ZBrush Documentation Guide

ZBrush User Guide - Disclamer
ZBRUSH
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ZBRUSH USER GUIDE

PHASE 1 - DISCALMER
Please read this information before consulting the ZBrush User Guide.
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ZBrush is an extremely powerful piece of software which includes features ranging

from simple to highly advanced in order to give you access to a plethora of solutions for
creating astonishing artwork.
To help you better understand how to use ZBrush, you already have access to the
Whats New guides provided with each new version of ZBrush (located in the Documen-
tation folder), the Online Documentation and of course videos through the ZClassroom.
We are constantly adding to this collection of learning tools and the new ZBrush User
Guide will contain almost everything you need to learn ZBrush functions and workflows.
However, be aware that the creation of this guide is ongoing. ZBrush is one of the most
innovative and creative 3D packages available and with each new release, hundreds of
new features and changes are added. Additionally, people are constantly surprising us
with innovative ways to use ZBrushs features to create remarkable results!
For these reasons, we have decided to release an unfinished version of the User
Guide now. We will continue to work on completing the project, with the finished guide
being scheduled for the next major ZBrush release. Please visit our Download Center on
a regular basis to access any updates to this User Guide.
If you have any inquiries, wish to report an error or would like to suggest extra infor-
mation for this guide, please contact: documentation@pixologic.com.
The Pixologic Team
ZBrush Documentation Guide - version 0.1
This documentation has been written by Thomas Roussel, Paul Gaboury, Matthew Yetter and
Mark Burgess
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Learn and Share
Youre invited to visit our ZClassroom for a huge database of free high quality movies
explaining all the main features of ZBrush. Here you will also find the Artists Spotlight,
where famous 3D Artists explain how they use ZBrush, helping inspire you to create
like the pros.
Dont forget to subscribe for free to our ZBrushCentral community with over 300,000
members to discover tips, view artists creations, locate useful help for all things related
to ZBrush or post your works-in-progress!
We encourage you to regularly visit our ZBrush Blog as well as our social media
outlets where you will find all the news related to the ZBrush universe, from the most
recent Interview to new plugins or gallery additions.
ZClassRoom Portal: http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/
Artist Spotlight: http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/artistspotlight/
ZBrushCentral: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/
ZBlog: http://www.pixologic.com/blog/
Pixologic.com: http://www.pixologic.com
Pixologic Social Media: Facebook - Google+ - Twitter - Pinterest
Mac OS X & Windows version of ZBrush
Instead of the Windows Ctrl key, the Macintosh uses the Command (Apple) Key. This
documentation will always refer to using the Ctrl key name, although it may sometimes
list both as Ctrl/Command. When the Ctrl key is mentioned anywhere in the documenta-
tion a Macintosh user will want to use the Command key instead.
The same is true for the Windows Enter key, which the Macintosh calls Return. When
seeing the Enter key mentioned anywhere in this documentation, a Mac user will want to
use the Return key instead.
The Close/Quit, Hide, Minimize and Maximize buttons are located on the top right in
Windows and at the top left on Mac OS X.
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ZBrush User Guide - Table of Content
TABLE OF CONTENT
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ZBRUSH USER GUIDE PHASE 1 - DISCALMER . . . 2
PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE

CONSULTING THE ZBRUSH USER GUIDE. . . . . . . 2
TABLE OF CONTENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
UPGRADING & . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ACTIVATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
I System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
II Installation and Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
III Upgrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IV Auto Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1. Auto Update In Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2. Auto Update Within ZBrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
V Summary of the Activation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
VI Deactivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
VII Activation Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
VIII Un-installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
IX Support Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
X Backward Compatibility of ZBrush Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
I Undo and Undo History Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
II History and Project File Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
III History Functions and Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
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Del UH (Delete Undo History) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Undo Counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Restore Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
IV Undo History Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Show Undo Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Show Time Stamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Max Undo History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Warn When Deleting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Enable Saving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Skip Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
TRANSPOSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
I Manipulating the Action Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
1. Creating the Action Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
2. Action Line Direction: First and Last Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
3. Transpose Axis Selectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4. Moving the Action Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5. Moving the First and End Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
6. Action Line Automatic Position Based on the Normal Surface . . . . . . 51
7. Action Line Automatic Position Based on the Selection . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8. Tips, Tricks and Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
II Primary TransPose Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
1. Move Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2. Scale Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
3. Rotate Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
III Example of Posing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
IV TransPose and Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
1. TransPose Topology Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
2. TransPose Smart Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3. Quick One-Touch Masking of PolyGroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
V Model Operations Using TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
1. TransPose Curve Deformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
2. Flatten a Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
3. Inflating a Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
4. Extruding Topology with Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
5. Inserting an Edge Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
6. Duplicating a Mesh with Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
7. Duplication and Negative Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
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8. Working with Duplication and the Mesh Insert Brushes . . . . . . . . . . . 69

VI TransPose Screen Working Plane Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
1. Rotating the View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
2. Storing the view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3. Restoring the view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
VII TransPose Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Unit Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Set Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Minor Ticks Per Units slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Major Ticks Per Units slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Calibration Distance slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
VIII TransPose with Multiple SubTools: TransPose Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
SHADOWBOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
I Entering Shadow Box Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
II Modify in ShadowBox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
III Shadow Box Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
IV Working with SubTools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
V Using References on the Working Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
VI Hiding Working planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
VII Key sculpting points for shadowbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
ARRAY MESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
I Array Mesh Stages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
II Working with TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
III Pivot Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
IV Array Mesh and NanoMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
1. Duplicating a NanoMesh with an Array Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
2. Converting an Array Mesh to a NanoMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
V Working with Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
VI Array Mesh Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
LightBox > Array Mesh Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
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Open and Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Array Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Lock Position, Lock Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Switch XY, Switch XZ, Switch YZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Transform Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Append New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Insert New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Copy, Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Repeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Smooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Align to Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Align to Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Pattern Start, Pattern Length, Pattern On, Pattern Off . . . . . . . . . 100
X Mirror, Y Mirror, Z Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Rotate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Pivot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
X, Y, Z Amount and X, Y, Z Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Convert to NanoMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
QUICKMESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
I Quick Mesh Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
QCube . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
QSphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
QCyl X, Y and Z (Quick Cylinder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
X, Y and Z Res (Resolution) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
ZMODELER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
I ZClassRoom Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
II Introduction to the ZModeler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
1. Context-Based Actions: Points, Edges, Polygons and Curves . . . . . . 111
2. Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
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III The ZModeler Brush: Actions and Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

IV Options and Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
V Edge Selector Widget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
1. Highlighting a Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
2. Highlighting an Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
3. Highlighting a Polygon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
VI The Do Nothing Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
VII Working With PolyGroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
1. Propagation of PolyGroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
2. Temporary PolyGroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
3. Changing of PolyGroups During an Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
4. Copying an Existing PolyGroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
VIII Replay the Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
IX ZModeler and Masking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
X Point Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Crease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Do Nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Make Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
QMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Slide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
XI Edge Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Add to Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Align . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Bevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Close Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Collapse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Crease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Do Nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
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Insert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Inset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Move Auto Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Move Brush Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Move Infinite Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
PolyGroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
QMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Slide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Spin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Stitch (Hole) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Swivel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Unweld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
XII Polygon Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Add to Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Bevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Crease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Do Nothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Equalize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Inflate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Insert NanoMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Insert Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Insert Polyloops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Inset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Mesh to Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Polygroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
QMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Spherize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Spin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Spin Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
TransPose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Unweld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
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ZModeler Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Bevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
XIV ZModeler Brush Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
1. EdgeLoop Versus PolyLoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
2. Point Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
By Brush Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Point(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Infinite Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Infinite X, Y or Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Infinite XYZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
3. Edge Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
EdgeLoop Complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
EdgeLoop Partial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Multiple EdgeLoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Single EdgeLoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Edge Strip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
PolyLoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Two Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
PolyGroup Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Concave Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Convex Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Two Holes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
4. Polygon Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
A Single Poly (Polygon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
All Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
All Quads (Quadrangles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
All Triangles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Behind & Polygroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Brush Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Connected Polys (Polygons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Curved Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Facing Front All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Facing Front Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Flat & PolyGroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Flat Border . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Flat Inner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Flat Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
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Infront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Infront & Polygroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Poly (Polygon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Poly Corners (Polygon Corners) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
PolyGroup All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Polygroup Border . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Polygroup Inner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Polygroup Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Polyloop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Polyloop & Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Polyloop & Polygroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Two Polys (Two Polygons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
5. Curve Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
All Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
DYNAMIC SUBDIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

I Dynamic Subdivision Blended with Classic Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
II Dynamic Subdivision Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
III Dynamic Subdivision HotKeys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
IV Dynamic Subdivision and Saved Projects/Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
V Priority Order of the different Dynamic Subdivision sliders . . . . . . . . . . . 189
VI Dynamic Subdivision Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Dynamic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
QGrid (Quick Grid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
QGrid Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
QGrid Constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
QGrid Bevel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
QGrid Chamfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Flat Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Smooth Subdivision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
NANOMESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
I NanoMesh Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
1. The Placement Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
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2. The Instanced Geometry (Nanos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

3. The NanoMesh Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
II NanoMesh Demonstration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
III Working with Multuiple NanoMeshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
1. Multiple NanoMeshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
2. Polygons with Multiple NanoMeshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
IV NanoMesh Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
1. Main settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
NanoMesh Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
NanoMesh On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hide Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
<< and >> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Copy and Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Edit Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Edit Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Proportional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Constant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Clip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Width, Length and Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
XOffset, YOffset and ZOffset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
XRotation, YRotation and ZRotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
xVar - Variation (W, L, H, I R Var, etc) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Flip H and Flip V (Flip Horizontal and Flip Vertical) . . . . . . . . . . 205
H Tile and V Tile (Horizontal Tile and Vertical Tile) . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Pattern (and Pattern Selector Pop-up) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Random Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Random Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
2. Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Align to Normal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Align to Short Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Align to Long Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Align to Near Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Align to Point Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Align to Random Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
No Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
3. Colorize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Restore NanoMesh MRGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Mesh MRGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
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Mesh Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Mesh Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
UI MRGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
UI Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
UI Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Adjust Hue, Saturation and Intensity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Adjust Variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
4. UV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Use Base Mesh UVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Use Base Mesh Texture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
5. Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
One to Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
6. All to Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Replace NanoMesh from Current Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Delete One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Delete All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
MICROMESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
I About MicroMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
II MicroMesh and Millions of Polygons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
III MicroMesh Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
IV Converting a MicroMesh to a Real Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
MESH FUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

I Creating a Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
II Replacement and Topology Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
III Replacement Part Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
ZREMESHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
I ZRemesher Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
II The Concept of Adaptive Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
III Partial Mesh Retopology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
IV Symmetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
V Working with Curves: the ZRemesher Guide brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
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VI Spirals in the Retopology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

VII ZRemesher and Hard Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1. Mesh Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
2. Work with PolyGroups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
3. Use curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
VIII ZRemesher and High Polycount Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
IX Transferring High Resolution Detail to a ZRemeshed Model . . . . . . . . . 244
1. Freeze Subdivision Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
2. Duplicating your SubTool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
X ZRemesher Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
ZRemesher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Freeze border . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Freeze Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Keep Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Smooth Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Adaptive Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Use PolyPaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Color Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Target Polygons Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Half, Same, Double . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Adaptive Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Curve Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
XI Tips and Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
SURFACE NOISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

I About the Surfaces Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
II Apply Surface Noise Onto your 3D model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
1. Noise Maker 3D Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
III Surface Noise and Real Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
IV Noise Maker in ZBrush Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
V Noise in Transparency with DynaMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
VI Noise Maker Mask Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
VII Mixing Noises from multiple sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
VIII Using an Alpha in Noise Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
IX Using an Alpha in the Noise Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
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X Surface Noise Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Delete (Del) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Lightbox > NoiseMakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Smooth Normals (SNorm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Smooth UVs (Suv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Apply to Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Mask by Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
UnMask by Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
XI Noise Maker Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
1. Noise Maker settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
UV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Noise Plugin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Noise Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Plugin Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Alpha Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Magnify by Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Mix Basic Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Strength by Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Mix, Multiply, Difference, Minimum and Maximum . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Color Blending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Curve editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
X, Y and Z Offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
X, Y and Z Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
X, Y and Z scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Reset Offset, Angle and Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
XII Noise Plugin Interface and Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
XIII Noise Maker Plugin Common Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
XIV Procedural Generator Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Brick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Camouflage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Checkerboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Cheetah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
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Corrugated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Dents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Erosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
FBM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Gradient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Granite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
HexTile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Houndstooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Nested Shapes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Perlin Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Plaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Psychedelic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Simple Marble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Simplex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Snake Skin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Speckled Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Spiral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Stripes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Turbulence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Voronoi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Voronoi Tiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Weave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
ZigZag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
SPOTLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
I Working with SpotLight: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
II Organizing and Working with multiple textures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
III Saving / Restoring SpotLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
IV Spotlight for Image References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
V SpotLight Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Rotate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Spot Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Spot Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Opacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Fade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
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Tile Proportional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

Tile Selected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tile Unified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Delete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Flip H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Flip V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tile H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tile V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Restore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Nudge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Clone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Smudge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Saturation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Hue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Intensity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Fill portions of an image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
TIMELINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
I Enabling the Timeline: basic Key framing and Timeline options . . . . . . 308
II TimeLine Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Export Name (save as MDD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Go Previous & Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Timeline Magnification slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Auto mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Load Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Remove Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Start Playback Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Duration Slider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
III Working with the Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
1. Playing and saving an animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
2. Navigation in the track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
3. Working with Animation Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
4. Working with Keyframes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
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1.1 Creating keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

1.2 Selecting a single Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
1.3 Deleting keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
1.4 Multiple selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
1.5 Moving Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
1.6 Duplicate Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
1.7 Replace Key information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
1.8 Cut your animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
1.9 Add Ease In and Ease Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
5. Enabling / disabling tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
6. Linking Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
IV The different tracks of ZBrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Wireframes (Polyframe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Transparent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
SubTool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
ZSphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Subdivision levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Explode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
V Working with Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
1. Working with Beats markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
VI Record and Preview the final Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
HISTORY MOVIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
CREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
I Overview of the History Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
II Movie Creation Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
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HFrames (History Frames) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

HRecenter (History Recenter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
HOrientation (History Orientation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
HPosition (History Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
History Camera Path Smoothness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
POSTERIZATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
I Posterization of the Curve Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
II Posterization for Materials and Rendering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
1. 3D Posterization at Render Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
2. 2D Posterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
III Posterization as a BPR Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Edge Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Ed Exp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Ed Ds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Ed Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
E Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
IV Outline of the Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
KEYSHOT FOR ZBRUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

I About the KeyShot for ZBrush Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
II Installing and Activating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
III Deactivating the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge Plugin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
IV Supported and Non-Supported ZBrush Data Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
1. Geometry and Meshes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
2. Color, Textures and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
3. Environmental Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
4. Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
V Basic Workflow from ZBrush to KeyShot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
1. Changing the Rendering Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
2. Setting the Bridge Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
3. Sending Data from ZBrush to KeyShot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
4. Going Back from KeyShot to ZBrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
VI Working with ZBrush Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
1. Material Priority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
2. Multiple Materials in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
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3. Working with Texture and PolyPaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

4. Working with Surface Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
VII ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
KeyShot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Max Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Auto Merge Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Group By Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Send Document Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
THANK YOU! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

I Thank You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
II Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
22
ZBrush User Guide - Installation, Upgrade and Activation
INSTALLATION
UPGRADING &
ACTIVATION
All the steps you need to install or upgrade ZBrush, as well as to leverage its activation system.
23
This is the useful information that you will need to know when installing and up-
grading ZBrush on your computer. This chapter also describes the activation and de-
activation process. Understanding how the activation system works will help you avoid
difficulties should you upgrade your computer, reinstall your operating system, etc.
I System Requirements
Recommended:
Operating System: Windows Vista or newer. Mac OS X 10.7 or newer. (32-bits
or 64-bits for either platform.)
CPU: Pentium D or newer (or equivalent such as AMD Athlon 64 X2 or newer)
with optional multithreading or hyperthreading capabilities.
6 GB recommended.
Disk Space: 750 MB for ZBrush, plus 16 GB for the scratch disk.
Pen tablet: Wacom or Wacom compatible.
Notes:
The scratch disk may be a different drive from where ZBrush is installed.
Having ZBrush and its scratch disk running on an SSD drive will result in improved perfor-
mance.
Minimum System Requirements:
Operating System: Windows Vista or newer. Mac OS X 10.7 or newer. (32-bits

or 64-bits for either platform.)
CPU: P4 or AMD Opteron or Athlon64 Processor. (Must have SSE2 -- Stream-
ing SIMD Extensions 2. All CPUs from 2006 or later support SSE2.)
RAM: 1024 MB (2048 MB required for working with multi-million-poly models).
Disk Space: 750 MB for ZBrush, plus 8 GB for the scratch disk.
Monitor: 1280x1024 monitor resolution set to 32-bits or Millions of Colors.
24
II Installation and Activation
ZBrush installation is based on an installer application, which is similar on both Win-

dows and Mac OSX operating systems.
After downloading the ZBrush installer you can run it to be guided through the activa-
tion process.
For all the information about the process of the installation and activation, please
read the Install_and_activate_ZBrush.pdf located in the ZBrush documentation fold-
er or available to download at our Download Center: http://zbru.sh/docs or visit our online
documentation website; http://zbru.sh/onlinedocs
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you make a backup copy of the installer after
you have downloaded it. Download links are valid for two downloads or seven days,
whichever comes first. Our Support staff is happy to renew your download link at any
time but we also know from experience that people often need to reinstall on an evening
or weekend when there is nobody available to assist you.
Special notes for Mac users:
1. The download is a Disk Image (DMG) file which mounts to be like any other disk
on your computer. In some cases, a Finder window does not automatically open
after mounting the DMG. If that happens, you will find it within your Devices list.
Opening that will then allow you to run the installer itself.
2. Upon running the installer you may receive a message to the effect that it is from
an unknown publisher. In this case you will need to disable Gatekeeper before
you will be able to run the installer. Apple explains how to do this here: http://
support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491
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III Upgrading
Depending on your current ZBrush version and what you need to upgrade to, there
are two upgrade paths available:
Using a full installer to perform a clean install of a fresh new copy of ZBrush.
This does not require any earlier version to already be on your computer.
Using an upgrader (downloaded from our Download Center or through the Auto
Upgrader system) which will duplicate your current ZBrush folder and then up-
grade the copy without affecting your current installation.
The full installer takes longer to download, but is greatly preferred. Using it avoids
any possible permissions issues. Also, if there are any problems with your current
ZBrush installation (even those you might not be aware of), an update will copy those
problems to the new installation! The full installer avoids that possibility. You will still be
able to manually copy any desired files from the old installation to the new one.
If you do wish to use the update process instead of the full installer, please read the
Auto Update chapter of this section.
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IV Auto Update
ZBrush includes an Auto Update system which can check with the Pixologic serv-
ers at your request to see if a new update is available.
This will support a variety of updates: Any upgrades ZBrush itself, the release of a
new plugin, changes to existing plugins, GoZ upgrades, documentation changes, etc.
This process is initiated manually and is voluntary. It is recommended that you run
it from time to time to see if a new update is available.
1. Auto Update In Action
The Auto Update is a separate application named ZUpgrader.exe (.app for Mac us-
ers), located at the root of your ZBrush folder.
This program can be executed by itself and when you wish to check for a new up-
date or upgrade. Make sure that ZBrush is closed, then simply double-click ZUpgrader
to run it.
An installer-like window will open. From there, simply follow the steps to check for
any available updates. The application will tell you whether or not something is available
for download.
If no update is available, the software will automatically quit.

If an update is available, the software will start the download. When the up-
date has finished downloading, it will be launched automatically and guide you
through the installation.
Auto Update in action.
27
The update installer is similar to the ZBrush full install process. Just follow the steps
to install the new components. The Auto Updater will automatically place all files in their
proper locations. When installation is finished the updater will close and you can launch
ZBrush to enjoy the new features or changes.
You will also find the updates installer as a new program in the root of your ZBrush
folder. You can keep it for future use or simply delete it. We recommend that you keep
the most recent update and delete any older ones.
Note:
Each new update will include all items since the most recent ZBrush version release. This
means that if youve just installed ZBrush you will not need to download multiple updates a
single download will be all thats necessary to bring your installation up to date.
2. Auto Update Within ZBrush
The Auto Update process can be executed from within ZBrush via the Auto Update
plugin located in the ZPlugin palette.
The Auto Update button in the ZPlugin palette.

When checking for an update, ZBrush will notify you whether or not a new update is
available. You will then have the choice of continuing to use ZBrush or quitting ZBrush
to run the Auto Update as described in the section above.
An update is available. Continue working and update later or quit ZBrush to install immediately.
Notes:
It is not possible to run ZBrush while updating.
In some cases, the Auto Update button will not launch the check. In that case, simply exit
ZBrush and run ZUpgrader as explained in the previous section.
28
V Summary of the Activation Process
For new installations of ZBrush (and some upgrades) this step must be completed in
order to run ZBrush successfully.
The single-user ZBrush license allows you to have ZBrush activated on two of your
computers, provided that both copies are not actually used at the same time. For ex-
ample it may be activated on a workstation and a laptop. Please keep in mind that only
one copy of ZBrush should be run at any given time.
Volume licenses allow only the number of activations for which seats have been
purchased.
Floating licenses do not use activation and can ignore this section.
For all information about the activation process, please read the Install_and_ac-
tivate_ZBrush.pdf located in the ZBrush documentation folder. It is also available for
download at our Download Center: http://zbru.sh/docs or by visiting our online documen-
tation website; http://zbru.sh/onlinedocs
ZBrush activation window.
Launch ZBrush.
From the splash screen, select your desired activation method.
If your computer is connected to the internet (or can be temporarily connect-
29
ed), use Web Activation. This activation method is faster and more accurate.
After ZBrush has displayed the End User License Agreement window, your web
browser will be opened to a page that requests your serial number, the email
address associated with your account, and a description that you can use to
identify this computer (should you ever need to see a list of your activations.)
Upon submitting this form you will be given an activation code.
Click the button to select the code, then press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C
(Mac) to copy it.
Switch back to ZBrush and click the button to Enter Activation Code.
A new window will open with a red text line.
Click in that line and press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac) to paste the
activation code.
Now press Enter/Return to complete activation.
The Web activation form
Or
If your computer cannot be connected to the internet, use Phone Activation.
PLEASE NOTE THAT DURING THE WEEK FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF
A NEW VERSION OF ZBRURH, HIGH CALL VOLUME MAY MAKE IT VERY
DIFFICULT TO REACH SUPPORT FOR PHONE ACTIVATION.
After ZBrush has displayed the End User License Agreement window, a new
screen will open with your request code and a phone number to call. Please
have your serial number ready before calling!
When you call you will be asked for your serial number, request code, email ad-
dress and desired computer description.
An activation code will be created and sent to the email address on record for
your account. If you cannot conveniently check your email, the phone represen-
tative will be able to read the 32-letter activation code to you.
To enter your activation code into ZBrush, click the option to Enter Activation
Code.
Click in the red text line within the window that will open, type your activation
30
code and press Enter/Return to complete your activation.
Or
Instead of calling, you may follow the steps above but write down the request
code that ZBrush gives you.
You may then shut down ZBrush.
From any computer that has internet access you can submit a Support ticket at
https://support.pixologic.com.
In your ticket, provide the following information: The request code from ZBrush,
your serial number, your email address, and your desired computer description.
You should receive a response to your Support ticket within one business day
(often within one or two hours) containing your activation code.
At that point, launch ZBrush and choose the option to Enter Activation Code.
Note:
Do not start a new Phone Activation
Click in the red text line within the window that will open, type your activation
code and press Enter/Return to complete your activation.
Once activated, ZBrush will start immediately.
31
VI Deactivation
If you plan to move ZBrush to a new computer or if you are going to reinstall your
operating system, you can make everything easier by first deactivating your current in-
stallation of the software.
To do this, launch ZBrush and go to the Zplugin >> Deactivation menu. There are
two options: Web Deactivation and Manual Deactivation
The Deactivation plugin in the ZPlugin menu.
Deactivation process:
If your computer has internet connection, use Web Deactivation. This will
launch your browser to a page that asks for the email address associated with your ac-
count. Submit that form and then click the confirmation button to instantly complete your
deactivation of ZBrush.
or
If your computer cannot be connected to the internet, you will need to use Manual
Deactivation. In this case you will be given a deactivation code. HAVE SOMETHING
HANDY TO WRITE THIS CODE DOWN it cant be copied and pasted, and attempting
to do so will cause its window to permanently close. You may either call the number on
the screen to deactivate by phone (only available during normal business hours of 9:00
am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday) or you may submit a Support ticket
at https://support.pixologic.com. Please note that by either method you will also be re-
quired to provide the email address that is associated with the account.
Note:
Once deactivation has been started, it is not possible to stop it. The moment you confirm
your desired deactivation method, ZBrush will shut itself down and will not be able to be restarted
without a new activation. However, the deactivation will not be credited back to your serial number
until you have submitted the Web Deactivation form or contacted Support with your manual deac-
tivation code.
32
VII Activation Troubleshooting
Activation Failed after entering activation code:
Disable antivirus software. Such programs can prevent ZBrush from writing
its license information successfully. If they were perfect and never made mis-
takes, they wouldnt give you a way to disable them!
Make sure you are not trying to use your serial number as an activation
code. Serial numbers are 16 characters in length, with both letters and num-
bers. Activation codes are longer and have all letters. You will never enter your
serial number directly into ZBrush. It is always used via Web or Phone activa-
tion to create an activation code.
Make sure you are not trying to use an outdated activation code. Any time you
install ZBrush you must begin with a new Web or Phone activation to create a
new activation code. Codes from previous activations cannot be reused.
Make sure that your system clock is set to the correct date, including year. If the
date is wrong, activation will fail. After correcting the date you will need to start
the activation process over from the beginning.
Make sure that you are logged into the computer as an administrator when in-
stalling and activating ZBrush. After it has been activated it may be run by any
user on that computer, but the initial installation and activation must be done
under an admin account.
(Windows Users) Right-click the desktop shortcut for ZBrush (or the ZBrush.
exe in your ZBrush folder) and choose Run as Administrator from the context
menu. This launches ZBrush with elevated permissions which help resolve
most activation issues. Simply being logged into the computer under an admin-
istrator account does not automatically elevate the programs you run to admin-
istrator-level permission. After choosing Run as Administrator you should see
a pop-up message from Windows asking if it is okay to proceed. If you do not
see this message, go to the Windows Control Panels User Account Control
Settings section to ensure that its slider is set to the default setting of Always
Notify. Without the user account control pop-up, Windows doesnt actually give
administrator-level permission to the desired program, even though you specifi-
cally chose the Run as Administrator option!
(Mac Users) If you launch ZBrush and immediately receive an error message
(such as a virtual memory error) that must be resolved before activation can be
done successfully. This error is typically caused by permissions. For most en-
vironments, simply get info on the ZBrush folder. Unlock permissions and then
assign Read & Write permission to the Everyone user group. Next, click the
gear icon underneath the users list and choose the option to Apply to Enclosed
Items. When the process completes you should be able to launch ZBrush
without an error message and may then proceed to activation.
If the above troubleshooting items do not resolve your issue, please contact Pixolog-
ic Support for assistance. Make sure to state from the beginning that you have already
33
tried activation and it failed. Phone activation uses the same system as Web activation,
so if Web activation failed you will have the same problem with Phone. We need to re-
solve the issue rather than just trying under a different method.
34
VIII Un-installation
This process completely removes ZBrush from your computer.
Un-installation process:
1. In the ZPlugin menu, choose Web Deactivation and proceed with license de-
activation as explained above. If you do not deactivate prior to un-installation,
the un-installed machine will continue to count against your serial number and
potentially prevent you from reactivating!
2. On Windows, use the Windows Control Panel uninstall utility and follow the
steps. On Mac OS X, simply move the Applications/ZBrush folder and the Us-
ers/Public/Pixologic folder to the Trash.
3. During the un-install process, depending on the Version of ZBrush you are us-
ing, the Uninstaller may ask you if you want to keep your GoZ files. Always
answer Yes if you are removing an older version of ZBrush after having up-
graded. If you answer No, GoZ wont work anymore because most of its com-
ponents will be deleted by the un-install process.
4. After the un-installer has finished, check the location where ZBrush had been
installed. There will often be extra files which remain. You can delete those fold-
ers if you do not intend to use ZBrush on this computer again.
Note:
With the exception of GoZ and the various files in the ZBrushData shared/public folder, ZBrush
doesnt write files outside its own directory.
35
IX Support Registration
It is required to have a current Support account at http://support.pixologic.

com in order to receive technical support for ZBrush. This account is free.
If your purchase was of ZBrush 4R5 or earlier, you wont have a Support account un-
less you specifically created one yourself! Having activated an earlier version of ZBrush
is not the same as having a registered Support account. The Support system is an inde-
pendent platform. It does not use any existing log-ins that you might have for ZBrushCen-
tral, Cleverbridge or any other ZBrush-related sites.
Note:
Purchases of ZBrush 4R6 and later required having a Support account to be able to complete
the purchase or get your serial number. If your first version was ZBrush 4R6 or later, you will have
a Support account already and can skip this section.
If you have not already registered on the Support site:
1. Go to https://support.pixologic.com.
2. Click the Register icon.
3. Enter your email address and whatever password you would like to use for the
Support site. These will become your login info for the future.
4. Fill in your system information. We need this info in order to respond to your
support requests more efficiently.
5. Also provide your ZBrush 4x serial number for your copy of ZBrush. This infor-
mation identifies you as someone who has actually purchased a ZBrush license.
(If you have upgraded from an earlier version of ZBrush 4, your serial number
will remain unchanged. All versions of ZBrush 4x use the same serial number.)
6. After you submit the form you will receive a confirmation email at the address
you used to register. Follow the instructions in that email to complete your reg-
istration.
If you have already registered on the Support site:
You do not need to change any information.
At any time, you can go to https://support.pixologic.com to view your past tickets or

create a new one.
36
X Backward Compatibility of ZBrush Files
ZBrush files are not backward compatible, which means that your files created with
the most recent version of ZBrush wont be compatible with any older version.
For example, if you have a file that youd been working on with ZBrush 4R3 and then
save it using ZBrush 4R7, you will no longer be able to open it in version 4R3.
Different versions of ZBrush can be used together with GoZ due to the fact that its
main components have remained the same, but its not possible to work on the same
project between multiple versions of ZBrush at the same time. Once a file has been
created or saved in a newer version of ZBrush, it will not be able to be opened by any
earlier version.
GoZ cannot get around this restriction. It can be used to open files from earlier ver-
sions of ZBrush but it cannot be used to send files to an earlier version. The only way
to get a file into an earlier version of ZBrush than it was last saved in is through the OBJ
format.
37
ZBrush User Guide - History
HISTORY
Unlimited Undos.
38
ZBrush includes two different systems for reverting your changes and steps when
you need to correct a mistake or simply change your mind. The first is of course the
traditional Undo and Redo functions found in most software. However, ZBrush also goes
well beyond this with the Undo History system.
The standard Undo/Redo system applies only to Pixol-based 2D and 2.5D painting
on the ZBrush canvas. Meanwhile, the Undo History system covers everything related
to the creation of 3D assets.
Undo History allows you to go farther back in your sculpting history to fix any mis-
takes -- even after reloading your model in a new ZBrush session! While there is still a
maximum number of undos which may be performed, this limit is now set at 10,000 by
default and in most cases will be in excess of what you might need. For clarity, you might
think of this simply as a process history.
The Undo History is saved as part of your Project (.ZPR) files, which means that
you will have access to all your previous history steps even after reloading your project.
The other file formats used by ZBrush (including .ZTL and .GoZ) dont save your Undo
History.
In addition to the expanded undo/redo ability provided by this feature, the Undo His-
tory can be used to replay your creation process and render it as a movie. Please refer
to the Movie Undo History section of the User Guide for more information on creating
movies using the Undo History.
Some actions within ZBrush will clear your Undo History. ZBrush will warn you in
these cases before deleting the Undo History.
39
I Undo and Undo History Overview
The ZBrush Undo and Redo features let you cancel your previous steps from sculpt-
ing, painting a stroke or calling functions. The Undo and Redo commands can be found
in the Edit palette and the default hotkeys are Ctrl+Z for the Undo and Ctrl+Shift+Z for
Redo.
You will notice in the Edit palette that the Undo/Redo commands are listed twice.
Further, the top two of these buttons are almost always greyed out. That is because those
buttons are the traditional Undo/Redo features, which only when you are working in 2.5D.
(In other words, any time that you are not in Edit mode.) If you are in Edit mode, then
ZBrush automatically switches to Undo History mode and enables the other Undo/Redo
buttons along with their associated functions.
It is important to keep in mind that in ZBrush, some operations cannot be undone.

