Week 3

Summary

The instructor leads a class critique session for a ZBrush character design assignment, likely in week three of the course. Students present multiple silhouette designs, and the class, along with the instructor, provides feedback to help each student select a final concept to develop further. The core of the session involves a group voting process to identify the most resonant designs, serving as a practical exercise in A/B testing to help students understand audience preferences. Following the voting and selection, the lecture shifts to the next steps in the project workflow (Steps 6-10). This involves cleaning up the chosen model by closing internal cavities, preparing it for ZRemesher, separating parts into polygroups, and adding surface details with alphas. The instructor also provides one-on-one critiques, demonstrating techniques like using Dynamesh to resolve topology issues.

Knowledge Points

1. Student Project Critiques & Voting

• Purpose of the Critique: The exercise is designed to help students understand what designs resonate with an audience, functioning like A/B testing to provide direct feedback for the artist.

• Voting Mechanism: The class votes on numbered design variations presented by students. Multiple rounds of voting narrow the pool to a few top contenders, from which the student makes a final selection.

• Charmaine's Project: After a class vote, design number one was selected from her top choices for her to proceed with.

• Unnamed Student's Project ('any book guy'): The student chose to proceed with design number 30, inspired by a classmate's comment that it looked like armor, fitting his bug and medieval armor theme. The instructor offered to share fantasy illustration references.

• Unnamed Student's Project (Deep Sea Creature): The instructor preferred design number 10 for its superior hierarchy of shapes, noting its distinct, gradually stepping elements (torso, head, ear flaps). Designs 2 and 22 had competing primary shapes and lacked strong secondary shapes. The student decided to proceed with number 10.

• Unnamed Student's Project (Group Voting): A student presented 50 designs. The class voted, with each person limited to three votes. The top designs were number 27 (five votes), number 10, and number 11.

• First Student's Review: After a voting process, design #29 was chosen to move forward. It was favored for feeling more "grounded" and "believable" in its anatomy compared to other top contenders like #21 and #26.

• Mo's Review: The instructor noted a lot of similarity between Mo's designs, advising that more variation needed to be programmed into the generative process. The top five selected designs were #2, #5, #20, #22, and #24.

• Fiona's Review: The top three choices from 67 designs were #8, #58, and #64. The instructor noted that design #64 had an interesting "adolescent" quality.

• Jordan's Project: The instructor began the critique by looking at the three-quarter view of the model.

2. Project Workflow and Technical Guidance

• Goal for the Week (Steps 6-10): Students are to progress from the variation voting stage (Step 6) to the end of the detailing stage (Step 10). This includes cleanup, a refinement pass, separating parts, using ZRemesher, creating polygroups, and adding surface details.

• Model Cleanup and Preparation:

  • Closing Internal Cavities: Use the Inflate brush to close gaps leading to internal cavities, then redynamesh the model. This optimizes the polygonal count for the outer surface.

  • Using Dynamesh to Fix Topology: To fix major geometry issues, duplicate the subtool, then use Dynamesh to merge the model into a solid piece. Holes can be filled and the model redynameshed and smoothed. Use the selection brush to hide parts of the model and inspect the interior for remaining issues.

  • Separating Model Parts: Parts like ears or horns can be separated into new subtools for easier management using the "Split Hidden" function.

• Retopology and Polygrouping:

  • ZRemesher with Guides: Use the ZRemesher Guides brush to direct topology flow, especially drawing circles around the eyes to create good edge loops. Never cross the center symmetry line with a guide.

  • Creating and Managing Polygroups: After retopologizing, separate the mesh into polygroups for easier isolation. A clean edge loop can be created around a polygroup by hitting Control + E. Jagged polygroup edges can be cleaned with the Smooth Directional brush.

• Surface Detailing and Sculpting:

  • The Goal of Sculpting: The fundamental purpose is to "capture the light" by creating forms that produce interesting highlights and shadows.

  • Adding Wrinkles and Micro-Details: Use the Damien Standard brush to sketch primary detail lines, using reference to tell a story on the model's surface.

