on this one. If it isn’t a symmetrical sphere then more than likely you can not get a real symmetrical look with radial hence the word radial symmetry.

You can try to make sure that only the sphere/dome shape is visible and turn on LSym button but more than likely it will work for only parts of the dome and leaving some very soft looking strokes on the rest of the dome that isn’t symmetrical.

You can try turning your radial amount down to like four then it will make a stroke on only the sides that are symmetrical to each other and turn on roll for the stroke and play with the settings of roll and brush size to get what you want. Then do the same again by turning your dome and draw your rolled stroke across to your last line.

Use the roll stroke and lazy stroke with x,y, or z symmetry on only and carefully draw your strokes out. Make sure in the brush pallet you slide up the stabilize orientation and may want to preserve the edge too. You also can after clicking the pen or mouse down on the mesh hit and hold the shift key while dragging out your line to keep it strait. Stop drawing your line turn your dome and start from where you left off.

I can suggest to morph target your model on the lowest subdivision then select your dome shape so that it is the only thing visible make your dome more of a sphere shape (more symmetrical) go up all the way up in your subdivisions and draw your radial strokes that way then make all of your mesh visible again and select switch on the morph target and it should pop back out dome shaped or instead of the morph target switch drag your sphere out back into the shape of a dome at a real low subdivision. May cause stretching of your strokes take the nudge or low intensity move brush and nudge them back into place for each that has this problem.

Maybe try using a symmetrical sphere roughly the same size as your dome and make your strokes then Zproject brush them on your dome.

For future references I would start with a symmetrical round shape, draw your strokes then go back to a low subdivision, stretch your dome shape out slightly and use the nudge or a low intensity move brush to fix it where it may stretch.

Hope this helps and good luck. :smiley:

#3

Ah! That’s just the idea I needed. Thanks so much man, you’re a life saver!