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Questions about Workflow and Zbrush

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

First time posting here guys,

Also I have been researching and looking at Zbrush and everything about it for about a week now. Been watching Twitch streams about it as well.

I know that Zbrush is an amazing program that essentially allows me to sculpt my 3D models and that is amazing. But what I am looking to do is primarily prepare items for 3D Printing. Specifically a lost wax type fabrication application. Not only for jewlery design (which I have seen many tutorials on). But also for some potential blade smithing type design work. I essentially want to use Zbrush to help me create a digital mold that I can then send out for casting and then I will hand clean it myself.

Now here comes the hard part. I”m perfectly willing to buy Zbrush, but it seems like many people are split (including tutorials) between modo, maya, 3dsmax etc as an initial modeler. But what I REALLY want to do is the basic model (no animation at all) in something like blender or a full CADD program (like vectorworks which I”m very familiar with) and then just do the majority of the work in Zbrush. Because what I am seeing is people are doing really really basic stuff in Maya/Modo/ etc and then doing the majority of their work in Zbrush as well and then sending it back out to the 3D modeling program of their choice. But that is TWO expensive purchases instead of just one. I seriously hope that above statement makes sense. For jewlery especially…why spend a large amount of money when you essentially are just using it for getting scale correct?

Essentially what I”m asking is, with something like a 3D Printing situation do I have to start with a program other than Zbrush or can I do everything within your program and still get the scaling correct for final mold making?

I hope I don’t sound like a complete idiot here.

  • Jeff
#2

You could do everything in ZBrush, really.

There are a number of features that can be used to ensure proper proportions. You’ll then set the actual dimension upon export as STL. If the proportions are accurate, then everything will be exactly the right scale at that point.

For example, you can use reference images in ZBrush to sculpt against. There are several ways to apply those images and you can have different drawings for top, front and side.

Further, you can use the TransPose line to measure the distance between points any time you wish.

At the end of the day, you like won’t have CADD level precision but you’ll certainly be able to match or exceed the precision that you can achieve in the real world via traditional jeweler methods.

#3

There is a plugin that could help to get exact measures:

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?194807-CalipersMaster-v-1-ZPlugin

#4

Thanks for the responses guys. Yeah so many of the tutorials I am seeing they are starting in something like 3Ds or Maya and especially MODO and then sending it in Zbrush and then when they are done in Zbrush they are sending it back to Modo to do the finish work.

It just seems like what I see is very very basic work in MODO and then most of the work is done in Zbrush. So it’s been a little confusing as to what is the best route to go in regards to purchasing.

#5

…Yeah so many of the tutorials I am seeing they are starting in something like 3Ds or Maya and especially MODO and then sending it in Zbrush…

With the ZModeler in ZBrush 4r7, we can now do the initial hard surface work in ZBrush instead of another program.

#6

Absolutely fantastic! What are your favorite tutorials that got you up to speed ?

  • Jeff