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Preserve BG Color and Startup Material

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey ZBrush helpers,

Just wondering if there is any way to preserve the background color when creating a new document. For instance, upon opening ZBrush I have my background color set to a bright gray with a very mild gradient. However when I press ctrl+N to start a new document, my background color resets to the UI layouts default color (in this case a much darker gray). Is there any way to make it so that creating a new document will use my saved Startup BG color?

Second question. I am using someone else’s custom UI and every ZTool I open now loads with a reflection material. However, I’d rather have MatCap gray. How can I reset my default material for loading ZTool’s?

Thanks so much in advance,
Eric

#2

http://www.pixologic.com/docs/images/3/39/ZBrush_Cheat_Sheet.pdf
http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Basic_Concepts
http://www.pixologic.com/docs/index.php/Tool_Palette

#3

This macro will create a new document with the same background color. Just save the text file to your ZBrush 4R4/ZStartup/Macros/Misc folder. Press Macro>Reload All Macros and there will be a new button called New Doc. Just press thiss any time you want a new document. You can make the button part of your custom interface if you want.

For the default material, this isn’t saved with a custom UI so you must be using some other way of changing it, probably through a startup document. You can change this by:

  1. Selecting the default material. It will be number 1 in the slider that is at the top of the Materials palette.
  2. Load the material you want to use as the default through the Material>Load button.
  3. Turn off Edit and clear the canvas (Ctrl+N). Select the Simple Brush in the Tool palette and, with MRGB turned on, paint a tiny blob in the top left of the canvas.
  4. Save this as the new startup document by pressing Document>Save As Startup Doc.

You will now have your preferred default material every time you start ZBrush.

HTH,