  • Applying Alphas for Texture: Use alphas with the Standard brush and "Drag Rectangle" stroke type to add fine surface texture. Constantly adjust brush intensity and avoid dragging alphas up to the edge of hidden geometry to prevent hard lines.

• Technical Presentation Feedback:

  • ZBrush Document Size: A student's low-resolution image indicated the original ZBrush document was too small. Document height should be at least 1000 pixels to ensure sufficient resolution.

  • Readability of Numbers: The instructor advised making numbers on design sheets larger and adjusting value contrast (e.g., sampling a light color from the art itself) to prevent them from distracting from the designs.

4. Future Project Connection

• The creature busts from this project will be used as a starting point for a future project focused on character posing, where students will build out the rest of the body.

ZBrush Character Bust Sculpting Workflow and Class Q&A

Initial Model Preparation and Dynamesh Workflow

The instructor confirmed that character variant number eleven was selected. To streamline the scene, they advised selecting the active subtool and using Delete Other to remove everything not currently selected. With PolyFrame enabled, they inspected the mesh for smashed or inverted areas and turned on Double under Tool > Display Properties to see backfaces and assess internal conditions. The base bust showed substantial mashing and thin spots; the instructor used the Inflate brush to restore thickness and prevent internal cavities. They emphasized closing open backs or any exposed internal areas before Dynamesh to avoid creating unintended voids. General smoothing was recommended to relax stressed topology. Form corrections included significant work on the shoulders and potentially filling the stomach if the sculpt extends below the pectorals. The character will have a closed mouth.

They tested Dynamesh and found a resolution of 128 too low; 300 remained insufficient; 500 was “not bad” but still produced artifacts. When artifacts appear, the remedy is to add volume, then re-Dynamesh. The instructor simplified forms unlikely to be appreciated in the final read, used masking and SnakeHook to pull geometry into position, and rechecked the interior by slicing through the midsection with a selection brush to look for cavities. Any tunnels found were sealed by inflating at the channel entrances, restoring full visibility of all parts, and then re-Dynameshing. They stressed that Dynamesh cannot execute when any portion of the mesh is hidden.

Eyes were handled separately: before Dynamesh, mask them and use Clip Curve to push them back, then re-Dynamesh. To add proper eye geometry, append a Sphere, center with Gizmo, scale it, and mirror the eye with Modify Topology > Mirror And Weld. For eye presentation, enable MRGB, choose a matcap such as Toy Plastic for highlight specularity, then Color > Fill Object. Because true black is treated as transparent in ZBrush, any fully black subtool may disappear; the fix is to slightly lift the black value before filling. The main bust’s material was restored to SkinShade after the eyes. If sculpting asymmetrically (symmetry off), Mirror And Weld will copy from right to left on a Dynamesh model. The instructor noted they would freely jump around the model exploring solutions while refining primary forms.

Transition to a High-Resolution, Subdivided Mesh

The instructor assumed students were familiar with ZRemesher but outlined the complete handoff from Dynamesh to a clean, subdivided mesh. Because the session recording’s microphone died, a new, re-recorded video covering ZRemesher and alpha application will be provided.

They positioned ZRemesher as an ideal intermediary before full production retopology (particularly for games/animation). A new retopo brush (released in December) will be taught later—especially useful for hard-surface work. Future coursework (Project 3) introduces hard-surface concepts via a themed zen garden diorama with functional elements like a disguised stylus pin holder and a reverse incense burner (inspired by Aliens/Prometheus-style descending smoke). The instructor also contextualized ZBrush’s professional use (e.g., at the U.S. Mint and in medical illustration/animation) and contrasted ZBrush’s specialization with generalist tools. ZBrush integrates well with Blender, Maya, and 3ds Max, but the instructor argued large studios typically invest in specialized, non–open source pipelines.

Step-by-step transition workflow:

• Duplicate the Dynamesh subtool.

• Hide subtools you do not want projected (e.g., eyeballs).

• Ensure symmetry is on for the Dynamesh duplicate.

• Run ZRemesher on the duplicate. If high poly (e.g., 4.4 million) triggers errors, go to Geometry > Mesh Integrity > Fix Mesh.

