Ultimate 3D Links - ZBrush Tutorial - MODELING A HEAD IN ZBRUSH

1. How to model the head

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* A ZTool can be a mesh object, a brush or a special tool like the Polymesh import star

Figure 5.

TIP: Get used to changing the DRAW SIZE (fig 5.1) often. Small size, small effect, big size, big effect.

TIP: Get used to changing the Z INTENSITY (Fig 5.4). This controls the amount of effect you will have on an area when you paint depth onto it.

TIP: One of the first features to model is the mouth. To indent the mouth shape, use the DRAW POINTER and ALT (PC) and you can 'push' the mesh in. Release ALT and you will add depth.

TIP: If you select another tool by mistake (And you will!) you will `snapshot` your head into the document common frustrating mistake. If this happens CTRL+`N` clears the entire layer and you will notice a copy of your head is left in the `TOOL` panel. You can re-select it and `draw` it back into the document and continue to edit it.

LEARNING TO MODEL IN ZBRUSH

Is it 2D or is it 3D? Is it a paint package or is it modeller? Both is the answer. This section of the tutorial takes you through the first steps involved in modeling a head in ZBrush. As mentioned on the opening page some of the stages in this tutorial will need to be practiced as they are not easy the first time around.

NOTE: It is a great deal easier to model in ZBrush if you are using a graphic tablet and pen. It is possible to do it without a tablet but some of the intricate modeling becomes difficult to achieve with a mouse.

MODELING BASICS

Before moving into modeling proper you will need to have an understanding of the TRANSFORM panel.

Fig1

The following steps apply to any 3D object or primitive that you can select from the TOOL panel.

To model an object you need to draw it into the document window. With the *ZTool (model) selected.

Mouse Click into the window and drag out an object.

To MOVE, SCALE or ROTATE the object you can use the TRANSFORM PANEL or press key `W`, `E` or `R` respectively. When pressing any of these keys a multi colored `gyroscope` appears.

Fig2

Try each of the modes to get used to using the gyro to get the desired result.

To `move` (W) along an axis, pull the coloured end of the gyro.

To `scale`, click (E) then inside the gyro and drag up or down.

To rotate, click (R) then inside the gyro and drag in the desired direction

The gyro is fine for moving an object around a screen but what about when you want to edit it? This is where we move into EDIT (T) mode.

If you need to model or shape an object into the desired shape (as we do to make a head) you can enter the EDIT mode, press `T or use the transform panel (Figure 1.)

Fig3	When in the EDIT mode the cursor turns to a RED DOT with a ring surrounding it. The red dot is where your changes will be made on the object as you model. To rotate the model in this mode click while holding the cursor away from the object click/hold and drag up or down.

You can achieve many different effects by using the features in the TRANSFORM panel. By clicking DRAW POINTER (add depth to the object or remove it by holding down ALT), MOVE (pull or push an area of the object) and SCALE (increase or decrease in size an area or polygons).

To enlarge the `area of effect` on the object go to the DRAW (Figure 5) panel and adjust the DRAW SIZE (5.2) slider up or down.

The red ring will now grow or shrink helping you to judge the size. In the DRAW panel you will also find RBG Intensity and Z Intensity which affect the amount of colour and depth applied to the object as you model.

At some stage you may need to turn `colour` or `Z` (depth) off. This is done by selecting or deselecting the correct box (green is selected, grey isn't). These steps are the basics of modeling any 3D model in Zbrush.

TIP: The best results are achieved by keeping the `Z Intensity' low when adding depth or pulling a portion of the model. This will let you subtly adjust the shape stage by stage using the different tools.

REMEMBER: A model (Or ZTOOL) in Zbrush is `live and editable` in the document window until you `snapshot it into the image (Press CTRL+S or the `camera` Icon shown in the transform panel in Figure 1.).

Once you `snapshot` a copy it is no longer editable and cannot be moved or rotated. It does, however retain its depth information and can be modified with some of the 2D tools (Simple Brush, Blur Brush etc.) The original ZTOOL remains in the TOOL panel and can be saved as a .ZTL (Native format) or exported as an .OBJ or a .DXF

Losing the facility to modify 3D objects was one of the first hurdles I came across in Zbrush. It is such a departure from the norm that it takes a while to feel comfortable with it, when you do, it becomes second nature and going back to being able to rotate a wireframe whenever you like seems weird.

