ZBrushCentral

Question about Tablet settings (whats the secret ?!)

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Hi Guys, well I’ve had ZBrush for quite a while now, and weird has it may sound, I actually haven’t used it since 1.55b came out. :frowning:

In the previous version (1.23), when one used a tablet while trying to edit a 3D object, it would always affect the size and depth of the strokes, it was impossible to affect only just one. I had written about this at the time and Pixolator had mentionned that this would be changed in 1.55b.

I’ve finally started playing around with it again. And even though I can see more settings in the preference tab, they seem to do nothing ?! Heck I’ve turn everything down to Zero and it still reacts the same ?!

Obviously something is eluding me and I would really appreciate the help of anyone that has mastered this :slight_smile:

I’ve read the manual, and even search the topics in this forum, but all I found was stuff about reading the manual… DOH!! :smiley:

So any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

P.S.: In case it is still impossible to seperate the effects of depth and brush size, my question would then be: How do you guys do the incredible stuff you do ?! :wink:

#2

Hi FranckyB
I am glad to meet you¡¡
1.-In my case I made the adjust in the table palette from the wacon tablet software and ZBrush recognize this properties. I think but Im not sure at all that for the purpose you want you dont need to make another thing there.
2.-Depth and brush size you can manipulate this in an independent manner here

Please let me know if this help you
Thanks for your attention

#3

Thank’s but I’m not sure this relates to my problem…

Maybe I wasn’t clear enough, I know that these can be ajusted, my problem is when using the tablet to draw on a 3D object, (when creating a head from a Sphere for exemple), all of a sudden my tablet doesnt respond at all has it should.

I did find out that when I ajusted the tablet setting and drew on the canvas, it responded perfectly, yet in edit mode it seems to be stuck to always respond the same way. (having depth and size locked together)

I just can’t believe this can’t be changed ?! It makes really hard to work properly, since has soon has I want subtle changes (less pressure), I get a very thin brush size, not at all practical if you are trying to work on cheeks on a face for exemple ?!

Someone must know of a trick (I’m just too dumb to figure it out) :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

Francky,

Try using the Move tool instead of the Draw tool - sounds like you’re trying to modify the form of the object, but the Draw tool adds material to it. Honestly, I hardly ever touch the Draw tool - 95% of the time, I only use the Move tool to sculpt.

Rick

#5

Hey FranckyB!

I left my Wacom at default settings, and left the ZBrush tablet options at default as well, and have never had a problem…
It seems there are two possibilities:
One is the technique you’re using, the other a malfunction in your tablet.
Does it work predictably in other applications? :cool:

#6

I have a WACOM tablet and if I set X size, Y size and Z size to 0 and intensity to 100 in Zbrush “preferences”, “tablet” then the wacom’s pressure just affects intensity of the brush stroke and not the size. I hope this helps

#7

Mackarel, does this also work when editing a 3D object (drawing on it).

Like I said, I’m able to do this no problem when drawing on the canvas, but has soon has I go in edit mode on any object those settings seem to be forgotten… Don’t you have this problem ?

Stonecutter, to better explain what I’m after I did a rough example.

By default Zbrush, uses the tablet to draw like the “A” line, if you adjust the tablet options it’s possible to get what I’m after which is the “B” line. But I can’t get this to work while in edit mode. And yes, my tablet works fine, has this image proves :slight_smile:

I have to ask you, StoneCutter, if you use the tablet with default settings, how do you model 3D objects without getting thin little detail every time you ease the pressure on the table ?!

#8

You are correct, it doesn’t work when editing an object. To help with this when editing an object I reduced the Zintensity so that it is easier to control the size of the brush at lower pressure but its not a perfect solution.

Graham

#9

I model on the mesh, using ‘Edit->Move’, rather than ‘Edit->Draw’, and with ‘Quick Edit’, and ‘PF’ on…This lets me model ‘point-by-point’, with a brush size of 1 if I require that level of precision.
When I started with ZBrush I called it ‘Magic Clay’, and used the ‘Edit->Draw’ method. It was great fun…Unfortunately, it also produced a confused mesh, and when I worked in other apps, the models gave me problems. Of course, if you only work in ZBrush, that’s not a problem, but my main app is LightWave, because I prefer the rendering and material options there…

Also, using the ‘Edit->Move’ until you have the basic form, then 'snapshotting’the model, you can use 2.5D tools on it to add detail, as well as 2D painting… I am a painter, as well as a gemstone carver, and facetter in ‘real-life’ so I approach CG in a different way, probably. (Much like I approach carving, or wax modelling for casting…)

I can say that I never even think about tablet settings, and I’ve never had a prob…But then, we’re different people, and you have to have things work to suit YOUR needs, and I wish I could help, but I don’t really have a solution. :wink: :cool:

#10

I assumed the whole point of Zbrush was the ability to draw on surface to model what I wanted.

If the solution is to pull vertex per vertex to model anything, why would I use Zbrush, might has well stay in 3DMax :frowning:

If I look at the images done by Pixolator or s o u t h e r n, the amount of detail and finesse let’s me believe that they’re is a solution to my problem. Same thing with the test from Weta, why use ZBrush if you have to pull each vertex one by one ?!

The whole point of using a tablet and not have it go to a very sharp point everytime I ease the presure must be possible ?!

s o u t h e r n, if you read this, your feedback would really be welcomed.

#11

I see what you’re saying F, but I wasn’t saying that you had to pull every vertex, merely that you can…Mostly I start with a brush size around 20, and work my way down as I detail…The reason I work on the mesh is because I like to keep it rational.
You can work on the ‘Magic Clay’ basis as well…
I don’t do ‘Monster’ images, so excess bumping and points aren’t what I’m looking for. I work in LightWave, with ZBrush, and I don’t see it as ‘all or nothing’ as far as apps go. I think they work VERY well together… :wink: :cool:

Also, with the next version will come the ability to do High-rez displacement mapping, and then they will work even better together…To me the major advancement was the introduction of ZSpheres, and that alone is sufficient reason to appreciate the app! Being able to put a clean, (and re-posable), mesh together is amazingly useful to me, and with the speed of modelling they offer, you have a winning combo…

Also, if you use ZSpheres to produce a Unified Skin, instead of an Adaptive Skin, you can get as much detail as you want, whether you want to use ‘Edit->Draw’ or ‘Edit->Move’… If you don’t intend to rig or bone your model for animation, but will be keeping it in ZBrush, a unified skin has no limit on detail…