• Control density by adjusting ZRemesher’s target count (e.g., from ~73k down to ~30k).

• Turn on eyeballs (or other subtools) for projection and enter Solo to isolate the new mesh.

• Divide once with Smooth enabled.

• Project All to transfer details from the Dynamesh source.

• After the first projection, inspect for open areas (e.g., within eyes). If holes exist, drop to the first subdivision and use Close Holes.

• Optionally unify polygroups before further subdivision.

• Continue Divide → Project in increments to avoid crashes, smoothing residual Dynamesh defects as needed.

• Watch for staircasing/aliasing to judge whether more subdivisions are necessary. Subdivide further to capture details, noting projection time increases with level.

• Once the new mesh reaches a suitable resolution (example given: ~3.6 million polys for a 4.4 million source), continue sculpting on the new mesh and consider discarding the original Dynamesh.

Projection performance guidance: if a projection exceeds 5 minutes, consider restarting ZBrush; the instructor allows up to 15 minutes depending on hardware.

Managing polygroups across subdivisions:

• Use Select Rectangle with a Lasso stroke to isolate clean edge loops.

• Hide selections to define polygroup borders and edge quality.

• Use Freeze Subdivision Levels to modify topology.

• Create edge loops with Ctrl+E, aiming for three to four loops between polygroups.

• Assign polygroups with Ctrl+W. To merge polygroups, select both via a shared vertex and press Ctrl+W.

• Reveal all with Ctrl+Shift tapping off-mesh; shrink loops with Ctrl+Shift+S.

• After unfreezing, ZBrush will project changes across all levels; unaffected areas may auto-mask.

• Clean up at the lowest level first, then climb to higher levels.

Interface tips: hold Ctrl while hovering to get pop-up help; Alt-tap on a UI element (e.g., Perspective) to open its palette. UI buttons can be hidden/misplaced but not deleted. Ctrl+E (Edge Loop) and “Edge Loop around mask border” are comparable.

The instructor demonstrated Project Bas Relief:

• Append a Cylinder; Group By Normals for caps; switch to Cylinder Y with values like 10, 10, 10 to avoid poles.

• Compress the cylinder; Crease PG to keep edges sharp upon subdivision.

• Mask a target area (e.g., face) on the Dynamesh model.

• Position the cylinder in front of the masked area with Transparency enabled; scale/rotate as needed.

• Use Project Bas Relief to transfer masked details—suitable for coin/relief creation.

High-Frequency Detailing with Alphas and Brushes

Final surface detailing should occur only after the ZRemesher handoff and sufficient subdivision; avoid doing this on Dynamesh to prevent staircasing and loss of crisp detail. The instructor recommended resolving mechanical-looking seams and planar facets first with ClayBuildup and smoothing, then proceeding to microdetail.

Alpha usage:

• Use the Standard brush with DragRect for controlled alpha stamping.

• Load alphas into the Alpha slot. If a texture loads into the Texture channel, use Make Alpha to convert.

• ZBrush ships with default alphas; additional alphas and 3D brushes are available online. A coupon code “L-CAD” can provide free alphas. Many packs contain duplicates—import selectively.

• Keep alpha intensity moderate to avoid overly deep impressions that complicate projection or disrupt topology later.

• For pores and fine wrinkles, Color Spray with Alpha 60 (bundled with ZBrush) works well. Apply directionally in an “X” approach to follow forms.

• Toggle between Stroke and Color Spray as you layer noise and pores.

• Turn symmetry off near the midline to avoid mirrored blemishes (e.g., symmetrical freckles) that read as artificial. Favor asymmetry and apply details away from the midline.

• Enable Backface Masking before detailing thin structures (e.g., ears) to avoid imprinting through to the backside.

• Reserve pores and other high-frequency content for the last 25% of the sculpt.

For wrinkles and creases, Damien Standard was recommended, guided by gravity, material density, and the interplay of rigid versus malleable shapes. The instructor emphasized working from anatomical knowledge, then taking tasteful artistic license, while keeping details naturalistic and not overcomplicated.