An example of this is when using one of the SubTool merging functions. Be aware that
when using such a feature, it will delete all of the projects history up to that point. For
this reason, ZBrush will warn you and ask for confirmation any time you try to perform an
operation that will reset the history.
Having this message means your Undo History will be lost beyond the current point.
As with a traditional Undo, performing a new action will remove any later steps. For
example, if you have steps A, B and C you can undo back to step A. Doing something
new at that point will create a new step B, preventing you from being able to redo to reach
step C. Even invisible operations like storing a MorphTarget will delete any history that
follows that point.
The Undo History works in exactly the same way as a traditional undo. However,
since it is awkward to press Ctrl+Z or the Undo button hundreds or thousands of times a
slider has been added which will let you quickly scrub through your history.
To improve navigation through the Undo History, ZBrush displays an Undo selector at
the top of the document. It has small rectangles in light and dark grey, representing the
History steps. You can easily navigate by clicking on any step. Or you may scrub through
the History by dragging the light grey rectangle. You can also use the UndoCounter
slider found in the Edit palette.
40
The Undo History selector, located at the top of the Document. The light grey rectangle represents
the current step and can be dragged to navigate through the History.
The Undo history commands are located in the Edit >> Tool SubPalette. Notice that
Undo History, when enabled, replaces the classic Undo/Redo commands.
The Edit >> Tool History sub-palette.
41
II History and Project File Size
The Undo History is a very convenient function because it can keeps up to 10,000
steps and gives you a lot of freedom in your process. Unfortunately, it has a downside:
the stored data corresponding to a project can reach several gigabytes in file size. As an
example a simple model which would be 20 Mb as a ZTL (Tool) may grow up to 100 Mb
or even 1 Gb as a ZPR (Project) file, depending upon the actions you performed during
your creation process.
Some actions in ZBrush take up a small amount of disk space (like simple strokes)
while others can result in large data manipulation and an equally large amount of infor-
mation to be saved in the history.
To give you some examples:
Functions like a projection on the whole model needs to store all the vertex
changes. This means that a model with 20 million polygons will have 20 million
vertices that change and so need to be stored. Duplicate this projection step
a few more times and it can turn into hundreds of millions of vertices to store.
Another example is DynaMesh. Each time you update your DynaMesh, ZBrush
stores all the new vertices in the Undo History. Of course, the way DynaMesh
is typically used invariably means that a sculpt can be updated quite often in
a short amount of time. When generating a high density DynaMesh, sculpting
then re-meshing over and over can result in gigabytes of data to store for your
project.
If you dont need to store 10,000 Undos in your history and wont be needing them
in the future, it is advised to reduce the number of Undo History steps to less than 1,000.
This is done in the Preferences.
42
III History Functions and Commands
What follows are descriptions of the functions dedicated to the Undo History, located
in the Edit >> Tool SubPalette.
Del UH (Delete Undo History)

The Del UH function, located in the Edit >> Tool sub-palette deletes the current Tool
(or SubTool) History.
Note:
As explained above, the Undo History, depending on the number of Undos saved, can in-
crease the Project file size. If you dont need your Undo History, dont forget to delete it every once
in a while.
Undo Counter
The Undo Counter slider, located in the Edit >> Tool sub-palette allows you to scroll
and navigate through the current Tool history as an alternative to the Edit >> Tool >>
Undo and Edit >> Tool >> Redo buttons.
You can easily have a high number of Undos to navigate through in your history. In the screenshot
above, the counter is at step 1,337 out of a total of 3,420 Undos.
Restore Placement
The Restore Placement mode, located in the Edit >> Tool sub-palette moves your
camera to match where it was at the stored history point. This is useful for a history
playback.
43
Store
This Store function, located in the Edit >> Tool sub-palette replaces the camera posi-
tion stored in the current history position with the current position. This operation is useful
when creating a movie using the history information or whenever a camera position must
be replaced or modified.
44
IV Undo History Preferences
To manage ZBrushs use of the Undo History feature, several preferences control
loading or saving history for the loaded Project. These are found in the Preferences >>
Undo History SubPalette.
The Undo History preferences, located in the Preferences palette.
Show Undo Selector

This mode, enabled by default, displays a small rectangle within the Undo History dis-
played at the top of the document each time a new History step is added. The light grey
rectangle is the current step and the other darker ones are the previous or next steps.
By dragging the light gray indicator you can quickly scrub through the Undo History.
Alternatively, clicking one of the darker rectangles will move you directly to that history
step.
Show Time Stamp

This option toggles display of the time stamp as a pop-up on the Undo Selector bar.
Max Undo History

This slider defines the maximum number of Undo History steps that you want to keep
available.
If you dont wish to store your Undo History for time-lapse playback purposes, you
can reduce this value to reduce the impact of the Undo History storage space in your
Project file size.
45
Warn When Deleting

This slider defines the number of Undo History steps that ZBrush will automatically
delete without warning for confirmation. For example, you can move back 10 steps in
your Undo History and make a change that would cause all following History steps to be
lost. If this slider is set to 20, ZBrush will simply accept the change and delete the follow-
ing History steps. But if this slider was set to 5, ZBrush would ask for confirmation before
allowing the change to be made.
The purpose of this option is to prevent you from accidentally deleting your history
while navigating through it. When you are working on your model you will typically want
to leave this setting at a high value so that you can freely move within the history and
start over from any point. But if you are setting up an Undo History movie you will want to
reduce this value so that you dont accidentally lose your work while preparing the movie
for recording!
Enable Saving
The Enable Saving mode saves your History whenever saving your Projects. Dis-
abling this button will prevent ZBrush from saving any Undo History when you save your
ZPR files. You will not have access to any Undo History carried over from a previous
session but you will also have a smaller file size.
Skip Loading
The Skip Loading mode is used when you wish to ignore any Undo History saved
within a ZPR that you are opening. The file will open like normal, but without its Undo
History. This is especially useful if working in 32-bits and the Undo History has resulted
in a file that is too large for your system to open.
46
ZBrush User Guide - TransPose
TRANSPOSE
Manipulation and transformation at your fingertips.
47
The TransPose Action Line, currently in Move mode.
TransPose is the official term for the Action Line feature, activated by being in Edit
mode and selecting it from the Brush palette or by turning on Move, Rotate or Scale.
Its original usage was to create quick poses (optionally symmetric) by mixing topo-
logical masking and the position of the Action Line to do bends, twists, moves and scal-
ing. TransPose can also be useful to simply manipulate your Tools or SubTools in space
without deforming them.
The TransPose tool has grown to include a large number of functions which extend
the default toolset. It is a powerful tool, not only to manipulate but to create.
It uses three different elements:
An Action Line is used to move, scale or rotate the model or some part of the
model.
In the Transform palette (or on the top Shelf, located above the document) the
Move, Scale and Rotate buttons control which of the associated transformations the
Action Line will actually execute.
An optional mask causes TransPose actions to be done only on unmasked areas
of the model. Among other things, this allows you to easily pose your models. Trans-
Pose always functions at the vertex level of the model you are working on, which is why
using a mask will perform the action only on the unmasked areas.
48
I Manipulating the Action Line
This is the basic action to utilize TransPose. It is important to understand and master
since TransePose is a core element of ZBrush.
Like most elements of ZBrush, TransPose fully supports Symmetry and Radial Sym-
metry. If those modes are enabled, all your TransPose actions will be done in symmetry
according to your settings.
1. Creating the Action Line
To create an Action Line you must enter Move, Scale or Rotate mode. You can press
the W, E or R hotkeys or use the buttons mentioned above. Now simply click on your
models surface and drag to create the Action Line. It is important that your first point is
located over geometry rather than empty canvas although that geometry can actually
be part of an inactive SubTool.
The endpoint of the line will snap to whatever is under it. If this is empty canvas,
the Action Line will be aligned to your documents working plane. You can also force the
Action Line to align with the working plane rather than your models geometry by holding
the Shift key.
The Action Line can be moved while creating it by holding the spacebar. Release it
to continue drawing the Action Line.
Any previous Action Line will be removed as soon as you start a new one.
Note:
TransPose line creation and modification are not undoable.
The yellow circles will scale relative to their distance from the camera.
2. Action Line Direction: First and Last Points
When drawing the Action Line, your first click will default to the first point of Trans-
Pose while the end of your click-drag action will set the end point. It is important to keep
in mind that TransPose has start and end points because actions are performed by ma-
nipulating one these points, with different results depending upon which point is being
interacted with.
49
The first point is always easily identified because it has the three axis selectors.
It is not possible to switch the first and last points after the Action Line has been
drawn. You must draw a new Action Line instead.
3. Transpose Axis Selectors
In addition to the Action Line itself, the start point also displays a set of axes around
it as colored lines ending in small circles. Clicking one of these small circles will instantly
align the Action Line to that axis: X (red), Y (green) or Z (blue)
These axis selectors are aligned with the Action Line when it is created relative to
the models surface. However, if you drew the Action Line aligned to the canvas, the axis
selectors will be set relative to the models local coordinate system. This means that you
can easily affect your model along one of its axes by drawing the Action Line relative to
the canvas and then clicking the desired axis selector.
On the left, the default orientation of TransPose after being drawn on the model. To its right are
different orientations, aligned with the three axes, both in positive and negative space.
4. Moving the Action Line
To move an entire Action Line, click on the yellow rim of the center circle and drag it.
You can also click and drag on the Action Line itself.
The line always moves in the plane of the canvas. Its distance from the viewer does
not change.
Remember that you can also move the Action Line while creating it by holding the
spacebar as described above.
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5. Moving the First and End Points
To move an end of the Action Line, click on the yellow rim of the endpoints circle
and drag it.
The endpoint moves in the plane of the canvas. Its distance from the viewer does
not change. You can snap the orientation of the line in 15 degree increments by holding
Shift as you move the point.
To move an endpoint of the Action Line to a precise place in a model (for example,
to be precisely at a joint), first orient the model squarely along one global axis by holding
Shift as you rotate it. The model will click into the nearest perpendicular view. Center
the endpoint properly in that view, then do the same thing while viewing along another
global axis.
6. Action Line Automatic Position Based on the Normal Surface
In some cases, you will wish to orient TransPose relative to the models surface
normal. For example, having the Action Line aligned perpendicularly to your surface can
be useful for doing a clean extrusion.
To help in this alignment, a single click on the surface will draw an Action Line out
from the clicked point.
The TransPose line will be also aligned perpendicularly to the surface when insert-
ing a mesh via an Insert-type brush. Immediately after inserting the mesh, switching to
Move, Scale or Rotate will display an Action Line already aligned to the surface, ready to
help you manipulate the inserted model.
The action line will be aligned to the normal of the clicked polygon.
However, an exception exists: if you insert a mesh while using the Shift key to have
it aligned to one of the universal axes, when switching to TransPose the Action Line will
be relative to the corresponding universe axis rather than to the surface of the support
object.
Please refer to the Insertion and IMM brushes documentation for more information
51
about the insertion of 3D meshes.
7. Action Line Automatic Position Based on the Selection
The white circle on the right will center TransPose relative to the current selection.
By clicking on the small white circle located at the extremity of the TransPose line,
the position of the starting point of the Action Line will be set to the center of the current
selection, changing the orientation of the model relative to the canvas.
This operation can be done on a visible tool or on a partial visible mesh. In this latter
scenario, the Action Line will be set on the center of these visible polygons.
Whether the selection is composed of a full mesh or a partial visible one, the world
axis selectors will be always aligned to the world, letting you easily set a new orientation
for the Action Line.
8. Tips, Tricks and Other Information
TransPoses basic actions can be combined with several modifier keys to perform
extra actions:
Holding Shift while drawing your Action Line will snap its endpoint to the canvas
rather than the models surface.
Holding the Shift key while creating an Action Line or modifying an end point
will create snap the lines orientation to 15 angle constraints, always relative
to the canvas.
Keep in mind that everything in yellow is to manipulate the Action Line while the
52
circles inside the larger yellow ones are to perform TransPose functions.
When drawing the Action Line, tap the CTRL/Command key to change from
drawing your Action Line to executing its function (Move, Scale or Rotate). If you
do this, the center of the operation will be located at the part of the Action Line
that is opposite your cursor.
53
II Primary TransPose Actions
This section covers the basic operations of the TransPose line which are Move,
Scale, and Rotate. These will be the core of your TransPose usage. Read this section
carefully as TransPose doesnt always work like a traditional 3 axis manipulator found in
other 3D packages. The additional power and control that it provides requires a unique
workflow.
1. Move Mode
The Move mode will use the Action Line to move your current Tool or SubTool points.
These vertices can be stretched or simply moved.
Because it is operating on the vertex level rather than the object level, if your model
has a Mask applied only the unmask vertices will be moved or transformed.
Move operations:
To perform a move action, you must draw first the Action Line. Its position will have
an impact depending on the action you are performing. Always refine the Action Line
position as needed prior to the operation.
To move the entire unmasked area, click and drag from inside the midpoint of
the Action Line.
While moving the inner midpoint of the Action Line, you can optionally press the
Shift key to apply a constraint along the Action Line axis.
To scale or stretch the unmasked area, click and drag from inside an endpoint
of the Action Line. The other end will take the role of the coordinate systems
origin. The point underneath the click will be moved to follow the mouse, in the
plane of the screen. All other points in the model will be moved proportionally
within the coordinate system defined by the Action Line, which produces a scal-
ing or shearing effect.
Pressing the Shift key will constrain the scale along the axis, resulting in non-uniform
scaling.
While in Move mode you can hold the Alt key before clicking on your 3D object.
This will execute the operation directly without needing to draw an Action Line.
An alternative is to tap the Ctrl key once while drawing the Action Line. The Ac-
tion Line will disappear and the move operation will start.
When in Move mode you can change the models Z depth. Do this by holding
the Alt key, clicking on the mesh and releasing Alt before you start to drag the
54
cursor. Dragging back and forth will now change the depth.
2. Scale Mode
The Scale mode will use the Action Line to perform a uniform or non-uniform scaling
of your models unmasked areas, perpendicular to the Action Line.
Scale operations:
To perform a scaling action, you must first draw the Action Line. Its position will have
an impact depending on the action you are performing. Always refine the Action Line
position as needed prior to the operation.
Click and drag an end point of the Action Line to do a uniform scaling of the
model. The opposite endpoint serves as the origin of the scale. (The model
points under that end will not be transformed as the model is scaled.)
The operation is limited by the size of the Action Line. If you need to create a much
larger or smaller transformation, you may need to do it several times in a row.
Click and drag from inside the midpoint of the Action Line to perform a non-
uniform scaling of the model, perpendicular to the Action Line.
If you wish to perform a non-uniform scaling along the Action Lines axis, you
must use Move mode and then click on the inner endpoint. Please refer to the
Move mode above.
While in Scale mode you can hold the Alt key when dragging from an endpoint:
the model will be scaled along the axis of the Action Line but those parts of the
model nearer the dragged endpoint will be affected much more strongly. The
parts of the model by the opposite endpoint wont be affected by the operation.
For example, draw an Action Line from a models head to its feet. By pressing Alt
and dragging the endpoint by the feet you could lengthen the legs while leaving the rest
of the model largely unchanged.
While in Scale mode you can hold the Alt key when dragging from the midpoint:
the model will be scaled along all three axes but the effect will be much greater
between the midpoint and the endpoint.
While in Scale mode you can hold the Alt key before clicking on your 3D object.
This will execute the operation directly without drawing the Action Line. An al-
ternative is to tap the Ctrl key once when drawing the Action Line. As soon as
you press the Ctrl key, the Action Line will disappear and the scaling operation
will start.
55
3. Rotate Mode
The Rotate Mode will use the Action Line to perform a rotation of the models un-
masked areas along the perpendicular axis of the opposite TransPose point.
Rotate operations:
To perform a rotate action, you must first draw first the Action Line. Its position will
have an impact depending on the action you are performing. Always refine the Action
Line position as needed prior the operation.
Click and drag an end point to rotate your model. The non-dragged endpoint
serves as the origin (fulcrum) of the rotation.
The position of the end point is important: If it is on top of the model and snapped to
the surface, TransPose will perform a free rotation. If the end point is over empty canvas
and aligned with the working plane, the rotation will be perpendicular to the canvas.
Pressing the Shift key while performing the rotation will apply a constraint at 22.5
intervals.
Click and drag from inside of the Action Lines midpoint to perform a rotation of
the model along the Action Line axis.
While in Rotate mode you can hold the Alt key when dragging from an endpoint:
the model will be rotated perpendicularly to the axis of the Action Line end point
but only those parts of the model nearer the dragged endpoint will be affected.
Those parts of the model above the opposite endpoint wont be affected by the
operation. This is also known as Bone mode.
Note:
You do not need to mask your model for bone mode to work. It will only ever affect the parts
of the model below the bottom Action Line.
56
III Example of Posing
When TransPose is used with masked and partially masked objects, it gives you
a huge amount of power in creating your scene, including the ability to quickly achieve
realistic poses of humans and creatures. Heres a quick look:
With Rotate pressed on the shelf (or Transform palette), press and hold CTRL then
click on the pectoral muscle of the solder and drag towards the deltoid (shoulder muscle)
to create a topological mask that isolates the arm. Release CTRL.
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Click on the shoulder and drag downwards towards the hand. This will create an Ac-
tion Line. Click and drag the end point to pose the arm.
Redraw the topological mask for the forearm. To do this press and hold CTRL then
click on the bicep of the soldier and drag towards the forearm.
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Draw another Action Line. Click on the end point and pose the forearm.
Draw another mask for the wrist area. Draw another Action Line and move it inside
of the wrist so that the hand will rotate from the center of the wrist.
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Click on the center dot to rotate the hand around the Action Line. Clicking on the
end points moves the model on a fulcrum. Clicking on the center point rotates the model
around the axis of the Action Line.
Lets draw another mask for the arm so we can rotate the entire arm upwards to-
wards the head.
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Click and drag on the center point to rotate it along the Action Lines axis
Click and drag on the end point to raise the entire arm.
61
IV TransPose and Masking
As mentioned above, masking expands the capabilities of TransPose by restricting

its deformations to specific areas of your model.
You can of course create the mask before using TransPose. However, TransPose
itself has features to create masks in ways that are beneficial specifically to its functions.
1. TransPose Topology Masking
The original goal of TransPose was to provide a new way to deform a model and
give it a pose. This typically requires moving parts of the model one at a time, which
means repeatedly masking portions of the model. Masks are of course easy to create
but its also slow to be constantly moving in and out of TransPose mode in order to do
so. To speed up the posing process, ZBrush offers a feature while in TransPose mode
that produces a mask which follows the topology of your model. This simplifies tasks
such as the selection of only models arm, even if the mesh intersects with another one.
To use this masking function, simply hold the Ctrl key while dragging the Action Line.
The mask will follow the topology, guided by the direction of the Action Line. All points
opposite the TransPose lines origin will be masked. The edges of the mask will also
automatically be blurred in order to facilitate a smooth edge for your deformation.
Tip:
If you goal is to mask everything except a small area, just hold the Ctrl key while creating the
TransPose Line close to this area. You can then invert your mask if necessary.
2. TransPose Smart Masking
TransPose Smart Masking is actually an alternate brush which must be selected in

the Brush palette. It doesnt have the same behavior as the default TransPose Action
Line. It is used to create a Mask based on the objects curvature rather than topology.
Beyond this, all other actions and functions are exactly the same
To use it, simply hold the Ctrl key while dragging an action Line. The longer the
length of the Action Line, the more strongly it will detect the curvature of the surface. This
makes a short line perfect for small areas and/or complex shapes. On the other hand,
a long line will have higher tolerance and be best for large areas with distinct borders.
You can combine multiple masks by pressing the Shift key to add a new mask to the
62
previously created one.
As with all masking operations, you can use the ALT key to un-mask portions of the
model.
Note about TransPose brushes:

When selecting a new TransPose Brush mode (like TransPose Smart) it becomes the default
TransPose mode. All future uses of TransPose will use this mode until such time as you select a
new TransPose Brush.
Smart Masking easily detects areas of the model by analyzing its surface.
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3. Quick One-Touch Masking of PolyGroups
Masking particular parts of your models can sometimes be a tedious process es-
pecially when its a complex model. However, if your model has PolyGroups this can
become very quickly and easily.
Simply switch to TransPose in Move, Scale or Rotate mode. Then while pressing
the Ctrl key, click on any PolyGroup to mask everything except this PolyGroup.
This action is very convenient when you are inserting multiple meshes into a surface
and need to quickly select one of the insertions to then modify it either through continued
use of TransPose or with other tools.
Note:
This way of quickly creating masks is only available through TransPose.
64
V Model Operations Using TransPose
TransPose is not only a manipulation tool. It includes a large number of functions

which can be used to create new geometry, either duplicating your model or performing
special deformations to it.
1. TransPose Curve Deformation
The TransPose Action Line can be used to bend the portion of your surface that is
located between the two furthest circles of the Action Line.
The deformation is modulated by the Curve settings, located in the Brush palette.
Example of a deformation process:

1. Begin by applying an Action Line.
2. Make sure that you are in Move mode.
3. Next, hold the ALT key and drag the Action Lines center circle to bend surface.
While moving your cursor the Action Line will be temporarily hidden so that you
can visually control the deformation.
Quickly deform your models with the TransPose line. The deformation is controlled by the position
of the TransPose line and its Curve settings.
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2. Flatten a Surface
The TransPose line in Move mode lets you flatten the model along its Action Line
axis when clicking and dragging the start points inner circle. (This is the point displaying
the three axis lines.)
Flatten through TransPose in action.
Notes:
Manipulating the opposite inner circle behaves like normal: stretching the polygons along the
Action Line.
By default, the operation will be done to the entire model. Using a Mask will help you work on
a local area of your model with better control of the operation.
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3. Inflating a Surface
The TransPose line in Move mode lets you inflate the model along its Action Line
axis by right-clicking and dragging the inner circle at the lines end point. (This is the point
that does not display the axis indicator.)
Note:
By default, the operation will be done on the entire model. Using a Mask will help you work on
a local area of your model with better control of the operation.
4. Extruding Topology with Transpose
When you need to add more topology by creating an extrusion or inserting an edge
loop, use the TransPose line combined with masking. Activate Move or Scale mode to
draw an action line and then hold the Ctrl key while dragging the lines center circle. This
will extrude all non-masked parts of the model.
This operation will only work with a model that does not have subdivision levels.
However the Freeze SubDivision Levels feature can be used to temporarily drop to the
base mesh level and extrude the mesh, then return to the highest level and re-project its
details.
For each new extrusion, a different PolyGroup will be applied to each of the ex-
trusions sections. The extruded polygons also receive a dedicated PolyGroup. This is
so that you can later use PolyGroup operations like Tool >> Deformation >> Polish by
Groups
To create an extrusion, follow these steps:
1. Ensure that your model is a Polymesh 3D or DynaMesh. This function will not
work with Primitives or ZSphere previews.
2. Create a mask on your model. The masked areas will remain unaffected while
the unmasked areas will be extruded. If you wish to only extrude a small area,
a good tip would be to mask the area you want to extrude and then invert the
Mask before continuing.
3. Activate the Move or Scale TransPose mode (W and E hotkey) and draw an
Action Line out from your unmasked area.
4. While holding the Ctrl key, click and drag the white circle located within the
Action Lines orange middle circle. This will move the entire Action Line in the
direction of your movement and at the same time will extrude the unmasked
polygons. The nature of the extrusion will depend on whether you are in Scale
or Move mode.
5. When you release the mouse button or lift the tablet pen, ZBrush will update the
mask to include the new geometry created by the extrusion. This allows you to
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continue the extrusion without needing to manually update the mask.

6. When done, clear the mask.
Note:
When performing an extrusion in symmetry mode, you must activate first the local Sym mode
found in the Transform palette.
5. Inserting an Edge Loop
Edge loop insertion using TransPose can now be done in Move or Scale mode. In
Move mode it works as before. In Scale mode it adds a new ability to quickly create
topology inserts on a model without subdivision levels rather than a simple extrusion.
While Scale mode is active, holding the CTRL key and dragging the action lines
inner middle circle will create an edge loop on the boundary of the non-masked part of
the model.
Of course, it is possible to simply CTRL+click the appropriate circle to create an

edge loop. Take care when doing this, however. The inserted edge loop wont be visible
and you run a risk of overlapping edges.
The default workflow to create an edge loop is to mask the area that you wish a new
edge loop to border, invert the mask, placing Transpose in Scale mode and use the CTRL
key with the inner middle circle to create the insertion.
6. Duplicating a Mesh with Transpose
When no portion of the model is masked, holding Ctrl while using the TransPose in
Move mode will duplicate the mesh. One way in which this is quite useful is when using
the Insert Mesh brushes.
This action requires a polymesh or DynaMesh with no subdivision levels. (The

Freeze Subdivision Levels feature can be used to prepare models that have subdivision
levels.) When duplicating with the TransPose Line, ZBrush will simply add the new mesh
to the already selected one; it will not create a new SubTool.
If your SubTool is an assembly of multiple independent meshes, you must first fully
mask any meshes that you dont wish to be duplicated.
To try an example of this mesh duplication feature, follow these steps:

1. Start with the Dog Project or a DynaMesh.
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2. Activate the TransPose Move mode (W hotkey) and draw an Action Line.
3. While holding the Ctrl key, click and drag the white circle located within the
Action Lines orange middle circle. Simply move the TransPose line anywhere
across the screens working plane to duplicate the current mesh.
7. Duplication and Negative Mesh
In addition to TransPoses standard method mesh duplication, it is possible to tag the

duplicated mesh as a negative mesh. This additional function is specifically for use with
DynaMesh and will not have any effect without re-Dynameshing your object.
The negative meshs volume will be subtracted from the mesh it was inserted into.
An example of this features use is to create a duplicate copy of the same mesh that can
then be used to create a shell. (See the DynaMesh section of this documentation for
more info regarding shell creation.)
The steps to create a negative copy with TransPose are the same as for duplication.
The only difference is that you hold Ctrl+Alt when dragging the Action Line by its middle
white circle.
8. Working with Duplication and the Mesh Insert Brushes
While a PolyMesh 3D or DynaMesh is in Edit mode, select one of the Mesh Insert
brushes.
Use the Brush >> Modifiers >> Mesh Insert Preview to select the object that you
wish to insert into your SubTool.
Click and drag on the model to insert the new mesh onto the original one.
To duplicate the inserted mesh, mask all elements which you do not want dupli-
cated. Using the option explained above for quickly masking by PolyGroups is
an easy way to mask everything except the newly inserted mesh.
Switch to the TransPose Move mode (W hotkey) and draw an Action Line.
While holding Ctrl key, click and drag the white circle located within the Trans-
Pose Lines orange middle circle. You can freely move the TransPose line to
duplicate the unmasked mesh and position its copy.
Upon releasing the mouse button (or lifting the tablet pen), ZBrush will update
the mask to leave only the new copy unmasked. This allows you to continue
creating and positioning duplicate instances of the inserted mesh without need-
ing to manually update the mask.
When done, clear the Mask.
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Notes:
Be very careful when masking your model to perform this action. If any portion of the model
is missed - like a part hidden by another mesh - performing the copying action will instead create
an extrusion. We strongly recommend using the new way to easily mask by PolyGroups. This will
ensure that no points are missed.
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VI TransPose Screen Working Plane Orientation
Instead of manipulating the model relative to the cameras viewing plane, TransPose
also includes a mode to operate perpendicular to the document. This can be very useful
when you need to create a rectangular mask with a 45 angle: just rotate the view to 45
then create your mask before resetting the view orientation.
Note:
Displaying the floor grid may help you visualize that it is the view which is rotating rather than
the 3D model.
1. Rotating the View
Hold the Ctrl key and drag the small white circle that is at the Action Lines end
point. This will align the camera to the TransPose line. This will only rotate the camera to
be aligned with the TransPose line and wont rotate the 3D objects. The camera will be
moved to the closest vertical or horizontal distance of the TransPose Line.
Pressing the Shift key while performing the rotation will apply an angle constraint of
22.5 to the camera orientation.
2. Storing the view
Hold the Ctrl and Shift key while clicking on the white circle at the furthest point of the
TransPose line to store the current view orientation.
3. Restoring the view
Hold the Ctrl key while clicking on the white circle at the furthest point of the Trans-
Pose line to switch back to the previously stored view orientation.
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VII TransPose Units
TransPose Units in action, with a specified measurement of Heads.
Dimensions within a virtual space like the ZBrush canvas are completely arbitrary.
While the object is consistent relative to itself, there is nothing that truly determines
whether the distance between two points if 100 millimeters, inches, miles or even light
years! That is something that is more important to your mind than it is to the computer.
All the computer cares about is that the distance between two points is X number of units.
You are the one who determines what those units actually are.
You will often want or need to think in terms of specific units of measurement when
working with your ZBrush model. For this reason, TransPose can display graduations on
its line for measurement purposes. The graduations are enabled by default and can be
changed in the Preferences >> TransPose Units menu.
72
The purpose of the units in ZBrush is to let you easily verify the dimensions of an ob-
ject while working on the proportions of a model. At any time you can set the units value
to one of your choice and initialize the length of the Action Line to a known value. Then
every Action Line drawn will display its length in the status bar.
To give you an example, load the DemoSoldier project. Activate Move and draw on
the model to create an Action Line that has the length of the head. After setting this length
to 1 unit in the preferences and naming the units Heads (see below), you can increase
the length of the Action Line from the top of the head to the foot to see that the demo
soldier is 7.8 Heads in length!
1.1 TransPose Units Preferences
Use Preferences >> TransPose Units to change this behavior to fit your projects
needs:
Unit Scale
The Unit Scale slider sets a scale factor to the current units. When calibrating the
units it is advised to set this slider to 1 first.
Set Units
Click on this button to enter your units. As it is virtual units, enter any text you want:
cms, inches, heads, light years, clicks, rocks, etc. Press Enter to validate your unit.
Minor Ticks Per Units slider

This is the number of small graduations between the Major ones, like millimeters
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marks between centimeters or 8ths of an inch.
Major Ticks Per Units slider

This is the number of main ticks in the action line, like the half inch marks on a ruler.
Calibration Distance slider

Display the distance of the action line, from one extremity to the other. Change this
value to calibrate the action line.
1.2 Calibrate TransPose
The steps below will calibrate TransPose to suit your needs. In this example, well
be telling ZBrush that the Demo Soldier is exactly 72 tall. Use the same process to set
your own values with any model.
1. Switch to TransPose by clicking activating Move, Scale or Rotate while in Edit

mode.
2. Move the ends of the TransPose line to two points between which you already
know the distance. In this example, draw the line from the top of the head to
the bottom of the feet.
3. Open the Preferences >> TransPose Units SubPalette.
4. Change the Units Scale slider value to 1.
5. Click on Set Units and enter the unit name of your choice. (Inches for this ex-
ample.)
6. Change the Major Ticks Per Unit slider value to 1.
7. Change the Minor Ticks Per Unit slider to a value of your choice, like 2. The line
will display a smaller mark between each major tick.
8. Set the Calibration Distance slider to the known value. In our example, well use
a value of 72.
Now draw a new Action Line between any two points on the model. Notice how
this new lines length will be displayed in the Status Bar and the ticks on the Action Line
match your settings.
In the example above you could just as easily have used a Calibration Distance of
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6. TransPose would then automatically display all distances in feet instead of inches.
Or you could have told ZBrush that the figure is actually 66 inches high. The important
thing is that once you have calibrated the TransPose Units to your specifications, all
future Action Lines will be consistent relative to each other. This is very useful if you are
creating objects that must be accurate to scale, such as for 3D printing.
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VIII TransPose with Multiple SubTools: TransPose Master
TransPose is designed to work with only the currently selected SubTool. It cannot
affect other SubTools.
If you need to use TransPose in a way that will affect all of a models SubTools, the
easiest solution is to use the TransPose Master plugin. This operates by creating a tem-
porary mesh composed of all the visible SubTools, which you can then transform as de-
sired. (You can use Deformations and even some sculpting brushes as well.) Once you
are satisfied with the temporary mesh, TransPose Master will then apply your changes to
all SubTools of the original model.
One place where this is useful is in the case of a character with various articles of
clothing. (The Earthquake model included with ZBrush is a fine example.) With Trans-
Pose Master you can work with the figure and have all clothing elements automatically
update to fit the new pose.
We strongly advise you to look at this plugin as it brings a lot more freedom for creat-
ing complex scenes.
For more information about the TransPose Master plugin, please refer to its docu-
mentation. You will find that in your ZBrush installations Documentation\plugins folder.
76
ZBrush User Guide - ShadowBox
SHADOWBOX
From a shadow to a 3D model.
77
ShadowBox is a tool which is able to create all kinds of 3D primitives based on

shadow projection using simple masking. Use masks to paint the front, side and bottom
shadows of a concept onto the dedicated cubic ShadowBox and your model will be dy-
namically generated inside it!
ShadowBox allows you to create advanced primitives quickly with very few strokes
and generates a model that is ready for further sculpting. It is not meant to sculpt and
refine models, or create finely detailed models but should rather be used to quickly gen-
erate base meshes.
ShadowBox is an extension of the Remesh All function and is resolution dependant:

A low resolution setting will create few polygons and a rough shape while a high resolu-
tion setting will create a lot of polygons and a more precise shape. It is strongly advised to
use a low resolution setting wherever possible and then later subdivide the model while
sculpting with ZBrushs many brushes rather than trying to use ShadowBox with a high
resolution to create overly detailed base meshes. In other words, use ShadowBox to cre-
ate the lowest resolution base mesh that can be used as a starting point for your sculpts!
This is an example of a primitive built with ShadowBox, using all three planes. A variation could
have been built without a mask for the bottom shadow.
It is strongly advised to work on a low resolution and then later subdivide the model
for use with all the sculpting brushes to further refine and detail the shape. This is greatly
preferable to working at a high resolution, trying to paint the most precise shadows pos-
sible. In other words, use ShadowBox to rough your ideas out before switching back to
traditional sculpting methods.
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I Entering Shadow Box Mode
ShadowBox is in fact an editing mode. You must first have a Polymesh3D object
selected before activating ShadowBox, which is located under the Tool >> Geometry >>
ShadowBox section. Your object will be converted to its shadow representation in which
the front, side, and bottom shadows of the loaded object are projected as masks onto the
corresponding planes. As you edit these masks, the mesh will then be reconstructed.
This process will display the original mesh with shadows cast on the three Shad-
owBox planes. In most cases you will find that your model changes to a rough approxi-
mation of its original shape. This is because upon initializing ShadowBox, the mesh is
automatically remeshed based upon whatever Resolution has been set before activating
ShadowBox mode.
Note:
As ShadowBox is an editing mode, your original 3D model will be lost. If you want to keep a
copy of it, be sure to create a clone before activating ShadowBox.
The Shadow Box button, located under the Tool >> Geometry sub-palette.
ShadowBox must always start with something, even if you want to create a com-
pletely new shape. To get to a blank slate you can then simply clear the masks that
have been projected onto the ShadowBox walls. This will erase the mesh in the middle
of the box, allowing you to proceed from scratch.
An alternative method is to load one of the ShadowBox projects found in Light Box.
Bear in mind that loading a project will delete all custom objects currently in the Tool pal-
ette, so be sure to save anything you wish to keep before proceeding.
79
II Modify in ShadowBox
Upon entering ShadowBox you will see the three working planes which create the
meshs shadow. You can modify them by using ZBrushs standard masking features to
add or remove parts of the shadows. Any edit to a shadow is instantly reflected in the
object at the center of the ShadowBox.
To clear the existing masks and erase everything, hold the Ctrl+Alt drag a selection
marquee across the entire ShadowBox.
When working with ShadowBox, here are some tips to keep in mind for best results:
Switch your display mode from perspective to orthogonal view (P Hotkey).

