Now Im having fun

[SpaceMan]

Man I/m still reading the posts here:)

This is awesome

And some more…

[michalis]

The wonderful thread of MealeaYing!
Just for the records
MealeaYing is not a man. She’s a girl who loves the ocean and the Art.

[akze]

Hi MeaLea Ying

I’ve tried your technic today combined with the IMM Brush

Full size (3624x1494) = http://akze.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/test.jpg

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[LVXIFER]

really interesting akze, in which way u have used the imm in this image?

[SpaceMan]

akze - is this the correct MeaLea Ying tutorial you are refering too?
and dito LVXIFER’s request on the IMM Brushes.
Nice image.
BTW - how would you bring the model to a state to add fine details to if you wanted too (Decimation Master then the Dynamesh - any help with that)

EDIT: I forgot something important, I would not have included the box modeling stuff in this with out ZBer’s help, I was having a bunch of problems with it and he sorted them out and at the same time taught me a lot of new stuff, most importantly a better way of looking at the process.
Thank you ZBer!

There is this guy here on ZBC who makes some astounding things, at least they astound me and a lot of other people, his name is Gutalin and he was nice enough to provide some hints and a very clear but highly compressed (jpeg’d) quickly tutorial about how he was doing some of the basics in his work.
Thank you Gutalin!!!
What I am doing here is taking that tutorial and assorted hints and making them as easy to read as possible.

Ok here we go:

1. Make a Cube3D on the Canvas.
2. Turn on Edit Mode.
3. Turn on Frame so you can see better (we need to be able to see polygons and polygroups).
4. You turned on Edit Mode right? If not see step 2.
5. Hit the Make PolyMesh3d buttton in the Tool Pallet.
6. In the Unified Skin Pallet set Resolution to 16 and Smooth to 0.
7. Hit the Make Unified Skin button (this is to make a nice simple box with nice simple polygons).
8. In the Tool Pallet select your new object (tool) It should be at the bottom and have the word "skin" in its name.
9. In the UV Map Pallet under Create hit the PUVTiles button (there are others you can use for even more interesting stuff but that is for later).
10. In the PolyGroups Pallet hit the AutoGroups With Uv button, You should now see that your model is divided up in random chunks of different colors (polygroups).
11. In the Geometry Pallet hit the Divide button once or twice.
12. Again in the Geometry Pallet hit the Del Lower button. (this gives you some more polygons and lets you keep going, GroupLoops hate subdivision for some reason, more on that in the next step).
13. In the Geometry Pallet under Edge Loop and in the GroupLoop section set: Loops to 1 and GPolish to 0.
14. Now hit the GroupLoops button. See the little path thingy between all the squares? This is what we are after.
15. Hold down Shift and Control and click on that little path thing.
16. All the other stuff vanishes and you have a weird grid thingy in the shape of a cube (I hope).
17. In the Deformation Pallet set Inflate to something like say 8. Any number or negative number will do but this is good for now.
18. Hold down Shift and Control again and click OUTSIDE your object.
19. Turn off Frame.

See how that works?
Neat huh? Try the same thing with a torus distorted using the deformation pallet and a different Uv map type like GuvTiles. On the original box GUVTiles will make each of your polygons a polygroup and with that you can do some seriously cool and strange things.
You can Shift Control Click on the polygroups as well to make them visible or not as needed and you can do large selections as well by holding control and shift and draging over your object.

Different objects react differently and different types of UV mapping cause different effects.
I have found that not all of them are useful, but you can always see the result if you try one, hit AutoGroups With Uv and have Frame turned on.
Also you can do the UV mapping thing more then once and use one type, screw around and then do another type and cause further mayhem.
Note that when you do AutoGroups With UV on a large polygon model it can seem that Zbrush has frozen as it does not provide a progress bar, its NOT frozen, just wait it will work eventually, I have had it take over an hour.

Now for the next bit; something I think is called Box Modeling (I’m not sure this is what its called but if its not it is now, I’m sleepy and I forget).
This stuff is weird and fun and you can make some cool stuff with it.
Ok…

1. Turn Frame back on.
2. Up at the top select Move.
3. Control click on one of the Polygroups in your box thingy, that bright purple one is good, not that one, the other one.
4. You should see the Transpose Lines (most likely end-on so maybe just circles), also and more importantly you should see that the rest of the object is masked off.
5. Left click on your Polygroup (if there is room, if not one nearby will do fine, or you can zoom in more).
6. The Transpose Line should now be sticking straight up from the surface.
7. Hold down Control and Shift and drag the middle circle of the Transpose Line a little way out from the surface.
8. Do the exact same thing again, see how each time you do that it makes a new edge loop (and a ring of polygons)?
9. You should now have a little tower like thing.
10. Pour a nice strong drink.
11. Consume everything created in step 10.
12. Return to step 10.

