ZBrushCentral

Workflow help needed for inflating 2d plane into 3d mesh

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

I am trying to find a good way to create an inflated mesh starting by a 2d image, keeping it simple and rounded for easy 3d printing. I know that a very good way to go is to generate the mesh with Adobe Photoshop 3d Extrude tool. like in this video http://vimeo.com/60953547 and its website http://crayoncreatures.com/ ; and since I don’t have the 3d tool in Photoshop I wonder which is the best way in Zbrush to replicate the same effects.

I found a way by cutting a 2d plane accodingly to the projected 2d image and then inflate baloon some specific area , then dynamesh and mirros and merge. But the workflow is much more “dirty” then the “Photoshop way”

Another way is to simply use zshpere , and this is good but quite longer.

Would you like to give your suggestions and advises…that would be really appreciated. I am going to post a video soon to show what I did so far …
Can’t wait for your replies

Kind regards

Guido

#2

http://docs.pixologic.com/reference-guide/alpha/make-3d/

#3

Hi Doug Jones,

thank you for your tip. I confess that I already tried this method ( Alpha Make 3d ) and it is good and requires a bit of extra work and quite unpredictable.

  1. If you use a 100% black and 100% white mask , you will have a general fixed elevation of the resulted mesh. For a rounded shape you will need to increase the smooth value and decrease the resolution.

  2. Or create a proper alpha gradient from the beginning in Photoshop. Which is a blind work…

I am sure there an easier way… still investigating

Thank you.

Regards
Guido

#4

Did you try to adjust the alpha in the alpha palette with the modifiers? :wink:

#5

Hi,

yes I did try… maybe I wasn’t enough patient working on the curve setting… I will give it a second try.

Thanks

Guido

#6

http://youtu.be/IdMNKK9zvxA

As said, above there is my latest workflow solution. I was thinking to use also the 2,5d canvas … not sure if this would simplify .

Please let me know how I can improve this workflow, that would be great.

Regards

Guido

#7

Try projecting it on one wall of a shadowbox and add the roundness yourself in the other views?