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Question about ALPHA MASK

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Excuse me, who one can help¡¡
1.-How can I fit the mask just to the part of the model I want?
2.-How can I resize the mask, it is possible?
3.-When I applied the selection>alp to an object, which are the default parameter it has,let say doc size,or if it take into account the size of your model(I think this last Not)?
4.- I used one mask with 600x800 then resize 50 and 25% of the original size and it cover always the same area of the object and also is independent ot the size of the sphere you chosse. The only thing that happen with the lowest mask it is very blur.

In the above tutorial that I make reference from Zuzu he say "Method 2: Apply Alpha manually as Mask!

  • With any 3D tool selected and in the Edit Move mode, hold the ‘Ctrl’ key, then click and drag to create a 3D projection of the currently selected Alpha image to be used as a mask"

The only way that I could do it after snatshop the image, but that dont resolve my question about how can i fit the alpha in the area I want to be it.

I will appreciated if some one can give me an orientation or at least if it is not possible in this version.

Thanks and excuse me for take your time.

What is alpha and how can I use it

#2

The mask is applied based upon the model’s UV coordinates. In order to make it apply only to a particular part of the model, you need to adapt it based upon the model’s UV’s. This tutorial will tell you how.

#3

I only usually use masking as is, for overall deformation of an object, Andre…
I usually prefer to convert the Alpha to a stencil which is readily sized, rotated, and moved. As well, with stencil, you can use ‘Wrap Mode’ so the stencil wraps around your object. If you resize your oject with a stencil in place . you can inflate through the stencil for surface details…
If I am using an apha as a mask, I use it to cut in or raise areas, but I haven’t tried resizing…
I’ll check it out, and see what I can figure out that might help, and I’m sure others here have some ideas for you… :cool:

(I see Aurick has already been here to help…!)

#4

Thanks Aurick and Stonecutter, I will review both suggestion and see if it work, but in the mean time for instance Im sending an image that explain very clearly what I want to do.
Thanks for your kind attention

#5

So Andre, why wouldn’t you just draw your Sphere tool, and while in Edit->Draw mode, just hold down the ‘CTRL’ key and draw the mask on directly? You have total control that way…Is there some reason you don’t want to place the mask directly?

#6

Thanks Stonecutter but…
I dont know what Im doing wrong, what you suggest I have made but dont know what I missing.
Here is the image with the result

#7

Hi Andres

The way I would do this is to generate a texture for your sphere and then paint it with your pattern in TextureMaster.

What you do is drop your object in TextureMaster as normal, then go to the texture palette and import your pattern as a texture.

Then using the Dragrec stroke type (in the Stroke palette) and alpha 00 with no zadd but RGB intensity at 100, paint with a 100% black. Just put the stroke on roughly and then you can use the Move and Scale options with the gyro to size and position the pattern precisely.

Once you have finished painting, go back to the Texture palette and reselect your original texture (the one that has been assigned to the sphere) and then pick the sphere up from TextureMaster. This stage is important; TextureMaster freaks out if you leave the texture as the pattern.

Now you have your painted pattern on the sphere, go to the Texture palette again and press MakeAlpha. Then go to Tools>Modifiers>Selection and press Alp. You may need to play with the options in the Alpha palette to get best results.

Also, note that masks are polygon based, so the more polygons there are the better they will be. You will need to set the polygon number before texturing though, as you can’t divide and increase the number of polys after making your mask.

This way is a little more complex, but it gives good results. :slight_smile:

#8

Another thought :slight_smile:

With your sphere, I would be tempted to unify skin it first. This is because it would give a more even distribution of polygons that would work better with the inflation.

With the regular sphere you end up with a high concentration of ‘wasted’ polys at the poles.

#9

First Andre, you have the ‘pole’ of the sphere facing you…You should rotate that first thing…Now, what I’m suggesting is that instead of trying to ‘apply’ a mask, just rotate the sphere so it’s poles face up and down, go into ‘Edit-Draw’ mode, choose the brush size, RGB intensity, and Alpha shape you want, put ‘Symmetry’ on if you want, and draw the mask on the sphere by holding down your Ctrl key while you draw on a detailed map…You can rotate the model, and with Symmetry on, can be assured that the mask matches on both sides. And since you can adjust the size, and can also remove masking selectively, you can then use the Deformation tools, with the mask regular or inverted, to adjust the shape…

Here’s a script:
ANdreAlphaMskng.TXT

And here’s the image of what it produces…

The mask was drawn freehand in Edit mode as you’ll see in the script…Try this method.
:+1:

EDIT: I just ran this and notices it has a ‘burp’ near the end, and the render settings don’t come through the way I did them…It will finish…Just add your own lighting and render it again, and load the tool to rotate it and get a look at it…This method can produce an entire. detailed head by masking inflating, clearing the mask, then repeating the process drawing on further masking…

#10

Thanks Bonecradle and Thanks Stonecutter, I now know what was my error¡¡ I Made a mask in other program and then imported to the alpha pannel, as you can see in the above picture, and I was thinking and interpreting in a wrong way that holding CtrL I could put the mask (that I did in another program) in my object. Of course, both are right but I did not understand the tutorial and your kindly help¡¡¡
I know yet that what I try to make is not possible and I suggest to the ZB team to think about the potential that you can modified in an interactive manner imported mask in your actual an active editing object.