That is a good example of Box Modeling (actually its totally excessive place to start learning this but why start small right?).

From here you can do all sorts of stuff, for example:

You can Control Shift and click one of the polygroups, now you can subdivide that polygroup and sculpt on it all by it self.
You can Control Shift and click a polygroup and tell ZBrush to EdgeLoop it and that will make a sharper edge when doing the box modeling stuff.
You can use the Deformation Pallet to move chunks either with masking or just moving the Polygroups them selves (be careful, the Deformation Pallet is very unstable at times).
This is a very good thing: In the Visibility Pallet you can grow or shrink your the stuff you hide with Control Shift clicking, this is good and you should play with it some.
And there is also THIS:
Another thing you can do that is insanely great is that you can Control Click on a PolyGroup and then do a mesh extract on it creating a new SubTool and work on that as an individual segment, this allows insane amounts of flexibility as you can make all sorts of adjustments and even extract the same spot as many times as you like, so for example you could use a first extract as a a wall with all sorts of sculpting the second as a Door frame with all sorts of sculpting and a third for a door, which you can even move around independently of the rest of the objects allowing it to open or close.

I’m sure that I have left stuff out and in some cases I have done so deliberately because it makes little or no difference, if you have problems or additions to this please let me know and I will add them.

And now Im off to try #10

Cheers!

Oh yah, here is something made with this process:

Its not done but its too many polygons so I’m going to make something else.

EDIT:
Looking at that after posting it it seems to me that it would be neat to have those little html check boxes next to step by step instructions for things, it would be especially useful on long stuff like this. You could mark where you have gotten to. Perpetual editing of something tagged as “tutorial” would be good too.

[SpaceMan]

The wonderful thread of MealeaYing!
Just for the records
MealeaYing is not a man. She’s a girl who loves the ocean and the Art.

I didn’t mean Mealea Ying was a man - at the time of seeing the art work Man (like how did I miss this) came to mind

[MealeaYing]

A fine tutorial Mealea and a lesson for me.
I already used it, though some variables of it. Thank you.

Variables are good I think, and the more the better.
Looking down from this post I am becoming amazed with what is possible and how differently it can be used.
Having you use something I made is very flattering.
So THANK YOU!

You guys have got me hooked… my first test…

Thanks MealeaYing.

You are VERY welcome Sigmund, and your image is awesome!
Also you are not the only one hooked, I cant stop either.

excellent work with this last one…i really like it

Oops, I almost said thanks!
GRIN!

Thanks LVXIFER… my first at this type of technique, after admiring you and the rests work… will attempt some more but only when my current project is finished hating it very bit, but it pays the bills…

Ziggy

PS… MealeaYing should take the credit I haven’t followed any other tutorials to this sort of style watched his video and started trying, but blindly as I didn’t flow it to the T… hope I get it right again…

No no no, you drew it and its awesome as I said above!
Also you don’t have to follow it to the T, it SHOULD be messed with I think.

Thanks for reminding me of Top Mod, (as my latest piece’s base was made with it) and I found out how to use handles !

ps : I also found a help file that explains a lot of the functions…

Anyway , Just wanted to say you inspire me , Thanks … Deke

GRIN!!!
TopMod is awesome isn’t it? You know they are trying to get a grant to keep working on it?
Also I want to see the help file you are talking about, I need it, trial and error with that thing is a nightmare sometimes!
And…
You inspire me, your recent stuff is outrageously good, I want to know how those swirls are happening…

Thanks Mealea, at the end I understand, is very interesting, attractive, and spectacular, keep working on it, a hug;)

Awww!
Thankyou I LOVE HUGS! And so here is one to you back: HHUUGG!!!
Your object came out perfect!
Once you can do that you can go completely nuts with it its amazing.

Man I/m still reading the posts here:)

This is awesome

GRIN!!!
That thing was a blast, thanks Spaceman!
That one was done with mesh inset brushes I made screwing about with masking.
The polygon count got staggering…

The wonderful thread of MealeaYing!
Just for the records
MealeaYing is not a man. She’s a girl who loves the ocean and the Art.

GRIN!
Thank you Michalis, I love people from Greese too!

Hi MeaLea Ying

I’ve tried your technic today combined with the IMM Brush

Full size (3624x1494) = http://akze.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/test.jpg

THAT is absolutely stunning!
VERY cool use of this stuff!!!
I looked at this a LOT and I see how you did it, that’s genius!

really interesting akze, in which way u have used the imm in this image?

hehehe!!!
I was gonna ask that but I think I figured it out.
Look at each building.

akze - is this the correct MeaLea Ying tutorial you are refering too?
and dito LVXIFER’s request on the IMM Brushes.
Nice image.

