ZBrush WorkFlow

[system]

Hey Guys,

Just a question regarding how much I should rely on Zbrush to produce my models from start to finish.

My main programme is 3dsMax, Im very proficient in all disciplines especially modelling. I have just started to learn Zbrush and find the learning curve to be easy enough. I’m just trying out a few video tutorials out there to see what Zbrush has to offer at its initial stages i.e modeling and blocking out models with Zspheres.and going from there I like the work flow this provides but it does still feel like I should be modelling my base mesh in 3dStudio and going from there… essentially by-passing the use of Zspheres etc. and to be using ZBrush later in my pipeline when I want to add the details that Zbrush is so renowned for.

What are your thoughts on this matter.What was everyones experience when using Zbrush for the first time and how has it changed if at all. Should I persevere…am I wasting my time learning to use Zspheres.?. Will I ever find it more natural modelling like this rather than in my native modelling package .ie 3Dsmax. What are the benefits of mastering Zspheres over getting a base mesh from another package… I understand it to be more of a natural way of modelling …even though Im slow at it at present! I have already run into a few problems …mainly symmetry not being completely accurate when it comes down to the fingers for example… basically I need your experienced heads to give me a bit of insight

[goast666]

The real question here is what is the end point or goal?
Are you modeling for games, animations, stills, 3dprint, etc?

Zbrush is best known for being organic and artist friendly…not just the details (that’s where the devil is…as they say).

If you’re faster and more comfortable using max then by all means stay there for your base meshes. I use a combination of Modo and Zbrush for my modeling. If I don’t know what the sculpt is going to become…i just start in Zbrush. If I know it’s going to be a human, I’ll grab a mesh that I’ve made inside of Modo to work with (mainly because Zspheres create weird topo and loops). The mesh that I have is simply a retopo of a sculpt that I did in the past.

If you know what the end result will be and you’re looking to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, take the quickest route. If you’re looking to play with proportions, forms, etc then go with Zbrush. I find pushing and pulling verts inside of a traditional 3d App to be tedious and cumbersome. Inside of Zbrush I can manipulate the form 10x faster. When I need to get to the technical aspects of 3d art though I go back to modo or max, or xsi. I use the best tool for the job I need to accomplish.

I hope this helps.

[system]

Cheers for the great reply goast666.

.Im using Zbrush for the creation of characters as a past time. I work in Game Dev by day but all my work is for the iphone, so for the time being I will not be able to introduce a Zbrush workflow in to my working day.

I want to

A) create a highpoly mesh from a Lowpoly one and use normal maps with the low poly one. rigged to be animated

B) and simply to Sketch for fun as you mentioned and see what comes out. I like he idea of Zspheres especially for this

I'm trying Zspheres also as I want to flesh out a mesh without worrying about topology .. 4 sided poly's etc etc. for once.. I hear creating them from scratch within Zbrush has re-invented the way people work. but as you said the topology it created can be weird as I've notice in my ealry works I'll give Zspheres another go,.. I think the issue of creating a base mesh with them and then creating the hands realising that it wasn't creating perfect symmetry on the other side threw me a bit after spending an hour on it and doing a bit of research people are saying you are never going to get perfect symmetry,not until your mesh is heavily subdivided..? Cheers again and anyone wising to add your experiences feel free to post. :) Murphz