phyllit
09-20-2006, 04:48 PM
hi guys!
maybe some of you find that interesting:
when you have your medres character in maya ready for applying blendshapes just for the head for example, wouldn't it be nice to model the blendshapes within zbrush? the good thing is: you actually can!
here's a workflow i found out:
when you have your character in maya as one solid mesh, go ahead and select just the faces for the head. then use 'edit polygons - extract' now the head is a separate mesh. delete the history on the head and export it as an .obj. save the maya scene file.
in zbrush you import the .obj head and do all the stuff you have to do to create the facial expression you need. (i assume you're familiar with zbrush)
then export the finished head with the new facial expression from zbrush as an obj again. be sure to use a different filename to keep the original imported .obj head (be also sure to turn off grouping in the export options)
open maya and load the scene file you previously saved. delete the original head and reimport the original .obj head
import the .obj head you remodeled in zbrush and place it beside the original head.
select all objects and apply the same shader. (this is just for looks)
in your original character, first select the head, then the body and combine them. the use 'edit polygons - merge vertices'. then select all objects and be sure to delete history on them.
now select the remodelled head and then the whole combined character and apply 'deform - create blendshape options'. reset the settings and be sure to turn off 'check topology'.
hit 'apply' and voila, you have your blendshape assigned, being able to use all the ultracool tools zbrush has to offer for creating facial expressions, which in my opinion, are far superior to those maya has to offer...
hope you find this helpful. enjoy!
maybe some of you find that interesting:
when you have your medres character in maya ready for applying blendshapes just for the head for example, wouldn't it be nice to model the blendshapes within zbrush? the good thing is: you actually can!
here's a workflow i found out:
when you have your character in maya as one solid mesh, go ahead and select just the faces for the head. then use 'edit polygons - extract' now the head is a separate mesh. delete the history on the head and export it as an .obj. save the maya scene file.
in zbrush you import the .obj head and do all the stuff you have to do to create the facial expression you need. (i assume you're familiar with zbrush)
then export the finished head with the new facial expression from zbrush as an obj again. be sure to use a different filename to keep the original imported .obj head (be also sure to turn off grouping in the export options)
open maya and load the scene file you previously saved. delete the original head and reimport the original .obj head
import the .obj head you remodeled in zbrush and place it beside the original head.
select all objects and apply the same shader. (this is just for looks)
in your original character, first select the head, then the body and combine them. the use 'edit polygons - merge vertices'. then select all objects and be sure to delete history on them.
now select the remodelled head and then the whole combined character and apply 'deform - create blendshape options'. reset the settings and be sure to turn off 'check topology'.
hit 'apply' and voila, you have your blendshape assigned, being able to use all the ultracool tools zbrush has to offer for creating facial expressions, which in my opinion, are far superior to those maya has to offer...
hope you find this helpful. enjoy!