Base Mesh Creation

Gizmo 3D

The Gizmo 3D provides the artist with a new, simple UI element that will allow sculpts to be manipulated and transformed with precise control. Gizmo 3D can be eas­ily placed at any location or orientation to perform accurate transformations. You can instantly change the pivot point for Move, Scale, or Rotation. There are options to rotate relative to the surface normal or world axis and much more.
The new Gizmo 3D transformation tool will allow multi-selection and manipulation of SubTools. Select as many SubTools as you want, then move, scale, and/or rotate them as a unit. This makes it even easier to pose hard surface models!
ZBrush4R8 takes making large, broad adjustments to any sculpt easy with the new deformation modifiers. Bend text around a curved surface with the classic Bend on Curve modifier. Twist a sculpt along any axis. Use the Free Form Deformation box (FFD) to completely adjust the silhouette for any model. Also included are the unique, powerful deformers like Extender and Multi-Slice.
Design rapidly with simple geometric shapes. Artists can freely adjust the geometry that defines the shape, even after the shape has been applied to the surface. Convert a smooth cylinder to an octagon, adjust a sphere to have flat poles or change a cone into a pyramid – all in real-time. Using this system, a few primitives can be turned into a whole library of sculptable shapes.

 

ZModeler

Introduced in ZBrush 4R7 is the ZModeler brush. This smart polygonal modeling system is designed to simplify your creation process. Quickly and dynamically create new shapes, doing so more easily than ever before possible: fuse polygons, delete full blocks of geometry, connect parts with advanced paths, and repeat your actions with a single click!With the ZModeler brush, ZBrush takes a quantum leap beyond the organics that it is already relied upon for. You can refine the shape of your model in real-time to revo­lutionize how you create hard surface models, architectural structures or highly detailed environments. The possibilities are endless.

Live Boolean

For all their power, Boolean systems have historically required a lot of trial and er­ror before finally getting a satisfying result. With Live Boolean, artists gain the ability to combine multiple sculptures together and see in real-time what the resulting mesh will look like. Any model can be subtracted from another, regardless of their polygon counts.
You can even use Live Boolean with the existing instancing systems in ZBrush such as NanoMesh and ArrayMesh. While Live Boolean is active, you can even sculpt on your models while previewing the Boolean results.
All of these options can be combined together to provide new sculpting workflows that are unique to ZBrush.

 

DynaMesh

DynaMesh gives you the power to create without technical constraints. Starting from a sphere to create a character head is an easy process but DynaMesh will allow you to create a whole character from that very same sphere with no uneven geometry!

Consider what it’s like to work with clay. As you stretch clay out or add volume to it, the clay itself retains the same basic consistency and the same capacity for detail across its surface. DynaMesh brings that experience to the digital world.

The magic behind the DynaMesh is its ability to regenerate geometry in a blink of the eye, removing all stretched polygons by creating a surface optimized for sculpting and with equal distribution of polygons across the surface. Don’t be afraid to stretch your model to create legs, arms, columns, or whatever else comes to mind in your creative process. There are now no limits to what your starting point can evolve into.

ZRemesher 3.0

Retopologizing has never been as artist-friendly as with ZRemesher 3.0. With a single click, you can automatically produce organic or hard surface topology without spi­rals. If one-click topology isn’t the right answer for every situation, you can intuitively take control of the re-topology process with curves to assist in determining polygon flow. The enhanced sys­tems of ZRemesher 3.0 can maintain creased edges and automatically detect sharp surface angles, ideal for mechanical models. The result is also a more efficient final polygon count… with an increase in speed!

ShadowBox

ShadowBox gives you the ability to produce 3D meshes by simply drawing a shape:

    • Use the advanced masking brushes to paint a silhouette of your idea on any of the three sides of ShadowBox and a mesh matching that profile will appear at the center.
    • Carve out holes in the surface of the mesh by simply erasing any part of the masks; the surface at the center of ShadowBox updates instantly.
    • Combine radial symmetry, your own custom alpha textures, reference images and masking curves to build complex forms in a matter of seconds.

Whether you are sculpting a specific model or just exploring shapes, ShadowBox offers a unique method for quickly establishing an editable base mesh for sculpting.

Spotlight v2.0 with Snapshot3D

Spotlight v1.0 gave artists the capability to project any texture’s color information onto a sculpted surface as PolyPaint. It also allowed the very same textures to be applied to the surface of any model as sculptural details.
Spotlight v2.0 includes all the original features and also makes it possible to convert any gray-scale image (alpha) into a 3D model. The source images can be modified or combined through Boolean-type addition or subtraction to create even more complex 3D shapes. The model generated by this system can serve as a base for sculpting or even be used with our Live Boolean system to create intricate works of art.

ZSpheres

ZSpheres allow you to quickly create a base mesh with clean topology, which can then be sculpted into any form. The power of ZSphere lies with in their simplicity. From a single ZSphere you can easily grow new ones, which can then be scaled, moved, and rotated into any form. Now you can enjoy creating the geometry for your characters while posing in real time.

When using ZSpheres in ZSketch mode you can draw ZSpheres directly on to a base armature or freely draw anything you can imagine in 3D space. Sketching with ZSpheres gives you the flexibility to simply explore what your imagination holds or quickly convert your ZSketches into a sculptable mesh for further detail with all of ZBrush’s sculpting brushes.

Mannequins

A good pose is the essence of a great composition. Rhythm, gesture, weight and balance are all key to any work of art. Use the Mannequin sample projects included with ZBrush to find just the perfect pose for single or multi-character models. The ZSphere Mannequins can easily be edited to fit any character or creature you need. Create an entire scene in just a few clicks! In no time, you’ll have established perfect visual harmony and you’ll be on your way to sculpting a masterpiece.

Mannequins are essentially ZSphere armatures. The way that you interact with them allows for easy posing, so that you can quickly explore your ideas – faster, in fact, than sketching a concept image and with far greater flexibility for change as you go. The great thing about using Mannequins is that you don’t have to model anything; the model is already set up and ready to go. Later on, if you need to you can skin the Mannequin to make a mesh that you can sculpt.

Several Mannequin scenes are included with ZBrush. It is also simple to create your own to infinitely expand your library.

Primitives

One aspect of ZBrush’s workflow is the ability to create extremely complex scenes by combining a bunch of smaller objects. Ultimately, a scene could be composed of millions or even billions of polygons, yet still render in real time! Many of these complex 3D primitives ZBrush provides combine to produce a very powerful masking and deformation system that is unique to parametric objects. This system allows you to create an endless assortment of complex shapes all from a single primitive.