Student-Specific Troubleshooting and Q&A

Mesh integrity and Dynamesh issues:

• Thin, overlapping or paper-thin regions: use SnakeHook to pull adjacent geometry over and cover the thin area so that Dynamesh fuses it into a single, thicker mass. Overhangs with no visible angle are not worth fine detailing; simplify instead.

• Joined vertices after a low Dynamesh resolution: isolate with the selection brush, Delete Hidden, Close Holes, Smooth, and re-Dynamesh. The instructor also suggested raising the area and “retopomesh” as a corrective pass.

• When to ZRemesh: after you have covered forms with ClayBuildup following muscle fiber directions, smoothed to eliminate planar facets, and stabilized volumes; then duplicate and ZRemesh for clean topology.

• Lost polygroups: they are typically lost during Dynamesh unless preserved deliberately. The instructor advised postponing polygroup concerns until after ZRemesher and projection, unless you specifically need them for localized sculpting.

Display, selection, and color:

• Double-sided viewing to see internal surfaces: Tool > Display Properties > Double.

• If color seems “stuck red” or fill color is unresponsive, verify PolyFrame and Frame settings; the instructor toggled these to restore expected color control.

• True black equals transparency in ZBrush; use a near-black for visibility, then fill.

Alphas and timing:

• Clarification: ZRemesh before adding alphas to ensure high-fidelity detail capture.

Eyes and materials recap:

• If eyes were not separated pre-Dynamesh, mask and Clip Curve them back, then re-Dynamesh; later append a sphere, center and scale, then Mirror And Weld for symmetry.

• Apply eye material/color with MRGB and Fill Object; revert the bust’s material to SkinShade afterward.

General guidance:

• Early in the process, do not overinvest in polygroups; focus on sculpting. Reintroduce polygroups post–ZRemesher as needed.

• Use references; step away to gather visual material before elaborating features to avoid misguided detail.

Class Administration and Project Guidelines

Course pacing and resources:

• Students should be ready to move forward with steps eleven and twelve—alphas and final refinement—by next week and understand the remaining work to finish the project. The final submission should not be a Dynamesh model.

• Week three videos cover the pipeline from Dynamesh to high-fidelity detail. Students are encouraged to watch and scrub through to relevant sections. A new video (with a rerecorded explanation of ZRemesher and alphas) will be released due to a microphone failure in the recording.

• Next week will include instruction on the Contrast Delta brush. The instructor will offer a “final glance” before submissions to help students polish their work.

• The instructor allows post-critique improvements to raise grades, offering flexibility within a semester-long timeline. Attendance is graded per accreditation policy.

Tools and policy:

• Blender is prohibited in this class. Although the instructor has used Blender for client work, they emphasized that AAA pipelines favor specialized tools; ZBrush integrates well with Maya and Max and is preferred for sculpt specialization. Generalists should understand specialists’ tools sufficiently to communicate effectively.

Project 3 preview:

• Themed zen garden diorama (movie-inspired) with functional elements: a disguised stylus pin holder and a reverse incense burner (smoke descends, conceptually akin to Aliens/Prometheus).

Action Items

• @Instructor

  • Create and publish a new video covering ZRemesher, alphas, and subdivisions with clear explanation and time codes - in the next day or day and a half

  • Email all students when the new video is ready for review - [TBD]

  • Teach the Contrast Delta brush segment in the next class - next week

  • Provide a final pre-submission glance on student projects before they submit - [TBD]

• @Students

  • Be ready to move forward with steps eleven and twelve (alphas and final refinement) by next class - by next week

  • Watch the provided video(s) covering alphas and how to use them in ZBrush - [TBD]

  • Watch the video on the ZRemesher process - [TBD]

  • Review the steps in the provided videos (week three: Dynamesh through high-fidelity detailing) to ensure process clarity - [TBD]

  • Reach out to the instructor with questions during the week outside of class - [TBD]

  • Upload files to the cloud and notify the instructor if something is not working so they can assist via screen share - [TBD]

  • Communicate any post-critique changes made to the project to the instructor - [TBD]