That is the tutorial yes.
There are some follow ups and a quick video as well further on.

Phew!
You guys are splendid you know that?

[blueferret]

Have posted thehelp file for top mod in my thread… if any of you can use it…

Interesting city brush pic, I made one of those a couple of weeks ago ( i used the greeble function in max to make the imm brush )

my city was not as nice as yours though…

Deke

[SpaceMan]

I have been following TopMod back just before ver 1 nice program. These might help with using TopMod http://blip.tv/topmod
and
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TopMod&oq=TopMod&gs_l=youtube-reduced.3..0l4.185914.188533.0.189034.6.5.0.1.1.0.272.849.0j4j1.5.0...0.0...1ac.1.xTDEdhobG_8

[tyrellcorp]

Have posted thehelp file for top mod in my thread… if any of you can use it…

Interesting city brush pic, I made one of those a couple of weeks ago ( i used the greeble function in max to make the imm brush )

my city was not as nice as yours though…

Deke

hows that greeble function? i was looking at doing some “death star” corridor stuff the other day and i was looking at that. it unfortunate that its only for Max, as i use maya,

[akze]

LVXIFER & Spaceman = I’ve used the IMM to compose the building using the MealeaYing’s technic for the base shape, and some IMM’s from the basics ones to had extra details.

MealeaYing = Genius ??? I wish

Here’s another test I’ve strated tonight, same Mealeaying technic + I’ve split the Polygroups in subtools, then i made some deformation’s tweaks

Full Size (1566x2400) = http://akze.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/tower.jpg

[MealeaYing]

Have posted thehelp file for top mod in my thread… if any of you can use it…

Deke

Thanks Blue!!! That is very cool!

I have been following TopMod back just before ver 1 nice program. These might help with using TopMod http://blip.tv/topmod
and
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TopMod&oq=TopMod&gs_l=youtube-reduced.3..0l4.185914.188533.0.189034.6.5.0.1.1.0.272.849.0j4j1.5.0...0.0...1ac.1.xTDEdhobG_8

These are great! Thank you!

hows that greeble function? i was looking at doing some “death star” corridor stuff the other day and i was looking at that. it unfortunate that its only for Max, as i use maya,

You can make Greebles or I think as they are called here Zeeebles in number of ways in ZBrush.
Using UV’s like in the tutorial we have been talking about.
Using masking.
And using Alphas.
Or, the best way (to me cause I like wretched excess) all of the above at the same time.

You can also do some outrageous thing with insert brushes, for example the trench around the death star would be fairly easy.

EDIT: Ok, I tried it and it was easy (this is the quick version) and could be made in chunks so you could fly down the trench and have all the details you want.

Hehehehe…
The filename is going to get me in trouble.

[MealeaYing]

LVXIFER & Spaceman = I’ve used the IMM to compose the building using the MealeaYing’s technic for the base shape, and some IMM’s from the basics ones to had extra details.

MealeaYing = Genius ??? I wish

Here’s another test I’ve strated tonight, same Mealeaying technic + I’ve split the Polygroups in subtools, then i made some deformation’s tweaks

Full Size (1566x2400) = http://akze.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/tower.jpg

GRIN!!!
That’s awesome!
(also I think you got your wish!)

>>>----> I should point out that this is not my idea, its Gutalin’s and I based my tutorial on his.

[MealeaYing]

You guys, THANK YOU for the TopMod stuff!!!

I can do new things with it now.

Here’s a quick thing I whipped up:

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[lucaswschmidt]

Woah this last one is great!

[blueferret]

You guys, THANK YOU for the TopMod stuff!!!

I can do new things with it now.

Here’s a quick thing I whipped up:

Please Can I see your base mesh and which tool was it ? hehe (embarrassed quiet chuckle as he tears out his last remaining tuft of hair)…Deke

[MealeaYing]

Woah this last one is great!

Thanks Lucas!

Please Can I see your base mesh and which tool was it ? hehe (embarrassed quiet chuckle as he tears out his last remaining tuft of hair)…Deke

hehehe!
I have a couple more that are worse and visually distressing that I’m working on.

Anyway its one tool, and here is the basemesh, I rendered it but other then that its untouched:

Now leave your hair alone!

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[MealeaYing]

Yet another:

Attachments

[SpaceMan]

Wicked Wild Roller Coaster Ride;)
EDITED - in next post

[SpaceMan]

Wicked Wild Roller Coaster Ride;)

Thanks Lucas!

hehehe!
I have a couple more that are worse and visually distressing that I’m working on.

Anyway its one tool, and here is the basemesh, I rendered it but other then that its untouched:

Now leave your hair alone!