Turn on Ghost transparency (found on the right shelf or in the Transform pal-
ette). This will prevent the 3D object from obscuring the masks on the projection
planes.
Set the resolution of ShadowBox (explained below) before starting to work on
your construction.
Use ShadowBox as a starting point rather than a midpoint. Each time you turn
on ShadowBox, ZBrush will evaluate the projection shadow and rebuild your
mesh. This can destroy some changes that youd made outside of ShadowBox.
ShadowBox in orthogonal view, with Ghost transparency enabled. For this screenshot the Shad-
owBox has been turned slightly but its strongly advised to draw the shadows with the working
plane square to the canvas
The Back working plane is the dominant one for mesh generation. The other planes
then refine its results. If you only need to create a kind of extrusion based on a single
80
projection, it is advised to work in the Back plane to get the cleanest mesh.
With each new stroke, thin lines will be created on the three working planes to show
the bounding box of your model so far on all three views. This helps you to know where
you can safely continue masking within the other working planes: ZBrush will use sum
total of the current masks to build a model in the center of the box. If you create a mask
on one side and a second mask on another side which is not aligned with the existing
mask, only the part in common to both will be created.
Dont forget that you can erase masked areas by holding the Ctrl+Alt key combina-
tion. You can also combine the mask with the Stroke types (Circle, Square, Curve) or use
the dedicated masking brushes (Mask Rectangle, Mask Circle, etc.).
ZBrush includes advanced Masking tools with specific strokes like Circle or Square
which can be combined with various alphas and other settings like Radial Symmetry
(located in the Transform palette) or the LazyMouse and Backtrack features to get crisp
lines for hard-edged meshes.
Note:
If your symmetry is off axis, dont forget to enable the Local Symmetry option in the Transform
palette.
When you are satisfied with your ShadowBox model, just click the ShadowBox
switch to turn the editing mode off. Your new base mesh will now be ready for sculpting
with all the various ZBrush brushes.
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III Shadow Box Resolution
ShadowBox objects are based on ZBrushs Unified Skin technology. This technology
uses Voxels: by changing the ShadowBox settings, you will affect the results and quality
of the ShadowBox object.
Different results by ShadowBox resolution: 1: 32, 2: 64, 3: 128, 4: 256. The difference is minimal
between 128 and 256, except for the sharper edge angles.
Use the Resolution slider to increase or decrease the polygon count of your
ShadowBox object. With a default resolution of 128, your ShadowBox object will be
described by a cube of 128x128x128. If you need to create accurate objects with no
subdivision levels directly in ShadowBox or if you only plan to add a couple subdivi-
sion levels while sculpting, increase this setting to a higher resolution. If you need to
create a rough base mesh which you will then do impactful sculpting on, keep the
default resolution or even lower it for a true primitive shape.
By increasing or decreasing the resolution, your masks will be more or less de-
tailed and precise.
Change the Resolution slider value before activating ShadowBox. If you need to
change it after initializing ShadowBox, turn it off, change the Resolution and activate
it again
82
Change the Polish slider to reflect whether you want to have sharp or soft edges
in the mesh.
By clicking the circle, you will affect the type of Polish: an open circle will main-
tain the overall shape while a closed circle will smooth the edges.
Two PolyGroups have been created for this single-plane projection model: One for both faces and
another for the extruded sides.
ZBrush automatically creates PolyGroups based on the shape you are creating
within ShadowBox.
83
IV Working with SubTools
ShadowBox cant work with SubTools directly but you can use it to modify a SubTool
or load a ShadowBox model as a SubTool. With the Ghost Transparency mode activated,
you will be able to see all visible SubTools relative to the ShadowBox but will not be
able to edit any except the current SubTool. This is an easy way to create props or base
meshes with the help of other SubTools as a reference.
Two SubTools displayed with transparency while creating a new mesh In ShadowBox.
84
V Using References on the Working Planes
The ShadowBox working planes are default 3D planes which include UVs. This
means that you can load a texture and apply it to the planes directly so that the image
can be used as a reference.
Another solution is to use PolyPaint to paint directly on the planes. This can be done
via SpotLight or with the traditional method of PolyPainting.
The final option is to use the Grid feature located in the Draw palette, which can be
used in association with the background references. If you define different background
images prior entering in ShadowBox, they will display in your ShadowBox automatically.
A texture which displays a grid and the three working plans names, applied to the ShadowBox.
85
VI Hiding Working planes
Each ShadowBox working plane has a different PolyGroup. This means that
you can hide any or all working planes (except for the active plane) at any time by
Ctrl+Shift+Clicking on the desired plane.
Each working plane has its own PolyGroup, ready to be hidden.
Using this workflow will allow you to focus on one plane at a time and then later bring
one or both of the other planes back as one ShadowBox.
It is also possible to use the Unwrap UV feature in the Tool >> UV Map menu to un-
fold ShadowBox for flat painting. When you click on Unwrap UV again ZBrush will create
a mesh where the masking on your three planes intersects.
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VII Key sculpting points for shadowbox
This is a list of important things to consider when working with Shadow Box:
ShadowBox is designed to create base meshes rather than finely detailed mod-
els. Most of the time, its better to create a rough model with few polygons to
then subdivide and sculpt with traditional tools rather. It is rarely feasible to cre-
ate your object entirely using ShadowBox.
If you need to create holes, do it directly in ShadowBox by using Ctrl+Alt to
erase part of the mask.
ShadowBox can be a great addition to DynaMesh, creating complex primitives
which might take longer to create with traditional sculpting and clipping features.
Dont forget to use the new masking Brushes to create accurate shadows. They
can be combined with the new stroke functions to create perfect circles and
more.
Shadow Box works fine with Symmetry, based on an axis or with the Radial
(R) option enabled. If your symmetry is off axis, dont forget to enable the Local
Symmetry option located in the Transform palette.
87
ZBrush User Guide - Array Mesh
ARRAY MESH
Dynamically Instanced Array Generation
88
Array Mesh is an advanced array system in ZBrush that will allow you to create
duplicate instances of geometry in varying patterns and shapes. This feature operates in
real-time as you edit the structure of the original mesh or adjust the modifiers of the array.
Using the sliders located in the Array Mesh sub-palette or simply using Array Mesh with
TransPose can quickly generate complex instanced geometry.
The Array Mesh system also incorporates a multi-stage approach that allows you to
nest multiple arrays within each other. With this system you can easily create Instanced
shapes such as tank treads or full buildings!
Because the Array Mesh is instanced geometry you can at any time modify the origi-
nal model and see all changes propagate across the entire Array. If you created an Array
of windows for a building faade and you now want to add curtains to all the windows,
simply modify the original model and the curtains will be applied to all the instances.
89
I Array Mesh Stages
An Array Mesh can be generated as a single operation or as multiple operations

combined together. Each stage that is applied to the array can either reuse the content of
the previous stage or just the location of the last copy as a start of a new stage.
Each Array Mesh stage is independent. This provides a way to have different pa-
rameters for each stage. An example is tank track treads where:
The first stage defines the top flat part.

The second stage defines one of the rounded parts.
The third stage defines the bottom flat part.
The fourth stage defines the other rounded part and connects it to the beginning
of the first stage copy.
The fifth stage defines a mirrored version of the whole track to generate two full
treads.
Now by editing the original source mesh, the tracks can be automatically updated
in real-time!
On the top, the final model. Below, the multiple stages. You can find this model in LightBox >>
Project >> ArrayMeshes.
90
II Working with TransPose
Array Mesh is a function that relies heavily on parameters and sliders to generate the
desired results. This process is not always artist-friendly, so ZBrush also allows control
over these parameters using the TransPose line.
Location of the Pivot Point: the little yellow circle defines the center of the trans-
formations.
Offset between the source model and its duplicates, with Move.
Scale factor between the source model and its duplicates, with Scale.
Rotation between the source model and its duplicates, with Rotate.
Number of instanced copies.
Selection of the current stage.
Any changes that you generate with TransPose are automatically applied to the Ar-
ray Mesh modifiers in the Array Mesh sub-palette.
To use TransPose with Array Mesh, you need to first enable the Tool >> Array Mesh
>> TransPose mode switch. After enabling this feature you can freely manipulate Trans-
Pose as usual and switch to the different TransPose modes to affect the Offset, Scale,
Rotate and Pivot of the Array. The behaviors of TransPose are exactly the same as the
ones that are used when manipulating 3D models.
91
III Pivot Point
The Pivot Point is a key item in Array Mesh creation because it sets the center of the
operation, thus impacting how the rotation and offset values work to place the instances.
You can define the position of the pivot point by using the X, Y and Z Amount slid-
ers while in Pivot mode. For more interactive manipulation, use TransPose. In this latter
case, a little yellow circle will appear at the TransPose lines starting point. This is the
pivot point.
The pivot point is manipulated by clicking and dragging the circle. Because its posi-
tion is set in the camera working plane, it is advised to switch to an orthographic view and
carefully select your point of view before manipulating.
The pivot point is only visible when TransPose mode is enabled. When disabled, the
yellow circle will not be seen.
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IV Array Mesh and NanoMesh
Array Mesh and NanoMesh are two functions that can work together in two different
ways: Duplicating a NanoMesh with an Array Mesh or using an Array Mesh as placement
polygons for Nanos.
1. Duplicating a NanoMesh with an Array Mesh
A NanoMesh is considered by ZBrush to be true geometry. This means that it can

become the source of an Array Mesh, without the need to first convert the NanoMesh
instances to geometry.
Because both NanoMesh and Array Mesh are based on the principle of instanced
geometry, editing the source object of the NanoMesh will modify the result of the Nano-
Mesh and then copy that result across the Array Mesh.
2. Converting an Array Mesh to a NanoMesh
An Array Mesh is a fantastic tool when it comes to generating parametric shapes

based on instanced copies of the initial object. However since an Array Mesh generates
exact copies of the source object, the resulting figure will look very uniform. By converting
each copy of the Array Mesh to a NanoMesh, you can capitalize on the variation param-
eters within the NanoMesh system to break the design up and make it look more natural.
When converting an Array Mesh to a NanoMesh, each array instance is isolated and
applied to a single placement polygon. Once the Array Mesh is converted to a NanoMesh
it can use any of the NanoMesh features -- from replacing it with another NanoMesh to
editing the original model or applying randomizations.
A simple workflow could be:

Create an Array Mesh, in either single or multiple stages.
Convert it to NanoMesh. After conversion you will not be able to change the
number of instances or use any other Array Mesh modifiers.
Select an Insert brush, Insert Multi Mesh brush (IMM) or NanoMesh brush.
(When using an IMM brush or a NanoMesh created from an IMM brush.) Press
the M key to select the 3D model of your choice.
Click Tool >> NanoMesh >> Inventory >> Replace NanoMesh from Brush. The
3D model associated with the placement polygons will be replaced.
93
Use all the NanoMesh settings to interactively refine the results.
Please refer to the NanoMesh documentation for more information about NanoMesh
creation and manipulation.
94
V Working with Presets
The Array Mesh settings can be saved as a file on your computer to reuse at a later
date or share with other artists. You can also save these files in the dedicated ZArray
Mesh folder. Storing the Array Meshes in this folder (found in the main ZBrush directory,
in the same folder as the ZBrush application itself) will make them available through the
Array tab in LightBox.
To apply an Array Mesh preset from LightBox, simply double-click its thumbnail.
ZBrush will automatically take your currently selected Tool (model), enable the Array
Mesh function and apply the Array Mesh settings from the preset.
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VI Array Mesh Functions
Below is a list of the Array Mesh settings that can be modified for greater control over
the duplication process.
Most of these settings are fully interactive, letting you freely experiment with ad-
vanced multiple stage creations.
The ArrayMesh sub-palette.
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LightBox > Array Mesh Presets

The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Array Mesh Presets button opens LightBox to the Array
Mesh tab. You can then double-click on a saved Array Mesh preset file to apply the set-
tings to your current mesh.
Open and Save

Tool >> Array Mesh >> Save allows you to save the current Array Mesh settings in
a file.
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Open command of course loads any previously saved Array
Mesh file and applies the corresponding settings to the current model.
Note:
An Array Mesh file does not contain the geometry that is being instanced, but rather the set-
tings for the array itself.
Array Mesh
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Array Mesh enables or disables Array Mesh mode for the
current Tool or SubTool.
When Array Mesh mode is first enabled, it creates a copy of the current model. This
copy is positioned in the same location as the original model.
If an Array Mesh already exists, disabling and enabling Array Mesh mode will simply
hide/unhide any transformations that have been applied without changing any settings.
This function allows you to temporally turn off the array so as to make isolated modifica-
tions to the original Mesh.
TransPose
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> TransPose switch allows you to use the TransPose sys-
tem to manipulate your Array Mesh interactively.
When TransPose is enabled, switching to Move, Scale or Rotate will turn on the
TransPose Action Line and let you use it to modify the Offset, Scale and Rotate values
for the Array Mesh. (The X, Y, and Z Amount sliders.)
97
TransPose mode with an Array Mesh also lets you interactively set the pivot point for
the transformations. To change the pivot, simply click and drag the yellow circle located
at the start of the TransPose line. The pivot is always freely manipulated relative to the
camera working plane. For accurate placement, it is advised to switch to an orthographic
view and carefully choose the desired point of view before moving the pivot indicator.
Upon changing the pivot point, the Action Line will automatically be repositioned to
fit the new pivot location.
Lock Position, Lock Size

Tool >> Array Mesh >> Lock Position and Tool >> Array Mesh >> Lock Size prevent
the position and/or size of the existing Array Mesh instances from being changed.
By default, transformations are applied to the initial model and the instances then
move or scale accordingly. By activating these locks, the size and position of the existing
instances wont change.
These locks affect all stages associated with the array.
Switch XY, Switch XZ, Switch YZ

Tool >> Array Mesh >> Switch XY, Switch XZ and Switch YZ transform the current
axis orientation, based upon the current working plane from which you are viewing the
model.
These functions are useful when you want to apply transformations that may not be
in the desired direction relative to the world axis.
Transform Stage
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Transform Stage slider lets you navigate between the
different Array Mesh stages. To create a new stage, use the Append New or Insert New
functions.
When an Array Mesh is first created, this slider will be greyed out because there are
no additional stages to choose from.
Please refer to the Array Mesh Stages section below for more information about
stages.
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Append New
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Append New creates a new stage after all existing stages in
the list. So if you have four stages and are currently at the first, this button will create a
5th stage.
Insert New
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Insert New creates a new stage immediately after the cur-
rently selected stage. So if you have four stages and are currently at the first, this button
will create a new stage 2 with the remaining stages each incrementing by one number.
With this function, you can insert a new stage in between two existing stages.
Reset
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Reset sets all parameters for the currently selected stage
back to their default values.
Delete
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Delete removes the currently selected stage. If that is the
only existing stage then the Array Mesh is deleted and all the settings are returned to
their default values.
Copy, Past
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Copy and Paste functions let you copy the settings from
the current Array Mesh stage and paste them into another stage or even to another Array
Mesh.
Repeat
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Repeat slider defines the number of instance that will
be created from the current model. This value always includes the original model, so to
create a single copy the slider must be set to 2.
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Chain
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Chain makes the next stage start at the end of the previous
one. This allows you to generate advanced curve structures using a single instanced
mesh across multiple stages.
When enabled, the Chain function turns off the Alignment and Pattern functions.
Smooth
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Smooth slider applies a smooth transition between each
stage.
Align to Path
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Align to Path changes the orientation of all instances to follow
the array path.
To change the orientation of each instanced mesh along the path, you can change
the axis orientation modifier in the Align to Path button.
Align to Axis
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Align to Axis orients each instance with the world axis rather
than along the array path.
To change the orientation of the instanced meshes to use another axis, click the
desired modifier in the Align to Axis button
Pattern Start, Pattern Length, Pattern On, Pattern Off

The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Pattern Start, Pattern Length, Pattern On and Pattern
Off sliders define when each instance of the Array Mesh starts and how many are visible
(On) or invisible (Off).
The first object is always visible, even if you set Pattern Start to a value other than
1. However, in this case selecting another SubTool will cause the first instance of the
previous SubTool to disappear since its no longer the active instance. This is similar to
how SubTool visibility works, where the selected SubTool must always be displayed even
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if it is set to Off.
X Mirror, Y Mirror, Z Mirror

Tool >> Array Mesh >> X Mirror, Y Mirror and Z Mirror apply a mirror transformation
to the Array Mesh, based on the chosen axis.
Mirroring can be individually set for each Stage.

X Align, Y Align, Z Align
Tool >> Array Mesh >> X Align, Y Align and Z Align apply a positive or negative offset
to the axis of transformation, making the various alignments easier.
Offset
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Offset mode works in association with the X, Y and Z
Amount sliders and curves. When enabled, modifying the sliders will increase the dis-
tance of the copies from the source. The Offset value is the distance between the source
and the final instance generated by the current stage.
Modifying the curve will affect the acceleration or deceleration of distance between
copies along the length of the array. The curve is interactive and any manipulation will
provide real-time visual feedback.
When the Tool >> Array Mesh >> TransPose mode is enabled, manipulating the
TransPose line in Move mode will interactively change the Offset values.
Scale
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Scale mode works in association with the X, Y and Z
Amount sliders and curves. When enabled, modifying the sliders will increase the scale
of the copies relative to the source. The Scale value is the size of the source relative to
the final copy being generated by the current stage.
Modifying the curve will affect the acceleration or deceleration of the scale between
copies along the length of the array. The curve is interactive and any manipulation will
provide real-time visual feedback.
TransPose line in Scale mode will interactively change the Scale values.
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Rotate
The Tool >> Array Mesh >> Rotate mode works in association with the X, Y, and Z
Amount slider and curves. When enabled, modifying the sliders will adjust the orientation
of the copies relative to the source. The Rotate value is the angle of the source relative
to the final copy being generated by the current stage.
Modifying the curve will affect the acceleration or deceleration of the rotation be-
tween copies along the length of the array. The curve is interactive and any manipulation
will provide real-time visual feedback.
TransPose line in Rotate mode will interactively change the Scale values.
Pivot
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Pivot mode works in association with the X, Y and Z Amount
slider and curves. When enabled, modifying the sliders will change the position of the
pivot point used by the different transformations (Offset, Scale, Rotate).
Modifying the curve has no impact on the pivot location.
When the Tool >> Array Mesh >> TransPose mode is enabled, being in TransPose
Move mode and dragging the yellow circle found at the source position will interactively
change the Pivot values.
Please refer to the TransPose and Pivot section of the documentation (above) for
more information about the pivot.
X, Y, Z Amount and X, Y, Z Profile

These sliders and profile curves work in conjunction with the Offset, Rotate, Scale
and Pivot modes. Please refer to these sections just above for more information.
Convert to NanoMesh
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Convert to NanoMesh transforms each Array Mesh to a Na-
noMesh structure, creating a separate placement polygon for each instance.
Please refer to the Array Mesh with NanoMesh section above and to the NanoMesh
documentation for more information about NanoMesh manipulation and creation.
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Make Mesh
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Make Mesh converts the Array Mesh into real (non-instanced)
geometry. After conversion, the resulting model can be freely edited with any ZBrush
sculpting and modeling tools.
Extrude
Tool >> Array Mesh >> Extrude converts the actual Array Mesh results to a new
mesh and generates between each former instance, based upon its PolyGroups.
In order to perform this function, the Array Mesh objects must share PolyGrouping
on their opposite sides. When Extrude is turned on, the Make Mesh function will look at
this PolyGrouping and create bridges between the same PolyGrouped areas. This func-
tion is useful when creating environment items like stairs or organic models like snakes
where you want the gaps generated in between the repeats to be filled.
If your instance repeats are close to each other, ZBrush will fuse them. If this is an
undesired result, change the Repeat Value of the array to add more space between each
instance and then click Make Mesh again.
Close
When using cylindrical arrays, the Close function will attempt to fuse the final in-
stance of the array to the start, creating a contiguous circle.
Angle
The Angle slider works with Extrude when it generates bridging geometry on the Ar-
ray. This slider will look at the surface normal of the corresponding PolyGrouped faces.
Changing the Angle slider may fix bridging problems but can also generate undesirable
results. Adjust this setting only if the default values dont work well.
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ZBrush User Guide - QuickMesh
QUICKMESH
Polygonal Primitives for the ZModeler.
104
To more readily jump right into your creation process, ZBrush offers the Tool >> Ini-
tialize sub-palette, with settings that can be applied to any PolyMesh3D object.
Named Quick Meshes, these primitives convert the currently selected Tool or Sub-
Tool to a PolyMesh3D cube, Sphere or Cylinder which is optimized for usage with the
ZModeler brush. The topology generated is composed only of quadrangles (four sided
polygons) and comes with a predefined set of PolyGroups to make your initial modeling
steps easier.
Each polygonal primitive is bound to X, Y and Z values that set the number of poly-
gons for each axis. This value must be set prior to creation of the mesh.
These Quick Meshes do not have UVs. Also, no matter what values are set in the X,
Y and Z axis, the mesh will always fit in a 1x1x1 QCube size.
The Quick Mesh primitive has primarily been designed to provide optimized primi-
tives for the ZModeler brush but because it generates a Polymesh3D object it can also
be used in association with nearly all other ZBrush sculpting features.
Note:
The active object must not have subdivision levels in order for Quick Mesh to function. If your
selected model has subdivision levels, you must either delete them before using Quick Mesh or
select a different model such as the PolyMesh3D primitive.
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I Quick Mesh Functions
Quick Mesh primitives are based on the selected X, Y and Z values. Changing these
settings will have an impact on the shape. The settings are described below to help you
create these primitives quickly.
QCube
The Tool >> Initialize >> QCube button creates a cube-based shape, using the val-
ues defined by the X, Y and Z resolution sliders.
Performing this action will replace the current mesh with a QCube mesh.
QSphere
The Tool >> Initialize >> QSphere button creates a spherical shape as defined by the
X, Y and Z resolution sliders.
To create a perfect sphere, you need to have the same value for all three sliders.
Performing this action will replace the current mesh with a QSphere mesh.
QCyl X, Y and Z (Quick Cylinder)

The Tool >> Initialize >> QCyl X, Y and Z buttons create a cylindrical shape as de-
fined by the X, Y and Z resolution sliders. The primary axis of the cylinder is determined
by which QCyl X, Y or Z button you click.
By modifying the X, Y and Z resolution sliders, it is possible to create a variety of

shapes. For example, to create a circle-based cylinder, you can start with the same value
for the X, Y, and Z resolution sliders and then increase or decrease the resolution of the
slider corresponding to the axis of creation, generating the shapes length.
Performing this action will replace the current mesh with a QCyl mesh.
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X, Y and Z Res (Resolution)

The Tool >> Initialize >> X, Y and Z Resolution sliders define the number of subdivi-
sions along the corresponding axis of the mesh. This value must be set before pressing
the Quick Mesh button of your choice.
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ZBrush User Guide - ZModeler
ZMODELER
Subdivision Surface Modeling in ZBrush
108
The ZModeler is a new brush containing a set of polygonal modeling functions that
will allow you to quickly generate a wide variety of shapes -- from environmental assets
to parts for your next IMM brush. This new brush is for extremely low resolution model-
ing and will give you the control to build just about any base mesh or object with as few
polygons as possible. With its unique snapping ability you will also now find it even easier
than ever to create holes, add edge loops, or maybe even create your very own robot.
The workflow is quite simple and is based on two main principles: Targets and Ac-
tions.
The ZModeler brush has a set of Smart Targets, such as a Single Polygon, Poly-
Group, or PolyGroup Border. These Targets remove the need to manually perform
selections before performing a modeling Action.
The ZModeler Brush contains most of the common functions found in 3D-modeling
packages but also has a few smarter ones like the QMesh Action. Not only does this of-
fer you the ability to extrude but also to fuse the extrusion with any adjacent or crossed
polygons. The QMesh Action also allows you to quickly remove blocks of polygons, move
pieces of geometry or extract parts of your mesh to create new polygonal islands. You
will find that QMesh will become your primary poly Action.
The ZModeler brush contains thousands of Action and Target combinations, putting
astonishing power behind something that is so easy to learn and use. With just a little
practice, ZModeler and QMesh will undoubtedly become a new favorite in your arsenal
for creating low res geometry assets in ZBrush.
I ZClassRoom Videos
To help you master ZModeler, you will find numerous videos dedicated to its usage in
our ZClassroom. These do not cover all the various options and combinations of Actions
possible but rather provide a solid overview of the ZModeler toolset. This will help you
create your models in a very efficient way.
Visit the ZClassRoom: http://pixologic.com/zclassroom/homeroom/lesson/zmodeler/
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II Introduction to the ZModeler
To access the ZModeler toolset, you need to first select the ZModeler brush in the
Brush palette (or pop-up). You can do this quickly by typing the letter B on your keyboard,
followed then Z then M. (You can also assign a hotkey to the ZModeler brush.)
The ZModeler functions are controlled via a dedicated pop-up window. You can ac-
cess this menu in two different ways. Hover over the 3D model before:
Pressing the space bar (advised).

Right-clicking.
Note:
Right-clicking or pressing the space bar while the cursor is over empty canvas or a non-
selected SubTool will trigger the default pop-up menu with its sliders/selectors.
The Point, Edge and Polygon pop-up windows for ZModeler. Notice the differents sections (espe-
cially for Polygon), with Actions at the top, then Targets, followed by Options and finally Modifiers.
The ZModeler popup is composed of 4 areas. Some of these are only visible when
specific items are selected.
Action: This is where you select the function to be performed on the 3D Model.
Target: This tells ZModeler how to interpret your click on the model when apply-
ing an Action. For example, do you wish to affect a single polygon or an entire
flat surface?
Options: Parameters which change how the Target or Action behaves. Not all
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the Targets or Actions have options.

