Components

NanoMesh Components

The NanoMesh system is devised from instanced geometry (called “Nanos”) that are linked to placement polygons. In order for a NanoMesh to be applied to a mesh it must be Targeted to the desired polygon(s) by using the dedicated ZModeler Action.

 

The Placement Mesh

The placement mesh can be composed of anything from a single polygon (triangle or quadrangle) to the entire 3D model. Any of a model’s polygons can be Targeted as the placement polygons.

Because ZModeler can Target PolyGroups, a NanoMesh can have its instance placement determined by the model’s PolyGroups. This will allow different Nanos to be placed on different parts of the model’s surface.

Editing the placement polygons and/or PolyGroups will have a direct impact on the instanced NanoMeshes. If you have a NanoMesh applied to one PolyGroup then you change or remove that PolyGroup the Nanos that were linked to that PolyGroup will be removed.

Placement polygons can be also edited without applied NanoMesh instances getting in the way. Simply enable the Edit Placement option, which temporarily hides the Nanos while you freely modify the placement polys.

 

The Instanced Geometry (Nanos)

The instanced geometry (Nanos) created by NanoMesh are PolyMesh 3D geometry that has been linked to placement polygons with the ZModeler brush’s Insert NanoMesh Action. The NanoMesh process takes this single original Nano and applies it to the model as instanced geometry across whatever placement polygons have been set by the Tar­get. This Nano index can then be manipulated through multiple options to give random size, rotation and offset variations.

At any time you can edit the original NanoMesh model using ZBrush’s standard Edit mode features. You can use any of the ZBrush modeling and sculpting tools, even creating UV’s and applying textures. When done, your changes will be applied to all the instances.

Please refer to the ZModeler documentation for more information about the Insert NanoMesh Action.

 

The NanoMesh Brush

The NanoMesh brush is a special brush type that is similar to an Insert MultiMesh brush except that it is created specifically to store various Nanos for use with ZModeler brush.

The default ZModeler Brush contains a Nano that is a single cube. To use other types of 3D models as NanoMeshes, you need to create your own NanoMesh brush. The NanoMesh brush is simply a ZModeler Brush with custom 3D models stored in it. This brush will have all standard ZModeler functions with the exception of the stored Nanos.
To create this NanoMesh brush, you need to:

  1. Select an Insert Mesh or Insert Multi Mesh Brush of your choice.
  2. Click Brush >> Create NanoMesh Brush.
  3. The NanoMesh brush will be created and automatically selected.
  4. If the NanoMesh Brush has been created from an IMM brush, press the “M” key at any time to display the 3D models to use as a NanoMesh. The next time you use Insert NanoMesh polygon Action, this model which will be selected. (If you converted an InsertMesh then only the one Nano will be available.)
  5. Optionally, save your brush for later use.

Please refer to the ZModeler documentation for more information about the Insert NanoMesh Action.