Week 1

Date Time: 2026-01-28 16:08:02

Location: BB16

Instructor: Ryan Darling

Summary

The instructor introduces the course, his teaching philosophy, and the resources available to students. He begins by mentioning an AI note-taker to help students focus during lectures and explains that demos will be recorded to avoid repetition and free up his time for direct student support. He emphasizes his availability and advises students not to struggle with a problem for more than 30 minutes before seeking help. He shares his professional background, including over 20 years of ZBrush experience, his role on the ZBrush beta testing team, and a forthcoming book. Students are directed to his personal website, darling3d.com, where course materials are hosted. The password and coupon code for free ZBrush resources are both LCAD.

The lectures then transition into the core ZBrush curriculum. The instructor provides an overview of the initial creature and character bust projects, which are based on a chapter from his book and simulate a client workflow from concept to completion. He reviews the ZBrush interface, using an airport analogy to explain its layout and logic, and then provides a detailed refresher on core tools. A significant focus is placed on the Dynamesh feature, explaining its history, purpose, and how to add and subtract geometry using primitive shapes. He contrasts Dynamesh with Sculptris mode, which offers dynamic, localized resolution. The course then moves to a more advanced workflow, starting with a high-resolution Dynamesh sculpt detailed with Chisel brushes (VDMs), then using ZRemesher (and ZRemesher guides) to create a clean, low-polygon mesh. The final step demonstrated is projecting the high-resolution details from the original sculpt onto the new, clean mesh by incrementally subdividing and projecting. Throughout the sessions, the instructor provides one-on-one guidance, troubleshoots common issues like asymmetry and ZRemesher errors, and reinforces best practices, such as using a stylus and avoiding premature subdivision of a Dynamesh model. The class concludes with an announcement for a dinner break.

Knowledge Points

1. Course Introduction and Logistics

• AI Note-Taker & Recorded Demos: The class is recorded by an AI to allow students to focus, with notes sent out after each session. Demos are also recorded and made available to free up instructor time for one-on-one support.

• Instructor Availability: Students are encouraged to reach out for help at any time and are advised not to struggle alone for more than 30 minutes.

• Course Website and Materials: All course materials are on the instructor's personal website, darling3d.com.

  • To access the course page, use the password LCAD (all uppercase).

  • To get any ZBrush-related materials from the site for free, use the coupon code LCAD (all uppercase) at checkout.

• Class Logistics: Drinks are allowed but must be kept away from computers. An evening class dinner break is scheduled for one hour, starting at 6:00 PM, with students expected to return by 7:10 PM (7:15 PM at the latest).

• Housekeeping: The instructor notes that some materials like due dates and the course timeline on the website are from a previous semester and need to be updated. The syllabus is available on the Week 1 page.

2. Instructor's Professional Background

• ZBrush Expertise: The instructor has over 20 years of professional ZBrush experience and is a member of the ZBrush beta testing team.

• Forthcoming Book: He is co-authoring a ZBrush book with industry professionals like Jerry Krzyzewski, which is expected to be published later in the year.

3. Project and Workflow Overview

• Project Introduction: The initial projects are a creature bust and a character bust based on a chapter from the instructor's book, simulating a client brief.

• Project Workflow:

  1. Concept: Start with concept sketches.

  2. Block-out: Use Dynamesh to build out the initial form.

  3. Retopology: Use ZRemesher to create a clean, animation-friendly mesh.

  4. Detailing & Iteration: Add details, create design variations, and add textures.

  5. Finishing: Finalize the project by posing and adding color.

4. ZBrush Interface and Philosophy

• UI/UX Analogy: The ZBrush interface is compared to an airport, designed to guide users efficiently despite its complexity. It is broken down into "Output Zones" (for information), a "Primary Zone" (main work area), "Secondary Zones" (tool adjustments), and "Curiosity Zones" (for experimentation).

5. Core ZBrush Tools and Techniques

• Dynamesh:

  • A fundamental tool for the beginning stages of sculpting, acting like "digital clay."