Modifiers: Operators which alter interaction while doing the operation. Not all
the Targets or Actions have modifiers.
Note:
Options and Modifiers are very similar. They have been split mainly to make the operations
easier to understand. An example is the Bridge Action which has different presets of curves for the
options (like circle, curve or small rounded corners). Modifiers then refine this to define if the shape
creation is interactive or predefined with parameters (which can be set).
Select an Action and a Target, then adjust any options or modifiers as necessary.
Now click on the model to perform the Action.
Each Action is performed by clicking on a point, edge or polygon to begin the Action
and then dragging continue it. Depending on the Action, you will get different results by
dragging the mouse left/right or up/down.
The ZModeler brush also has a Replay function allows you to apply a duplicate Ac-
tion with a single click. Please refer to the Replay the Action chapter for more information.
Because ZModeler is a brush rather than a special mode you at any time switch
between it and other sculpting features. As a polygon-based brush, it is compatible with
all the PolyMesh3D compatible features.
1. Context-Based Actions: Points, Edges, Polygons and Curves
The ZModeler set of Actions are context-sensitive. When positioning your cursor
over a point, edge, polygon or compatible curve, specific ZModeler Actions will be acces-
sible. The content of the ZModeler menu will also differ depending on what your cursor
is hovering over.
It is very important to highlight specific topology elements to have access to the Ac-
tions that can be performed on it. Some Actions may have similar functions for points,
edges and polygons but their behavior can be totally different. As an example, the Edge
Bridge Action can create very powerful connections between two openings while the
Point Bridge will create an edge between two clicked points. Please refer to the chapters
explaining Actions to learn these various functions.
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From top left to bottom right: Point, Edge, Polygon and Curve highlighted, before opening the
ZModeler menu.
2. Restrictions
ZModeler only works with PolyMesh3D objects. You need to convert your primitives
(via Make Polymesh3D) or ZSpheres (via Unified Skin or Adaptive Skin) to PolyMesh3D
before using the ZModeler.
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If you are using ZModeler on an existing model, you also need to consider its poly-
gon count. ZModeler works in a different way from other brushes in that its not designed
for models with millions of polygons. It is designed specifically for direct editing down to
the individual polygon.
ZModeler is mean to work on models which have no subdivision levels. It is possible

to work on a model with subdivisions, but you will need to use the Tool >> Geometry >>
Freeze Subdivision Levels first or delete the other levels.
To allow you to see how your model will appear with more subdivision levels, use
the Dynamic Subdivision system. This system was specifically designed to work with the
ZModeler brush, providing real-time high resolution display while you work directly on the
base level. Please refer to the Dynamic Subdivision chapter for more information.
ZModeler only functions with quadrangles and triangles; it does not support n-gons.
When an Action would create topology with possible n-gons, ZBrush automatically cre-
ates extra edges to produce topology with only quads and tris.
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III The ZModeler Brush: Actions and Targets
The ZModeler brush is a whole modeling universe by itself. It contains a vast array
of functions that can be applied to multiple Targets, resulting in hundreds of combinations
of modeling possibilities within ZBrush.
To make the process easier to understand and not create a restricted set of tools,
the ZModeler functions are split into two different elements: the Action and the Target.
Top: the Polygon Actions with QMesh selected. Bottom: the corresponding Target of the QMesh
Action.
The Action is the function itself, such as Extrude Move, Bridge or Split.
The Target is the element to which the Action will be applied. This can be indi-
vidual points, edges or polygon as well as smart compound selections such as
borders, PolyGroups, edge loops and more.
Taking the Poly Move Action as an example: The Action contains Targets such as
Move Poly, Move All Mesh, Move Brush Radius, Move Curved Island, Move Flat Island,
Move Island, Move PolyGroup All, Move PolyGroup Island, etc. (More may also be added
in the future.) The same Move Action when applied to points or edges is associated with
different Targets, offering even more tools for your modeling process.
It is up to you to define the tool you need for your modeling at the moment by com-
bining the desired Action with the best Target.
To display the list of Actions and Targets, you must have the ZModeler brush se-
lected and hover over a point, edge, or polygon of a Polymesh 3D model. By right-clicking
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or pressing the space bar, the ZModeler context pop-up menu will appear, displaying
Actions with Targets beneath them.
The displayed Actions and Target will depend upon exactly what the cursor is hover-
ing over, with different items being show for points, edges or polygons. If you are looking
for a function that you cant find, it may be because you were not hovering over the cor-
rect part of the mesh before opening the ZModeler pop-up menu.
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IV Options and Modifiers
In association with the Actions and Targets there are additional options and modifiers
able to be applied to the selected Action. Not all Actions have options and/or modifiers.
Also, the selection of a specific Target can enable or disable what is available.
A good example is the Bridge Action for polygons. It has two Targets: Connected
Polys and Two Polys:
When selecting Connected Polys, the ZModeler context menu displays two new
sections just below the Target. The first of these is a list of options and below
that, a list of modifiers.
Now if you switch the Target to Two Polys, the previous options and modifiers
for Connected Polys disappear and the area where they had been will be blank.
This is because Two Polys is very straightforward and has no need for addi-
tional settings.
The Polygon Bridge with Connected Polys target: Options to define the shape of the bridge and
Modifiers to define how the bridge is built.
For each Action, the corresponding options and modifiers will be explained in their
dedicated sections of this documentation.
The default settings for the options and modifiers are always displayed first. If you
need to reset the options and/or modifiers, simply select the left-most one in each line.
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V Edge Selector Widget
Some Actions require directional information to guide ZBrush to results you are look-
ing for. When hovering over the polygons or points of your model you will notice visual
widgets that represent directional information.
ZBrushs selection system has a priority order: Each time that an element is high-
lighted, ZBrush considers its position relative to the surrounding geometry. When high-
lighting a vertex, ZBrush also looks at the adjacent edges and faces while doing any
calculations. Some Targets (like Polyloop when used for a Poly Action) rely detection of
the adjacent edges to determine in which direction the Action will function. The Edge
Selector Widget simply makes this sub-element detection visible.
1. Highlighting a Point
An orange line extending from the point indicates the direction of the Action opera-
tion. Along with this point, some Actions will also look at the face that is highlighted when
hovering over the point. If the selected Action needs directional information it will refer to
these two widgets. Simply move the cursor around the point to change the direction of
the widget and thus, the Action.
The orange widget when highlighting a point.
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2. Highlighting an Edge
There is no indication of direction needed when working with edges as the edge by
itself gives the direction. However, hovering over an edge will highlight faces as well.
Some Actions also use the edges midpoint to determine their direction.
3. Highlighting a Polygon
An orange line located between the highlighted polygons center and edge closest
to the cursor indicates the direction of the Action operation. Moving around the poly will
change which edge this line points to.
The orange widget when highlighting a polygon. The cursor position defines the direction of the
widget.
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VI The Do Nothing Action
Each point, edge, polygon and curve menu has a Do Nothing Action. This Action
prevents use of its associated element when hovering over the mesh. This is helpful if
you want to only preform certain Actions by blocking mis-clicks.
For example, if you enable the Do Nothing action for points then clicking on a point
will result in the Action being applied to the associated edges instead. If you also enable
Do Nothing for edges then you will only be able to affect polygons even if you click on a
point or edge by mistake.
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VII Working With PolyGroups
PolyGroups (which are groups of polygons identified by a specific color) are an es-
sential part of the creation process with ZModeler.
ZModeler has an extended toolset of functions to create and manipulate PolyGroups,

such as using them as a Target so that an Action will affect all polygons belonging to the
same PolyGroup, no matter where they appear in the mesh. PolyGroups can also be
modified in the in the Tool >> Polygroups sub-palette.
1. Propagation of PolyGroups
The current PolyGroup remain the same until you decide to assign a new PolyGroup
after an Action. Several Targets specifically use the PolyGroups while most Actions will
either create or propagate PolyGroups. Depending on your needs, you can use the Poly-
Group Action to create new PolyGroups before applying another Action.
An example of this: Using the Extrusion Action will maintain the existing PolyGroup
for the top part of the extrusion while creating a new PolyGroup for the sides. Continuing
this Action elsewhere on the model will continue produce identical PolyGroups unless
you instruct ZBrush otherwise.
2. Temporary PolyGroup
When modeling there may be times when no specific Target fits the selection you
are looking for. Or perhaps you may simply want to extend an existing Target with extra
polygons from another location. For this purpose, ZModeler has an integrated Tempo-
rary PolyGroup which is always displayed as white.
To apply the Temporary PolyGroup, you must be working with a polygon Action. If
so, simply Alt+click the desired polygons. These polygons will turn white to indicate that
they are part of the Temporary PolyGroup. You can also click and drag to paint this Tem-
porary PolyGroup.
Alt+clicking a white polygon will remove it from the Temporary PolyGroup selection.
You are free to continue editing this Temporary PolyGroup until you execute an Ac-
tion.
The Temporary PolyGroup always adds to the current Target. As an example, if you
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are selecting an Extrude Action with a Polyloop Target and create a Temporary PolyGroup
out of polygons not belonging to the poly loop you are looking for, the Action will extrude
both the poly loop itself and any polygons belonging to the Temporary PolyGroup.
At the bottom, a few polygons have been selected to form a temporary PolyGroup. This selection
doesnt correspond to any existing Target.
3. Changing of PolyGroups During an Action
While editing your model, it may happen that you would need a different PolyGroup
from what is being created by the Action. While still applying the Action, simply tap the
Alt key once to change the PolyGroup to another one.
The actual color of a PolyGroup is irrelevant to any Actions or Targets but sometimes
PolyGroup colors might be too similar for you to be able to easily tell the groups apart.
If you dont like the color that ZBrush gives you, tap Alt again and repeat until you find
something that youre satisfied with.
Not all Actions permit you to use Alt to change the PolyGroup color. This is because
they use the Alt key as a modifier.
Note:
Be careful to not tap the Alt key until after you have started executing the Action. Otherwise
you could end up changing the Target instead or even add polygons to the Temporary PolyGroup.
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4. Copying an Existing PolyGroup
The Temporary PolyGroup is useful for one-off selections but you will sometimes
want to keep coming back to the same Targeted polygons. In this case, you can apply an
existing PolyGroup to another location. With the PolyGroup Action, it is possible to pick a
PolyGroup identifier and color, then copy and store it for the next Action.
To do this, follow these steps:
1. Select the PolyGroup Action

2. Select the A Single Poly Target
3. Hover over a polygon belonging to the desired PolyGroup.
4. While clicking and holding on this polygon, press (or tap) the Shift key. ZBrush
will copy the clicked polygons PolyGroup. Release the click.
5. Now click on another polygon to paste the PolyGroup.
You can do this on multiple locations. Try it also with other Targets, like Polyloop to
apply the same strips of PolyGroups on multiple polygons.
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VIII Replay the Action
Because some polygonal modeling Actions are repetitive by nature, the ZModeler
brush stores all settings and values used in your last Action. You can then simply click
once on another part of the model or choose another Target to instantly reproduce that
last operation.
During the modeling session, each Action stores all the parameters or settings, el-
evation and values. You can perform an Action, switch to another Action to perform its
operation, then switch back to the previous one and with a single click replay the same
operation. The Replay Last Action feature works for all ZModeler Actions.
To demonstrate:
1. On a simple plane, use the Polygon Extrude on a single face to extrude a col-
umn.
2. Click other polygons on the grid to create additional columns at those locations.
They will all have the same elevation.
3. Now choose the Polygon Delete Action and delete the top polygon from each
column.
4. Select the Edge Bridge Action with the Two Holes modifier. Click on a first hole,
then click and drag on a second hole to produce a bride with a specific elevation
and tessellation.
5. To reproduce this same bridge with the same settings, just click the holes at the
top of another couple of columns.
6. Select Polygon Extrude again and click another polygon on the grid. You will
get a column that is identical to the first ones you created, even though you used
different Actions and adjusted their settings since creating the first columns.
Replay Last in action: On the left, a bevel has been applied to an extrusion. On the right, the same
bevel with identical settings has been applied to the remaining extrusions.
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IX ZModeler and Masking
Like all other ZBrush functions, the ZModeler brush is affected by any masks on your
model. Additionally, you can temporarily change to the current Mask brush by using the
standard hotkey. (Ctrl)
The default masking behavior will prevent Actions from affecting the masked points,
edges and/or polygons.
A Masking Action is available in the ZModeler brush to produce quick masks based
on Targeted points, edges and/or polygons. Once masked using these Actions, the model
can be manipulated with TransPose for accurate transformation.
There is also a TransPose Action that masks the entire model except where Tar-
geted, then automatically switches to TransPose mode.
When working with a mask, keep in mind that its representation is based on the
points of the topology (just like Colorize PolyPainting). With very low resolution models it
can be difficult to visualize the mask.
All the masking functions found in the Tool >> Masking sub-palette work with ZMod-
eler.
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X Point Actions
In this section we will cover the different Actions that can be applied to the points of
a model. To access the point menu when using the ZModeler brush, hover over a point
and right-click the mouse or press space bar.
Some Actions operate in a specific direction. In this case, pay attention to the Edge
Indicator so that you can control how the Action will be applied.
Targets are described in later sections of this documentation.
Bridge
The Bridge Action connects two selected points and establishes an edge between
them. To perform this operation, the two points must share the same polygon. Since
ZBrush is based on triangles and quads the Point Bridge function cannot be used to cre-
ate an edge or set of edges which connect two distant points.
The different Targets associated with the Bridge Action define how this point Action
will be applied to the model. The Ring Target connects the clicked point to all the points
of the shared polygons it is attached to, while the Two Points Target connects two points
by clicking them in succession.
On the left, a bridge between two points. On the right, a ring bridge which connects the clicked
point to all points of the shared polygons.
Modifiers (only with Ring Target)

Crease Ring, Do Not Crease: Opt to apply creasing to the edges created by the
Bridge Action.
Regroup Ring, Do Not Regroup: Opt to change the created edges to a new
PolyGroup.
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Crease
The Crease Action applies edge creasing to the edges connected to the clicked point
Alternative Operations
Alt+click: Uncrease an already creased edge and vice versa.
Delete
The Delete Action removes the clicked point, creating a hole in the model. By de-
fault, ZBrush creates triangles around the deleted point, deleting half of them.
Do Nothing
The Do Nothing Action is an empty Action. When this is active it will prevent the pos-
sibility of accidentally performing a Point Action while using the ZModeler Brush. If you
know that you only want to use Poly or Edge Actions, having this active and hovering
over a point will instead result in a Poly Action.
Extrude
The Extrude Action creates an extrusion from the targeted point by clicking and
dragging. This Action will create a pyramidal shape perpendicular to the extruded point.
The position of the cursor around the point defines which of the connected edges will
be transformed during the extrude Action. To see this, move your cursor slightly around
the point; you should notice the highlighted connected polys change to show the direction
of the extrusion.
The extruded polygons will receive two PolyGroups: One for the extruded face and
another for the polygons connected to the extrusion. Performing additional extrusions will
keep the same PolyGroups until another type of Action is performed.
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Extrude Point in action. Notice how the position of the cursor defines the selection of the extru-
sion. On the top and bottom the same point is clicked but the cursor position sets which polygon is
affected by the extrusion.
Ctrl: Stop the extrusion process and switch to a Move Action.
Shift: Move the point along its normal.
Alt: Change the PolyGroup of the extruded part.
Make Curve
The Make Curve Action creates a curve point-by-point, corresponding to the points
clicked on the 3D mesh. This created curve can be used by other Brushes, such as the
Curve Tube brush or ZRemesher Guides brush. It can also be used by ZModelers Curve
Actions.
Click on the models points to create a curve. Each new click adds a new segment
127
connected to the previous point. Select another Action or press the spacebar to quit the
curve creation mode.
The Make Curve Action lets your create point-to-point curves which can be used within ZModeler
or with any other type of curve-based ZBrush tool.
Mask
The Mask Action applies a mask to the clicked point (or corresponding auto-mask-
ing), preventing that point from being manipulated until the mask has been cleared.
Clicking on multiple points is possible and will let you protect multiple points as
needed.
Move
The Move Action lets you freely move the selected point relative to the screens
working plane.
Shift: Constrains the Move Action along the closest X, Y or Z working plane.
It is important to move your camera to an aligned angle before using the Shift
modifier with a Move Action.
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QMesh
The QMesh Action creates an extrusion of targeted point by clicking and dragging.
This Action will produce a pyramidal shape perpendicular to the extruded point.
The position of the cursor around the point will define which of the connected edges
are to be transformed during the QMesh Action. To see this, move your cursor slightly
around the point; you should notice the highlighted connected polys change to show the
direction of the QMesh extrusion.
By default, the QMesh operation is exactly the same as the Extrude Point Action,
except that:
The created mesh will attempt to fuse with the adjacent polygons, including
merging with any polygons that are crossed during the operation.
The created mesh can be completely deleted when performing an extrusion that
crosses an existing polygon that is connected to the extruded polygons.
Draw Size impacts the detection of the fusing operation: A small Draw Size gener-
ates a stronger fusion attraction while a larger Draw Size generates a lower fusion at-
traction.
On the left, a point is extruded in a similar way to the Extrude Point Action. Continuing QMesh on
this same point will fuse the polygons adjacent to the extrusion.
Options
Full, Half, Quarter Step: Define the number of steps that the QMesh extrusion
will have between the clicked points and the maximum height, when its connected to an
adjacent polygon. These modifiers have no effect when the extruded point is not able to
fuse with adjacent polygons.
Ctrl: Stop the extrusion process and switch to a Move Action.
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Slide
The Slide Action shifts the clicked point along the path of its connected edges. The
direction of the cursor drag defines which edge the point slides along.
On the left, the point before sliding it. In the middle and on the right, the point has been slid along
its connected edges.
Note:
The Edge Selector widget indications have no impact on a Slide operation. The point will
freely move along all connected edges.
Alternative Operation
Alt: Performs an Inflate action, moving the point along its normal.
Shift: Slides the point along its connected polygons.
Split
The Split Action creates a circle shape with its center on the clicked point position.
This Action is very handy when creating tube-like shapes starting from existing geometry.
Point Target Modifiers

Keep Quad Center, Triangulate Center: This modifier toggles whether to allow
the generation of triangles when creating the split shape.
Crease Ring, Do Not Crease: Toggles whether to apply creasing to the created
edges.
Regroup Ring, Do Not Regroup: Toggles whether to generate a new PolyGroup
for the created polygons.
Ring Target Modifiers
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Crease Ring, Do Not Crease: Toggles whether to crease the created edges.
Regroup Ring, Do Not Regroup: Toggles whether to generate a new PolyGroup
for the created polygons.
Equalize Radius, Do Not Equalize: Toggles whether to modify the created points
so that they fit a circle.
On the left, the point before the Split Action. In the center, the point has been split by clicking and
dragging, creating a circle shape. On the right, another point has been split: Notice that ZBrush
automatically adapts the circle to the existing topology.
Stitch
The Stitch Action allows you to weld adjacent points on your model together. You
must first click one point, then the one to be welded to it.
Point Target Modifier

To End Point, To Mid Point, To Start point: Define in which direction the points
will be welded together: at the second points position, at a location exactly be-
tween both points, or at first points position.
TransPose
The TransPose Action automatically masks all points except the clicked one and
switches to TransPose mode. You are then able to perform all the usual TransPose op-
erations on the clicked point.
Please keep in mind that while using TransPose, you are no longer in Edit >> Draw
mode. This means that the ZModeler brush will be deselected. To continue using ZMod-
eler, return to Draw mode.
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TransPose Action automatically masks everything except the clicked point and sets the action line
to the location of the point while orienting the line along the points surface normal.
Note:
Dont forget to remove your mask before attempting other operations.
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XI Edge Actions
This section explains the different ZModeler Actions that can be applied to the edges
of a model. To access the Edge menu, simply hover over an edge and either right-click
or press the space bar.
Edge Actions may generate different results depending on which Target option is
chosen. The descriptions of the Targets are available in later chapters of this document.
Add to Curve
The Add to Curve Action will generate a curve corresponding to the selected Target.
The created curves can later be used with Curve Actions or other Curve brushes.
Note:
Curve Actions are only available when a Curve exists on the model.
Align
The Align Action will take a series of edges in continuous order and unifies their posi-
tions based on the selected modifier.
Before using the Action you must establish the first and last edges of the poly loop
you want to affect. After clicking the last edge you will be able to align the edges in vari-
ous ways such as a straight line or a partial circle.
Click the first edge, then click and drag the second one. The edges between the two will be
aligned. Depending on the modifier, you can interactively change the shape of the alignment.
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Modifiers
Bezier Curve, Spline, Circle, Arcs, Arcs and Line, Round Corners, Small Round
Corners, Tight Round Corners: Define the shape of the edges aligned between
the two clicked one.
One Line: Produces a flattened strip of polygons between the two clicked edges.
Options
Interactive, Specified Curvature: Defines the curvature of the alignment, either
interactively or through a numerical value.
Align to Normal, Tangent: Defines how the alignment will initially be calculated,
based on surface normal. This option is not used when the One Line modifier
is selected.
Overwrite, Additive Position: Defines if the curvature that is generated by the
alignment is replacing the existing edge position or is added to the existing posi-
tion, creating an offset in the alignment.
Variable, Constant Width:
Bevel
The Bevel Action generates a new planar surface along the edges corresponding to
the selected Target. The width of the bevel is determined by clicking and dragging.
Modifiers
Single, Two, Four, Eight Row(s): Define the number of edges inserted in the
bevel topology.
Linear, Sharp, Soft Edge: Define the shape of the bevel. Not only is the visible
roundness of the bevel affected but also the distance between the edges. This
allows the bevel to look correct when using Dynamic Subdivision.
Bridge
The Bridge Action connects one or more edges with polygons. This Action makes it
possible for you to connect two edges or two edge borders together.
With Edges Target, the Bridge Action connects two edges together with a single
polygon. When hovering over and edge with this Action selected, a widget with Click
first edge and Click second edge will be visible. Upon clicking the second edge, the
polygon will be created.
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When using the Bridge Two Edges function, use caution. It can be easy to create
invalid topology by clicking two edges which are not connected.
Note:
Because polygons are single-sided, it can be hard to see their edges from certain angles.
Enabling Tool >> Display Properties >> Double makes the borders of polygons more visible.
With Two Holes Target, the Bridge Action connects the edge borders of two holes
together to create a tube-like shape between them. The shape of the Bridge can be dras-
tically impacted by the different options and modifiers explained below.
When hovering over and edge with this Action selected, a widget with Click first
edge and Click second edge will be visible. It is important to continue holding the
second click to enable the interactive part of this Action. This allows you to reshape the
bridge in accordance with the selected modifiers.
On the left: One edge has been clicked for each holes boundary. On the right: The bridge has
been created by dragging when clicking on the second holes boundary.
Note:
Because polygons are single-sided, it can be hard to see their edges from certain angles.
Enabling Tool >> Display Properties >> Double makes the borders of polygons more visible.
Modifiers (Two Holes Only)

While continuing to hold the second click, dragging the mouse vertically and horizon-
tally will reshape the bridge. Horizontal movement increases or decreases the curvature
while vertical movement controls tessellation of the spans.
Pressing the Shift Key will snap to the optimal curvature depending on the modifier
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that is selected.
Interactive Curvature, Optimal Curvature, Half Curvature: Define the curvature

of the bridge, allowing it to be interactive or automatically optimized.
Interactive Resolution, Optimal Resolution, Minimum Resolution: Define the
resolution (tessellation) of the bridge, either interactively or automatically.
PolyGroup Columns, PolyGroup Rows, PolyGroup Flat: defines how the Poly-
Groups are created along the bridge.
Pivot on Hole Center, Pivot on Clicked Edge: Defines the pivot point to define
how the curvature of the tube will be created. Clicking two edges of a larger dis-
tance will generate a longer curve, while clicking two edges of shorter distance
will generate a shorter curve.
Auto Align Edges, Align Clicked Edges: These are similar to the Pivot modifiers
and define which edges will be used when aligning the edges.
Options (Two Holes Only)

Circle, The Spline, Arcs, Arcs and Line, Round Corners, Small Round Corners,
Tight Round Corners and Straight Lines: Define the shape of the tube between
the two holes, based upon any Action modifiers.
One Line: Produces a straight bridge between the two clicked holes.
The same holes have been selected for each bridge but with different shape options selected,
creating different results for the same action.
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Alternative Operations (Two Holes Only)

Shift: Press this modifier while doing a click and drag to automatically create the
shape selected in the Bridge options. (For example, the Circle type of bridge
produce a clean partial circle.)
Close Hole
The Close Hole Action fills openings in the model. This process contains two Targets.
Close Concave Hole fills the hole using the same algorithm used in the Tool >>
Geometry >> Modify Topology >> Close Hole function. It simply closes the hole of the
clicked open edge loop.
Note:
A hole can be filled only if the topology allows it.
When associated with the Convex Target, the Close Hole Action uses a different al-
gorithm to fills the space. The shape of this fill can be drastically impacted by the options
and modifiers described below.
It is important to continue holding the click after selecting the edge of the hole. This
enables interaction for you to reshape the created surface.
Modifiers (Convex Hole Only)

While continuing to hold your click open edge loop, moving the cursor horizontally or
vertically modifies the shape of the surface being created. Horizontal movement chang-
es the curvature and elevation. Vertical movment affects the amount of tessellation that
is applied.
Converge to Center, Converge to Edge, Converge to Point: Define how the

shape of the structure is created and which direction the center point moves in
during creation. The direction of your stroke also determines where the new
topology converges to.
Interactive Curvature, Optimal Curvature, Curvature Value: Define the curvature
of the created geometry to be either interactive or automatically optimized.
Interactive Resolution, Optimal Resolution, Resolution Value: Define the resolu-
tion (tessellation) of the geometry, with it either being interactive or automati-
cally controlled by ZBrush.
No Twist, 360 Degrees Twist, Twist Value: Define the behavior of the generated
geometry. This function can be used to generate helix-shaped surfaces.
PolyGroup columns, PolyGroup Rows, PolyGroup Flat: Define how the Poly-
Groups are created along the bridge.
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Options (Convex Hole Only)

Circle, The Spline, Arcs, Arcs and Line, Round Corners, Small Round Corners,
Tight Round Corners and Straight Lines: Define the shape of the geometry clos-
ing the hole.
One Line: Produces a flat hole with no elevation. With this option selected, only
tessellation can be changed.
At the top, the model with two holes. On the right and bottom, three different ways to close the
holes as set by the different Close Convex Holes options.
Alternative Operation (Convex Hole Only)

Shift: Press this modifier during the click and drag to let ZBrush use the optimal
shape.
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Collapse
The Collapse Action will remove the selected edge, fusing the connected vertices
together.
When used with:

Edge Target: The edge point closest to the cursor is fused with the second edge
point.
Hole Target: All the vertices along the boundary of the hole merge together at
the center of the hole.
PolyLoop: All the vertices of the loop closest to the clicked edge are fused with
the polyloop that is opposite the clicked edge.
Crease
The Crease Action applies edge creasing to the Targeted edges.
Alt: Uncrease an already creased edge and vice versa.
Delete
The Delete Action deletes the edge(s) corresponding to the selected Target.
The operation is possible only if deleting the edge(s) will not create a topology issue.
If clicking on an edge doesnt produce a result, it is because the action would result in
topology issues such as creation of n-gons and so was forbidden by ZBrush.
When deleting edges especially when part of an edge loop -- ZBrush will not only
delete the edges but also the points along these edges.j This avoids extra cleaning
steps.
Do Nothing
The Do Nothing Action is an empty Action. When this is active it will prevent the pos-
sibility of accidentally performing an Edge Action by mistake while using the ZModeler
brush. If you know that you only want to use Poly or Point Actions, having this active and
hovering over a point will default to a Poly Action instead.
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Extrude
The Extrude Action will extrude a selected edge on a model. The extrude edge Ac-
tion creates a polygon between the clicked edge and the opposite edge. When using this
Action, triangles will be created on the extruded part.
The position of the cursor when clicking on the Target edge defines the direction of
the extrusion.
Ctrl: Stop the extrusion process and switch to an Edge Move Action.
Shift: Disconnect the polygons adjacent to the extrusion.
Modifiers
Straight, Rotate to 15 Degrees, Custom Rotation: Define the steps the extruded
edge. Straight provides no constraints while 15 Degrees add steps of 15 de-
grees. Custom rotation allows you to add a custom constraint by the value set
in this slider.
Insert
The Insert Action creates an edge loop along the clicked ring of edges. The insert
Action will continue across the entire edge loop.
If you want the Inserted edge to only be generated through part of an edge loop, you
can use a mask to protect the portions of the model where you do not want the Inserted
edge to be generated.
The Insert Action uses two Targets: Multiple EdgeLoops and Single EdgeLoop. If
using the Multiple EdgeLoops Target you will have access to modifiers that help generate
advanced shapes.
Modifiers
Interactive Resolution, Specified Resolution: Define the number of inserted
edges. You can move the cursor up and down interactively or enter a numerical
value.
Specified Resolution, Interactive Elevation: Defines the elevation of the inserted
edge(s). When set to Interactive Elevation, moving the cursor left and right will
change the elevation.
Spline, Radial, Linear, Flat: Define the shape of the elevation.
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Per Polygon Normal, Clicked Normal, Average Normals: Define the direction of
the Elevation modifier.
Alt: Remove the clicked edge loop.
Shift: When used with the Single EdgeLoop Target, this will move the inserted
edge proportionally to the cursor.
Inset
The Inset Action inserts a new polygon within the selected face or group of faces.
The different modifiers not only change the shape of the inserted polygon(s) but also
allow for control over how these new polys are connected to the original surface.
Modifiers
Center and Border, Border Only, Center Only: Define how the new polygons
are created. Center and Border will create all the polygons. Border Only will not
create the center polygon. Center Only will create the center polygon(s) without
any border polygons.
Inset Each Poly, Inset Region: Define whether the inserted polygons are cre-
ated individually or connected all together as a region.
Alt: Change the PolyGroup of the inserted part.
Shift: Change the shape of the inserted polygon(s) to be square rather than
matching the original polygon.
Mask
The Mask Action applies a protective mask to the clicked edge, preserving it from
manipulation until the mask has been cleared.
It is possible to click on multiple items, masking all of them if needed.
Alt: Unmask the clicked Target. Like the Mask Action; click unprotect as many
edges as needed.
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Move
The Move Action lets you freely relocate the selected edge relative to the screens
working plane.
Shift: Constrains the Move Action along the closest X, Y, or Z working (canvas)
plane. It is important to adjust your camera angle before using this modifier with
the Move Action.
Move Auto Radius

Move Infinite Radius shifts the whole edgeloop by slowing decreasing the strength
of the move.
Alt: Moves the edges like they were inflated.
Shift: Slides all Targeted edges along the adjacent polygons.
Move Brush Radius

Move Brush Radius moves the edges based on the Draw Size.
Move Infinite Radius

Move Infinite Radius shifts the whole edgeloop based on depth of the camera view.
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PolyGroup
The PolyGroup Action sets a new PolyGroup for the Targeted edge. The modifiers
below define how these PolyGroups are created.
Modifiers
Overwrite, Additive: Define how the new PolyGroups are created. Overwrite will
apply a new PolyGroup with the first click and reuses it for each subsequent click while
the Additive modifier will create a different PolyGroup with each click.
Note:
Unlike other Actions where the Alt key can change the PolyGroup, this operation isnt pos-
sible for the PolyGroup Action when Overwrite is active. You need to switch to the Additive modifier
instead.
QMesh
The QMesh Action creates an extrusion of the edges corresponding to the selected
Target. This extruded edge creates a polygon between the clicked edge and the opposite
edge, creating a triangle shape on the side of the extruded part.
By default, the QMesh operation is exactly the same as Extrude Edge, except that:
The created mesh will fuse to the adjacent polygons when possible.
The created mesh can be completely deleted when performing a negative extru-
sion.
The Draw Size has impacts the attraction of the fusing operation: a small Draw Size
will trigger a strong fuse operation while a larger Draw Size will apply weaker fusing.
The position of the cursor when clicking on the Target edge affects the direction of
the extrusion. It is important to carefully position your cursor before executing the Action.
Options
Full, Half, Quarter Step: Define the number of steps that the QMesh extrusion
will have between the clicked edges and its maximum height. These options
have no effect when the extruded edge isnt in contact with adjacent polygons.
Modifiers
Straight, Rotate to 15 Degrees, Custom Rotate Angle: Define the value of the
steps when extruding the edge. Straight provides no constraints while 15 De-
grees add steps of 15 degrees. The custom rotation adds a custom constraint
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determined by the slider value.

Normal Attraction, Weak Attraction, No Attraction: Define the sensitivity of the
fusing detection.
Ctrl: Stops the extrusion process and switches to a Move Action.
Shift: Disconnects the extrusions adjacent polygons.
Alt: Changes the PolyGroup of the extrusion.
Scale
The Scale Action resizes the Targeted edges. When scaling a single edge its two
points will be affected. While scaling a polyloop, a larger part of the model may be scaled
depending its path.
Slide
The Slide Action shifts the Targeted edges along their connected polygons.
Spin
The Spin Action rotates the clicked edge counter-clockwise around the two adjacent
polygons. This Action is very convenient when you wish to change the models topology.
Alt: Produces a clockwise spin.
Split
The Split Action inserts a point on the clicked edge and connects it to all adjacent
edges. Dragging the point during the Split Action allows you to move it along the edge.
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Alt: Collapse the edge by welding its two points together at the location of the
one closest to the click.
Stitch (Hole)
The Stitch Action closes the edges of a hole, welding them together. Since the two
clicked edges are welded together, the alignment of the clicked edges will define the
resulting topology.
The Stitch Action produces better results when the hole has constant and uniform
topology, such as with a poly loop shape.
Swivel
The Swivel Action rotates the clicked edge or edge loop around the polygons op-
posite edge. The Action is performed by clicking the edge and dragging.
TransPose
The TransPose Action automatically masks all edges except the clicked edge and
switches to TransPose Move mode. At this stage, you can perform all the usual Trans-
Pose operations.
Please keep in mind that while you are in TransPose, you are no longer in Draw
mode and so the ZModeler brush will no longer be active. To switch back to it, return to
Draw mode.
Note:
Dont forget to clear your mask before performing other operations.
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Unweld
The Unweld Action disconnects the clicked edges corresponding to the Target and
creates creasing on the border edges. Extruded polygons are created to keep the original
shape visually separate when Dynamic Subdivision is enabled.
The Unweld Action doesnt split the model in multiple SubTools; it just disconnects
the topology.
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XII Polygon Actions
You will find below the different Actions that can be applied to the polygons of a mod-
el using the ZModeler brush. The ZModeler brush is context sensitive. To access its Poly
menu you need to hover over a polygon before right-clicking or pressing the space bar.
Some Actions have behaviors that will be totally different depending on the selected
Target. Also take note of the Edge Indicator widget when hovering over a polygon. This
widget provides important directional information that may be used by the selected Ac-
tion.
The descriptions of the available Targets are found after the Actions sections of this
document.
Add to Curve
The Add to Curve Action generates curves along the edges of the Targeted poly-
gons. The created curves can be used in later stages with the Curve Actions or various
Curve brushes.
Note:
The Curve actions are only available when a Curve exists on the model.
Bevel
The Bevel Action slices off the edges of the corresponding Target, creating new
edges with angled planes between them. The dimension of the generated bevel is deter-
mined interactively by dragging your stroke following the initial click.
Modifiers
bevel topology.
Linear, Sharp, Soft Edge, Edge Sharpness: Define the shape of the bevel. Not
only is the visible roundness of the bevel affected but also the distance between
the edges, allowing for the bevel to look correct when using Dynamic Subdivi-
sion.
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Bridge
The Bridge Action creates geometry between two polygons. The Bridge function can
generated rounded surfaces when used with connected polys.
With the Two Polys Target, the Bridge Action connects the clicked polygons via a
tube-like bridge. When using this Action a widget will prompt you to Click 1st Poly then
Click 2nd Poly. With the 2nd click, the bridge will be created. When using this Action
and Target; it can be easy to create a bridge that crosses existing polygons, resulting in
irregular undesired topology.
With the Connected Polys Target, the Bridge Action connects two adjacent polygons
and creates a new shape. The shape of the Bridge is drastically impacted by the different
options and modifiers. To use the Target, hover over a poly and take note of the edge
indicator. The edge indicator will point to the direction in which the Bridge will be created.
Modifiers (Connected Polys)

Dragging vertically and horizontally while clicking and dragging will allow you to dy-
namically reshape the bridge. Horizontal movement adjusts the curvature that is applied
to the bridge. Vertical movement changes the amount of tessellation that is applied. Only
the Interactive modifiers can by dynamically updated.
Pressing the Shift key while clicking and dragging will instruct ZBrush to automati-
cally generate the optimal shape as specified by the modifier
Interactive Curvature, Specified Curvature: Define the curvature of the bridge.

