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Sculpting workflow

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hey guys,
Quick question about workflow on creating detailed models but still have flexibility to make changes in later stages.

So I start with dynamesh on my concept creature at 256 resolution. After I’m happy with the foundation, I turn off dynamesh and start subdividing a few times to get enough resolution for sculpting details. I start adding props to the creature and find that my creature should have longer claws (for example). I use snakehook and move brush extend the claws, but this causes stretching in the polygons.

How should I resolve this issue? Going back to Dynamesh will lose details that i’ve sculpted. Or I’ve tried duplicating the detailed model before dynameshing the copy so that I can Project the details back on, but this doesn’t work too good. “Project” doesn’t seem to be able to get back all the details I want.

My model is also get extremely crazy in size (20+ Mil)…I’m pretty sure thats too high for my model as it is no where close to the photo-realistic models I see here on ZBC. Or is 20+ Mil normal…? How should I reduce this to be efficient.

Thanks in advance! :+1:

#2

siumalii wrote:

“Going back to Dynamesh will lose details that i’ve sculpted”

Have your tried unticking smt (smooth) first?

#3

increase the dynamesh resolution higher than 256.

#4

You’ll want to do a few things here.

Stretching on your mesh it isn’t really a big deal, unless that is making it so you can’t get the level of detail that you need.

If it is causing a problem you have a couple of avenues to fix it.

You can duplicate your mesh and re-dynamesh. SubDivide the new mesh back up and project the details back on. If you’re losing resolution in your projection then your mesh isn’t dense enough to support the details you’re looking for.

You can duplicate your mesh and zRemesh (recommended), This will also allow you to paint in some more control both in edge flow and density in certain areas that are more important that others. Once you’re happy with your new lowres mesh you simply need to subD the mesh up and project your details back.

I recommend doing this a bit at a time. Basically, subD up like 3 times so you have 4 levels and then project all. If you don’t have the resolution you need for your details, then subD up another level and project all again. Rinse and repeat until you’re happy with the result.

+20million points is pretty arbitrary, but it is rather dense…but that all depends on what you’re working on and how you’re working on it. My typical head won’t go over 3 million points, and that is including inside the mouth and such as well. But for a whole naked character you’re probably looking more at the 20-30 million mark if it is a single subtool. If you’re working on someone with natural seams on them, you can really push that and do 20 million per subtool, etc…but most of the time that isn’t needed.

Remember that Zbrush doesn’t use any smoothing on your mesh, so just because it looks faceted in Zbrush doesn’t mean it will look that way when you apply a material to the object that will actually smooth those sections out. You should also be viewing your model from a standard distance so you understand how your details read from a distance…if at all.

Hope that helps.

#5

Thanks for all the help guys! ZBC is just awesome

beta_channel - Thanks for such detailed solution! I do use the ‘duplicate and zRemesh then subD + Project’ method, but this often results in a subtool with higher Active Points count than the original. Is this normal too?

I’m working a on full creature where the wings are 3+mil points each. With other body parts and props together… the total points is over 30 mil. I guess my main thing is just feeling like something is wrong with my method and model when the Active / Total Points goes into some crazy number.

#6

higher counts on a “fixed” model isn’t really a big deal. You have to remember everything is in powers of 4. Really instead of thinking about polygon counts, you should be thinking about polygon density, not the actual number. If your mesh is dense enough to match the detail you need, then it is fine, lower or higher than the original.

Active points in the scene isn’t really a big deal. Unless you’re seeing major slow down.

#7

Thanks beta_channel!
Hope to eventually be able to create high quality models with efficient topology so I can animate