  • To use, start with a Dynamesh-ready primitive from the Lightbox (e.g., "Dynamesh Sphere 128").

  • To recalculate and add uniform resolution to a stretched mesh, hold Ctrl and drag on an empty part of the canvas.

  • Adding/Subtracting Geometry:

    • Use Insert brushes (B > I) to add new geometry. Use solid, "watertight" primitives (like IMM Primitives) rather than "eggshell" primitives (like IMM Primitives H) to avoid artifacts.

    • To subtract a shape, hold Alt while dragging it out. The shape will appear as a negative (white polygroup).

    • To complete the operation, clear the mask (Ctrl+drag), then re-Dynamesh (Ctrl+drag again). This can be used to create holes through a model.

• Sculptris Mode:

  • Adds resolution locally and dynamically, only where the brush is applied.

  • Useful for adding fine details without increasing the polygon count of the entire model.

  • Re-Dynameshing can destroy fine details created with Sculptris if the global resolution is too low.

• Chisel Brushes (VDM Brushes):

  • Vector Displacement Mesh (VDM) brushes allow for adding complex 3D forms (e.g., eyes, horns, ears) directly onto a model's surface.

  • Accessed by pressing B > C (e.g., "Chisel Creature" brush).

  • Requires a high-density mesh to capture the detail (e.g., Dynamesh resolution of 384).

• ZRemesher (Retopology):

  • Creates a new, clean mesh with better topology suitable for animation.

  • Before running, turn off Dynamesh and ensure symmetry is on (X key) for symmetrical results.

  • ZRemesher Guides Brush: Used to influence the topological flow, creating edge loops around features like the eyes and mouth. Draw guides on one side of the model only.

• Detail Projection:

  • The process of transferring high-frequency details from a dense Dynamesh sculpt to a new, low-poly ZRemeshed model.

  • Workflow:

    1. Duplicate the high-poly sculpt. Work on the duplicate.

    2. Run ZRemesher on the duplicate to create a clean base mesh.

    3. Make both the original high-poly and the new low-poly subtools visible. Select the low-poly subtool.

    4. Divide the low-poly mesh once (Ctrl+D).

    5. Click "ProjectAll" (under Tool > Project).

    6. Repeat the Divide and ProjectAll steps until the polygon count of the new mesh is similar to or higher than the original.

• History Slider: The slider at the top of the screen records actions. You can click on any point to revert the model to that state. Performing a new action after going back in time erases all subsequent history.

6. Best Practices and Troubleshooting

• Stylus vs. Mouse: A stylus is strongly recommended to take advantage of pressure sensitivity.

• Dynamesh and Subdivisions: Do not use subdivision levels while working with Dynamesh. The correct workflow is Dynamesh (for blocking) -> ZRemesher (for clean topology) -> Subdivisions (for fine detail). If a model has subdivision levels, they must be deleted to use Dynamesh.

• Asymmetry Issues:

  • If a model is slightly asymmetrical, ZRemesher can produce artifacts. Use "Mirror and Weld" (Geometry > Modify Topology) to force symmetry before remeshing.

  • For intentionally asymmetrical models, turn off symmetry before running ZRemesher.

• ZRemesher Errors: If ZRemesher fails with a calculation error, go to Geometry > MeshIntegrity, run "Check Mesh Integrity," and then "Fix Mesh." This usually resolves the issue.

• Subtool Organization: After detail projection is complete, the original Dynamesh sculpt can be moved into a separate folder in the subtool list and hidden.

Dinner Break….

Location: BB16

Instructor: Ryan

Summary

This series of lectures provides a comprehensive, hands-on guide to ZBrush, covering a wide range of features from fundamental tools to advanced workflows. The sessions focus on the efficient use of polygroups for managing high-detail models, including creation, selection shortcuts, and refinement techniques like using the "Smooth Directional" brush. The instructor introduces Dynamic Subdivisions for non-destructive organic and cloth modeling, demonstrating features like adding thickness and applying MicroPoly for complex surfaces. A significant portion is dedicated to polypainting, emphasizing the difference between MatCap and Standard materials, and advocating for a value-based (dark to light) painting approach starting with the Skin Shade 4 material.