This can be interactively controlled or set with a predefined value.
Interactive Resolution, Specified Resolution: Define the resolution (number of
tessellations) of the bridge. This can be interactively controlled or set with a
predefined value.
Align to Tangent, Normal: Define the direction in which the bridge is computed.
Using Normal alignment is generally preferred when the adjacent polygons
have a low angle between them.
Variable, Constant Width: Allows the rows of the geometry being created to
have a variation in width. This is most noticeable when one polygons edge
width not shared by both polygon faces is wider compared to the adjacent poly-
gon being bridged.
Non Symmetrical, Symmetrical: Maintains an average width to the rows of ge-
ometry being created when bridging between two polygon faces with variable
edge lengths on the none shared edge between the two polygons.
Polygroup Rows, Flat: Determine what PolyGroups will be created for the new
topology.
Triangle & Quadrangles Sides Loop, Triangle Sides, Quad Sides: Define the
topology of the side of the bridge. Extra edge loops can be created around the
pivot edge and the topology can a mix of triangles and/or quadrangles.
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Options (Connected Polys)

The Bezier, Spline, Circle, Arcs, Arcs and Line, Round Corners, Small Rond
Corners, Tight Round Corners, and Straight Lines: Define the shape of the ge-
ometry generated between the two polygons, based upon the selected modi-
fiers.
One Line: Produces a straight tube between the two clicked holes.
Alternative Operations (Connected Polys)

Shift: Pressing this modifier while performing the click and drag allows ZBrush
create the optimal shape based on the selected modifier.
Crease
The Crease Action applies edge creasing to the Targeted edges.
Modifiers
All Sides, Long, Short Sides: Define which edges of the polygons will have edge
creasing applied.
All Faces, Polygroup Border, Polygroup Inner: Define the behavior of the
creased edge, based on the existing PolyGroups for the selected Target.
All transitions, Shallow, Sharp Transition: Define the behavior of the creased
edge based on the topology of the model in the Targeted region. Shallow Tran-
sition will apply creasing where there are low angles between each polygon.
Sharp Transition will apply creasing only on edges which form a sharp angle
between polygons.
All, Outer, Inner Targets: Specify whether to apply creases to all edges within
the Target area, to boundaries only or to all edges except boundaries.
All, Outer, Inner Edges: Specify whether to apply creases to all edges within the
Target area or only to those at the boundaries of an opening.
Alt: Uncrease already creased edges and vice-versa. Important: you must press
the Alt key after clicking on the Target, without releasing the click. Pressing the
Alt key before clicking will switch to the Temporary PolyGroup selection mode.
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Delete
The Delete Action removes the Targeted polygons, creating a hole in the model.
Do Nothing
The Do Nothing Action is an empty action. When active, prevents performing any
Poly Actions. This is useful when you know that you only want to use Point or Edge Ac-
tions, letting you work faster by eliminating the need to be as precise in your clicks. While
active, any click on a polygon will be treated as an Edge click instead.
Equalize
The Equalize Action tries to slide the Target edges to unify their lengths, changing
the effected polygons to squares. The results greatly depend on the existing topology
and the complexity of the Target. This process may need to be applied multiple times to
achieve the desired effect.
Extrude
With the Extrude Action, click and drag to create an extrusion of the Targeted poly-
gons.
Shift: Disconnects the extrusion from its adjacent polygons.
Alt: Changes the PolyGroup of the extruded part.
Modifiers
One Side Poly, No Sides Polys: Determine whether sides will be created to con-
nect the extruded polygons with adjacent polygons.
Step by Brush, Step Size: Edge loops generated along the length of the extru-
sion are based either on the Draw Size or a defined value.
Flip Faces
The Flip Faces Action changes the surface normal orientation of the Target poly-
gons. Be careful when using this option because flipped faces can generate the appear-
ance of holes in the mesh.
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Note:
You may wish to turn Tool >> Display Properties >> Double on to ensure that you dont mis-
take flipped faces for holes.
Inflate
The Inflate Action applies a spherical effect to the Target polygons, like theyre the
surface of a balloon as its being blown up. Modifiers define the direction of the deforma-
tion and its shape.
Modifiers
By Face, Edge, Point Normal: Define the direction of the Inflate deformation,
based on the normal direction of the specified element. If the Target polygons
are a flat surface, the Face Normal modifier will produces perpendicular move-
ment of the polygons because all the normals are going the same direction.
Insert NanoMesh
Use the Insert NanoMesh Action to insert meshes on the Targeted polygons. This
is done using a NanoMesh brush a special brush that is an Insert Mesh or IMM brush
which has then been converted specifically for this Action.
After the action has been applied to the surface, the NanoMeshes can be further
edited through the Tool >> NanoMesh parameters and settings.
To create an Insert NanoMesh brush for this purpose, you must first load or create
an InsertMesh or Insert MultiMesh Brush (IMM) and then click Brush >> Convert to Na-
noMesh Brush.
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Each PolyGroup of the model received a NanoMesh. All of them are based on the same object,
but with a different distribution, scale and orientation settings.
Please refer to the NanoMesh documentation for more information.
Insert Point
The InsertPoint Action creates a single point in the middle of the clicked polygon and
then connects it to the points of the polygon that its being inserted into. This Action is
handy when wanting to quickly divide faces or find the exact middle of a polygon.
Insert Polyloops
The Insert Polyloops Action creates single or multiple edge loops following the topol-
ogy of the Target region. The topology along the edge of the Target region may be altered
to connect the existing points to the inserted edge loops.
If you want extra control over propagation of the inserted edge loop, use a mask to
152
protect an area of the model. The edge loop will not cross masked polygons.
Modifiers
Interactive Split, Even Splits, Specified Splits Count: Define the number of in-
serted edges, either by interactively moving the cursor up and down or by enter-
ing a numerical value.
Loops mode, Grid Mode, SunBurst Mode: Define the pattern of the inserted
edge loops. Some patterns will work only on specific Targets. For example, Grid
Mode requires a flat island with no poly loops.
Alternate Polygroup, Same Polygroup: Control whether to create new Poly-
Groups for the edge loops.
Inset
The Inset Action inserts one or more polygons within the Target polygons and con-
nected to them.
The modifiers can change the shape of the inserted polygons as well as whether or
not they are connected to the original polygons.
In the middle, each individual polygon of the PolyGroup receive the Inset Action while on the right,
the whole PolyGroup receive the Inset action because of the Inset Region Modifier.
Modifiers
Center and Border, Border Only, Center Only: Define how the new polygons are
created. Center and Border will generate the inset polygons plus any polygons
that are needed to connect them to the original edges. Border Only will not cre-
ate the center polygon, while Center Only will not create border polygons.
Inset Each Poly, Inset Region: Define whether every polygon within the Target
receives its own inset or if the Target polygons are treated as an entire region
with a shared inset. (This latter option effectively results in an edge loop.)
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Alt: Change the PolyGroup of the inserted part.
Shift: Change the shape of the inserted polygon(s) to be square rather than
proportional to the original polygon/region.
Mask
The Mask Action simply masks the clicked polygon or selected Target, preserving it
from manipulation until the mask is cleared.
Clicking on multiple items is possible, letting you protect as many polys as needed.
Mesh to Brush
The Mesh to Brush Action converts the Target geometry to a NanoMesh brush,
ready for applying later as a NanoMesh.
Note:
This Action can only create NanoMesh brushes. To create an Insert Mesh or IMM brush you
would instead need to use Tool >> Geometry >> Modify Topology >> Mesh from Brush and then
create your desired brush.
Modifiers
Align to Mesh Orientation, Align to Clicked Face Normal: Define the orientation
of the mesh when it is stored within the brush. When working with the Align to
Clicked Face Normal modifier, it is advised to switch to orthogonal view and
carefully select the camera position.
Move
The Move Action lets you manipulate the Targeted polygons as specified by the
two modifiers. All polygons are moved the same distance, without any falloff effect,
deformation,or snapping.
Note:
TransPose can be also used with the Mask Action to do a similar operation.
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Modifiers
Align to Normal: Sets the Target to move along the normal of the clicked polygon
(perpendicular to the surface).
Align to Axis: Sets the Target to move based on the nearest world axis with the
screen working plane (user point of view).
Polygroup
The Polygroup Action generates new PolyGroups for the Targeted polygons. Be-
cause ZModeler makes extensive use of PolyGroups for Targets, this Action can quickly
becoming one of go-to items for creating a faster workflow.
This Action has no impact on your meshs topology; it only changes the existing
PolyGroup(s).
Dont forget to refer to the Working with PolyGroups chapter of the ZModeler docu-
mentation for more information about how to use PolyGroups, including how to work with
ZModelers Temporary PolyGroup feature.
Options
One GroupID: Creates a unique PolyGroup.
Three Sides: Creates different PolyGroups for each world working plane. (X,
Y, Z)
Six Sides: Creates different PolyGroups corresponding to each side of the
worlds working planes. (+X, -X, +Y, -Y, +Z, -Z)
Topological: Creates gradient PolyGroups that follow the mesh topology, based
on the initial click location.
Poly Order: Creates PolyGroups based on the polygon order.
Point Order: Creates PolyGroups based on the point order.
Relative Plus, Minus One: Replace the existing PolyGroup with a slightly differ-
ent hue.
Checker: Create two PolyGroups with a checker pattern.
Modifiers
Overwrite, Additive: Define how new PolyGroups are created. Overwrite applies
a new PolyGroup and uses it for each subsequent click while the Additive modi-
fier creates a different PolyGroup with each click.
Pick Existing: Copies the PolyGroup of the clicked face and stores it for use with
the next PolyGroup creation process.
Full, Random Coverage: Apply the PolyGroup to either the entire Target region
to a fraction of it.
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QMesh
The QMesh Action lets you click and drag to extrude the Target polygons.
By default, the QMesh operation is exactly the same as the Extrude Edge Action,
except that:
The created mesh will attempt to fuse to the adjacent polygons.
The created mesh can be completely deleted by performing a negative extru-
sion.
The attraction of the fusing operation depends upon the Draw Size: a small brush
size will trigger a strong fuse operation while a larger brush size will apply weaker fusing.
The position of the cursor when clicking on the Target edge will define the direction of
the extrusion. It is important to carefully position your cursor before executing the Action.
Options
Align tenth, Quarter, Third, Half, Full Step, No Alignment: Define the number of
steps that the QMesh extrusion will have between the clicked polygon and its
maximum height. These Modifiers have no effect when the extruded polygon
doesnt come in contact with adjacent polygons.
Modifiers
One Side Poly, Multi Sides By Brush, Step Size: One Side Poly is the default
fuse function of QMesh. The Step Size Modifier will allow you to perform a con-
tinuous Qmesh of the clicked polygons, generating edge loops along the length
equal to the Draw Size or a defined value.
Normal Attraction, Weak Attraction, No Attraction: Define the sensitivity of the
fusing detection.
Disable and Enable Triangle Snap: When enabled, QMesh will allow the fusing
operation to create triangles.
Disable and Enable Extended Snap: When enabled, snapping continues be-
yond the full step of the extrusion. If the Step is set to quarter, then it will con-
tinue to add a step equal to a quarter of the distance beyond a full step. When
disabled, ZBrush will snap to the maximum distance of the surrounding poly-
gons without needing to evaluate height.
Shift: Disconnects the polygons adjacent to the extrusion.
Alt: Changes the PolyGroup of the extruded part.
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Scale
The Scale Action scales the Target polygons. When scaling a single polygon, ZBrush
will simply move its points in or out relative to the anchor point defined by the options.
When scaling a poly loop, ZBrush may scale a larger part of the model as determined by
the path of the poly loop.
Options
Mesh Center, Axis Center, Local Symmetry, Click Center, Polygon Center: De-
fine the location of the anchor point for the scaling operation, with all affected
points moving relative to it.
Spherize
The Spherize Action forces the Target polygons toward a spherical shape. Moving
the stroke in different directions while clicking and dragging generates different results.
Shift: Spherize by moving all affected vertices at the same time.
Spin
The Spin Action rotates the Target polygons around a point defined by the selected
option.
Options
Mesh, Axis, Polygon, Clicked Center, Local Symmetry, Clicked Polygon Corner:
Define which point the polygon(s) will spin around. Some rotation centers are
defined by the topology while others are determined by the click position.
Modifiers
No Alignment, Align to 15 Degrees, Custom Alignment: Set a constraint value
that affects the rotation of the spin Action.
Align Rotation to Axis: The rotation is done along the closest world axis.
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Spin Edges
The Spin Edges Action changes the point order within the clicked Target. The usage
is specific to those functions in ZBrush which make use of point order, such as Micro-
Mesh and NanoMesh.
Because this only affects point order rather than position, you wont see any ap-
parent effect unless you have applied a NanoMesh or MicroMesh to the surface. With
one of these functions applied, performing the Action will change the orientation of the
NanoMesh or MicroMesh.
Options
Clockwise, Counter Clockwise: Define the rotation direction.
Split
The Split Action inserts a point in the clicked polygon and connects it to middle of
each surrounding edge. This Action is similar to Insert Point but maintains a quad sur-
face.
TransPose
The Transpose Action automatically masks everything except the selected Target
and then switches to TransPose Move mode to manipulate the surface standard Trans-
Pose operations.
Please keep in mind that while using TransPose, you are no longer in Draw mode.
You have to switch back to Draw mode if you want to continue using ZModeler.
Note:
Dont forget to remove your mask before performing other operations.
Unweld
The Unweld Action disconnects the Target polygons creases the border edges so
that they maintain their shape when smoothed. Extruded polygons are created to keep
the original shape visually unwelded when using Dynamic Subdivision mode.
The Unweld Action doesnt split the model in multiple SubTools; it just disconnects
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the topology.
ZModeler Modifiers
There are a few settings which are universal ZModelers Actions and Targets. Modi-
fying these are only necessary for very specific purposes.
Default Flatness and Flat Targets Tolerance: Define the accuracy of flat surface
detection performed by some targets. Increasing the value can allow Actions to
affect slightly irregular areas and larger surfaces.
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XIII CURVE ACTIONS
Listed here are Actions that affect curves which have been created on a model. The
ZModeler brush is context sensitive: Hovering over a curve and either pressing the space
bar or right-clicking will bring up the ZModeler Curve menu.
Curve Actions are of course only available when a curve or set of curves has been
generated on a model. Curves can be created using point, edge, and/or polygon actions.
The descriptions of the Targets are available after the Actions sections of this docu-
ment.
Bevel
The Bevel Action creates beveled topology on the edges corresponding to the se-
lected Curves. The distance dragged while clicking defines the radius of the bevel.
Modifiers
bevel topology.
Linear, Sharp, Soft Edge: Define the shape of the bevel when Dynamic Sub-
division is applied to the model. Not only is the visible roundness of the bevel
affected but also the distance between the edges, allowing for the bevel to look
correct when using Dynamic Subdivision.
Delete
The Delete Action suppresses the Target curve(s).
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XIV ZModeler Brush Targets
The ZModeler brush operates by performing Actions on Target polygons, points,

edges or curves in a PolyMesh3D such object. In other words, the Action tells ZBrush
what to do but the Target specifies exactly what part of the mesh to perform the Action on.
The most basic Targets such as a single vertex, edge or polygon will affect small
areas of your mesh. However when working on your models you may need to affect a
larger area such as groups of polygons or multiple edges.
As an example, by selecting the Extrude Action and setting the PolyGroup Target
you can click and drag on a single polygon in your mesh to affect all polygons sharing the
same PolyGroup even if those polygons are scattered throughout your model. Now
change the Target from PolyGroup to A Single Poly. If you click and drag that same
polygon, it will now be the only part of the model that is altered.
With this system it is important not only to specify which Action that you want to
use but also the Target area you want to effect. Of course, some actions only have one
Target due to the nature of their effect. For example, the Point Stitch Action only has the
Two Points Target since stitching can only generate an effect across this specific area.
Because the Target system is so versatile the ZModeler brush seamlessly adapts to
virtually any of your low resolution sculpting needs. The better you understand the vari-
ous Targets available to you, the more you will get from ZModeler. This section of the
documentation will give you that knowledge.
Below is the list of the different targets. Depending of the Action selected some of
these targets may not be available.
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1. EdgeLoop Versus PolyLoop
This documentation will often refer to poly loops and edgeloops. While the descrip-
tions of these structures are similar, they are not exactly the same and as a result you can
get very different topology results depending upon which Target type you have selected.
An edgeloop ends when it reaches a vertex that connects and odd number of edges.
A polyloop continues no matter how many edges connect to the vertex.
See the illustration below to understand how this distinction can affect your topology.
This is an example of the difference between an EdgeLoop Target and a PolyLoop Target, com-
bined with the Bevel Action. On the left, the original mesh. In the center, the Bevel EdgeLoop is
stopped when it reaches an extraordinary point (point with three connected edges). On the right,
the Bevel PolyLoop uses the boundary of the polygonal loop and so isnt affected by the extraordi-
nary point. It creates a bevel around the whole model.
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2. Point Targets
Below is a list of Targets which are specifically available to Actions that affect the
points of your model.
By Brush Radius
The By Brush Radius Target simply uses the Draw Size setting to define the influ-
ence area of the Action. As an example, selecting this Target with the Point Move Action
will generate an effect similar to that of the Move brush.
Point(s)
The Point (or Points) Target looks at the edges of your model and zeroes in on their
endpoints. The Action applied to this Target will affect only the clicked point.
Note:
Some Actions depend upon the edges connected to this point, which means that if you chose
the Extrude Action with Point Target, the exact position of your cursor will determine which of the
polygons attached to this point will be extruded.
Two Points
The Two Points Target is specific to an Action that needs two points to be performed,
such as Stitch which will move and weld the two clicked points.
The Two Points Target is done in two steps; clicking a first point, followed by a sec-
ond point. With each click, the ZModeler brush widget will instruct you to Click 1st point
or Click 2nd point.
Note:
You can change your point of view while selecting the two points. This Target only evaluates
clicks on points and ignores all others, such as to rotate the model.
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Infinite Depth
The Infinite Depth Target automatically selects all points in line with your click, no
matter how deep they might be relative to the camera. Only the vertices that are perfectly
aligned will received the Action.
In less technical words, all the points that are visually overlapped by the clicked one
will be manipulated by the Action. This is very convenient when working in orthographic
views with models composed of simple extruded elements where you need to move all
the aligned points. With this Target you will have the freedom to refine your shape without
resorting to TransPose and/or masks.
The infinite Depth Target only affects points that are perfectly aligned or almost per-
fectly aligned.
Infinite X, Y or Z
The Infinite X, Y or Z Target is automatically selecting the points which are aligned
with the cursor and located on the working plane of the selected axis (X, Y, or Z).
The infinite X, Y, or Z Target is only affecting the points that are perfectly aligned or
almost perfectly aligned.
Infinite XYZ
The Infinite XYZ Target is similar to the Infinite X, Y or Z Action except that it auto-
matically selects the working plane that is closest to the current camera point of view.
Once the plane is determined, the Target then automatically selects the points on that
plane that are aligned with the cursor.
The infinite XYZ Target only affects points which are perfectly aligned or almost
perfectly aligned.
Ring
The Ring Target selects the surrounding points which are connected to the clicked
point by edges.
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3. Edge Targets
edges of your model. An edge is the line between two connected points on your models
surface.
Edge
The Edge Target will only ever select the single clicked edge.
EdgeLoop Complete
The EdgeLoop Target identifies a ring of edges which connect end to end, returning
to the start point. The points passed through cannot have an odd number of connected
edges.
EdgeLoop Partial
The EdgeLoop Target is similar to EdgeLoop Complete except that the selection
will stop at the first extraordinary point that it encounters. (A point with an odd number of
edges connected to it.)
Multiple EdgeLoop
The Multiple EdgeLoop Target is associated with advanced modifiers that produce
multiple edge loops across the surface of the model.
Single EdgeLoop
This Single EdgeLoop Target is an alternative to the Multiple EdgeLoop Target and
will only select a single edge loop as the Target.
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Edge Strip
The Edge Strip Target corresponds to a set of edges that are located in the same
poly loop (meaning that extraordinary points with an odd number of edges are permitted).
The first click defines the beginning of the strip and a second click defines its end.
PolyLoop
The PolyLoop Target identifies a ring of edges which connect end to end, returning to
the start point. The points passed through can have an odd number of connected edges.
The PolyLoop Target applies the Action to the entire set of polygons within the loop
or (for some Actions) it may affect the poly loops border edges. For example, the Trans-
Pose Action with PolyLoop Target will modify all polygons within the loop while the Bevel
Action with PolyLoop Target will apply a bevel only to the edges that make up the poly
loop border.
Note:
For edge Actions, the affected edges of the Targeted poly loop will be the perpendicular ones
since they correspond to the boundary of the poly loop.
Two Edges
The Two Edges Target is specific to any Action that needs to have two edges se-
lected in order to be performed. As an example, the Edge Bridge Action will create a
polygon between two clicked edges.
The Two Edges Target is done in two steps by clicking a first edge, then a second
edge. For each click, the ZModeler brush widget will instruct you to Click 1st Edge or
Click 2nd Edge.
Note:
You can change your point of view while selecting the two edges. This Target only evaluates
clicks on edges and ignores all others, such as to rotate the model.
PolyGroup Island
The PolyGroup Island Target selects all polygons connected to the clicked edge
which share the same PolyGroup and continues to expand the selection until encounter-
ing edges of a different PolyGroup.
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For example, if your model is a face and the two eyes share the same PolyGroup,
using this Target would let you select only one eye. Even though the other eye has the
same group it is not contiguously connected to the clicked eye and so will not be affected
by the Action.
Hole
The Hole Target corresponds to an area within your model with no polygons on. This
area is defined by a loop of edges that surround the border of the hole. The selection is
done by clicking on one of these bordering edges.
Note:
The hole must be completely surrounded by connected polygons.
Concave Hole
The Concave Hole Target is equivalent to the Hole Target except that it is designed
to work on holes that have a concave angle in their outline. A concave hole with at least
one internal angle with a value higher than 180.
The selection is done by clicking on one of the edges of the hole.
Convex Hole
The Convex Hole Target is equivalent to the Hole Target except that it is designed to
work on holes which have a convex angle in its outline. A convex hole only has internal
angles between each edge which are less than 180.
The selection is done by clicking on one of the edges of the hole.
Two Holes
The Two Holes Target is specific to an Action that needs to have two holes selected
to be performed. For example, the Edge Bridge Action will generate bridging topology
across the distance between two clicked holes.
The Two Holes Target is done in two steps by clicking an edge of the first hole, then
an edge of the second hole. For each click, the ZModeler brush widget will instruct you to
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Click 1st Edge or Click 2nd Edge.
Note:
You can change your point of view while selecting the two holes. This Target only evaluates
clicks on hole edges and ignores all others, such as to rotate the model.
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4. Polygon Targets
polygons of your model. Polygons are the planes between points which are connected
by edges.
A Single Poly (Polygon)
The A Single Poly Target selects only the clicked polygon, which must be composed
of 3 of 4 points (either a triangle or quadrangle.)
On the left, the original model. On the right, a Single Poly has been affected.
Note:
N-gons are not supported.
All Polygons
The All Polygons Target selects the entire clicked mesh. It will ignore PolyGroups,
geometry islands and specific quadrangle or triangle areas on the mesh.
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At the left, the original model. For each click, a different Option has been used: Topologyical,
Checker, Point Order.
All Quads (Quadrangles)

The All Quads Target selects all quadrangle (four-sided) polygons that are contained
within the clicked mesh, ignoring triangles and n-gons.
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On the left, the original model. On the right, all the quadrangles have been affected by the Action.
All Triangles
The All Triangles Target selects all the triangles within the clicked mesh, ignoring all
polygons with more than three sides.
When used with the PolyGroup Action, this lets you quickly isolate all triangles within
your model to make topology clean up easier.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the triangles have been affected by the Action.
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Behind
The Behind Target corresponds to all the polygons which are located behind the
clicked polygon, as determined by its surface normal.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygones behind the clicked polygons have
been affected by the Action.
Note:
Viewing angle is irrelevant to this Target.
Behind & Polygroup

The Behind & Polygroup Target is similar to Behind except that it will only select
polygons which are both behind the clicked polygon and sharing the same PolyGroup as
the clicked polygon.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons of the same PolyGroup behind the
clicked polygons have been affected by the Action.
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Brush Radius
The Brush Radius Target uses the current Draw Size to select polygons to be af-
fected by the Action. Focal Shift is not taken into consideration, meaning that all polygons
will be uniformly affected by the Action, wherever they are located within the brush radius.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons corresponding to the brush radius
have been affected by the Action.
Connected Polys (Polygons)

The Connected Polygons Target identifies two polygons that are connected to each
other.
The position of the cursor over the polygons determines the direction in which the
Action will be applied. For this reason, the edge selector widget informs you of the loca-
tion of the edge that is sharing the connected polygon.
On the left, the original model with the edge selector indicating the position of the connected poly-
gon. On the right, the connected polygons have been affected by the Polygon Bridge Action.
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Curved Island
The Curved Island Target selects polygons which are adjacent to the clicked poly-
gon but not forming a flat surface. The selection will expand until encountering adjacent
polygons that are at a 0 angle relative to the previous one.
For more information about the concept of islands, please refer to the Island Target.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons connected to the clicked one and
which are not forming a flat surface have been affected by the Action.
Facing Front All

The Facing Front Target allows you to apply Actions to Polys that are directly facing
the camera plane. By switching to Orthographic view and rotating your model to a certain
angle you can control which polygons will be affected by the Action.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons facing the camera working plane have
been affected by the Action, including the non-connected objects.
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Facing Front Island

The Facing Front Island Target allows you to apply Actions to polygons that are both
directly facing the camera plane and part of the same geometry island. By switching
to Orthographic view and rotating your model to a certain angle you can control which
polygons will be affected by the Action. Unlike with Facing Front All, polygons that face
the camera plane will be ignored if they are part of a different geometry island from that
of the clicked polygon.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons facing the camera working plane have
Flat & PolyGroup

The Flat & PolyGroup Target selects an island of connected polygons which have no
angle differentiation between them and are part of the same PolyGroup.
See the Island Target for more information about the concept of islands.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the connected polygons which are flat and of the
same PolyGroup have been affected by the Action.
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Flat Border
The Flat Border Target looks for a flat island and then selects the polygons that make
up its border. The flat detection threshold can be modified by changing the Flat Targets
Tolerance value in the universal ZModeler modifiers.
Flat Border is gives results which are opposite that of the Flat Inner Target.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons located on the border of the flat sur-
face have been affected by the Action.
Flat Inner
The Flat Inner Target looks for a flat island and then discards its border polygons,
causing the Action to only affect the center region.
Flat Inner gives results which are the opposed of the Flat Border Target.
Flat Island
The Flat Island Target selects a group of connected polygons which make up a to-
tally flat surface. These polygons do not need to all share the same PolyGroup.
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On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons of the flat surface have been affected
by the Action.
Infront
The Infront Target corresponds to all the polygons which are located in front of the
click polygon as determined by its surface normal.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons in front of the clicked polygons have
Note:
Viewing angle is irrelevant to this Target.
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Infront & Polygroup

The Infront & Polygroup Target is similar to the Infront Target except that polygons
which are in front of the clicked polygons normal will be ignored unless they share the
same PolyGroup as the clicked polygon.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons located in front of the cursor and from
the same PolyGroup have been affected by the Action.
Island
The Island Target selects a single geometry island within your model. Islands are
created when SubTools are merged together into a single SubTool, such as in the De-
moHead.ztl where the eyes SubTool has both eyes, the teeth and the tongue to create
four separate islands. Each Island has its topology which is totally independent from the
others.
Islands can intersect with each other, but so long as they arent welded together they
are considered separate entities for Target purposes.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons of the model which are not connected
to another part of the model have been affected by the Action.
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Poly (Polygon)
Similar to the A Single Poly Target, the Poly Target selects a clicked three or four-
sided polygon. (A triangle or quadrangle.)
Poly Corners (Polygon Corners)

The Poly Corners Target selects the points which make up the clicked polygon.
PolyCenter (Polygon Center)
The PolyCenter Target aims the associated Action at the center of the clicked poly-
gon.
PolyGroup All
The PolyGroup All Target selects all polygons that share the same PolyGroup as the
clicked polygon, no matter where those polygons might be within the model. This Target
ignores geometry islands.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons of the model which are part of the
same PolyGroup have been affected by the Action.
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Polygroup Border
The PolyGroup Border Target is similar to PolyGroup All except that after selecting
the polygons which share the same PolyGroup it then refines that selection to include
only those polygons which connect (share an edge) with other PolyGroups.
Put another way, the refinement is opposite that of Polygroup Inner.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons located on the border of the clicked
PolyGroup of the model have been affected by the Action.
Polygroup Inner
The PolyGroup Inner Target is similar to PolyGroup All except that after selecting the
polygons which share the same PolyGroup it then refines that selection to include those
polygons which DO NOT connect (share an edge) with other PolyGroups.
Put another way, the refinement is opposite that of Polygroup Border.
Polygroup Island
If your model has a PolyGroup that is found on multiple islands, the PolyGroup
Island Target will select all polygons belonging to the clicked polygons group and then
refine that selection by discarding those polygons which are part of the same island.
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On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons of the clicked PolyGroup and only this
one have been affected by the Action.
Polyloop
The Polyloop Target selects a loop of polygons. This is a group of polygons that
are connected to each other as a strip of geometry. A poly loop can be closed or open,
depending on the topology.
When hovering over a polygon, the edge selector widget informs you of the direction
in which the poly loop Action will be applied.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons corresponding of a Polyloop have
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Polyloop & Flat

The Polyloop & Flat Target selects a poly loop as defined above but detection ends
as soon as ZBrush detects an angle between polygons.
For more information about the poly loop concept, please refer to the Polyloop Tar-
get.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons corresponding of a Polyloop located
on the same flat area have been affected by the Action.
Polyloop & Polygroup

The Polyloop & Polygroup Target selects a poly loop as defined above but detection
ends as soon as another PolyGroup is encountered.
For more information about the poly loop concept, please refer to the Polyloop Tar-
get.
On the left, the original model. On the right, all the polygons corresponding of a Polyloop located
on the same Polygroup have been affected by the Action.
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Two Polys (Two Polygons)

The Two Polys Target is specific to Actions that need to have two polygons to be
performed. For example, the Poly Bridge Action creates bridged geometry between two
clicked polygons.
The Two Polys Target is done in two steps by clicking a first Poly and then a second
Poly. For each click, the ZModeler brush widget will instruct you to Click 1st Poly or Click
2nd Poly.
Note:
This Target only considers clicks on polygons. This allows you to rotate your model as nec-
essary while making the selection.
5. Curve Targets
curves of your model..
All Curves
The All Curves Target directs the Action to affect all curves drawn on the model.
Curves
The Curves Target selects a single segment of the clicked curve. A segment is the
section between any two circles along the length of the curve.
All other segments of the curve, if existing, will be ignored.
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ZBrush User Guide - Dynamic Subdivision
DYNAMIC SUBDIVISION
Subdivision Surfaces for Low Polygon Models
184
The Dynamic Subdivision system contains alternative functions to ZBrushs Classic

