Zbrush questions about my current project

# 1 19-05-2012 , 08:10 AM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 219

I posted this in a couple of zbrush forums but couldn't get any answers. I think it will be best i post it under members lounge..

What to do before retopologizing and getting the normal map???
I finally finished a cartoon sculpt, but have questions in mind before i do the topology and getting the normal map out of it. I am new to zbrush and know of the software i can say. Have some modelling experience in maya mostly. So detailed sculpts are a challenge for me. I will have some questions on my model, so if you could help i would be more than pleased.

1- My subtools are all in different subdivision models and i can see the edges on some pieces. The model is looking good from far but when i get close i can see the edges, and it makes it hard to add alpha details on surfaces. How should the mdel look at close up? How should i polish without schrinking my objects and get rid of the edgy look? See picture for ref...

https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4258/prep1l.jpg

2- The model itself with all pieces is at 2.1M polygons. And i have lost the lowest sub-d level on some pieces ( i dont know how i did this !) . So the naked body is at 600k poly locked down. Shouhld i stick with 2M polygons? Maya wont handle much more... Or do you have any suggestions?

3- I tried to polish some areas of the model for a very long time but i still have some weird looking stroke effects even when looked from far away. Is that a problem? Will it look too obvious when textured?

https://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4171/prep2.jpg

4- I inserted another mesh for the hand. Ä°mported the mesh and combined them in zbrush with dynamesh. But when i did that the body was subdivided a couple of times. I cant remember if i subdivided the hand, and later used dynamesh. But if you look at the image bleow the topology of the hand and the body looks different. Also the smoothness level is different between the body and the hand. I dont know how i will fix this but cant make details on the hand because of this reason? Is there a way to smooth parts of the same subtool differently? What will be the process on this?

https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9311/prep3.jpg
https://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3637/prep4.jpg
https://img140.imageshack.us/img140/4397/prep5.jpg

If someone with knowledge could help me i would be more than pleased. Because this is the part i should start learning topo and detailing. So any advices will be more than helpful.

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# 2 19-05-2012 , 09:42 AM

The thin red line
Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: England

Posts: 4,472

You need to understand how the work flow should be between maya and zbrush, the idear is that you export a low poly mesh to zbrush then make a high poly model with sculpt then in zbrush go back to its lowest level create normal/displacement(if using) and texture maps to be exported back to maya with the low poly model. 1 just needs more sudivisions. 2 model as meny polys as zbrush can handle like I said at the beginning you want to export back your lowest level back to maya. 3 drop down a level or two then use a smoothing brush with low values. 4 I will leave this one to some one else as I dont use zbrush any more there might be some new bits to fix this or you could just remodel this get in the practice.............dave

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Last edited by daverave; 19-05-2012 at 10:21 AM.

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# 3 19-05-2012 , 01:11 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011

Posts: 219

Thanks dave. Some things cleared up on my mind. + I read a few more things on different sites. I am actually thinking of using the zbrush retopology tool to make another low poly model. I tried to keep the subd level low in zbrush to see if i could get the best result. The reason i did this was to use the zbrush retop tool. Alternative to that, i was thinking of using the NEX plug-in in maya. Thats why i kept the subd low. But now it seems impossible to use nex.

I cant lower the subd level on body mesh anymore. I am trying to find the best polishing ways to fix this issue. Remesh, dynamesh, clay polish seems all the same to me. I think i need more time on this one : /

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Zbrush questions about my current project

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