ZBrush software Review    

Introduction

ZBrush is a powerful digital painting and sculpting tool that has redefined the 3D industry. It offers tons of features that are easy to use and have stylish user interfaces, as well as some of the most cutting-edge tools for digital artists.

You may create using this application in a more natural way, and it also offers you some of the most incredible digital works of art. The menus in ZBrush operate in a non-linear and mode-free manner while sticking to the circularity principle. This program offers a variety of tools needed to quickly sketch up a 2D or 3D design and then carry the idea all the way through to completion. Additionally, this application offers a ton of advanced export options that let you quickly and easily get your model ready for 3D printing or usage in any other digital program.

ZBrush Tutorial

By bringing the natural appearance and instinctive sensation of actual clay sculpting to the computer screen, ZBrush has altered the landscape of 3D modeling. From sculpting to Poly painting to rendering, these tutorials will reveal a lot about this dynamic and dynamic software.

Using ZBrush to sculpt a stylized Superman

Introduction

I used to watch this program frequently. When I watched this episode of “Here After,” I really liked the idea of Superman being alone on Earth and fighting to survive. His prehistoric appearance greatly inspired me, and I decided to represent it in 3D.

Step 1: Collecting References

It being a character from a “Justice League” episode, I screenshotted a lot of references from the show itself. Additionally, I added some Superman animation inspirations that I found on Google.

Step 2: Creating the Fundamentals Model with ZBrush

I started out by adding a sphere to ZBrush, dynamiting it, and then beginning to sculpt the head using my references. Then, when I needed more topology to perfect the sculpture, I continued to increase the dynamic’s resolution. In order to sculpt it, I mask the beard and hair area, remove it, and dynamite it.

After completing the head and hair part to my satisfaction, I added another sphere for the body and improved it with better resolution dynamism. I created spheres for his legs and arms using the same technique and dynamited them for further sculpting. I created his clothes, boots, armguard, and other accessories using the same masking and extraction approach.

Using the strap selection option in ZBrush, I utilized the IMM curve brush for the belts. I modified the basic shapes for the sword and sword bag using 3D tools, such as resizing the cylinder to create the sword bag, and then I positioned them appropriately.

Step 3: Attractive Sculpture Refinement

When I was happy with the basic model, I went on to modify it. For example, I added flat surfaces where they were necessary or added stylistic crease lines (which is my favorite part). Additionally, I improve the nails and other components like his purse, belt buckle, and other models, and add some color representation to the materials to see how the figure appears.

Step 4: Sculpting the detail, using UVs, and Re-topology

For re-topology, I utilized Blender. I produced UVs after merely re-topologizing his body sections, including the head, chest, and arms, rather than the entire model. That’s why didn’t too concern because I didn’t create a model for animation.

I utilized ZRemesher, a built-in tool of ZBrush, to create the remaining components. We created some guidelines with the Zremesher-Guide brush, re-meshed it, and created the UVs using a variety of techniques, including playgroups, and ZBrush’s UV paint function. We brought the model into Blender before creating the UVs.

Then, I imported all the features with UVs into ZBrush for detailed final sculptings, such as creating stylistic crease lines and plane surfaces. I utilized a fur brush pack by “Jarred Everson’s Fur Brush Pack” for the fur details.

Step 5: Developing Textures

The displacement and normal maps of each piece that I blended from ZBrush serve as the model’s primary texture for me. To visualize those stylized wrinkles in the geometry, I’ll utilize these maps in Blender later.

Please take note that you must bake your displacement map for the model at the lowest subdivision level in order to import the low-poly mesh into Blender and apply the subdivision-based displacement maps to it. I painted his Body Color map and roughness in Substance Painter. I made the remaining sections using materials with the corresponding color values.

Step 6: Making Wolf

In ZBrush, I recreated the wolf’s previous sculpture. I first sculpted his basic body in dynamesh, then I fine-tuned it with more detail. Then I used ZRemesher to remesh it, and Blender was used to create UVs. Then I returned it to ZBrush for high-resolution sculpting, using the same fur brush. I had specified earlier to create his fur. I used poly paint to paint the color map for this model in ZBrush. Then I baked displacement and color maps into 4K textures.

Step 7: Rigging and Posing

I took all the models to Blender for posing now that all of the re-topology, UVs, and textures had been completed. I used Blender’s meta-rig human preset for Superman’s pose and its wolf preset for the wolf. The image of Superman standing with the wolf with one hand on his fur in a calm stance has not been taken from the episode itself. Rather, it was a creation of my own imagination. Note: Always try to see a character’s shadow when posing them. Check to see if the shadow is recognizable.

Step 8: Materials, Lightening & Rendering

Materials

I used displacement maps in the Materials with Subdivisions of each model. Go to your material properties, and settings, and change the surface type to displacement and bump to do this. Your mesh geometry will move in accordance with the displacement map in render mode. We can put models’ color maps and degrees of roughness in their appropriate materials. I also utilized a small amount of subsurface for the body mesh (head, torso, and arms).

“Random walk” is better for skin SSS.

Lightening

For this scene, I used an HDRI with very low intensity as well as 3-point lighting.

Rendering

I used Blender’s Cycles Rendering Engine to render it at 3125 × 3125 resolution with 600 samples, 256 x 256 tile size, and Optics denoiser. On my 1080ti GPU, it took me approximately 5–6 minutes.

Step 9: Finalizing and Compositing

In order to later add backdrops, I rendered the output in Blender with transparency. For the compositing and image finishing, I utilized After Effects. To finish off the image, I added various effects like chromatic aberration, sharpness, grain, and a very slight glow. I gave his background a deep magenta color with a gradient.

Video Tutorial for ZBrush Software

I briefly discussed how we can utilize ZBrush software to generate 3D models in the upper portion of the blog. Here is a collection of instructional videos for the ZBrush software. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll go to the following design level.

To read our previous article please click on this Link

Download ZBrush software

Using this standalone installer, we may completely offline install the Windows operating system. Both Windows 64-bit and 32-bit would support this. It is an edition that is totally free. Simply click the following link to access it and launch your freelance career.

Conclusion

ZBrush is the industry standard for digital sculpture and painting. With the help of its features, you may sculpt, paint, and mold digital clay in real time while receiving quick feedback. When you use ZBrush, you’ll have access to the same tools that illustrators, advertisers, scientists, toy and collectible manufacturers, jewelry designers, automobile and aircraft designers, film companies, game developers, and other artists across the world utilize.