The lectures also cover practical techniques such as creating straight lines, using stroke interpolation, and leveraging Lazy Mouse for smooth brushwork. Students are guided through troubleshooting common issues like Dynamesh projection artifacts and are taught how to generate professional character sheets using ZAppLink, including how to adjust document resolution for high-quality output. The course introduces a creature bust project, complete with deliverables like a looping turntable video and presentation slides. To facilitate concepting, the instructor introduces a custom "Chaos Brush" to encourage a "happy accident" design process and previews an advanced layer-based technique for rapid design iteration. Finally, the course logistics are outlined, including work submission via cloud folders, remote computer access, and the use of a class Discord server for communication.

Knowledge Points

1. Polygroups and Selection

• Purpose of Polygroups: Polygroups are essential for managing high-detail models by allowing users to hide parts of a mesh. This helps in focusing on specific areas, accessing difficult-to-reach sections, and reducing computational load.

• Creation and Subdivision Levels: It is critical to create polygroups on the lowest subdivision level to ensure they translate correctly across all levels. New polygroups created at higher levels may not propagate down.

• Creating from Masks: A masked area (created by holding Ctrl) can be converted into a new polygroup by pressing Ctrl+W. Pressing Ctrl+W repeatedly cycles through colors for better contrast.

• Clean Edge Loops: To create a polygroup with a clean border, press Ctrl+E instead of Ctrl+W. This adds a clean edge loop around the masked area, which is beneficial for UV layout.

• Merging Polygroups: Isolate the desired adjacent polygroups (by Ctrl+Shift-clicking a shared vertex) and press Ctrl+W to merge them into a single new polygroup.

• Selection and Visibility:

  • Isolate: Ctrl+Shift + drag a green rectangle to isolate a part of the mesh.

  • Invert Visibility: Ctrl+Shift + tap on a hidden area.

  • Show All: Ctrl+Shift + tap on the empty canvas or press Ctrl+Shift+A.

  • Subtract from Selection: Hold Ctrl+Shift+Alt to draw a red rectangle that hides the selected area.

  • Lasso Selection: Change the selection stroke type to "Lasso" for more freeform selections, useful for selecting edge loops.

  • Selection Shortcuts:

    • Ctrl+Shift+X: Expand selection.

    • Ctrl+Shift+S: Shrink selection.

• Refining Borders: Jagged polygroup borders can be refined using the "Smooth Directional" brush (Lightbox > Brush > Smooth), which smooths topology along a specific direction.

• Display Properties: To see the inside of a mesh when parts are hidden, enable the "Double" sided display option under Display Properties.

2. Dynamic Subdivisions and Cloth

• Core Concept: Dynamic Subdivision is a non-destructive preview of a smoothed mesh, ideal for hard-surface modeling and cloth. It allows working on a low-poly base while seeing a high-poly result, avoiding performance lag. The toggle is in the Geometry palette.

• Cloth Simulation: Use a low-poly plane with Dynamic Subdivisions enabled. Cloth brushes (e.g., Cloth Hook) can be used to create dynamic wrinkles and folds in real-time.

• Thickness: Within the Dynamic Subdivision settings, the "Thickness" slider can be used to give a single-sided plane apparent solidity.

• MicroPoly: This feature replaces each polygon of the base mesh with a tileable 3D asset (e.g., chain mail), creating complex surfaces non-destructively. The pattern deforms with the base mesh.

• Applying Changes: Dynamic Subdivisions and MicroPoly are previews. To make them permanent geometry, click the "Apply" button. This converts the preview into high-density geometry, increasing the polycount.

3. Polypainting

• Core Concept: Polypainting colors a model's vertices, not its polygons. High subdivision levels (e.g., 1 million+ polygons) are required to hold detailed color information.

• Materials and Color:

  • MatCap Materials (e.g., Red Wax) have embedded color and lighting, acting like filters that alter the appearance of polypaint.

