CGTalk - ZBrush - the easiest, most intuitive way to model?

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MDesigner

07-01-2005, 12:02 AM

I'm probably asking in the wrong forum.. but please try to answer without bias.

I just got done watching some demo videos of ZBrush.. and man, it's amazing. It's like working with digital clay or digital putty. No hassles with working with a top/left/right view, fumbling with vertices and rifling through endless lists of functions and operators. Is there anything out there that lets you create models so easily and intuitively??

I've always been intimidated by 3D apps like 3dsmax, Maya, etc., because modelling is a real pain. But ZBrush looks very cool.

Thoughts?

remcv8

07-01-2005, 02:19 AM

Z-Brush is not as easy as you think. There's alot to learn, but I'll admit that it has a more "natural feel" to it. If you focus on one 3D app you'll eventually understand that the only difference essentially is the interface and terms they use for each function. I started out using Lightwave 5.5 and am using 7.5 now. I occasionally use Maya and Cinema 4d, and have messed around with alot of other 3D apps, but still stick to Lightwave for Scene work and modeling because it's my comfort zone. Z-Brush is an incredible tool for sculpting organic geometry and works well for export to other apps for Rigging and Animation.

Don't sell yourself short because of frustration. Learn an app and use it for it's potential and things will open up to you. Until Z-brush has powerful animation tools in it's arsenal there will always be the need for the other guys.

I'll always be the student and at some point in life I can teach someone something.

Z-Brush is awesome!!!

ThomasMahler

07-01-2005, 07:33 AM

Well, if you don't know anything about topology, edge loops, etc., then I'm sure that you won't be able to produce really good results inside of Z. ZBrush is the closest thing to digital clay out there, yes, but that doesn't mean that you don't have to learn anything if you're approaching it from a traditional sculptors perspective. It's just a different beast for different purposes. Nevertheless, learning how ZBrush works underneath _is_ required.

marcus-civis

07-01-2005, 01:32 PM

It depends very much on why you want to model. If your aim is to produce character models that will be animated then, as Thomas says, you'll have to learn about topology. But if you simply want to produce an organic model as quickly as possible then you hardly need to think about vertices at all, other than making sure your model has enough of them to take the detail you're trying to achieve. When I first tried the ZB demo I was amazed at how like modeling with clay it was - it just seemed so natural. It was the ability to model in that natural way that sold ZB to me. The only other program I'd tried that was similar was Amorphium.

I suggest if you haven't tried the demo, do so.

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