Subdivision Surface mode, allowing you to apply dynamic smoothing to your models
without actually dividing the polygons. This feature is mainly designed to work in associa-
tion with the ZModeler brush and low polygonal models.
The default Dynamic Subdivision mode is similar to the classic subdivision surfaces
previously used by ZBrush. Applying a single subdivision level with Dynamic Smooth
Subdivision mode active gives the same result as simply subdividing the model once in
previous ZBrush versions.
The main difference between the two systems is simple: Dynamic Subdivision mode
is used to represent the result of a smoothing your base mesh, letting you see what the
divided model would look like even while you actually edit and sculpt the lower resolution
mesh.
While working with Dynamic Subdivision active, you see the higher resolution sur-
face while your brushes operate on the lower resolution base mesh.
As wtih the classic Subdivision system, Dynamic Subdivision surfaces can be al-
tered with creased edges. However, this new mode also offers a wide range of other
options that drastically change the visual results of smoothing: chamfered edges, non-
smoothed subdivisions and more.
Dynamic Subdivision is applied to the model in real-time. While the function is active,
any changes in the base mesh topology will show an immediate result in the displayed
smooth surface. Using functions like QGrid and its options (Bevel or Chamfer) will allow
you to model objects while having real-time dynamic chamfers or bevels applied to them.
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I Dynamic Subdivision Blended with Classic Subdivision
Using Dynamic Smooth Subdivision mode will generate a visual result that is exactly
the same as a classically subdivided mesh, except that only the base mesh is editable.
You cant sculpt the displayed higher resolution surface.
Also, options like chamfering require angles in your surface to achieve the best
results. Since Classic Subdivision smooths the surface, those angles will be lost and
features that depend upon them wont work as well.
While it is possible to combine Dynamic Subdivision with Classic Subdivision smooth-

ing, it is generally advised not to. If you must combine modes, only do so at low levels.
Put another way, use Dynamic Subdivision while building your base mesh, prior to
detailing. Once you have completed base mesh modeling, turn Dynamic Subdivision
off and subdivide like normal for the rest of your sculpting. (Or use the Apply feature
explained below.)
Note:
Because Dynamic Subdivision operates in real-time, it will max out when reaching high
polygon counts. If ZBrush determines that real-time feedback will be compromised it will no longer
allow additional polygons.
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II Dynamic Subdivision Workflow
To enable Dynamic Subdivision on a model, you need to press the Tool >> Geometry
>> Dynamic Subdiv >> Dynamic button. You will not immediately see a visual change on
your model. Next, specify which type of subdivision you wish to use: QGrid (QuickGrid),
Flat Subdivision or Smooth Subdivision. ZBrush will now display that type of Dynamic
Subdivision on your mesh.
Each option smooths the model using its own algorithms and so will generate a dif-
ferent appearance in the smoothed surface. It is possible to mix the three sliders values,
creating your own smoothing style. When doing this, keep in mind that the values in each
slider individually multiply the displayed polygon count by 4, so mixing all three Dynamic
Subdivision types with a value of 1 is the same as subdividing the model three times: 64
times as many polygons!
The polygon count of the working/editable topology remains exactly the same but
you need to keep in mind that ZBrush is still processing the visual quality of these subdivi-
sions. Using multiple Dynamic Subdivision types could slow down your computer.
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III Dynamic Subdivision HotKeys
Dynamic Subdivision and Classic Subdivision share some common hotkeys. These
can be a huge time saver when disabling and enabling Subdivisions. Remember that
ZBrush Hotkeys can also be customized to your liking.
By default, ZBrush uses D and Shift+D for these hotkeys.
When working with Classic Subdivision, these hotkeys will navigate up and down
between any existing subdivision levels.
With the Dynamic Subdivision (and only when the model has Dynamic Subdivision
with no Classic Subdivision levels) the same hotkeys are used to enable or disable the
display mode. They becomes a simple on/off toggle.
If Classic Subdivision is used in addition to Dynamic Subdivision, the hotkeys stop
toggling Dynamic Subdivision and instead revert to navigating between the Classic Sub-
division levels.
There are no default hotkeys for the three separate Dynamic Subdivision modes.
You must navigate to those sliders, although you can certainly assign hotkeys of your
choice if you prefer.
188
IV Dynamic Subdivision and Saved Projects/Tools
Any Dynamic Subdivision settings applied to the current Tool or SubTool will be
saved within either Project (ZPR) or Tool (ZTL) files. After saving and reopening a file, the
current Dynamic Subdivision settings will remain the same.
Unlike Classic Subdivision which actually changes the models geometry, Dynamic
Subdivision is a render effect being performed in real-time. As such, Dynamic Subdivi-
sion has no effect upon file size. ZBrush is simply storing a few settings rather than extra
polygons.
V Priority Order of the different Dynamic Subdivision sliders
Because it is possible to combine Dynamic Subdivision modes, it is important to

keep in mind that ZBrush has a specific order in which it stacks them, regardless of the
order in which they were enabled by you.
The first subdivision applied is always QGrid, followed by Flat Subdivision and fi-
nally, Smooth Subdivision.
If you turned Smooth Subdivision on first then added Flat Subdivision, the visual
result would be the same as if theyd been turned on in the reverse order.
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VI Dynamic Subdivision Functions
Changing the different parameters for Dynamic Subdivision can drastically change
both the visual appearance of your model and the performance of ZBrush itself. The
settings below will help you fine tune your use of Dynamic Subdivision to get the most
out of the feature.
All of these functions are found in Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision.
Dynamic
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Dynamic mode enables Dynamic
Subdivision mode for the current Tool or SubTool.
Remember that when first enabling this mode for a model it will not have any ap-
parent effect until you adjust the QGrid, Flat Subdiv and/or Smooth Subdiv sliders to tell
ZBrush which mode(s) you wish to use and how strongly.
Hotkey: D or Shift+D as a toggle.
Note:
As specified above, any Classic Subdivision levels override the use of these hotkeys for
Dynamic Subdivision.
Apply
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Apply function converts the mod-
els Dynamic Subdivision to Classic Subdivision.
This only generates multiple subdivision levels with Flat and/or Smooth modes, due
to the fact that those algorithms are based on quadrangle. With QGrid (Quick Grid), using
Apply will generate the appropriate geometry as Subdivision Level 1 with no additional
levels.
These modes do work together, however, with QGrid being applied first and then
followed by the other two. So if your model has settings of 1 QGrid, 1 Flat Subdivision
and 3 Smooth Subdivision, using the Apply function will create a model with 5 subdivision
levels. QGrid is created as the first subdivision level, followed by a level of Flat Subdivi-
sion and three more levels of Smooth Subdivision.
After clicking the Apply function, your model will appear to be unchanged due to the
190
fact that Dynamic Subdivision is a WYSIWYG system. However, you will now have real
high-resolution polygons with which to further refine and detail your mesh.
Note:
The values of the Dynamic Subdivision mode sliders are not reset by pressing the Apply but-
ton.
QGrid (Quick Grid)

The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> QGrid (QuickGrid) slider defines
the number of grid-style subdivisions applied to the model. By default, it applies a uniform
grid over the entire model. Each increment in the sliders value quadruples the number
of displayed polygons.
The QGrid function works in collaboration with the Coverage, Constant, Bevel and
Chamfer options.
When Transform >> PolyFrame is enabled, the QGrid topology is visible but with
less intensity than the base mesh topology.
Flat Subdivision and the QGrid Subdivision are based on the same algorithm except
that QGrid can use extra options:
QGrid Coverage
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Coverage slider defines how the
grid pattern subdivision is distributed across the surface:
With a value of 1, the distribution is uniform across the surface.

Lower values slide the highest subdivision toward the edges of your mesh.
While QGrid is active you can see the effect of the Coverage slider in real-time.
To observe an example of this, simply load a Tool >> Initialize >> QuickCube mesh,
then set the QGrid slider to 1, the SmoothSubdivision slider to one and change the Cov-
erage slider values. At 1, you will have a very rounded cube because the entire surface
is being divided uniformly. As the value approaches 0 you will get sharper edges due to
the fact that most of the polygons will be pushed to those areas. (The main surfaces of
the cube will have fewer polygons, resulting in less smoothing and flatter sides.)
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QGrid Constant
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Constant mode, when enabled,
keeps the QGrid subdivision at a constant distance from the base mesh edges, providing
uniform topology along these edges.
This setting is enabled by default as it is important to keep a constant radius along

the edges when the QGrid Bevel and/or Chamfer modes are active.
QGrid Bevel
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Bevel mode moves the edges of
the QGrid subdivision to produce a flat angle along the meshs edges.
The Coverage slider as well as the QGrid slider values impact the size and accuracy
of this bevel.
QGrid Chamfer
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Chamfer is similar to Bevel in that
it operates along the meshs edges. However, the edges will be more rounded.
The Coverage slider as well as the QGrid slider values will have an impact on the
size and accuracy of the Chamfer.
Flat Subdivision
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Flat Subdivision slider defines
the number of grid-style subdivisions applied to the model. It creates a uniform grid
across the models surface. Each increment in the slider value multiplies the number of
rendered polygons by four but no actual smoothing is applied to the surface.
(This is similar to turning off Smt before using Divide with Classic Subdivision.)
Because Flat subdivision does not smooth the surface, it doesnt make use of the
QGrid options described above. The subdivided shape is almost identical to using QGrid
with Constant, Bevel and Chamfer all set to 0, except that the polygons will be distributed
uniformly.
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Smooth Subdivision
The Tool >> Geometry >> Dynamic Subdivision >> Smooth Subdivision slider de-
fines the number of standard subdivisions being dynamically applied to the model. It
applies the same Catmull-Clark subdivision smoothing over the model that you would
get using Tool >> Geometry >> Divide. However, these subdivisions are dynamic and
display virtual geometry rather than actually creating new sculptable polygons. Each
increment in the sliders value by one will divide the number of polygons by four.
For tech buffs, Catmull-Clark Subdivision splits each quadrangle into four new poly-
gons and uniformly smooths the resulting surface. Triangles are split into three quads
and the surface is not smoothed. A model with both tris and quads will be partially
smoothed with the first subdivision (wherever the original quads are to be found) and fully
smoothed with the second subdivision.
193
ZBrush Documentation Guide - NanoMesh
NANOMESH
Real Geometry Details Through Instancing
194
ZBrush Documentation Guide- NanoMesh
A feature of the ZModeler brush, the NanoMesh system takes the process of using
ZBrushs InsertMesh and MicroMesh features to a whole new level. The NanoMesh sys-
tem allows you to populate areas of a model with instanced geometry. These instances
can then be modified in real-time to generate different scale, offset and angle for each
instance.
If the default variations are not enough; the NanoMesh system has a random distri-
bution mode that will allow you to create purely random surfaces across a model.
Since the NanoMesh system generates instanced geometry based on an original

mesh, you can edit the original mesh at any time to make changes that instantly update
across all its instances. These edits can be done using any of the ZBrush sculpting tools,
including the ZModeler Brush. During editing you can also apply UV mapping and texture
maps.
NanoMesh also gives you the ability to layer multiple NanoMeshes across the same
surface to give even greater variety and creative freedom!
With NanoMesh, you can quickly experiment with shape and form as well as add
tremendous detail in a few clicks!
Cubes!
195
I NanoMesh Components
The NanoMesh system is devised from instanced geometry (called Nanos) that are
linked to placement polygons. In order for a NanoMesh to be applied to a mesh it must be
Targeted to the desired polygon(s) by using the dedicated ZModeler Action.
1. The Placement Mesh
The placement mesh can be composed of anything from a single polygon (triangle
or quadrangle) to the entire 3D model. Any of a models polygons can be Targeted as the
placement polygons.
Because ZModeler can Target PolyGroups, a NanoMesh can have its instance
placement determined by the models PolyGroups. This will allow different Nanos to be
placed on different parts of the models surface.
Editing the placement polygons and/or PolyGroups will have a direct impact on the
instanced NanoMeshes. If you have a NanoMesh applied to one PolyGroup then you
change or remove that PolyGroup the Nanos that were linked to that PolyGroup will be
removed.
Placement polygons can be also edited without applied NanoMesh instances getting
in the way. Simply enable the Edit Placement option, which temporarily hides the Nanos
while you freely modify the placement polys.
2. The Instanced Geometry (Nanos)
The instanced geometry (Nanos) created by NanoMesh are PolyMesh 3D geometry

that has been linked to placement polygons with the ZModeler brushs Insert NanoMesh
Action. The NanoMesh process takes this single original Nano and applies it to the model
as instanced geometry across whatever placement polygons have been set by the Tar-
get. This Nano index can then be manipulated through multiple options to give random
size, rotation and offset variations.
At any time you can edit the original NanoMesh model using ZBrushs standard
Edit mode features. You can use any of the ZBrush modeling and sculpting tools, even
creating UVs and applying textures. When done, your changes will be applied to all the
instances.
Please refer to the ZModeler documentation for more information about the Insert
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NanoMesh Action.
3. The NanoMesh Brush
The NanoMesh brush is a special brush type that is similar to an Insert MultiMesh
brush except that it is created specifically to store various Nanos for use with ZModeler
brush.
The default ZModeler Brush contains a Nano that is a single cube. To use other
types of 3D models as NanoMeshes, you need to create your own NanoMesh brush. The
NanoMesh brush is simply a ZModeler Brush with custom 3D models stored in it. This
brush will have all standard ZModeler functions with the exception of the stored Nanos.
To create this NanoMesh brush, you need to:

1. Select an Insert Mesh or Insert Multi Mesh Brush of your choice.
2. Click Brush >> Create NanoMesh Brush.
3. The NanoMesh brush will be created and automatically selected.
4. If the NanoMesh Brush has been created from an IMM brush, press the M key
at any time to display the 3D models to use as a NanoMesh. The next time you
use Insert NanoMesh polygon Action, this model which will be selected. (If you
converted an InsertMesh then only the one Nano will be available.)
5. Optionally, save your brush for later use.
Please refer to the ZModeler documentation for more information about the Insert
NanoMesh Action.
197
II NanoMesh Demonstration
With your NanoMesh brush created, the workflow is quite simple:
1. Load a PolyMesh 3D. Meshes with classic subdivision levels will use the cur-
rently selected level.
2. Select the ZModeler or NanoMesh brush of your choice and select the Insert
NanoMesh Action. (Access the ZModeler pop-up menu hovering over a poly-
gon in your model and either pressing the space bar or right-clicking.)
3. If the NanoMesh brush has been built from an IMM brush, press the M key to
display the list of available models and select the one of your choice.
4. Still in the ZModeler pop-up, select the Target of your choice. For an initial test
use All Polygons to populate the whole model.
5. While a polygon is highlighted, click and drag. The placement polys as deter-
mined by your Target will be covered by NanoMesh Nanos. The movement of
the mouse or pen while you drag the stroke will define the size of the inserted
model.
6. You can now edit the various Tool >> NanoMesh settings to fine tune the in-
stances. You can change the size, width, length and offset as well using the
Variance sliders to apply variations to the instances.
7. Use the Random Distribution slider to change the way that the NanoMesh popu-
lates the model.
8. Now select another NanoMesh brush or press the M key to select a different
Nano to insert. Click and drag on a polygon of the model which already has a
Nano on it. This replaces the previous Nano with your new one.
9. If you want to replace the instances without losing the current settings applied
to it, simply select change Nanos and then instead of a new click-and-drag, use
the Tool >> NanoMesh >> Inventory >> Replace NanoMesh from Brush feature.
10. Finally, if you want to convert all the instances to real geometry, press Tool >>
NanoMesh >> Inventory >> One To Mesh. This change the Nanos from instanc-
es to regular geometry just as if theyd been placed using a normal InsertMesh.
198
III Working with Multuiple NanoMeshes
To produce even more variation in your creations, you can combine multiple Nanos
on the same placement polygons.
1. Multiple NanoMeshes
Each time you add a Nano to a placement polygon that doesnt already have one,
you are simply linking the new NanoMesh to this area. Repeating this operation will cre-
ate even more NanoMesh indexes across your model.
Each NanoMesh index that is created is totally independent from those that have
come before except that it may share the same placement polygons. If you want to edit
the settings for a previous NanoMesh index, simply use the Tool >> NanoMesh >> Index
slider or the << and >> functions.
An alternative is to click on the NanoMesh thumbnail in the NanoMesh sub-palette to

display a pop-up of your current NanoMesh indexes and choose the one you wish. Once
selected, you can then edit its settings.
2. Polygons with Multiple NanoMeshes
Creating a NanoMesh on a placement polygon that already has one or more Nanos
applied to it will typically replace the Nano. (See the example, above.) If you want to ap-
ply multiple Nanos to the same placement polygon(s), you need to follow this process:
1. Create a first NanoMesh and modify its settings as needed.

2. Select a different Nano and start to draw it.
3. Without ending the click, press and hold the Shift key. You will see the previous
Nano reappear, with the new one added as well.
4. Release your click to finalize the insertion.
5. This new NanoMesh will have a unique index and can be now edited in the Tool
>> NanoMesh settings.
199
IV NanoMesh Functions
The NanoMesh sub-palette.
Even though a single NanoMesh index results in repeating the same piece of geom-
etry multiple times across the surface of the model, there are an abundance of settings
that can be applied to give great visual variation to each Nano, hiding the repetition. All
the settings below are dynamic so you can edit them and see the results in real-time.
200
1. Main settings
The Main settings control the aspect, orientation and duplication of the Nanos.
NanoMesh Selector
The small preview in the Tool >> NanoMesh menu is a selector. Not only does it
display the existing NanoMesh Index that is applied to the current model, clicking on one
of the preview icons will select the corresponding NanoMesh index.
NanoMesh On
Tool >> NanoMesh >> NanoMesh On mode enables or disables all NanoMeshes
applied to the model.
Hide Others
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Hide Others hides all the NanoMeshes applied on the model
except for the currently selected one.
If you keep this mode on while switching to another NanoMesh, their visibility on the
model will be swapped. This mode is similar to Solo Mode when working with SubTools.
<< and >>

The Tools >> NanoMesh >> >>and << buttons let you cycle through the various
existing NanoMesh indexes. These buttons are greyed out when you only have one Na-
noMesh applied to the model.
Index
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Index slider lets you select a specific NanoMesh index
from those currently applied to the model. As with the >> and << buttons, the slider is
greyed out when you only have one NanoMesh applied to the model.
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Copy and Paste

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Copy and Paste functions let you copy the settings from
one NanoMesh index and duplicate them on another.
Edit Mesh
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Edit Mesh button switches to isolate the current Nano-
Mesh indexs source model, letting you modify it. It operates similarly to Solo mode when
working with SubTools, hiding the placement polygons.
While in this mode, you can edit the model with the various ZBrush sculpting and
modeling tools. When you are satisfied with the changes, simply press the Edit Mesh but-
ton again to return to NanoMesh mode. All instances will be updated with the changes
you did while in Edit Mesh mode.
As mentioned previously, another interesting thing that you can do with the Edit
Mesh function is to create UVs on the Nano mesh and apply textures. If you add a dis-
placement map, this will be used during the BPR render or by an external render.
When editing a Nano, keep in mind that there can be thousands of instances of it de-
pending on the various duplication settings. Increasing the polygon count of the original
model can exponentially increase the total polygon count of your scene.
Edit Placement
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Edit Placement mode is the reverse of Edit Mesh be-
cause it temporarily isolates the NanoMesh placement polygons. All Nanos will be hidden
and you can freely edit the placement polygons themselves, similar to how Solo mode
works with SubTools.
While in this mode, you can edit the NanoMesh placement polygons using the vari-
ous ZBrush sculpting and modeling tools. Changing the shape of the placement poly-
gons determines how the Nano are distributed over the model.
When satisfied with the changes, simply press the Edit Placement button again to
quit the mode. The NanoMeshes applied to the placement polygons will have their posi-
tions updated to reflect the changes made to the placement polygons.
202
On the top, the original mesh and the Placement polygons. On the bottom, the resulting Nano-
Mesh after editing the Placement polygons.
Proportional
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Proportional mode keeps the shape of the inserted
meshes proportional rather than being dependant on the shape of the underlying place-
ment polygons.
To determine the reference size, ZBrush uses the bottom part of the Nano as seen
in the mesh selector preview.
Fit
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Fit mode keeps the size of the inserted mesh proportional
with the placement polygons. The shape of the Nano is not changed and so will not be
distorted.
Note:
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The NanoMesh fits the polygon source when the Size slider value is set to 1
Fill
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Fill mode resizes the inserted Nano in such a way as to
completely fill the placement polygons. This result in non-uniform scaling and will distort
the shape of the Nano.
Note:
Fill mode and the Fit mode can be identical if the bounding box of the inserted model is cubi-
cal in shape.
Constant
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Constant mode, when enabled, keeps a constant height
for the NanoMesh, regardless of the size of the placement polygons.
Clip
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Clip mode prevents the topology of the insert mesh from
going outside the placement polygons. It does this by trimming off any parts that would
extend past the edges.
Note:
Clip mode may result in topology issues if the Nano has a low polygon count or a shape
which may result in flat parts. This is similar to what can happen with the Clip brushes.
Size
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Size slider changes the size of the NanoMesh. The origi-
nal value is set by your drag motion when inserting the NanoMesh on the placement
polygons through the ZModeler brush.
Width, Length and Height
204
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Width, Length and Height sliders change the proportions
of the NanoMesh. A value of 1 represents 100% of the original size.
These slider values are affected by the Wvar, Lvar and Hvar variation sliders.
XOffset, YOffset and ZOffset

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> XOffset, YOffset and ZOffset sliders change the default
positions of the Nano by adjusting how it sits relative to its usual centered position on the
placement polygon.
The default value for the X and YOffsets is 0 while the ZOffset value defaults to 1.
This is simply because the Nanos default position is to lay on top of the surface rather
than being embedded within it.
These slider values are affected by the XOvar, YOvar and ZOvar variation sliders.
XRotation, YRotation and ZRotation

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> XRotation, YRotation and ZRotation sliders apply a rota-
tion value to the Nanos default orientation.
These slider values are affected by the XRvar, YRvar and ZYvar variation sliders.
xVar - Variation (W, L, H, I R Var, etc)

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Var sliders (located to the right of the size, offset and
rotation sliders) apply a random variation to their corresponding attributes. Each variation
can be from -100% up to 100%.
As an example, the WVar slider adds a variation to the Width slider, with a result that
the associated Nanos will no longer be uniform in width.
Flip H and Flip V (Flip Horizontal and Flip Vertical)

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Flip H and Flip V mirror the inserted NanoMesh either hori-
zontally or vertically.
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H Tile and V Tile (Horizontal Tile and Vertical Tile)

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> HTile and VTile sliders duplicate the inserted NanoMesh
within the boundaries of each placement polygon.
By default, this is done in a grid pattern. The replication pattern can be changed with
the Tool >> NanoMesh >> Pattern setting (see below).
When applying tiling to the NanoMesh, its orientation may be different from one
polygon to another. ZBrush uses the vertex order of each placement polygon to define
Nano orientation. Unfortunately, the point order may be different between two adjacent
polygons or multiple polygons, resulting in NanoMeshes not tiling in the same direc-
tion. To change a single polygons orientation (or that of multiple polygons) you can use
the polygon Spin Edge Action associated with the A Single Poly Target of the ZModeler
brush. With this Action and Target selected, simply clicking on the problem polygons will
rotate the tiling.
Pattern (and Pattern Selector Pop-up)

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Pattern slider and its associated pop-up selector alters
the distribution of the NanoMesh inside the placement polygons when a pattern is cre-
ated by the H Tile and V Tile sliders.
The default pattern is a grid. To change the distribution pattern, simple change the
Pattern slider value. You can also click the Pattern Selector pop-up to select a new one
by name.
Some pattern types may produce the same result as others, depending upon the
value of the H and V Tile sliders. If you are not noticing a difference, attempt to increase
the Tile values.
IMAGE
An example showing the impact of the H and V Tile values on the different pattern types: on the
left are Grid Inset and Border Inset with a value of 4 for the H and V Tile sliders, producing the
exact same result. On the right, H and V Tile have been set to 8. Notice the difference between the
two types of insets.
The Pattern and the Pattern Selector pop-up only work the H and/or V Tile slider has
a value other than 1.
Random Distribution
206
When enabled, the Tool >> NanoMesh >> Random Distribution slider overwrites the
existing NanoMesh distribution with random placement across all placement polygons.
By increasing the slider value, you will increase Naon density as well as changing the
distribution.
The Random Distribution slider is the perfect function to create a natural look for du-
plicated objects because instantly hides the fact that the Nanos are all the same object.
Each NanoMesh can have the orientation, size and scale of its Nanos modified by the
variation sliders.
Random Distribution is also applied to the H and V Tile values and its Pattern distri-
bution, creating clusters of random meshes.
Random Seed
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Random Seed slider modifies the Random Distribution
sliders result without affecting the distribution of the NanoMesh. To put in simple words;
it changes the base randomization variables, resulting in different randomization values.
This function is useful when low values for the Random Distribution slider produce
placement which may not fit your design. By changing the Random Seed value, you may
generate a more appropriate result.
2. Alignment
NanoMesh uses an Insert Mesh to populate the regions of the model in which it is
applied, with the orientation of each Nano being determined by the point order of the
placement polygons. Depending on how the model has been constructed, this order may
not be uniform across the polygons. As a result, the initial appearance of your NanoMesh
can be disorganized and seemingly random.
One solution to align the NanoMeshes is to edit all the placement polygons one by
one to change the vertex order. This would be time consuming, however. To resolve
this, you will find the following alignment functions in the Tool >> NanoMesh sub-palette.
These alignments make use of topology information to change the direction of the Nanos.
To define the orientation of each instance, ZBrush uses the base (bottom) of the
master model when it was created. All alignments refer to this original orientation.
Align to Normal
207
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Normal aligns each Nano based on the
models surface normals.
This alignment produces the best results in most cases.
Align to Short Edge

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Short Edge aligns each Nano to the
shortest edge of the placement polygon.
If a polygon has two or more edges of equal length, the point order will still be used
to select the shortest one. It also uses the point order to determine the direction of
alignment along the shortest edge.
Align to Long Edge

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Long Edge aligns each Nano with the
longest edge of the placement polygon.
If a polygon has two or more edges of equal length, the point order will still be used
to select the longest one. It also uses the point order to determine the direction of align-
ment along the longest edge.
Align to Near Edge

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Near Edge is a modifier for the Align to
Long Edge option.
Align to Point Order

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Point Order orients the Nano based on
the position of the first vertex position in the placement polygon.
Note:
The vertex order is a structural information within the polygon, with no visual influence on the
polygons appearance. It is not possible to visualize the order of the vertices.
208
Align to Random Edge

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> Align to Random Edge aligns the Nano ran-
domly.
No Alignment
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Alignment >> No Alignment uses the default alignment based
on the placement polygons point order.
3. Colorize
As with all 3D models in ZBrush, you can apply colors to a NanoMesh. These func-
tions let you manipulate how the coloring is applied.
This is color being added to the Nanos rather than the master mesh. For instructions
on texture manipulation, please refer to the UV section below.
Restore NanoMesh MRGB

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Restore NanoMesh MRGB reverts the Nanos
to the color and material of the original master mesh. This only has any effect if that
information has been changed using the other functions within the Colorize menu. (See
below.)
Mesh MRGB
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Mesh MRGB matches the color and material of
each Nano to that of its placement polygons PolyPaint.
Mesh Color
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Mesh Color matches the color of each Nano to
that of its placement polygons PolyPaint.
209
Mesh Material
The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Mesh Material matches the material of each
Nano to that of its placement polygons PolyPaint.
UI MRGB
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> UI MRGB sets the color and material of each
Nano using the Color >> Main Color setting and the currently selected material from the
ZBrush interface.
UI Color
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> UI Color sets the color of each Nano using the
Color >> Main Color setting in the ZBrush interface.
UI Material
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> UI Material sets the material of each Nano using
the currently selected material from the ZBrush interface.
Adjust Hue, Saturation and Intensity

The Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Adjust Hue, Saturation and Intensity sliders
modify the colors currently being displayed on each Nano.
These sliders will have no effect if the Nanos have no color applied to them.
Adjust Variations
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Colorize >> Adjust Variations apply a variation factor to the
Hue, Saturation and Intensity values, assuming that any have been set.
This function is very useful when wanting to add some slight differences in the color
of each Nano so that they look less like instances of the same object.
210
4. UV
Not only can Nanos receive color and material from the placement polygons, the
master copy of the mesh can also have a texture applied. This texture will then appear
on all instances of the mesh.
To have a texture applied, it is of course important to have UVs. ZBrush includes

functions to automatically produce UVs for each Nano based on the placement poly-
gons. This means that the applied texture will look different for every instance!
Note:
It is possible to create custom UVs for a NanoMesh through its Edit mode. This applies the
UVs and texture to the master model, so all instances of it will then have the same UVs.
Use Base Mesh UVs

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Use Base Mesh UVs mode tells ZBrush to match the UVs of
each Nano with that of its placement polygons. This is accomplished by projecting from
the placement.
Use Base Mesh Texture

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Use Base Mesh Texture mode projects the texture of the
placement polygons onto the Nanos.
Note:
As with other places in ZBrush, texture always has priority over the NanoMesh colors, over-
riding any settings in the Colorize menu.
5. Inventory
The Inventory functions are dedicated to manipulation and conversion of the Nano-
Mesh itself, such as the conversion from instances to real geometry or replacement of
one NanoMesh with another.
211
One to Mesh
Tool >> NanoMesh >> One to Mesh converts the current NanoMesh index to real
geometry. This result can then be further edited with the various ZBrush sculpting and
modeling tools.
If your model has multiple NanoMeshes applied, use the Index slider or << >>
buttons to first select the specific NanoMesh that you wish to convert.
6. All to Brush
Tool >> NanoMesh >> All to Brush creates a new ZModeler brush from all current
NanoMeshes applied to your model.
By pressing the M key, you should see all of these meshes as available objects for
use with other models.
Note:
The All to Brush function is available only if the model has a NanoMesh on it. It is not possible
to perform this action on a model which only has inserted meshes.
Replace NanoMesh from Current Brush

Tool >> NanoMesh >> Replace NanoMesh from Current Brush replaces the current
NanoMesh index with a different mesh, using your currently selected ZModeler, Insert-
Mesh or IMM brush.
This function simply replaces the inserted mesh. It wont affect the various settings
currently applied to the NanoMesh index.
Note:
If your currently selected brush is an IMM brush or ZModeler brush with multiple meshes, you
can choose the InsertMesh of your choice by pressing the M hotkey or by clicking the Brush >>
Modifiers MeshInsert Preview button.
This function is really convenient to replace a placeholder Nano with another model
or simply to try out different NanoMeshes on a model.
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Delete One
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Delete One removes the currently selected NanoMesh by de-
leting its index. If your model has multiple NanoMeshes applied, you must of course first
use the Index slider or << >> buttons to select the NanoMesh that you wish to delete.
Delete All
Tool >> NanoMesh >> Delete All function removes all NanoMeshes applied to the
current model, deleting every NanoMesh index.
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ZBrush User Guide - Micro Mesh
MICROMESH
Thousands and thousands of replicated meshes on render time.
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MicroMesh is a BPR render feature which allows you to replace a FiberMesh

objects fibers or the individual polygons of an object with another 3D model. In other
words, a models Fibers or separate polygons are rendered as if they were actually in-
stances of the selected 3D model.
This solution is a great way to create rich renders with more details very quickly and
easily. For example, you could put individual feathers on a bird or scales on a lizard.
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I About MicroMesh
MicroMesh replaces geometry on a predefined PolyMesh3D model at render time

through the BPR render. The predefined PolyMesh3D will replace all single polygons with
itself when a BPR render is executed. To do this you need to select a model to use as
your MicroMesh by clicking Tool >> Geometry >> Modify Topology >> MicroMesh.
The MicroMesh selector, located in the Tool >> Geometry >> Modify Topology sub-palette.
As soon as the MicroMesh is selected, a preview will appear on each polygon of your
current SubTool. This MicroMesh will replace all polygons at render time. The preview
will allow you to have an idea of how your MicroMesh will render before doing your BPR
render.
The orientation of the MicroMesh is defined by the pivot point position and orientation
defined for the inserted model in the Tool >> Preview sub-palette. The size and orien-
tation relative to the support surface are then modulated by the support mesh polygon
size and orientation. If your support mesh polygons are stretched or deformed, then the
resulting Micro mesh will receive the same deformation.
1. Use the Tool palette to select the model that will be inserted as a MicroMesh.
2. Use the Tool >> Preview to set the models pivot point and orientation.
3. Use the Tool palette to select the model that will receive the MicroMesh.
4. Use Tool >> Geometry >> Modify Topology >> MicroMesh to choose the model
from step 1.
To get an understanding of how your MicroMesh will be viewed relative to a polygon

we recommend temporarily appending the Plane3D to your defined MicroMesh in Step
1 above. Use this to evaluate if the MicroMesh will be clipped by any one polygon. You
can then delete the Plane3D SubTool so that youre ready to move to step 2.
The MicroMesh feature will replace every polygon of any standard mesh. However,
when using MicroMesh with a FiberMesh object, the MicroMesh will be stretched along
the individual fiber regardless of the number of segments that are in each fiber.
To protect portions of your model from the MicroMesh you will need to split the object
into separate SubTools.
To instruct BPR to render your MicroMesh you must enable the Draw MicroMesh op-
tion, located in the Render >> Render Properties sub-palette.
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II MicroMesh and Millions of Polygons
It is important to keep in mind that a MicroMesh can be instanced hundreds or thou-

sands of times on your surface. Depending on the polycount of the support mesh and
the number of polygons in the MicroMesh, rendering can take some time. For example, if
you apply a MicroMesh with just 1,000 polygons on a FiberMesh containing only 10,000
fibers the rendered result will be 10 million polygons! Be mindful of this as is quite easy to
reach billons of polygons at render time when using the MicroMesh feature!
On a non-FiberMesh, as mentioned above, an instance of the MicroMesh will replace

every single polygon in the selected mesh. If you load the default Cube project, the base
mesh is already 24,500 polygons. That means that a MicroMesh would be applied to the
cube 24,500 times. Multiply this by the number of polygons in the selected MicroMesh
to determine the final number of polygons ZBrush will need to render. In this case, that
same MicroMesh with just 1,000 polygons would result in a render of over 24 million
polygons.
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III MicroMesh Workflow
The first step before using the MicroMesh is to have two 3D objects: the MicroMesh it-
self, and the mesh that will its polys replaced by the MicroMesh. Both items must be Poly-
Mesh 3D objects. (You cannot use parametric objects, DynaMesh, ZSpheres or other
object generators as a MicroMesh, although you can convert such objects to PolyMesh
3D and then use them as a MicroMesh.)
Note:
ZBrush will automatically convert a Primitive 3D to a Polymesh3D when selected as the Micro-
Mesh.
The MicroMesh support object can be a single model or one of its SubTools. Mul-
tiple support SubTools can have MicroMesh replace their polys however, the MicroMesh
object itself cannot have multiple SubTools. If you wish to use a model with multiple
SubTools as a MicroMesh you will need to first merge its SubTools.
1. Select the support SubTool which will have its polygons replaced by a Micro-
Mesh at render time.
2. Go to Tool >> Geometry >> Modify Topology and click on the MicroMesh button.
A selection window will appear, allowing you to select the 3D object that will
become the MicroMesh.
3. ZBrush displays a preview of the MicroMesh on the selected SubTool. This al-
lows you to evaluate if any changes need to be made to the MicroMesh (such
as proportion or shape) so that it will fit the result you are looking for.
4. Before rendering, you must enable the MicroMesh feature by activating the
Render >> Render Properties >> Draw MicroMesh option.
5. Do your BPR render by clicking the Render >> BPR Render button or using the
Shift+R hotkey.
6. When render computation is complete, your support mesh will be replaced by
the FiberMesh model.
Note:
The MicroMesh model can be saved in the ZBrush Project (ZPR) or the ZTool (ZTL) file.
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In the left image you can see that any polygon can be substituted with another mesh (MicroMesh).
The image on the right shows how you can use FiberMesh with a MicroMesh and how the Micro-
Mesh is then stretched along the individual fibers.
On the left, the support mesh for the MicroMesh, where all polygons will be replaced by the
selected model (shown in the middle). The figure on the right shows the resulting render with the
duplicated model.
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IV Converting a MicroMesh to a Real Geometry
MicroMesh isnt processed as real geometry by default. It is only visible at

render time through BPR. This is because the total polygon count from converting a
MicroMesh into actual geometry could easily exceed what ZBrush or your computer is
capable of handling.

