Subtool

The Subtool sub-palette

The Subtool sub-palette

SubTools are separate polygon objects. Each SubTool can be equal to the maximum number of polygons your system can handle. If your system handles 8 million polygons and you have 4 SubTools then your model can be composed of 32 million polygons. SubTools are, however, separate. You cannot sculpt or pose multiple SubTools at the same time.

Important!

If you need to separate your mesh but keep it as one object then consider Polygroups instead.

SubTool list

SubTools are displayed in a list. Up to eight SubTools are displayed – adjust the scrollbar to the left to show more SubTools.

SubTools can be hidden by turning off the eye icon next to their name in the list, or all but the selected SubTool can be hidden by using Solo mode.


SubTool list icons

From left to right the icons are:

    • Arrow –  click to group subtools below the selected one. The word START will be shown, and the number of subtools. Clicking START will hide/show the group. (See Auto Collapse button below.) To delete the group click the arrow. Groups are not nested so creating or deleting a group below an existing one will adjusting the numbering.
    • Remesh: Add (default)
    • Remesh : Subtract
    • Remesh : Intersection – these first three icons are used when Remeshing SubTools.
    • Polypaint on/off. Shift+click the paintbrush icon to turn polypaint on/off for all SubTools.
    • Visibility on/off. Clicking the eye icon of the selected SubTool will turn off visibility for all SubTools – click below the icon to just turn off the selected SubTool (it will remain in view until you switch to a different SubTool).

List All

4R5-Tool-SubTool-ListAll

The ListAll (hotkey N) will list all SubTools alphabetically in a pop-up menu.

Important!

Note: ListAll will only display when there are three or more SubTools.

Up arrow

Selects the next SubTool up in the SubTool list.

Down arrow

Selects the next SubTool down in the SubTool list.

Auto Collapse

If subtools are grouped and the Auto Collapse button is on then each group will be collapsed automatically.

Up and over arrow

Moves the selected SubTool up in the list.

Down and over arrow

Moves the selected SubTool down in the list.

Rename

Press rename to change the name of the currently selected SubTool.

AutoReorder

The AutoReorder function changes the order of the SubTools in the list by ordering them according to their polygon counts. SubTools with larger polygon counts will be placed above SubTools with smaller polygon counts.

All Low

The All Low button will automatically set all SubTools to their lowest subdivision level.

All High

The All High button will automatically set all SubTools to their highest subdivision level.

Copy

Copy the selected subtool into memory.

Paste

Paste a subtool from memory.

Duplicate

The Duplicate button will duplicate the selected SubTool and add it below the selected SubTool.

Append

Press Append to add a new SubTool to the list. Choose the model you want to add from the pop-up; it will be added to the end of the list. ZBrush Primitives will automatically be converted to polymeshes, allowing them to be sculpted.

Insert

The Insert button will add a new SubTool to the list, immediately below the selected SubTool. Choose the model you want to add from the pop-up. ZBrush Primitives will automatically be converted to polymeshes, allowing them to be sculpted.

Delete

Press Delete to remove the currently selected SubTool. This only removes the selected SubTool, it does not affect any of the other SubTools. However, note that the SubTool is completely deleted – the action cannot be undone or the SubTool restored.

Deleting all the SubTools in the list will completely remove the Tool from the Tool palette (the final SubTool will be replaced by the Polymesh3D Star). This is a good way of removing unwanted models from a ZBrush project so as to keep the file size to a minimum.

Del Other

When the Del Other button is pressed, all SubTools will be deleted except for the selected SubTool. Note that the SubTools are completely deleted – the action cannot be undone or the SubTools restored.

Del All

The Del All button will completely delete all SubTools from the list and remove the Tool from the Tool palette (the final SubTool will be replaced by the Polymesh3D Star). This is a good way of removing unwanted models from a ZBrush project so as to keep the file size to a minimum. Note that the SubTools are completely deleted – the action cannot be undone or the SubTools restored.

 


blobSplit

 

Split Hidden

The Split Hidden button will split the selected SubTool into two separate SubTools, so that the hidden part of the mesh and the visible part of the mesh become separate SubTools.

Split Unmasked Points

The Split Unmasked Points button will split the selected SubTool into two separate SubTools, so that the unmasked part of the mesh and the masked part of the mesh become separate SubTools.

Split Masked Points

The Split Masked Points button will split the selected SubTool into two separate SubTools, so that the masked part of the mesh and the unmasked part of the mesh become separate SubTools.

 


blobMerge

 

MergeDown

The MergeDown button will merge the selected SubTool with the SubTool directly below in the list.

MergeVisible

The MergeVisible button will combine all the visible SubTools, creating a new Tool in the Tool palette which will have a name combining Merged_ with the name of the first visible SubTool. The Weld option affects the outcome of this operation.

 


blobExtract

Extract

Mesh Extraction works by ‘extracting’ geometry from part of a model to create a new mesh. Much of the topology is duplicated but the edge is cleaned to create a smooth, even boundary. Sometimes this process will use triangular polygons at the smoothed edges.

You can define the part to be extracted in two ways; masking part of the mesh and hiding part of the mesh.

S Smt

The S Smt slider determines how smooth the surface of the extracted mesh will be. Two sorts of smoothing are available by setting the circle icon on the righthand part of the slider:

Open circle will maintain the volume of the extracted mesh.

Closed circle will not maintain the volume of the extracted mesh.

Thick

The Thickness slider sets the thickness of the extracted mesh. As a rough guide, use a setting 0.01 for cloth; 0.03 for leather.

Accept

The Accept button becomes active after an Extract operation. Pressing this button creates a new SubTool from the extracted mesh. Until this button is pressed the extraction is only a preview. This allows the settings to be adjusted before creating an actual mesh.

Double

When the Double switch is turned on the extracted mesh will be created both inwards and outwards from the original mesh surface. The positive or negative aspect of the Thick slider is ignored when this option is used.

TCorner

The TCorner option permits the use of triangles at the mesh corners during the extraction process.

TBorder

If TBorder is turned on then the extracted mesh will have a thin border around the edge.