ZBrush 'Paintings' -- Pushing 2.5D

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

Here is a series I did in the Fall thinking about the pallet of falling leaves, squash, drying flowers, etc.

_followme_1-leaves.we.jpg

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

I gave myself the challenge of just using some standard assets that came with the program, and seeing them freshly.

There’s that head…so ubiquitous, but spooky here nonetheless:

…and then here’s that soldier from many angles. I think it’s interesting that a picture loaded as a global texture ‘stains’ the picture plane (when there is a hole through sculptural surface) rather than just disappearing.

Francesco_Mai · July 4, 2019, 1:16am

Your work are really interesting.I am happy that someone like you is still
interested in pixols,for me a great and innovative technology.
I suggest to see this plug in and some 2.5d canvas of mine

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?172390-Pixols-and-pixels-now-are-the-same

http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?130089-An-unusual-Zbrushing

MhueD · July 5, 2019, 2:00pm

I have reviewed your whole gallery a few months ago, and visited your art print site as well. I am sorry that I did not write then, but I didn’t have time to add forum interactions to my schedule. I think it is important, once on the forum, to set aside time and really get to know colleagues, so that is from now on.

Anyway, your work is terrific, and when my cash is slightly more flush I will get a giclee print. My giclee print sales aren’t bad, but I am not buying other artists’ prints yet because I need to build some momentum for another year or so.

About Pixols-2-3D: I have a slightly different way of using it that I am trying to develop. I understand the desire to use BPR, but I am focusing instead on using it to copy segments of drawings into other drawings and change viewing angles in the process. I usually use Depth brush for this, and the MRGBZGrabber. In order to get your plugin to function in a similar way I need to delete the side facets and the support plane, and I think I have figured out how to do that. Then it is necessary to adjust some of the Z positioning of certain parts of the 2.5D composition in question, so that things are somewhat connected and then you can ‘copy’ a scene in all sorts of situations in another scene! Any thoughts on proper technique?

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

In a continuing practice of trying to simplify and complexify, simplify and complexify, in cycles to develop a deeper technique I set myself onto compositions that use the same basic form (mostly spheres or cylinders) just piled on itself, but with different ‘treatments’ for each instance.

This next one employs the ‘Zeeble’ method ( http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?32673-Zeeble-or-Greeble-that-is-here-the-Question!&highlight=plane+cut )

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

You’ll see some formal similarity between these next two. In the second one there are two pixol layers and there seems (?) to be something like collision detection which prevents the fluid elements from overlapping the ‘nodes’/hard-elements, giving a kind of flowing around effect.

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

Two more using the idea of patterns formed by the texture environment of highly reflective materials:

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

These three are kind of ‘collages’…or messes…depending on how much order you prefer in your chaordic threshold!

This next one is strangely popular with a lot of people I have shown this portfolio – not sure why – it does have a certain sweeping ‘motion’…

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

A couple of zsphere globs with heavy painterly treatment. The first one reminds me of that understated palette used by some of the old Flemish masters:

…while this is more of a cartoon/pulp palette:

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

These come from a series where there was a basically flat surface, but with little sub-planes that float off.

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

This is not a series, but three one-offs, each with its own purpose.

This first one was an experiment in creating some hard-surface Mech assets, but then just piling them up to get a more organic texture overall.

This one was done around the same time as ‘Black Tidepool’, and it still has the feeling of some rock on a sandy beach…weird colors though…

This is part of a continuing exploration of how multiple Pixol layers can scaffold each other in unexpected and complex ways.

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:14am

Another couple of one-offs:

This first one was an attempt to use the 2.5 smudge to convey wind.

And this one is part of a continuing exploration of using small pieces of a larger mesh and letting some of the quantization involved be a feature instead of a bug.

SpiritDreamer · July 4, 2019, 1:16am

I like alot these last two posted, and also like the idea of letting these so called computer marks which some people call errors be part of the design…They often remind me of bold brushstrokes as seen from a painters perspective…so why not take advantage and use them , that is the way I see it…:D

Glenn

acmepixel · July 5, 2019, 2:00pm

Zbrush was originally and still remains, an unique 2.5D Paint program. The 2.5D features were the primary function in the early versions (1, 1.5). Not much has really changed, just many refinements of the original features and of course, wonderful new additions, especially those to accommodate Sculptors and Modelers.

My painterly/2.5D favorites;
(note; many great threads were lost when the forum software was changed)

MhueD · July 5, 2019, 2:00pm

I will work through this list systematically to review the threads, I am so stoked that you shared this. I have been forming folders and lists like this to, because I want to establish resources that people can use when they are going down this ‘branch’ of Z-activity.

MhueD · July 5, 2019, 2:00pm

Yes, it is a little like jazz…you flub a note and then just keep going with the new note integrated into your approach and a few measures later the mistake is now, instead, a useful mutation!

LVXIFER · July 4, 2019, 1:17am

interesting thx for sharing

blueferret · July 4, 2019, 1:17am

Yes , I was there when version 1 came out and stayed with it for about a year but dropped it to work with Max…
Makes me sorry now I didn’t keep up with zbrush, The information in this thread is awesome, Thankyou for sharing it with us …

And I’m happy to see you like my experiments with fractals … Deke …
And i like the direction your taking too…

MhueD · July 4, 2019, 11:16am

This is continuing refinement on the ‘combined techniques’ piece introduced in part 21:

And an example of same image with ‘brush algorithm’ post-render treatments (Alien Skin SnapArt and Filter Forge):

yaschan · July 4, 2019, 1:18am

These are excellent! I love the powerful feel! Indeed, zBrush has a lot of potential in this sense.
But is it possible to render stereo from 2.5D?