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Thread of Madness - Joseph Drust

Thank you for the in depth explanation of the process you used on the R2 torso. Question though, is the UV master plugin within ZBrush capable of the fidelity required to unwrap the cylinder, or similar primitives for these types of operations or is it more efficient to use specialized software such as Headus or another UV editing suite? If so, do you think that the UV tools within ZBrush will be enhanced in future iterations of the program?

Once again thank you for your breakdown of the whole R2 model and I look forward to implementing the presented techniques in my own models, happy ZBrushing!

@EmperorHamHam: Thanks for the kind words! Currently UV Master works great for generating UV’s for Organic models, Starter UV breakups for items such as straps, or when created temporary UV’s to transfer polypaint to. It will unwrap a cylinder object but it won’t generate a precise layout like the one I needed for the R2 Model (which is why I still end up using Headus alot for UV generation.)

As for future enhancements, it’s on my personal wish list as well :slight_smile:

-Joseph

Hi Joseph I asked this question a long time ago but I thought I might bring it up again if thats ok I was wondering if you would you or another Zbrush professional user consider releasing a Gumroad tutorial showing how you use Zmodeler explaining how to create a model of that quality considering most of us still dont know how to use Zmodeler as good as you. I appreciate Zmodeler webinar but I cant seem to find any other tutorials on gumroad or youtube showing a Zmodeler workflow with your skill level. Btw awesome work on those landscapes

Echoing above. The screencaps are great, but I’d definitely pay for a Gumroad tutorial where you narrated the creation of one of these bots - especially your noisemaker processes. If you could also stick the mech in one of your environments (with a tutorial on how you made it as well) that would be even better!

not a zbrush pro but my experience with zmodeler: i try to use more subtools and make a decent plan according to your 2d or 3d concept for your subtools before starting modeling

hi i’m wondering if all your renders on here where done in keyshot? I can’t find anywhere else to ask but I was considering purchasing keyshot 6 pro 
when I put it in my cart in little print it says i’m buy keyshot 6 hd? it’s confusing because on luxion it says pro or hd 
also on pix its has a button for pro or hd
i’m hitting the pro button but the fine print says I’m getting a license for keyshot hd
sorry to bother you with this
I just want to make sure I get the right one if I buy it


@ICEMike / @slothkins: Yeah the problem recently has been trying to find the time; it’s on the list =)

@qboard: I tend to do this as well. I work out all the large shapes (and model any repeating parts) then refine; especially when needing to follow a specific concept.

@Preacher: Here is the URL explaining the differences between the two versions with the bridge: https://www.keyshot.com/features/integration/zbrush/
I currently have the pro version. The HD should suffice (you can upgrade later at the same cost difference if you find you need the pro version.) Out of all the pro features listed on the link above I only occasionally use the HDRI Light Editor, and the Render Queue.

-Joseph

Hey All,

So I got around to finishing this little CNC Plugin I started awhile ago :wink: Below is some information on it along with a video tutorial on it’s usage. Hope it helps =)

ZCnc_v1.jpg

The plugin is FREE to download; it can be obtained from my gumroad site here: https://gumroad.com/l/aWoal
If you run into any issues using it let me know and I’ll attempt to fix them :slight_smile:

-Joseph

This is a BRILLIANT plug in !
As an expierienced CNC owner who has been struggling to get through the complexity of Zbrush and create some useful artwork that can be actually cut without a lot of juggling this plug in is an enormous help. I am looking forward to the next few days working with it.
Thank You

Thank you very much for another extremely helpfull plugin .
And that beside all the great work ans information you share with us constantly !!!
THank you very much Joseph !!!

Amazing plugin! Thank You for sharing, it will be really usefull!

Wow, this is incredibly cool. Joseph, any plans on having a CNC machine up and running at ZBrush Summit so we can see this process in person?

Great job Joseph!:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:small_orange_diamond:+1:

Thanks
 will come in handy.


just quickly watching the video
was there and export as STL option?

Hi all,

Not trying to hijack the thread but I just wanted to share something that I spent some time creating.

It’s a ZPlugin menu that combines Joseph’s two macro packs into one, categorized menu. The main reason why I spent the time to do it was because I use a tool to sync files between hard drives and since Joseph’s macros are auto reloaded every-time zbrush is ran, it sees the files as new; which really bothers my OCD style and I also like them a lot better categorized. 
OCD again
:smiley:

Here’s an image of the new “Drust Tools” Zplugin menu with both macro packs combined and categorized. The only thing that I changed from his source code was adding 4 different “quick crease” buttons set at different values of 20, 35, 40 and 45 instead of just the one button that he had that defaulted to 45. Everything else is identical to Joseph’s original code.

joseph_drust.jpg

You can download it HERE along with the source code for anyone that wants to modify them.

All credit goes to Joseph Drust on this since he is the one that originally wrote all of these macros. I simply just put them into a categorized UI in the Zplugin panel for easier use (imo).

Thanks All; glad to hear it is useful =)

@–E--: Hah! Thanks for doing this; feel free to claim all credit on your plugin (you did all the work putting it together not me! :slight_smile:
I distributed the macros separately to be used in this exact way =)

@Airbrush: No STL export currently with the Plugin. It’s only setup to use the formats ZBrush can export by default. You can export out an STL with the 3D Print Exporter plugin (you will have to double check the size before exporting thou.)

-Joseph

nice UI, thanks!

Thanks so much for the CNC plugin. I’ve been trying to teach myself bas relief for some projects and your plugin made it much easier for me.

A test project using it.

The bas relief using your plugin:

ZGrab03.jpg

Cnc’ed in pine and primed:

IMG_20160829_164454422.jpg

Start of an aged bronze finish:

IMG_20160912_180503967.jpg

And yes
 I know Franklin never actually said it, but it makes a better story if you believe he did.ZGrab01.jpg

@GordonGekko: Very nice!! Thanks for sharing the images; glad to hear the plugin helped! I like to believe that the translation from the french quote was just done wrong and that it was always meant to be beer :slight_smile:

Look forward to seeing more of your CNC ZBrush Works =)

-Joseph

Joseph,

This script goes a long way toward addressing many of the same issues I have run into with using ZBrush to make bas-reliefs with absolute dimensions. Congrats on that:D

The troubling issue I have run into is when you need a new “highest” or “lowest” object/detail, it can result in scaling all of your other depth based features to the new range. This is not an issue specific to your script, but seems to be the result of having relative relationships rather than absolutes as the basis of the system. It is just how ZBrush works, its not a CAD application. For many things, its a non-issue, but in cases where I do not want to alter the height or depth of existing details, it seems like other compromises must be made.

Using subtools with “dummy” objects as you have is a really creative way of enforcing some absolutes. I often create objects in other applications at specific dimensions to use as blanks or templates.