Thanks for the time that have taken to help me and the patient that have been. Is difficult to me understand sometime the text reply and the script was very helpful not only in the specific point that was discusee but in some trick or some manner of do your habitual or normal work, that you dont see in a step by step text¡¡¡

#11

Hi Andres

I agree that it would be great to b able to manipulate alphas, such as size and scale them, but don’t give up hope - what you want to do is possible. There is just unfortunately no direct path to achieve it.

Another technique that would work is stencil-based deformations and Aurick put together a great illustrated tutorial for doing this (Aurick’s stencil-based deformations)

This technique is similar to the one I descrbed but uses a stencil to paint through instead of using a pattern to paint with.

I’d be happy to make a zscript, but it isn’t very easy to make zscript tutorials when using TextureMaster. But you will probably find Aurick’s tut much easier to follow than my previous explanation.

If you can’t figure it out, then PM me. You could email the pattern to me as a jpeg, psd or bmp and I’ll gladly put it on for you.

Good luck

#12

so what we were discussing in this other thread is the same as what is in this current thread? I have gotten a bit confused…Am I to assume that the alpha used as a mask cannot be resized as proposed in the thread below?
http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001742

#13

Hi Ron

As far as I know, alphas/masks cannot be resized.

If you start to drag an alpha over an object I guess you can manipulate in a very rough way its size, but you certainly can’t resize or move masks once they have been applied.

As masks are polygon (UV map) based I guess this stands to reason.

#14

Thnx Bonecradle…I didn’t think I was going crazy… :slight_smile: You saved my remaining braincell from overload…I had thought about this most of the day, and I just wasn’t seeing it. I think part of this might be the termonology and language barrier…That is why I kept asking whether we were talking stenciling(which is resizeable) and masking which unless you mark it on the tool while in edit mode is kind of uncontrollable…now I have reskinned a cube and increased the ploy counts to get a smoother look when masking and inflating and applying masks…but to create a mask in z or another program and transfer that to the Tool in a perfect manner …well I just couldn’t see how that could be done…not to the extent that Andre is wanting…hmmmmmmm interesting topic though

#15

I think it’s ME that’s missing the point here…What do you guys gain from using a mask, rather than drawing a high-rez mask right on the object? Since you have the full range of brush sizes, can apply a complete all around 3D mask by painting directly, can then deform in any axis, one at a time or all at once, and can then clear the mask paint another one over the altered geometry to add even more detail, or to deform any entire area of your model, I just don’t get the problem…
If I want to raise letters on something for istance, I mask the whole object in Edit mode, then selectively remove the masking using small brushes and CTRL + Alt…Seems pretty damn straightforward to me… :wink: :smiley:

#16

Well I agree Sc…I normally use the Ctrl and paint the mask on…now if I want embossed letters that are precision I will import the alpha and use it to stencil paint the object or raise or recess the letters if the model is high rez enough…when I heard about the resizing of the mask I thought that they were resizing a directly applied mask…which I didnt see a reason to resize that…or I thought they were importing an alpha and wanting that precision shortcut to apply the alpha mask using the ALP key in the Selection pallette…now that did interest me…but apparently it’s not possible…but for slapping some embossed letters onto a model via importing an alpha…(long as the object is not low poly) that is great…that is what I do or as you state I just paint the custom stuff straight onto the model Invert and inflat or whatever…

Edit…but to do what Andre wants…with his example…the stencil method on a higher poly model imho is the way to go…at least that is what I would do…then he has control over the size and it will do about the same thing…

#17

Teehee :slight_smile:

What I use this method for most is applying deformations based on the textures I am using, for example tree bark. With the texture in place I make an alpha, Alp it and then do a deflate to give the tree more relief.

Sure, I could trace around each crack in the bark by hand, but what’s the point? Besides, I don’t have your patience ;).

If I wanted to do lettering using a specific font I would use an alpha to do a deformation rather than trying to meticulously reproduce it. I’d rather spend the time I save doing some texturing.

The other thing is that masks often work best with high poly counts and it just isn’t feasible to hand paint thousands of polys.

I do often hand paint masks, but usually only on low-poly objects or at the start of modelling.

#18

Gotcha’, F/S…
But on the other hand, using varied RGB settings with bigger brushes, you can have hard or soft edges, and using move, and scale subtly while the masking is on, you can sculpt an entire body in one piece, yet detailed… :wink: You just clear the large masks, then re-mask following contours you used before, but this time with high-RGb and small brushes…You can make lace this way, and then ‘Make 3D’…Makes GREAT wrought-iron fencing, and house ‘gingerbread’ trim as well… :cool:

And yes, B…I have IMMENSE patience. Why not? :wink:
(But that example piece I did still only took about 5 minutes or so of actual work… )

#19

and those texture type alphas work great for 3d planes for doing piles of rocks or brick or stone walls etc…o I agree…used that technique today… :slight_smile: I hadnt thought of using it on tree bark yet cept for stencil painting…I will try that…great idea! Ihave played around a little bit with it on leaves and vines…without alot of luck …yet :wink:

edit…now the make 3d Alpha …now that thign is wonderful and I do enjoy using it…a quick easy tool for 3d custom shapes…no doubt…I think I did a cemetary scene a while back and made an old iron fence around it using that technique.

#20

Hey SC, you’ve got me pondering. I have average patience I guess, but I could spend hours pondering!

Anyway, here’s another use for masks. Something I did a while back for my Tweehouse. Didn’t look like people were too interested, so I’ll give it another shameless plug here :slight_smile:

Morph masking