MODELING THE HEAD

Start Zbrush. Go to the DOCUMENT>MODIFIERS panel (usually on the left) and adjust the document size to Height 1000, Width 1000 (if you have the demo you will be limited to 640x480).

Select `PRO` to allow you to adjust the proportions if you want to use a different setting than this.

To begin modelling go to the TOOL panel and select the Sphere3D tool.

Click TOOLS>MODIFIERS>INITIALIZE and change `Hdivide` to 512 and `Vdivide` to 256. This will give us the maximum possible subdivision count for this object (lots of polygons).

NOTE: Some lower spec machines may not perform well with mesh ZTools at this high mesh resolution. If you find that this is the case you reduce the Hdivide and Vdivide. At a later stage in the modeling if you need more detail on a particlar portion of the object you can use masking to help select the area and SUB DIVIDE a portion of the mesh.

Click in the document window and drag out a sphere leaving plenty of space around it. As we are only modelling the head at this stage the position doesn't actually matter.

At this stage we want to go straight into EDIT mode so press `T` on the keyboard and a red dot/ring will appear. Because the head we will be modelling is fairly symmetrical we need to turn on SYMMETRY.

Go to TOOL>MODIFIERS>DEFORMATIONS>SYMMETRY and select `X`.

Fig4

You will now have two dots on the model. Any change made to one side of the model is exactly duplicated on the other side saving you a lot of work.

To begin the modelling you will need to `pull` the Sphere into the basic head shape. Select `Move` (W) and pull the bottom of the sphere down.

TIP:If the effect is too dramatic you can CTRL+`Z` to undo.

This is a good time to adjust the DRAW SIZE (Figure5.2) to get the right effect for this part of the modelling.

TIP: Get used to changing the DRAW SIZE (fig 5.1) often. Small size small effect, big size, big effect.
TIP: Get used to changing the Z INTENSITY (Fig 5.4). This controls the amount of effect you will have on an area when you paint depth onto it.

Click-Hold away from the head and rotate it slightly. Pull out a neck and the back of his head. (See Figure 4)

To add features switch to the DRAW POINTER (Q). Rotate the head so that it faces you and `paint` depth onto the face.

TIP: One of the first features to model is the mouth. To indent the mouth shape, using the DRAW POINTER and ALT (PC) push the mesh in. Release ALT and you will add depth.

REMEMBER TO CHANGE DRAW SIZE AND Z INTENSITY AS NEEDED!

Fig 6

Build up the forehead, the nose, cheeks, lips and ear bumps. Add a bump for each eye then put a dent back into it for the eyeball.

REMEMBER: To indent the model, still in the same mode, hold down ALT and paint onto the model. This is how you will Indent the cheek recesses, nostrils and the eyeholes.

Try to follow the example heads in Figure 6. Keep rotating and adjusting until you get the the effect you need.

Add frown wrinkles and details around the eyesockets.

If at any time you need to move the head on the canvas you can exit EDIT mode by
pressing `T` again. The gyro appears and you can select MOVE by pressing `W`.

Pull the gyro (grab the coloured ends) and move it in the direction you want. To continue modelling, press `T` and re-enter EDIT mode.

To add more detail to the ears you can use SCALE (E) to enlarge the ear area. Use DRAW POINTER to shape the lobe and make an indentation then use SCALE (E) to reduce the ear back down to the correct size.

This will take some practice as it is not easy the first few times you try it.

NOTE: If you select another tool by mistake (And you will!) you will `snapshot` your head into the document common frustrating mistake. If this happens CTRL+`N` clears the entire layer and you will notice a copy of your head is left in the `TOOL` panel. You can re-select it and `draw` it back into the document and continue to edit it.

Fig 7

Keep adding details and moving the parts of the head into a shape similar to the ones in figure 6+7.
When you are happy with the basic shape it is time to turn off the SYMMETRY button. Go to TOOL>MODIFIERS>DEFORMATIONS>SYMMETRY and de-select `X`.

This switches symmetry off and allows you to work with the single pointer again. Now make some adjustments similar to the ones below.

That is the end of the MODELLING section of this tutorial. SAVE YOUR ZTOOL!

TOOLS>INVENTORY>SAVE and name.

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