Is zbrush for me?.....thinking of adding it to my pipeline

[chadtheartist]

HAHA! I don't know why people keep saying Zbrush is cheating. It takes skill to make something look good, not matter what application. If they're talking about high-frequency details, then yeah, Zbrush does have the upper hand in that area. But for organic modeling, i.e. volume modeling, there isn't an app that comes close, in the same price range that is.

Zbrush now has a demo, so you can try it out for yourself. XSI 5 has some features that were specifically designed for Zbrush, so you'll find it plays well with it. Getting any Gnomon DVD on Zbrush will probably get you up to speed in the app pretty quick. Preferably I'd get Meats intro DVD's, as they would probably be the most thorough. Then I'd get Aaron's.

Good luck, and don't forget to post your work.

[webhead]

P.s, ive heard people say zbrush is cheating???, what exactly do they mean?

I have a friend who used to tell me that he thought doing animation with a computer was cheating. I don't buy it at all. If computers or software do everything for you, then why do you still see computer animators/modelers that are lousy and others that shine like beacons. I've seen great animation/modeling done with cheap low-level software and lousy stuff done with the high-end stuff and vise-versa. I've asked myself tons of times, "How did that guy do that?" ZBrush, like any other software, is just a tool. It still takes a talented person with creativity, a good sense of design, sculpting, anatomy, texturing, and lighting just to name a few. If something makes my job easier, makes me more productive, than it's not a cheat --it's a worthwhile investment.

[rb25_det]

Spot on man, thats exactly how i feel about the subject, i mean if theres a program that lets us go wild in imagination, and does so w/o too much hassle on the artist's end, than so be it....

Who would zbrush be good for?, im just wondering whether or not i should go for it or not....

cheers

[rb25_det]

btw, do the end result meshes in zbrush, after detailing result in high no of polygon counts to the model, or is it just a displacement map sort of thing....or both even???

[chadtheartist]

Zbrush derives it's displacement maps from high-polygon models. It's unique in this aspect because you can lower and increase the resolution as you sculpt. So you can pick and choose what polygon count, and/or what displacement map you want to use.

It's hard to say if Zbrush is for you or not. If you're going to be doing a lot of organic modeling, then I'd say you couldn't do any wrong by including Zbrush in your pipeline. If you're mostly focused on inorganic models, then I'd say just stick with XSI. But Zbrush is also a texturing app too, so it may be useful for that aspect too.

[rb25_det]

Texture mapper?.you mean like deep paint3d and the likes, or something less complex?.....interestingi never knew that

[Art2]

Zbrush as a texturing app was a welcome surprise to me too when I got it.
It just keeps on surprising me with what you can do with it and of course what 2.5 will be able to do. Check out the vid by Caroline Delen (http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=28111)

[Frwanque]

Wow Very Useful do you think it's possible to export only the texture you did on it too put it on the max File?

[leigh]

Wow Very Useful do you think it's possible to export only the texture you did on it too put it on the max File?

Yep, you just need to flip it vertically because ZBrush works upside down. I use ZBrush a lot for texturing - it's awesome. And the new ZAppLink plugin makes it an even more powerful texturing tool than before!

[jimzepellin]

P.s, ive heard people say zbrush is cheating???, what exactly do they mean?

If I was you I would just ignore people who say stupid things like that.
If Zbrush is cheating then, I think artists should stop using pencils and use a burnt twig instead, car drivers should tie a donkey to their bumper and astronauts going to the moon should just use a big long ladder.
Anyway now that I've got that out of my system. If you are interested in 2D, 2.5D, 3D, sculpting or just want to have fun, you'll love Zbrush. It's relativly easy to get up and going with as long as you press the Edit button, which seems to catch a lot of people out. The interface is pretty diabolical and it can sometimes be a pain to use, but all the bad points are swept away when you create your first dodgy head with lumps and bumps like it's been beaten with a baseball bat and a nose like a turnip. After this it just gets better and better.

[Blaine91555]

Cheating.:eek: Next time someone tells you that - sit them down in front of ZBrush and have them show you how to cheat. ZBrush is far more chalenging that a brush, pencil or pen. It's a whole new (forgive the pun) dimension. :thumbsup: I think what they mean is that they are jealous of ZBrush owners. I've never been able to get excited about 3D modeling as it seemed more like drafting than art. Too tedious and not enough freedom to be creative. Then I tried ZBrush and I can't put it down. It's worth every penny and I would not hesitate to buy it again. In fact I bought LightWave to compliment ZBrush, not the other way around. It's as close to sculpting as a computer is capable of. The support is first class and the in house forums are a endless supply of instruction and ideas. When I figure out how to afford a Cintique I think I'll be a real happy camper. I don't believe you could go wrong buying it.

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