If you really need to convert a MicroMesh to a real geometry, use the Convert
BPR to Geo function located in the Tool >> Geometry sub-palette. This will generate a
new SubTool based on the geometry which is generated by the BRP. Use caution when
converting to a real geometry version of the MicroMesh since the polygon count could be
higher than expected. Please, refer to the BPR to Geometry section, in the Tool palette
section.
The converted MicroMesh with edited geometry and PolyPaint.
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ZBrush User Guide - Mesh Fusion
MESH FUSION
Fuse different parts together.
221
ZBrush is able to literally fuse different models together, creating clean topology to
connect them. This operation will only affect the polygons located at the connecting bor-
ders while the rest of the model will remain unchanged. The process can seem similar to
how DynaMesh can merge volumes, except that with this process your model will retain
as much of its original topology as possible.
It is important to note that while this process may look like a boolean operation, it
is not. It is simply a bridging operation and so it cannot be used to create differences
or negative insertions. For those effects, you must use the Remesh All function. The
process will also only work if the model contains no Subdivisions and does not have
DynaMesh active.
This feature allows you to quickly and easily create an advanced base mesh with
only a few clicks, simply by bridging various pre-existing mesh elements together.
Note:
If there is a significant difference in polygon density between the support mesh and the re-
placement mesh, ZBrush may subdivide as necessary to ensure a clean polygon structure.
222
I Creating a Connection
The process to create a connection is simple and is based on polygroups:
1. Create a PolyGroup on the support model (the support model should not have
Subdivisions and should not have DynaMesh active), where you want to create
the connection. The fastest way to do this is to hold CTRL and paint a mask
on the area you wish to change into a new PolyGroup. Now click Tool >> Poly-
groups >> Group Masked Clear Mask or use its CTRL+W hotkey. ZBrush will
convert the masked area into a new PolyGroup. (To display the PolyGroups,
dont forget to turn on PolyFrame (Shift+F hotkey).
The two PolyGroups which will receive an inserted mesh.
2. Select an InsertMesh brush with the geometry that you wish to insert. Click on
the new PolyGroup that you just created to add this new mesh to the model. It
is really important to do the insertion by clicking on the PolyGroup of the sup-
port which will be used to create the connection because this is used to define
the border of the polygon bridge. Please also remember that this new geometry
must have an open surface; the replacement feature cannot work with volumes.
CTRL+click+drag on any open area of the document.
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The meshes have been inserted on top of the new PolyGroups.
3. ZBrush will now connect the two meshes and weld the difference with quad
geometry.
The bridging connection between the inserted meshes and the PolyGroups border.
An alternative is to tap first on an existing PolyGroup and then doing a CTRL+click+drag

on any open area of the document to create the bridge. This method allows you to do a
replacement part when working with PolyGroups which have been created previously.
Note:
If your Insert brush is composed of more than one part, you must create a PolyGroup which
will have the same number of parts. When inserting the mesh, you must click on the polygons of
one part of this split PolyGroup.
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Instead of masking you can use ZBrushs mesh visibility controls. Hide everything
except the polygons that will define the border of the bridge. Use InsertMesh on the
visible polygons. Upon restoring full mesh visibility, ZBrush will weld the two surfaces
together.
Notes:
In addition to preparing the support mesh, it is advised to prepare your inserted mesh (the
one that will be added via the MeshInsert brush) by creating a PolyGroup to define its connection
area.
The model must have open topology (unattached edges) at the bridge location. Otherwise
you will get topology problems such as non-manifold surfaces. Do not use mesh replacement to
insert a solid object!
As with the DynaMesh update operation, holding CTRL while clicking and dragging
on a portion of the empty document is what tells ZBrush to calculate the new mesh and
bridge between the PolyGroups.
If part of your model has been masked, you first need to clear the mask. In this case
you can CTRL+Click+Drag twice (once to clear the mask and a second time to complete
the mesh replacement) or by pressing CTRL+Shift+A before executing the remesh com-
mand.
If you used hidden polygons instead of PolyGroups, the model will be restored to full
visibility upon executing the remesh operation.
Mesh Fusion will not work if DynaMesh mode is active. If DynaMesh mode is active
ZBrush will re-DynaMesh the model instead of applying the Mesh Fusion process.
225
II Replacement and Topology Brush
The replacement feature can also be combined with the Topology brush by creating
a new topology, then connecting it to the existing support mesh:
1. Make visible only the polygons which will be connected to the future new poly-
gons.
2. On the top of these visible polygons, select the Topology brush and create new
polygons as detailed in the Topology brush section of this document.
3. Click once on the support surface. ZBrush will replace the original PolyGroup or
visible polygons, connecting them with those you just created using the Topol-
ogy brush.
From left to right: The polygons which will be replaced. All other polygons hidden and a new sur-
face created using the Topology brush. The final result after creation of the bridging polygons.
226
III Replacement Part Options
The replacing parts operation utilizes a few ZBrush options to modify the results:
The inserted or replacement geometry does not need to be solely on the surface
of the support mesh. ZBrush will close any gaps with clean quad geometry.
The Tool >> Geometry >> Smt (Smooth) option defines the method by which
the connection will be done. If Smt is on (the default setting), ZBrush will create
a smooth transition. When Smt is off, any sharp edges in the inserted/replace-
ment topology will be retained. Keep this in mind depending on whether you are
doing organic or hard surface sculpting.
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ZBrush User Guide - ZRemesher
ZREMESHER
Automatic retopology taken to a new level.
228
On the left, the original Unified Skin generated from a ZSketch. On the right, the ZRemesher
retopology applied with default settings. In a single button press new topology is generated with a
more natural geometry flow!
ZRemesher is an automatic remeshing/retopologizing function that generates new

topology while taking the sculptural elements of the model into account. As with UV Mas-
ter (the automated UV mapping plugin for ZBrush), ZRemesher has a number of controls
to enhance the automated retopology system.
The ZRemesher function will create a new polygonal structure for your model with a
controlled edge flow and a global polycount value. In just a few seconds you can convert
a 200,000 polygon DynaMesh to a 10,000 poly retopologized model with polygons that
follow the surface sculpting in a natural way. From this you can then project all the fine
details from your original sculpture, easily generate UVs with UV Master, and ultimately
create your Displacement, Normal, and Diffuse maps.
ZRemesher is a fully automatic solution which gives incredible results but there will
of course be times when you might want more control. For this reason, ZRemesher lets
you control local polygon directions by drawing control curves on your original model or
using PolyGroup boundaries to influence its polygon flow and edge loops.
ZRemesher can be found in the Tool >> Geometry sub-palette. It requires a Poly-
Mesh3D object such as an imported mesh, DynaMesh or ZSphere Adaptive Skin. If you
wish to use it on a parametric primitive you will first need to use the Make PolyMesh 3D
feature. If your model is a ZSphere or a ZSketch in Preview mode, you must first create
an Adaptive or Unified Skin before you can use ZRemesher.
ZRemesher creates new topology based on the existing model, converting the old
topology to a new optimized version. If you wish to keep your original model intact, you
will need to create a duplicate prior to using ZRemesher.
ZRemesher does for your topology what UV Master did for UV mapping; it removes
yet another creative barrier that often stands in the way of true artistic freedom. With
ZRemesher you can focus even more on the creative process of model creation and
leave the technical hurdles behind!
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I ZRemesher Highlights
This is a quick overview list of what ZRemesher offers:

True one-button retopology: click the ZRemesher button without changing the
parameters for an automatic optimal retopology. The default topology generated
with ZRemesher offers a flow of polygons that is much closer to what a human
artist would produce manually.
The flow of polygons is by default 100% automatic but can also be influenced
using curves created with the ZRemesher Guides brush.
While more optimized for organic shapes ZRemesher is designed to also work
on mechanical (hard surface) objects.
ZRemeshers speed has been tested so it is as optimized as possible. It is able
to produce low polygon models from even high polygon sources in a fraction of
the time required by other retopology tools.
ZRemesher offers more than one option for computing symmetrical meshes,
giving the user high level control.
ZRemesher offers considerable polygon density control that can be used to
reduce polygon counts or even increase counts if you wish. This is all intuitively
accomplished through PolyPainting.
The Freeze Border option can keep the exact polygon structure along open-
ings in your mesh while performing retopology on everything else. This means
that you can use ZRemesher on multi-part models where its important for their
edges to still line up.
ZRemesher can work on local areas based on PolyGroups, as well as on only
visible parts of the model.
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II The Concept of Adaptive Size
The Adaptive Size slider is an important parameter for ZRemesher, even though its
default value is the best one to use in most scenarios. This setting defines the polygon
distribution for your model and can drastically increase the quality of the topology by giv-
ing more flexibility to the algorithm.
Adaptive size defines a vertex ratio based on the curvature of the mesh. To main-
tain the original mesh shape, ZRemesher may need to increase the topology density in
certain areas or produce triangles rather than quad polygons.
On the left, Adaptive Size is set to 0. On the right its at 50 (default) with a polygon count set to
5000. Notice the variation in polygons size and shape, making the right model more detailed even
though the polygon count is the same. For this illustration, Exact mode was enabled.
Model courtesy of David Richardson.
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A low Adaptive Size setting will result in:

Polygons that are as square as possible.
Polygons that are approximately the same size.
A polygon count that better respects the set polygon target. The flip side is that
theres a risk of topology irregularities where the polygon count is kept low in
areas with small extrusions.
Note:
Please refer to the Adaptive Density mode setting if you wish to force the number of polygon
to be close to the value you defined for the Target Polygon Count setting.
A high Adaptive Size setting will result in:

Polygons that can be more or less rectangular in order to best fit the meshs
curvature.
Polygon density that can vary throughout the model. ZRemesher will be allowed
to create smaller polygons where necessary (such as with fingers or toes) and
larger polygons where less detail is needed (like the top of a head).
Less control over the polygon count, in order to better respect the meshs origi-
nal shape.
Note:
Please refer to the Adaptive Density mode setting if you wish to force the number of polygon
to be close to the value you defined for the Target Polygon Count setting.
To summarize: By increasing the value of the Adaptive Size slider, you will increase
the quality of your retopology. However, ZRemesher will need to be more flexible regard-
ing the target number of polygons.
The reason for this is simple: When targeting a specific polygon count ZRemesher
first distributes the polygons equally across the model. ZRemesher then analyzes the
mesh curvature and deforms and/or changes the polygon density to produce a result that
matches the models original shape.
To best respect the number of polygons defined by your Target setting, simply set
Adaptive Size to zero. Changing this setting to zero will result in a uniform distribution of
square polygons. If this produces undesirable results in areas such as fingers, disable
the Adaptive Density mode instead, forcing ZRemesher to get as close as possible to the
Target Polygon Count setting.
Note:
If the target polygon count is too low, the algorithm wont be able to keep finer details or cur-
vature since it wont be allowed to create smaller polygons or non-square polygons where needed.
232
From left to right and top to bottom: The original model, retopology of 40K, 20K, 10K, 5K and 3K
polygons. Regardless of polygon count, using the Adaptive Size setting always provides good
results. Model courtesy of David Richardson.
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III Partial Mesh Retopology
ZRemesher has the ability to retopologize only the visible portion of a partially hid-
den model. In this case ZRemesher will automatically maintain integrity with the hidden
portions.
To accomplish this, ZRemesher can use two different connection algorithms. The
default is quite similar to ZBrushs Mesh Fusion feature. ZRemesher will treat the new
topology as an inserted mesh and connect it to the hidden topology via a polygon bridge.
The second method uses the Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher Freeze Border option.
When this is enabled, ZRemesher will begin with the edges of the visible mesh and build
the new topology out from there to create a perfect connection.
Partial mesh retopology requires a few simple steps:
1. Use the Marquee or Lasso selection tool (Ctrl+Shift hotkey) to isolate the poly-
gons that you wish to retopologize. ZRemesher will ignore all hidden portions
of the model.
2. In the Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher sub-palette, set the desired ZRemesh-
er options and Target polygon count. This is especially necessary if you wish to
use the Freeze Border option to define the connection algorithm.
3. Click the ZRemesher button. When the computation completes, the entire mod-
el will be made visible with the new topology inserted.
Its key to understand that when FreezeBorders is enabled, the first priority for the
ZRemesher is to create the vertex points along the border so as to ensure proper weld-
ing. With this in mind, the Target Polygon value will be less of a factor. If your mesh is
relatively high in polygon count then ZRemesher must match the borders with the hidden
portion of the mesh before finishing the inner topology.
234
The orange circle shows the polygons which have been remeshed with Double on. Within the red
circle, Half was on.
235
IV Symmetry
ZRemesher can evaluate your models volume and create its topology symmetri-
cally, even if the original topology is not symmetrical -- such as when using scan data.
This option uses ZBrushs standard symmetry controls rather adding additional settings
to ZRemeshers options.
If you want your retopology to be symmetrical across the models X axis, simply
make sure that Transform >> Symmetry is turned on, with the X axis active. If you need
different settings or even no symmetry, simply adjust the Transform >> Symmetry set-
tings accordingly.
ZRemesher includes two symmetry algorithms, which will alter the way the model is
analyzed and can have an impact on the topology result; in particular on the symmetry
working plane. If you wish to try the alternative symmetry algorithm, hold the Alt key while
clicking the ZRemesher button.
Note:
The alternative symmetry features only works across one axis. It wont be taken into consid-
eration when multiple symmetry planes are enabled in the Transform palette.
On the left, the default symmetry algorithm and on the right the alternative one. The differences
236
across the symmetry plane are clearly visible. Model courtesy of David Richardson.
V Working with Curves: the ZRemesher Guide brush
The topology produced by ZRemesher tries to respect your models shape as much
as possible. However, no program can have the same understanding of your model and
its needs as you, the user. For this reason you can help ZRemesher by drawing curves
on the model. These curves are used as guides to refine the natural flow of your model.
The result is that you can ensure that the new topology will have edges exactly where
they are needed.
The Tool >> ZRemesher >> Curve Strength slider lets you control how you wish your
curves to be used to more or less rigidly guide the flow of the polygons.
The lower the Curve Strength slider value, the more flexibility ZRemesher will have
when calculating the new topology. In this case, the curves serve as guides. The higher
the slider value, the more rigidly ZRemesher will adhere to the guide curves. At 100%,
the guides become rules, forcing the topology to have at least a partial edge loop follow-
ing the curve.
In ZRemesher, the automatic computing of natural polygon flow has a strong influ-
ence, even over the curves. This means that if you wish to really change the direction
of the flow of polygons in a way that ZRemesher would be unlikely to consider natural,
you need to define curves to force a less efficient flow of the polygons. The larger the
area where you wish to drastically change the flow of polygons, the more curves will be
needed.
On the left, guides created with the ZRemesher Guide brush and associated with a density varia-
tion. On the right, the resulting low polygon mesh with loops around the mouth and eyes.
237
To draw these curves on your model you must use the ZRemesher Guide brush.
This brush works similarly to other Curve brushes but has certain caveats:
These curves cannot be edited except to extend them or to connect a new curve
to the end point of an existing curve.
The curves can however be deleted by holding the Alt key and drawing another
curve perpendicularly over the one you wish to remove.
To produce a closed curve around a part of the model (like around a leg), press
the Shift key just after starting to draw the curve. ZBrush will automatically close
it.
238
VI Spirals in the Retopology
Because ZRemesher is a 100% automatic algorithm, it can in some cases produce

a topology without edge loops in some places with tubular shapes such as legs, arms,
fingers. Instead, in rare cases it can create sprials. ZRemeshers smart algorithms watch
for and do their best to avoid this topology issue because it can be problematic when try-
ing to break the model into clean PolyGroups.
If ZRemesher creates spiral topology in a place that you would like to avoid, then
use the ZRemesher Guide brush to create a curve at that location. It should be a closed
curve corresponding to a desired edge loop direction. Next, set Tool >> Geometry >>
ZRemesher >> Curve Strength to 100, forcing ZRemesher place an edge loop at that
location rather than a spiral.
It is important to consider that depending for some models it may be impossible to

have topology that is 100% free of spirals. This is because sometimes, avoiding a spiral
in one position may result in a spiral at another location that hadnt had one previously.
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VII ZRemesher and Hard Surfaces
ZRemesher is optimized to work on all kinds of model structures and shapes but will
by default produce better results with organic shapes. However, with some extra effort on
your part retopology of hard surfaces and mechanical models can be greatly improved.
On the left, an object made with boolean operations and imported into ZBrush. On the right, the
automatic retopology produced by ZRemesher 2. Note that PolyGroups have been preserved as
well as the sharpness of the border edges.
1. Mesh Density
Unlike organic shapes, hard surface models generally have drastic changes in di-
rection along their surfaces and multiple topology variations in small areas. All these
topology changes put a lot of stress on the algorithms. With this in mind, requesting a low
value for the target polygon count can decrease the quality of the results.
To help ZRemesher, the first step to do is to avoid using a low polygon count and
allow a higher value. This gives ZRemesher the necessary freedom to manage these
topological changes.
2. Work with PolyGroups
ZRemesher has two different options dedicated to PolyGroups. One of them strictly
keeps the PolyGroup borders (using them as edge loops) while the other uses them as
references during the retopology. If your hard surface model is defined by PolyGroups,
turning these options on will improve the results. Depending on the model, it is advised
240
to test both options.
If your model doesnt have PolyGroups, it is benifical to create them to assist

ZRemesher. When working with hard surface objects, Tool >> PolyGroups >> Group By
Normal will quickly produce PolyGroups based on angles between edges.
Group by Normal creates accurate PolyGroups based on the surface curvature.
3. Use curves
At a value of 100, the Curve Strength setting forces ZRemesher to put partial or
complete edge loops at the curve positions. Making extensive use of this for hard surface
models can therefore increase the quality of edge surface topology. Unfortunately, it can
be difficult to accurately place a curve exactly along an edge.
There is, however, an easy way to produce an accurate set of curves based on the
angles and edges of your surface:
1. First create PolyGroups based on the models normals by using Tool >> Poly-
Groups >> Group By Normal and adjusting its Max Angle Tolerance slider as
needed.
2. Use those PolyGroup borders to create curves via the Stoke >> Curve Func-
tions >> Frame Mesh feature. Dont overlook the usefulness of the Border and
Creased edges modes.
3. Set Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher >> Curve Strength to 100, along with any
other ZRemesher options that you need. (Like the Keep Groups option.)
4. Run ZRemesher.
241
At the top left, a model created with ZModeler which includes PolyGroups and multiple creased
edges. At the Top right, the PolyGroups were created with the Group by Normal function. at the
bottom left, the curves were created with Frame Mesh, using the PolyGroup borders and creased
edges. At the bottom right, retopology has been created by ZRemesher. Notice that the topology
respects the models edges and that PolyGroups were preserved.
242
VIII ZRemesher and High Polycount Models
ZRemesher is designed to create new topology over nearly any existing model. It
can be a model with subdivision levels, a scanned model consisting entirely of triangles
or even one that is a mix of quads and triangles (such as a DynaMesh model). ZRemesh-
er has a maximum limit to the number of polygons that it can process. Keep in mind that
ZRemesher uses complex mathematic formulas and the more polygons in your model
the more memory will be needed for computing.
If your computer has enough memory, ZRemesher can work with models up to 8 mil-
lion vertices. With an 8 million point model, ZRemesher requires 4 GB of memory (plus
additional memory for ZBrush, your operating system and any background applications).
Attempting to work with more polygons could affect the stability of both ZRemesher and
ZBrush.
If your model input has a polygon count higher than this limit (or if your computer
doesnt have enough RAM), go to a lower subdivision level or decimate your model with
the Decimation Master plug-in before using ZRemesher.
Keep in mind that your ultimate goal with ZRemesher will usually be to retopologize
your model to a lower polygon count for exporting, creating a mesh for multiple subdivi-
sion levels or for cleaning up the model for better sculpting flow. We recommend that for
the sake of speed you reduce your polygon count to a manageable level before using
ZRemesher.
Please refer to the Tips and Tricks section below for more information.
Note:
ZRemesher is a 64-bit application.
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IX Transferring High Resolution Detail to a

ZRemeshed Model
There will be times that you wish to retopologize your model while keeping all the
detail that has been sculpted on the model. There are two approaches to achieve this.
Choose the one that best fits your model and needs:
1. Freeze Subdivision Levels
1. Select the SubTool you would like to retopologize with ZRemesher.

2. Click the Freeze Subdivision Level button located in the Tool >> Geometry sub-
palette (right below the SDiv slider). This will freeze all subdivision levels and
drop your selected SubTool to level one.
3. If level one doesnt have enough polys to maintain the sculpts form, we encour-
age you to first choose the subdivision level with the desired silhouette and then
use the Del Lower button. This will make the selected level the lowest one, after
which you can return to the highest and Freeze Subdivision Levels.
4. Use ZRemesher with any desired settings.
5. Once the retopology is complete, click the Freeze Subdivison Level button
again. ZBrush will now recalculate your subdivision levels and project the de-
tails onto the new mesh topology.
Note:
The projection quality is controlled by the various settings in the Tool >> SubTool >> Project
All UI group.
Advantage with this technique:
You are able to retain your subdivision levels and details with just a couple mouse
clicks. This feature prioritizes your original polygon count over how many subdivision
levels your model originally had. If your new topology has a very different polygon count
compared to the original base subdivision level, your final model after using ZRemesher
may have more or fewer subdivision levels.
2. Duplicating your SubTool
1. Duplicate your selected SubTool by clicking Tool >> SubTool >> Duplicate.
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2. Hide all other SubTools, including the duplicate. The only one that should be
visible is the one that you will use ZRemesher on.
3. Use ZRemesher with any desired settings.
4. Turn on the copy of the SubTool that has the sculpted details. Make sure that
this SubTool is at the highest subdivision level.
5. With the retopologized model still selected, click Tool >> SubTool >> Project All.
The controls in the Project All UI group can be adjusted to refine the projection
as you work. The Dist slider is the one that you will most likely use the most.
6. Subdivide the retopologized model to create level 2. Project All again.
7. Repeat step 6 until you have the desired number of subdivision levels and all of
your sculpted detail.
8. You can now delete the original version of the SubTool.
Note:
Its recommended that after each projection you hide the detailed SubTool and check to en-
sure that you are happy with the projected results. If you arent satisfied, press Ctrl+Z to undo and
then modify the Project All settings before projecting again.
Advantage with this technique:
By copying the detail one subdivision level at a time, you will have more control over
the projected results. This process can be faster than the Freeze Subdivision Levels
approach.
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X ZRemesher Functions
What follows is a list of the ZRemesher settings which can modified to more precise-
ly control the results of your retopology. All settings are found in the Tool >> Geometry
>> ZRemesher UI group.
ZRemesher can of course produce very high quality results with its default settings.
However, depending on the needs of your specific model, you may find that changing
these parameters can improve the results.
The ZRemesher functions.
ZRemesher
The ZRemesher button launches the retopology calculation for the visible portions
of the selected SubTool.
The generated retopology is modulated by the ZRemesher options, which can dras-
tically change the resulting mesh.
Freeze border
When enabled, Freeze Border mode forces ZRemesher to maintain the same vertex
numbers and their positions along meshs openings. If the model is partially visible, the
retopology will be done only on the visible polygons and this result will automatically be
connected to the rest of the mesh.
The polygon count may not precisely reach that defined by the Target Polygons
count slider. This is because the algorithm must respect both the exact edge vertices and
the setting for the Adaptive Size slider.
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Note:
When Freeze Border is enabled, Adaptive Density mode will be enabled internally even if the
mode is currently disabled in the interface.
On the left, the Freeze Border option has been disabled. On the right, it has been enabled. Notice
the increase in polygon density. The first loop of polygons at the neck has been subdivided locally
to preserve the original vertex positions.
Freeze Groups
Freeze Group mode retopologizes each PolyGroup independently, keeping their bor-
ders frozen and then welding the edge vertices together along each PolyGroup border.
This results in a model with the same PolyGroups, but with a different topology flow
within each group.
Keep Groups
The Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher >> Keep Group mode retains the existing
boundaries of each of the models PolyGroups to reproduce those groups in the reto-
pologized model.
Unlike Freeze Groups option (which retains the same topology along the PolyGroup
borders), the Keep Groups option alters the topology while keeping the boundary shape.
This results in a better topology flow.
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Smooth Groups
The Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher >> Smooth Groups slider applies a smoothing
algorithm to the border edges of the models PolyGroups before executing ZRemesher.
When ZRemeshing DynaMesh models it is advised to keep SmoothGroups turned

on. The DynaMesh function produces even topology across the entire surface but many
times this may generate jagged PolyGroup breakups. Turning the SmoothGroups op-
tion on will smooth these PolyGroup borders, allowing ZRemesher to generate cleaner
topology.
However if you are attempting to ZRemesh CAD data with PolyGroups, turning the
SmoothGroups option off will often generate better results with this type of mesh.
Adaptive Size
The Adaptive Size slider allows the creation of non-square polygons. It also factors
the size of the polygons, based upon the models curvature.
Put another way; the Adaptive Size slider tells ZRemesher to put greater emphasis
on the models overall shape rather than on rigidly uniform polygon size and distribution.
This provides a better polygon flow, especially in your models more tightly detailed areas
such as ears, fingers, etc.
This setting increases the number of polygons where necessary to maintain the
models original shape. As a result, the final number of polygons generated may not
match the Target Polygon Count value.
Please read the Adaptive Size section above for more information about this setting
and the impact it has on model quality.
Use PolyPaint
Use PolyPaint mode tells ZRemesher to pay attention to PolyPaint color when deter-
mining local polygon density as it creates the new topology.
How PolyPaint affects the density is determined by the specific color used:
Pure blue specifies a higher polygon density within the painted area.
Pure red means a lower polygon density within the painted area.
White (no PolyPaint) gives ZRemesher total control over polygon density.
Of course, the opacity of the color has an impact of the density changes. A light blue
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will slightly reduce the polygon density while a fully opaque blue will have a strong reduc-
tion in polygon density.
To paint these colors, simply use the Standard brush in RGB mode only. (Not Mrgb
and no Zadd/ZSub.)
To avoid visible steps in the density of the generated polygons, simply apply a
smoothing on the PolyPainting by using the Smooth brush in RGB mode only. (Not Mrgb
and no ZAdd/ZSub.)
Note:
The ColorDensity slider (see below) automatically sets these colors for you. It is not neces-
sary to worry about what RGB values constitute pure blue or pure red.
The opacity of the color gives weight to the results. For example, a light blue will
slightly reduce the polygon density while 100% RGB Intensity will reduce polygon density
in the painted area by the maximum amount possible.
When painting these colors, simply use the Standard brush in RGB mode only. (No
ZAdd or ZSub.)
To smoothly transition between densities and avoid visible steps between densities,
simply blur the edges of the painted areas by using the Smooth brush in RGB mode only.
(No ZAdd or ZSub.)
Color Density
The Color Density slider sets the factor by which ZRemesher will adjust polygon
density when using PolyPaint.
If the slider is set to 4 then ZBrush will paint pure red and these areas will have four
times as many polygons as the unpainted portions of your mesh. If the slider is set to
0.25 then ZBrush will paint pure blue and these areas of the mesh would have a density
that is only that of the unpainted portions.
A setting of 2 doubles polygon density, while a setting of 0.50 halves the density.
Note:
This PolyPaint control method is exactly the same as that used by UV Master.
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Target Polygons Count
The Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher >> Target Polygons Count slider defines the
number of polygons that you would like ZRemesher to produce. It called a target for a
reason: Sometimes conditions will not allow a bulls eye and the new topology will have
a number of polygons that is different from what was specified by this slider. The Adap-
tive Size can especially have an impact on this number.
If having a precise number of polygons is more important to you than polygon optimi-
zation, disable ZRemeshers Adaptive Density mode as explained below.
Half, Same, Double

