Tutorial: Creating Sculpted Prims in ZBrush

I've just finished and posted a video tutorial that demonstrates how I am using ZBrush 3 to create sculpted prims. I show my complete work flow including modeling and texturing from a reference photo. I also show how to create a baked shadow/ambient light map in ZBrush.

The video is split into 2 parts and is about 50 minutes long. I'm still learning ZBrush myself, but this video should be interesting and informative for anyone learning how to use ZBrush to create their sculpties.

You can find the video on my Shiny Life website:
http://www.shiny-life.com/2008/02/12/video-creating-sculpted-prims-with-zbrush-3/

Woohoooooooooooooooo Thank you! your wonderful!

Yes! awesome Vlad..

Great stuff, Vlad!.


and btw - I'm a guy. But you're not the first person to assume that I was a girl. I'm just hoping that it's my odd name and not my whiny posts that makes people assume that I'm female

Oh! err... not that all girls are whiny. But there is a time of the month when... umm.. okay, I better shut up...

* runs *

'doh! So sorry.

Yes, it was the Suisei part of your name that threw me off. Whenever I read your name here on the forums I usually say 'too-kay Soo-zee'' in my head. I do apologize. If it's any consolation I had you pictured as a sort of tough punk, kinda roller derby girl like that comic Tank Girl.

Danged personal pronouns , getting me in trouble again.

I really do appreciate your help, tho. I'm getting great results with your sculpty converter.

I'm glad that folks are enjoying the video, too.

That was a really cool mushroom Vlad. Thanks for the video. I'm new to all this really and your video really helped. 2k? I can't find your converter but it looked like it works really well! I tried to convert with AC3D and the sculptie didn't come out right. Not sure why. Do you still have your converter up on the net? Thanks

Here is a direct link to the post where 2k attached his converter. I've had several people mention that they are having trouble finding that link.

/8/b2/225856/2.html#post1783021

2k, would it be ok if I hosted a copy of your app on my Shiny Life website along with my tutorial?

The tutorials helped me sooo much to finally get quite nice textured sculpties. Here's the 1st, a 3 prim bird (not really a crow but...) Thank you!!

Mic

cool, Mic. So glad that the tutorial helped you get going with sculpties. Cute lil bird, too!

Vlad, I'd be honored to see you to give the convertor a proper home!

But could you add a few words telling people that they need to feed it a 32x33 object?. Otherwise I'm gonna end up with frustrated IM's asking why it doesn't work!

hi guys! really love the tutorial!!!

im having a bit of problem, i made a video to show it better!

its with texturing part..

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v6585199brCxrEWj

can someone tell me what im doing wrong?

Where's the object from, Wuvme?. Did you create it in ZBrush or import it from another program?


and are you using ZBrush 3.0? ZBrush 3.1 is available.

i created the object in Wings, (i use the wings exporter)

Objects created in Wings3D don't have a UV map so that might be why the UV settings are greyed out in ZBrush.

I think the Wings3D sculpty plugin comes with some objects that have a UV map.

You can find the guide here:- http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Wings_3D_Exporter

Wuvme, if you are using 2k's SculptyMaker converter with Zbrush, then you'd be better off making your initial object right inside zBrush. with the initialize settings for the H and V set to 32 and 33 as mentioned in the tutorial.

If you are using an object setup for Wingd3D then you can export it back out of zBrush and convert using Wings3D and the plugin from Omei. That's how I used to convert my sculpties before finding 2k's converter.

hi vlad.
your tutorial made zbrush sculpties make sense, and is much appreciated.
you seemed to find that sweet spot of giving us a bit of credit for having common sense, yet you didnt take for granted that we had any idea what we were doing.
well done and thanks

Thanks Nina. I'm glad that you found the tutorial useful.

I am still learning the ins and outs of zBrush myself, but I sure do like it. The way that it approaches the whole sculpting process is so different that it takes awhile until you can kind of get one of those 'Aha' moments and something about a tool just kind of clicks into place.

Pretty soon here I will be doing some more zbrush/sculpty tutorials. I'd like to clear up a few fuzzy areas with this fist video and then start going through some of the other tools. The painting tools are pretty amazing in zBrush and I am slowly getting the hang of the Subtools that allow for multiple objects on screen.

I'd love to hear any suggestions from folks who are interested in more tutorials, too.

Connecting multiple objects to for 1 scuplty(or multiple in zbrush and assemble in sl)

The move brush i had trouble couldnt figure out how to move the whole side at once it would just grab the top and bottum, but the sides stayed ugh!!! lol

maybe a complex object? would be cool i watch your vids all the time its helped me alot.

thanks vlad

This is a terrific tutorial, and I really, really appreciate the time you and 2K Susei took with me this week during my "OMG, I keep losing my textures...waaaaa!!!!!" moment.

It seems as if everytime I turn on Zbrush, there is something new I learn to use (yesterday's fun was just spending an hour or so playing with all the different brushes and alphas).

Subtools seem like the key to getting textures to match up on complex, multi prim builds--if you discover how to use them, I vote for the next tutorial to be on those!

ok I will keep those suggestions in mind. I want to learn how to make 'Sculptiples' also .(as I have heard them called) - multiple distinct shapes in a single sculpty. If I figure it out I will certainly spread the word.

Virrginia. I'm glad that 2k could help you complete that puzzle and track down that texture glitch. from reading that thread I think I've figured out now how to reproduce and/or avoid that error in the future.

Hiya, awesome tutorial for zbrush sculpties. I had no clue how to stumble my way through making sculpties til I watched it. Today and yesterday I made my first two sculpt prims, not perfect but I was very happy with what I managed to make.

The program seems amazing for very organic builds but I really have no clue as to its potential for inorganic work, which is what I would mainly like to make sculpts for.

I was wondering, if you are going to continue filming more tutorials I would like to request you do one on sharp edged objects like sword blades or something similar. I cannot seem to figure out how to get a nice hard edge on stuff I want to make.

Even still tho, Vlad you have helped open my eyes to the world of sculpt and I thank you!
Also a thanks to 2k for the great converter, without that I would probably be stuck after making the objects I learned to make from the tutorial! XD

Hi well I've watched all the vids and decided to make some shoes


So first i made a Alpha brush of shoe outline.

Then Using a plane3D i put the Alpha brush masked so i could use sub tool to make shoe base.

So i made it longer so it looked right exported and tried to sculpt map it but sculpty maker crashes



P.S plane was set to 33x33

Hi Daisey. Were you exporting a single object or several objects as part of a Subtool setup? NOt quite sure what to suggest since I am not quite sure what you are doing exactly.

Have you tried the zSculpty plugin? it works for some people when Scultpy Maker won't.

Hullo Daisey, when you say "Alpha Brush" do you mean you used an alpha setting with (for example) the standard brush? Or did you use the 2.5D Alpha Brush?

The tool labeled "Alpha Brush" is works only in 2.5D mode. Ordinarily, you will convert a tool to a 2.5D image before using it (note that when it is activated, it asks you if you wish to exit Edit mode) If you wish to use it to change a 3D object, you'll need to use Projection Master to drop and pick it up to the canvas.

Well i found the shoe i was making and made (in gimp) a alpha texture.

So when it edit mode i masked using that alpha.

Then hit Extract to delete the unmasked parts the made it longer and it wont go sculpt map via 2k's way and Zsculpty

Daisey