ZBrushCentral

newbie question: several materials on one object (answered)

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’m working through the video tutorials using ZB4 and I’m stuck on how to create different materials on the same sculpted object.

I’ve been watching the ‘Alient Helmet’ tutorial and it shows how he isolates an area, or polygroup, then changes the material before painting it. In this case he changes the material of the face shield to a highly reflective glassy material, tinting it blue, then when the rest of the helmet reappears it retains its original material properties.
When I try doing this the entire object changes to the same material.

I can’t help think I’m missing some simple step in the process.
How do you select an area of your object and change its material from the rest of the model.
Or can you?

#2

When using separate materials, I’ve always gotten the best results using subtools and then merging the objects into auto polygroups later on. If you need to have the two materials on the same continuous mesh right away though… Maybe two different polygroups with grouploops applied to ease the transition? I am also curious if there is a better way.

#3

Choose a material, then make sure that M or MRGB is turned on.
Choose Fill Object in the color palette.
Now when you change materials the object will not change with it
and now you can paint with materials.

#4

this doesnt seem to work with zb4. maybe you have to use the layers now. but i cant get the layers to accept any material only rgb. hmmm.:confused:

EDIT: I split my mesh to multiple sub tools and still i cant use multiple materials. wth?

#5

Actually XSmoke’s direction worked for me, thanks.

#6

I’m having real problems with tools and subtools retaining their colour and/or material info. I carefully fill individual objects with the material and/or colour that I want, sometimes other subtools take on the new material. In this example I definitely filled the trolly wheels and body with Toy Plastic…

It’s driving me fuzzy round the edges!!! :mad: :smiley:

Materials-not-sticking!.jpg

#7

Use the Fill option in Subtool Master. It will fill the subtools that are visible and won’t fill the subtools that aren’t visible. Select your color and material first then open Subtool Master and click on ‘Fill’.

#8

Thank you so much, less headaches for me in the future!! :smiley:

#9

I recently started using ZBrush 4 on a Mac and encountered a problem with trying to fill a subtool created with mesh extract with a different material then the subtool the mesh was created from. I have tried using subtool master etc and fill each subtool individually with material but as soon as I change the material on the subtool the extract came from that extracted subtool’s material automatically changes to the same material. Any suggestions?

#10

Original post by AnatomicAlchemy

I recently started using ZBrush 4 on a Mac and encountered a problem with trying to fill a subtool created with mesh extract with a different material then the subtool the mesh was created from. I have tried using subtool master etc and fill each subtool individually with material but as soon as I change the material on the subtool the extract came from that extracted subtool’s material automatically changes to the same material. Any suggestions?

If your using Subtool Master, you have to make sure that visibility (eye icon) is turned off for any subtool that you don’t want filled. Subtool Master will fill anything that is visible on the canvas.