  • Standard Materials (e.g., Basic Material, Skin Shade 4) display polypaint colors accurately. Skin Shade 4 is highly recommended for a true color representation.

  • Flat Color Material: Use this to view only the polypaint information without any material or shading influence.

• Workflow: A recommended workflow is to start by painting with values (black and white) to establish form before adding color.

  1. Switch to the Skin Shade 4 material.

  2. Fill the object with a base dark color (e.g., black) via Color > Fill Object.

  3. Switch to a lighter color (press V to swap primary/secondary colors) and paint highlights and lighter values, working from dark to light.

4. Brush Techniques

• Lazy Mouse: Found in the "Stroke" palette (or toggled with 'L'), this feature smooths out brush strokes by adding a delay or "tail" between the cursor and the stroke, absorbing hand jitters. The "Lazy Radius" controls the amount of smoothing.

• Straight Lines: Click a start point, hold Shift, drag to an end point, and release Shift to create a straight line.

• Stroke Interpolation: Creates a pattern by repeating a stroke between a start and end point. Make an initial stroke, then a second, and use the "Interpolate" button in the Stroke menu to repeat it.

• Chaos Brush: A custom insert brush that randomly cycles through multiple meshes with each stroke. It is designed for loose concepting and "happy accidents." To stop the randomization, set Brush > Modifiers > Variations Selector Mode from 3 (random) to 1 (static).

• Brush Pop-up Menus:

  • N Key: Opens a pop-up menu of all inactive subtools for quick selection.

  • M Key: Opens a pop-up showing all meshes within the selected Insert Mesh (IMM) brush.

5. ZBrush Workflow and Troubleshooting

• Mesh Artifacts: Artifacts from Dynamesh projections can be fixed by masking the affected area and re-running the projection on just that region.

• Subdivision Level Errors: Operations like "Close Holes" cannot be performed on models with multiple subdivision levels. Use "Freeze Subdivision Levels" to temporarily remove them, perform the operation, and then "Unfreeze" to reapply them. This feature can be unstable.

• Solo Mode: Use "Solo" mode to isolate a subtool when multiple subtools occupy the same space, preventing confusion.

• Creating a Mesh from a Brush: To replace the current tool with a mesh from an IMM brush, select the mesh from the brush and go to Geometry > Modify Topology > Mesh from Brush.

• Advanced Iterative Design: Use layers to rapidly create design variations. By placing features (e.g., nose, ears) on separate layers and sculpting them with "Record" mode on, you can create sliders to control and mix different design elements, generating numerous combinations.

6. Project Deliverables and Presentation

• ZAppLink Character Sheets:

  • Purpose: A feature in the "Document" palette to automatically create a contact sheet of multiple model views (Front, Back, Side, etc.).

  • Setup: Position the model for each desired view and click the corresponding button in ZApplink Properties to store the camera angle.

  • Generation: Click "Make Character Sheet" to send a composite image to Photoshop, with each view on its own layer.

  • Resolution: The output resolution is determined by the ZBrush document size. To create a high-resolution sheet, increase the document size (Document > Resize), clear the canvas (Ctrl+N), redraw the tool, enter Edit mode (T), and then generate the sheet again.

• Turntable Video:

  • Setup: In the "Movie" palette, set "Fade In" and "Fade Out" to zero and "Overlay Image" opacity to zero for a seamless loop. Increase the frame count (e.g., to 250) for a smoother spin.

  • Recording: Frame the model and click the "Turntable" button.

  • Exporting: Click the "Export" button and ensure the "H" button is enabled for highest quality.

• GoZ Path to Photoshop: If ZAppLink doesn't automatically find Photoshop, the path can be set manually in Preferences > GoZ > Path to Photoshop.

7. Course Logistics

• Work Submission: Students will use individual cloud folders to save and access their work, ensuring it is available for class critiques.

• Remote Access: Google Chrome's remote desktop feature can be used as a backup to access files on a home computer. This must be set up in advance.

• Communication: The instructor will send follow-up emails with expectations, AI-generated notes, video links, and an invitation to a class Discord server for live help and screen sharing.