The Tool >> Geometry >> ZRemesher >> Half, Same and Double buttons provide
an easy way to set the target polygon count relative to the number of polygons found in
the original model.
Half sets a target that is equal to half the models original polygon count.
Same sets the target to match the models original polygon count.
Double will actually tell ZRemesher to create topology with twice as many poly-
gons as were found in the original model.
These values can be combined with the Adaptive Density mode (explained below).
Note:
As with the Target Polygon Count slider, the numbers of polygons that will actually be gener-
ated by ZRemesher can be different whats specified. The only way to have an exact polygon
count is to disable the Adaptive Density mode.
Adaptive Density
ZRemesher typically gives the Adaptive Size setting higher priority than the Target
Polygon Count because the Adaptive Density setting is enabled by default. If you disable
this mode, ZRemesher will adjust its topology calculations to give equal weight to your
Target Polygon Count value.
Put another way, ZRemesher will normally try to hit the target count but only where
doing so will not compromise the topology quality dictated by the Adaptive Size sliders
setting. Turning Adaptive Density mode off means that ZRemesher will come in very
close to the target polygon count, even if a different count would have produced a more
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ideal mesh.
Curve Strength
The Curve Strength slider is used in collaboration with the Curves created by the
ZRemesher Guide brush to influence the edge loops that will be created by the plug-in.
A low value will attract your topology edges toward the curves, while a high value will
strongly guide the polygon flow. Please read the Working with Curves section above
for more details on how to use Curves in association with ZRemesher.
As a general rule, the higher you set this slider, the fewer Curves you should draw.
Otherwise you risk creating topology restrictions that are impossible to resolve.
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XI Tips and Tricks
Here are a number of Tips and Tricks to keep in mind when using ZRemesher:
While ZRemesher can work with a very large number of polygons, it is recom-
mended to reduce your count before using ZRemesher, if possible. For ex-
ample, if you have 6 levels of subdivision, you might find that level 4 has enough
polygons to maintain the overall shape and the medium details. This will im-
prove ZRemeshers speed without altering the retopology quality -- especially if
you are targeting a low polygon count.
Dense meshes without much detail (such as imported scan data or a high reso-
lution DynaMesh) can benefit from using Decimation Master to reduce the num-
ber of polygons without altering the models visual quality. Do this before using
ZRemesher.
It can also be helpful to minimize the variations of small details, peaks and val-
leys. This is easily done by using a Smooth or Polish deformation before using
ZRemesher. The result will be a better polygon flow in the retopologized mesh.
You can run ZRemesher more than once on the same model. The second time
will have a better polygon flow even if the polycount remains exactly the same.
A reminder about Symmetry: If you are using symmetry and are unhappy with
the resulting topology, use Undo and then try ZRemeshers second symmetry
calculation method. Do this simply by holding the Alt key when clicking the
ZRemesher button.
Try to avoid small holes in your mesh! Retopology will keep them and can
potentially increase the polygon count. Wherever possible, it is advised to do
retopology on a watertight mesh or a surface that is free from imperfections.
Since scan data and flat surface DynaMesh models can have small, hard to
see holes, using ZBrushs Close Holes feature before running ZRemesher will
improve your results.
When your model is in DynaMesh mode it can also be beneficial to run the Tool
>> Geometry >> Mesh Integrity >> Fix Mesh operation before using ZRemesh-
er.
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ZBrush User Guide - Surface Noise
SURFACE NOISE
How to add procedural fine details on your models.
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I About the Surfaces Noise
With the new Surface noise feature, you can apply procedural noise to your cre-
ations, driven by simple parameters and curves for easy customization. By default, the
noise is applied partially or globally to your object in a non-destructive way, allowing you
to change it at any time or even remove it. With a single click you can also apply it to your
model as geometry that can be sculpted. It can even be a mix of different noises, blended
together with the help of the powerful ZBrush masks.
Noise is also available as a brush setting, BPR Filters, Mask or Alpha creation, which
means that you will be able to add this noise in multiple ways to your ZBrush sculpts!
It can also be used in conjunction with DynaMesh to produce transparent noise on

your Geometry which can then be converted to real geometry, creating holes in your
model.
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II Apply Surface Noise Onto your 3D model
To edit the noise you wish to apply to your model, click the Noise mode switch lo-
cated in the Tool >> Surface sub-palette. If no noise has been dynamically applied to the
model, the NoiseMaker window will open with its dedicated interface.
By simply tweaking the Scale or Strength sliders and the Noise curve, you should be
able to create a large number of noise variations on your model.
Of course, it is possible to use the Noise Plugin, adding more advance features.
More information on this is described below..
At this first step, the noise is parametric and can be removed or changed at any time
by deactivating the Noise feature or adjusting the different parameters.
When done, simply press the OK button to close the Noise window. You have now
access to your model and can continue your sculpting. At this stage the noise is dynamic
and will be updated for each stroke you create on your model.
If you wish to convert the dynamic noise to real geometry, simply use the Apply to
Mesh function.
1. Noise Maker 3D Navigation
The standard ZBrush 3D navigation and right-click navigation options have been
added to the default Noise Maker interface. In addition to this, simple buttons have been
placed in the corners to help with 3D navigation if you are not used to ZBrushs standard
3D navigation.
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The Noise Maker window.
III Surface Noise and Real Geometry
Surface Noise is a visual effect applied on top of the mesh and at this stage no real
deformation occurs. With this in mind, if you set a high value for Strength and then run
Apply to Mesh you may have unexpected results. When viewing the noise on the canvas
it is being displayed as a bump map but when Apply to Mesh is clicked it is like using the
noise as a displacement map on your mesh. If you have an extremely high scale and
strength then your mesh will be pushed to extreme points.
To reduce the effect, simply re-open the Noise button and adjust the Strength slider
before redoing the Apply to Mesh conversion.
The quality of the noise generated by the Apply to Mesh function will depend on the
resolution of your Polymesh. If your resolution is too low, you will not be able to support
high quality noise. If needed, subdivide the model further before applying the noise.
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Example of noise applied on a low resolution mesh and with an extreme Strength value.
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IV Noise Maker in ZBrush Functions
The Noise Maker and its Noise Plugin can also be used inside of ZBrush as a brush
property. Others users include creating Alpha textures, for masking or to apply as a BPR
filter to your final render.
In all these locations where Noise can be used, the workflow is similar: the Noise
button will open the Noise Maker window to let you change the noise settings.
Please refer to the corresponding documentation to know more about Masks, Brush-
es or BPR filters.
V Noise in Transparency with DynaMesh
Noise being applied to your model using the Tool >> Surface >> Noise function can
use the pure black color to display partial mesh transparency. This transparency can then
be used by DynaMesh to subtract those areas from the mesh. Simply double-click the
Sub command.
In order to demonstrate this action, do the following:
1. Load the DynaMesh128.ZPR project from LightBox.

2. Open the Tool >> Surface menu and click on Noise. A window will appear.
3. Click on the Alpha On/Off text at the bottom left corner to load a texture. (Alter-
natively, the Noise Plug-In or the default Noise can be used instead of a texture.)
4. Load the checkered texture (Txtr03.PSD) from the ZBrush/ZData/Textures fold-
er.
5. Below the curve in the Noise window, move the Offset slider to a negative num-
ber.
6. The lower-left point in the graph will start to move up the curve. Move this point
back down to the bottom corner of the graph.
7. Any part of the sphere that is under a black square will now become transpar-
ent. This is just a visual representation; the points are still present in the actual
mesh.
8. If needed, change the Alpha Scale slider value to change the scale of the Alpha
applied to the model.
9. To convert this visual effect into actual geometry, double-click the Tool >> Geom-
etry >> DynaMesh >> Sub button, then disable the noise by clicking on the Tool
>> Surface >> Noise switch. The quality of the resulting mesh generated with
the DynaMesh Sub function is dependent on the resolution of the DynaMesh as
well as the Alpha applied to it.
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Note:
BPR can render transparency without converting it to actual geometry. It is only necessary to
perform the final step of double-clicking the Sub button if you wish to have physical holes that you
will sculpt with.
When using an alpha image, a model with UVs will produce better results than a model with-
out UVs
Please read the DynaMesh section to learn more about this function.
An example of noise converted to geometry on a DynaMesh model. Image courtesy of Cyril

Cosentino.
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VI Noise Maker Mask Mixing
It is possible to mix two different scales and intensities of the same noise on an
object. This is done using the Mask capabilities of ZBrush by first painting a Mask area
where you wish to alter the scale of the noise. After opening the Noise Maker interface,
modify the two new settings:
Magnify by Mask slider which changes the scale of the current noise within the
Mask area.
Strength by Mask slider which changes the intensity of the current noise within
the Mask area.
By default, the result of these modifications wont be visible until you change the
Strength by Mask setting. If you dont wish to change the Strength value, revert it before
validating.
This capability is helpful when you wish to hide visible changes on your surface
when using the mesh UVs or to simply add some variation across your models surface.
Different variations of the same noise type, defined by different Mask intensity values.
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VII Mixing Noises from multiple sources
ZBrushs Surface Noise can be generated from three different sources: basic noise,
a loaded Alpha, and through the Noise Plugin. It is possible to combine the default Noise
with an Alpha or with the Noise Plugin but you cannot mix the Noise Plugin and an Alpha.
Each source (Noise, Alpha, and Plugin) have their own Scale value but the Strength
value is global across all noise types. By default, the two enabled noises are mixed with
a classic blending mode where both values are added. You can change this operator to
Multiply, compute the Difference or to insert using the Minimal or Maximal values of the
others.
The default Noise is always the primary noise plus the second noise of your choice
(loaded Alpha or through the Plugin.) The Mix Basic Noise slider lets you make one noise
source or the other dominant within the blend. The default value is 0.5 which will generate
a 50% blend between both noises.
An example of the same noise using Difference, Minimum and Maximum settings.
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VIII Using an Alpha in Noise Maker
You can replace the Noise Makers procedural noise with an Alpha. The main goal is
to benefit from the settings to control the noise Strength and Intensity, creating patterns
on your model with the help of UVW coordinates.
By default, the texture will be applied as noise within the 3D canvas space. (In other
words, relative to the camera.) Alternatively, you can enable the UV option to wrap the
alpha onto the SubTool using your models UV information. Once applied, many of the
surface noise settings can be used to adjust the alpha in exactly the same way as for
procedural noise. With this ability, you can fine tune things like scale or fabric patterns
before actually applying them to your mesh.
Also keep in mind that if an alpha is loaded at the same time that NoisePlug is acti-
vated, the alpha will not be visible. The NoisePlug button must be deactivated in order to
view the imported alpha.
To apply an alpha, follow these simple steps:
1. On your model, create your UVs. (Optional)

2. Open the Noise Maker window.
3. On the bottom left of the 3D view, click the Alpha On/Off button. A system dia-
log box will open, allowing you to browse for your desired texture. To produce
details with an optimal quality, use high quality alphas. If possible, the alpha
should be able to be tiled seamlessly.
4. When validated, the Alpha thumbnail will appear at the bottom left of the 3D
view and noise corresponding to your alpha will appear on your model.
5. If the Projection mode is set to 3D, switch to UV. This will make the Alpha use
your models UVW mapping.
6. Adjust the Scale, Strength or Color Blending settings to create different unique
effects on your model. (The Scale, Offset and Angle setting at the bottom of the
window will not affect noise created using Alpha textures.)
7. When finished, you can quit the Noise Maker window or apply the noise to your
mesh.
Note:
For better results, it is strongly advised that a texture used for noise be tileable and in 16-bit
grayscale PSD format.
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A tile texture applied to the model with different scales. At any time, the result can be converted to
geometry, moving the models vertices as indicated by the noise.
Breakdown image of the use of textures combined with Noise Maker to create patterns. Image
courtesy of Maxence Fleuret.
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IX Using an Alpha in the Noise Editor
The Noise generators can blend your models PolyPaint with colors defined in the
NoiseMaker preview window. If you wish to mix two colors, you must first set the base
color on your model by filling it via the Color >> Fill Object command.
Note:
Make sure to have Colorize enabled in Tool >> PolyPaint or the little brush icon active on the
selected SubTool for the color information to be applied.
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X Surface Noise Functions
This is the description of the main components which compose the Surface sub-
palette, located in the Tool palette.
Noise
The Tool >> Surface >> Noise mode enables or disables the noise on the current
model. If the model has not previously had noise set, it will open the Noise Maker win-
dow to let you change the parameters.
Please refer to the next chapter of this documentation for more information about
the Noise Maker window and its associated functions.
Note:
If noise has been previously applied to the mesh (baked), it will no longer be possible to
modify or disable the noise. You can, however add new noise to the surface.
Edit
If you already have noise applied to the model, the Tool >> Surface >> Edit button
opens the Noise Maker window to change its settings.
Please refer to the next chapter of this documentation for more information about the
Noise Maker window and its associated functions.
Note:
If noise has been previously applied to the mesh (baked), it will no longer be possible to
modify or disable the noise. You can, however add new noise to the surface.
Delete (Del)
The Tool >> Surface >> Delete button completely removes the noise on the model
and returns the surface back to its original state (before you decided to display noise on
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the mesh).
Lightbox > NoiseMakers

The Tool >> Surface >> LightBox >> NoiseMaker button opens LightBox and shows
the NoiseMaker presets. After LightBox is open, simply double-click on a preset noise to
apply it to your current model. You can then open the Noise Maker window and change
the current settings to customize the noise to your liking.
Smooth Normals (SNorm)

The Tool >> Surface >> Smooth Normal slider modifies the Apply to Mesh function
by smoothing the normals of the mesh before the noise is applied. When using higher
Scale and Strength values it is advised to have this setting at 100.
Smooth UVs (Suv)

The Tool >> Surface >> Smooth UV mode modifies the Apply to Mesh function by
smoothing the models UVs before applying the noise to the mesh. This option is effec-
tive only if the noise is projected based on the model UVs.
Apply to Mesh
The Tool >> Surface >> Apply to Mesh button converts the procedural noise on the
model to real geometry deformation. The surface of the models points will be moved
based on the noise values.
Mask by Noise
The Tool >> Surface >> Mask by Noise applies a mask on the model based on the
current noise setting, even if the Noise is not currently visible on the model due to Noise
mode being turned off.
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UnMask by Noise
Tool >> Surface >> The UnMask by Noise is most often used when the model al-
ready is already at least partially masked. It alters the current mask by subtracting from
it based upon the current noise. If the model is not masked, this will behave similarly to
Mask by Noise.
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XI Noise Maker Window
The Noise Maker is the window which displays all the main settings of the default
noise, next to a preview of the currently active SubTool. Its in this window that you can
modify the basic noise settings or even call the Noise Plugin which can generate ad-
vanced noise though different algorithms.
1. Noise Maker settings
These are the main settings to alter noise either created using the default noise or
the Noise Plugin.
Open
The Open button opens a system window to select a previously saved Noise preset
file.
Save
The Save button opens a system window to save your current Noise setting as a
preset file.
Copy
The Copy button copies your current Noise settings into ZBrush Memory. See the
Paste button explanation for more information.
Past
The Paste button applies the Noise settings placed in memory by the Copy button.
This is really useful when you need to apply the same noise across different SubTools.
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3D
The 3D mode defines a 3D cubic UV protection on your model, which is then used
to project your noise on the surface. This mode is the default for all noise types and can
be altered by the Offset, Angle and Scale sliders.
UV
The UV mode defines the Noise projection to be based on the models UV mapping.
This mode is really important if you wish to have a noise which follow your models
shape -- in particular when used with an image that is being applied as an Alpha. (See
below for more information.)
Noise Plugin
The Noise Plugin mode opens the Noise Plugin editor, which includes a large num-
ber of different noise generators to produce various patterns. When using the Noise
Plugin the default noise of Noise Maker will be replaced by the one selected via the Noise
Plugin.
See the Noise Plugin chapter below for more information.
Edit
When you already have a noise applied through the Noise Plugin, the Edit button
launches the plugin so that you can edit its settings.
Noise Scale
The Noise Scale slider changes the size of the default noise. High values will create
a large noise pattern while small values create fine patterns. A high value will also deform
the mesh with an extreme displacement.
Plugin Scale
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The Plugin Scale slider changes the scale of the noise created by the Noise Plugin.
High values will create a large noise while small values create a fine noise. A larger size
will also deform the mesh with an extreme displacement.
Note:
This slider is disabled if no noise has been created through the Noise Plugin.
Alpha Scale
The Alpha Scale slider changes the scale of the noise created by an Alpha (loaded
by clicking the Alpha On/Off button located in the bottom left of the Noise preview win-
dow). A high value will create a large noise pattern while low values create fine noise. A
larger size will also deform the mesh with an extreme displacement.
Note:
This slider is disabled if no Alpha image has been loaded or if a noise from the Noise Plugin is
active.
Magnify by Mask
The Magnify by mask slider changes the scale of the current noise within the Mask
area. See the Noise Maker Mask Mixing section above for more information.
Strength
The Strength slider changes the intensity of the noise, without changing its scale.
At 0, the noise wont be visible and at 1, the bump strength will be at its maximum. It is
recommended to keep this setting at a lower level.
Mix Basic Noise

The Mix Basic Noise slider defines how much you want each of the two noise sourc-
es (default noise and the Noise Plugin/Alpha image) to contribute to a blended effect.
At 0, only the basic noise will be visible while at 1, only the Noise Plugin noise or the
Alpha noise (depending on which one is enabled) will be visible.
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This Mix Basic Noise value is modulated by the mixing mode (Mix, Multiply, Differ-
ence, Minimum, and Maximum) and the results generated by this slider may change
depending on which mode is enabled.
Strength by Mask
The Strength by Mask slider changes the intensity of the current noise within the
Mask area. See the Noise Maker Mask Mixing section above for more information.
Mix, Multiply, Difference, Minimum and Maximum

For these modes, you need to keep in mind that the noises are grayscale informa-
tion and each mode will perform its operation based on the corresponding grey levels
in the noise. Adding both maximum grey values together will only generate the same
grey (100% + 100% can only result in 100%) while adding two middle greys will create
a darker grey. Doing a difference will mainly generate the difference values between the
two noise types greyscale values while a Minimum or Maximum will keep only the cor-
responding values.
These modes are really visual in nature, so it is strongly advised to try the differ-
ent modes while creating your noise. Some noises will provide totally different results
depending on the current mode. Additionally, the Noise curve can have a strong impact
on the minimum and maximum values of the grey levels in the noise.
Color Blending
The Color Blending sliders are associated with the two colors picker below it. The
cavities within the noise will take on either of the colors.
Curve editor
By changing the shape of the curve, you will drastically change the aspect of the
noise. The Curve editor functions in the same manner as all other ZBrush curve editors.
X, Y and Z Offset
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The X, Y and Z Offset sliders slide/move the noise along the surface through the
corresponding axis.
X, Y and Z Angle
The X, Y and Z Angle sliders rotate the noise along the surface around the corre-
sponding axis.
X, Y and Z scale
The X, Y and Z Scale sliders change the size of the noise along the surface relative
to the corresponding axis.
Reset Offset, Angle and Scale

The Reset Offset, Angle and Scale buttons revert the corresponding sliders to their
default values.
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XII Noise Plugin Interface and Workflow
The Noise Maker Plugin adds a full set of powerful noise generators to the existing
Noise Maker functions. The key difference to the noise created by NoiseMaker is that it
is being generated in 3D instead of 2D.
Most of these generators have common and specific settings, which produce almost
instantaneous visual results.
Some Noise samples, generated through the Noise Maker plugin.
To open the Noise Plugin, open the NoiseMaker interface by clicking Tool >> Surface
>> Noise. Now click the NoisePlug-In button, which will open a new floating window.
The NoiseMaker Plugin is composed of three main elements:
The list of Noise Generators, located on the left of the interface.

The Noise Generator settings in the center of the interface.
The common settings for each Noise Generator, at the bottom of the window.
The basic workflow is to select your desired Noise Generator from the list, then
modify the settings. The noise will be updated in real-time in the NoiseMaker preview
window. If needed, changing the common controls settings will globally affect the Noise
applied to your model.
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Note:
Its recommended to turn up the Strength settings all the way to 0.5 or -0.5 before clicking on
the NoisePlug-In button. This will help you see the real-time interaction with the various noises.
After closing the Plugin window you can then adjust the Strength to finalize the noise effect.
The Noise maker plugin interface.
When done, close the NoiseMaker Plugin. You can now also use the various settings
in the NoiseMaker preview window to further adjust and refine the applied noise.
If you need to modify the Noise such as by switching to a different Generator or alter-
ing the common settings you will only need to click on the Edit button next to the Noise-
Plug button. This last operation wont change the current settings; it will simply reopen
the plug-in interface so that you can modify those settings.
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XIII Noise Maker Plugin Common Controls
The common controls
Each Noise that is generated has common Offset, Angle and Scale settings along
the X, Y, and Z axis which affect how the noise will be applied to the model. Alter these
settings to change the scale, orientation and position of the noise relative to the models
surface.
Please remember that the selected projection method (defined in the ZBrushs Noise-
Maker preview window as 3D or UVs) can cause the same Noise type to produce very
different results.
The Interactive Update button (enabled by default) makes your changes visible in
real-time in the preview window. If a noise Generator requires too much computing time
you can disable this option to speed up your workflow.
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XIV Procedural Generator Description
This section provides a list of all 3D generators available in the plug-in, with a short
description and the overview of their main settings. Be aware that all generators have
common settings like Offset, Angle and Scale.
Brick
The Brick generator creates bricks by defining the size of a single brick (Width, Height
and Depth settings), combined with the distance between each brick (Mortar Thickness
setting).
Camouflage
The Camouflage generator creates a random pattern similar to military camouflage.

It does this by using a Frequency setting to change the random aspect, modulated by
a Threshold slider which changes the transition between the areas. (At Threshold 0, it
displays the Surface setting color and at 1, the ZBrush front color. The color settings are
based on a grey scale adjustment.)
The colors can be swapped or modulated by changing the base and the Layer 1 and
2 sliders.
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Checkerboard
The Checkboard generator creates a regular checker pattern. Each square can be
subdivided into smaller squares by modifying the Depth slider.
Enabling the Colors Randomize setting lets you apply a random color on each square
by using the ZBrush front color combined with the active color of the Surface settings.
This can be further refined by changing the Variability slider.
Cheetah
The Cheetah generator simulates the cheetah fur pattern with irregular spots. The
shapes of these spots can be altered through the Spot slider.
Corrugated
The Corrugated generator creates constant rings around the model with different
styles available, from smoothed borders to one-sided sharp borders.
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Dents
The Dents generator simulates a corrosion-like effect on the surface, perfect for old
metal surfaces.
Erosion
The Erosion generator produces a result which is close to the Dents generator except
that it focuses on edges rather than surfaces.
FBM
The FBM generator applies a global noise over the model. The Detail value affects
the density of the effect.
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Gradient
The Gradient generator creates a linear gradient over the mesh in the direction de-
fined by the X, Y and/or Z button.
Granite
The Granite generator simulates the real-world granite material. The effect is modu-
lated by the number of Octaves to create the amount of detail while the Frequency setting
defines detail density.
Grid
The Grid generator creates a grid on the top of the model where the Randomize but-
ton affects the intensity of the colors applied to the tiles.
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HexTile
HexTile creates hexagonal tiles. The Randomize, Minimum and Maximum settings
can affect the color of both the mortar and the tiles.
Houndstooth
The Houndstooth provides a set of different patterns like Chevron, Onyx or Sherlock.
To change the orientation of these patterns, use the Angle sliders located in the Common
Controls.
Nested Shapes
Similar to the Houndstooth generator, Nested Shapes applies large scale patterns
like Square, Tube, Cube or Sphere to your model, modulated by the Thickness slider.
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Perlin Noise
The Perlin Noise generator produces one of the most used and famous noise effects
for your model. It can be used to create a large array of results. Increasing the Octave
settings will produce high detail noise for your geometrys deformations.
Plaid
The Plaid generator simulates the pattern of fabrics, composed mainly of a set of
vertical and horizontal lines. Their Frequency can be modified, as can their colors.
Psychedelic
The Psychedelic generator creates a random pattern similar to the metallic elements
found in some large floor plates.
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Scales
The Scales generator creates patterns based on scales and offers you a great control
over its color aspect.
Simple Marble
The Simplex generator creates a very basic noise with very few irregularities. It is
modulated by the Detail setting.
Simplex
The Simplex generator creates a very basic noise with very few irregularities. It is
modulated by the Detail setting.
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Snake Skin
Similar to the Scales generator, Snake Skin simulates the scales found on serpents.
It offers great control over the scales colors. To make the scales look natural, apply some
Scale Variability and especially some Amplitude.
Speckled Stone
The Speckled Stone generator simulates small flakes within polished rock. It will pro-
duce a low level noise which is perfect when you want an effect that is only slightly visible.
Spheres
The Spheres generator creates random circle dots on your model with the option to
Hollow them.
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Spiral
The Spiral generator applies stripes over your model in a spiral pattern. The Spiral
Rate setting controls the amount of bend in these stripes.
Stripes
The Stripes generator applies straight lines over your model. The effect can be mod-
ulated by different styles like a Perlin Noise, Triangle Shapes and more.
Turbulence
The Turbulence generator creates an irregular noise with an important depth for both
deformation and colors. This noise is perfect as a sculpting basis for wall details and
more.
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Voronoi
The Voronoi generator recreates a pattern similar to microscopic organic cells. The
style can be drastically changed through the Type and Method settings.
Voronoi Tiles
The Voronoi Tiles generator simulates irregular patterns based on the Voronoi algo-
rithm to produce effects like cracked and pitted pavement.
Weave
The Weave generator lets you use an over/under woven pattern. It is really use-
ful for fabrics, plastic items or specific materials like carbon fibers. The specific effect
is achieved by changing the Pattern style. It includes several color settings which give
control for fine tuning for your patterns, whether they will be used for texture or mesh
modification.
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Wood
The Wood generator recreates the grain of sliced wood. It can be modulated mainly
by the Amplitude slider which creates irregular rings.
ZigZag
The ZigZag generator creates an oblique set of rectangles for a zig-zag pattern. The
Randomize color mode adds extra rectangles between the main zig-zag patterns.
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ZBrush User Guide - SpotLight
SPOTLIGHT
Direct Image Editing and Painting by Projection
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SpotLight is a projection texturing system which allows you to prepare your source
texture directly in ZBrush, than paint your model with it in 3D. It is similar in some ways
to the ZBrush Stencil feature.
You first need to load your textures using the Texture palette. You can then use Spot-
Light to change their scale, rotation and position; nudge them to match any sculpt; clone
parts of the texture; fill colors; change the hue to match another textures hue and more.
There is a tremendous amount of functionality packed in a simple interface. Your

painting productivity will increase more than you can imagine!
The SpotLight Widget
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I Working with SpotLight: Overview
The SpotLight workflow is very simple; knowledge of its various features will let you
unleash your painting abilities! To understand how the feature works, below is a basic
step by step that will help you understand in few minutes the power of this tool.
ZBrush Artist - Dave Wolf
1. Load a Project or a ZTL file.

2. SpotLight is based on PolyPaint technology, so make sure that your model has
enough polygons to support the resolution of what you wish to paint. (Divide the
model if you need more polygons.) You dont need to have UVs and an associ-
ated diffuse texture to use SpotLight.
3. In the Texture palette, load or import a source texture with which you will paint
on the model. Be sure that this texture is selected.
4. Also in the Texture palette, click on the Add to SpotLight button. Your texture
will be displayed as an overlay on the document and the SpotLight widget will
appear. An alternative is to double click twice on a texture of your choice in Light
Box as soon as SpotLight is active.
Note:
To load from LightBox to Spotlight, you need to do a double click twice: the first double click
load the image in ZBrush, then the second double click load the image in Lightbox.
When clicking on a texture loaded in SpotLight, this texture will have a red outline to
indicate that SpotLight will operate on this texture. SpotLight is constructed around a wid-
get that is not only used as a manipulator, but also serves as a selector for 2D features
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like Hue, Clone, Smudge and more.
The SpotLight widget can be manipulated in different ways:
Click on a texture or in the document to position the widget on your cursor click
position.
Click and drag on the center circle/point of the widget, its pivot point, to change
the position of the SpotLight widget.
Switch between loaded textures by clicking on any of the textures in the Spot-
Light overlay on the ZBrush Document. The active texture will have a red outline
to show that its ready to be modified using the SpotLight widget.
Click and drag between the orange circle and the outer ring of the widget to
move the texture and the widget in unison. This will maintain the position of the
widget relative to the texture, which can be useful for some operations. If you
deselect the current image by clicking outside of the loaded image and redo the
same operation, all the loaded images in SpotLight will move at the same time.
Click on a function icon located in the widget to activate or deactivate that fea-
ture. Some 2D func-tions use a click and drag operation which is initiated by
clicking on the features icon or by using a brush to do the corresponding opera-
tion on the texture itself, like the Paint tool or the Restore Tool.
For some of these features (like rotation and scale), the center of SpotLight acts as
a pivot point. Manipulate the SpotLight widget to set this pivot point by clicking on the
desired center point.
5. Using the SpotLight widget, manipulate your texture as desired, using the con-
trols described below. The SpotLight wheel includes several features which can
be enabled by clicking on them or by doing click and drag of them. As an ex-
ample, if you want to rotate your texture, move the SpotLight widget by clicking
a point on the texture to define a rotation pivot point, then click and drag on
SpotLights rotation icon to rotate your texture around the selected point.
6. You can toggle SpotLight on and off by clicking the Turn On SpotLight button,
located in the Texture palette or by using the shortcut Shift+Z
7. To enter Paint mode so that you can begin painting, press Z on your keyboard.
Select a brush which will be used to project the texture to the underlying model.
SpotLight is designed to project by default the color, but if you brush have the
ZAdd or ZSub mode enabled, the model will be deformed according to the tex-
ture, converted as a grey scale image, similar to an alpha.
Note:
The only way to enter and exit the Paint mode is by pressing the Z key. No corresponding
button exists in the ZBrush interface.
8. Pressing Z again will bring SpotLight back, allowing you to edit the texture some
more.
9. When the SpotLight widget is visible you can load new textures as described in
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steps 3 and 4 above.

10. To remove a texture from SpotLight, select it first and click on the Delete func-
tion located on the bottom of the SpotLight widget.
11. When you have finished painting, turn off SpotLight in the Texture palette or
press Shift+Z.
To learn more about SpotLight functions and features, please, read the sections
below.
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II Organizing and Working with multiple textures
You can open as many textures as you need in SpotLight. This lets you combine
textures in many different ways before painting them onto your model.
Click on any texture to select it for manipulation: all the actions of the SpotLight wid-
get will be applied to this texture only, until you select another one by simply clicking on it.
Clicking in the empty space outside the textures to select them all. This will allow you
to manipulate all the textures at once.
It is possible to move a selected texture outside of the ZBrush document, making

it invisible. This function can be useful if you need to temporary hide a texture and not
all the texture when having on the screen multiple textures. To make the texture again
visible in the document, deselect all the texture and move the SpotLight widget in the op-
posite direction of the location of the hidden texture until it appears, or the alternative is to
click on one of the Tile function located on the bottom of the SpotLight widget.
Multiple textures loaded at the same time. Selected textures have a red outline.
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III Saving / Restoring SpotLight
Whatever textures you have loaded into SpotLight can be saved as a separate file.
The main purpose of this is to keep your best textures available for future production. You
can create texture sets, such as for skin, walls, concrete and more.
At any time, you can load your previously saved SpotLight set, which will replace
the current one.
For this purpose, you can find the Save SpotLight and Load SpotLight buttons in the
Texture palette.
IV Spotlight for Image References
SpotLight can be use for another purpose than its default one: using the loaded im-
ages as references images for your creation and not to paint your model.
Follow these steps to use SpotLight as an image reference tool:
1. Load your model.

2. Go in the Texture palette and click on Import to load your image references in
ZBrush.
3. Add them in SpotLight by clicking on the Texture >> Add to SpotLight and repeat
this step as need-ed.
4. Use the SpotLight widget to organize your images on the screen: position,
scale, opacity and eventually turn some areas to transparency (See the Spot-
Light paint tool for more information).
5. At this stage, if you switch to Paint mode (Hotkey Z), the images will be visible,
but you wont be able to sculpt or paint on your model, except if it is located
under one of the image. By default, SpotLight is only projecting the texture only
on its own location and mask the other areas. To disable this mode, go in the
Brush >> Sample menu and disable the SpotLight Projection mode.
6. Sculpt as usual and turn off and on SpotLight if needed by clicking on the
Shift+Z hotkey.
For more information about how using images references with SpotLight, please
watch this ZClassroom video: http://pixologic.com/zclassroom/homeroom/lesson/hel-
met-design-with-joseph-drust/#reference-image-plane.
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V SpotLight Functions
The SpotLight ring contains a variety of functions to edit and change the selected
texture. Several of these functions offer multiple possibilities. The functions can be com-
bined together to let you customize your textures on the fly before projecting them.
Rotate
You can click on and drag the rotate icon in both a clockwise and counter-
clockwise direction in order to rotate an image. By holding the Shift key while
rotating you can snap your rotation to the notches seen on the inner part of
the SpotLight dial.
Scale
You can click on and drag the scale icon in both a clockwise and counter-
clockwise direction in order to scale an image. By default, the width and
height will remain proportional. Using Scale while holding the CTRL key will
scale the image non-proportionally.
Spot Radius
Spot Radius looks very much like the circular light you might see a flash light
make when shined on a wall. When in paint mode the Spot Radius will allow
you to see a certain portion of the image(s) your cursor is currently over.
By default the Spot Radius is set to 0, which means when you enter paint mode
you will see all the images you currently have loaded in SpotLight.
You can click on and drag the Spot Radius icon in a clockwise direction in order
to increase the size of the Spot Radius. By dragging in a counterclockwise di-
rection you can decrease the radius of the Spot back to 0.
The Spot Radius does not control the amount of the image you paint and sculpt
on a model. Those continue to be controlled by your Draw Size, RGB Intensity,
and Z Intensity. SpotLight simply gives you a preview of what part of an image
you are about to paint and sculpt with.
Keep in mind that if you increase your Draw Size to be larger than the Spot Radius,
the Spot Radius will automatically increase to the size of your brush.
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Spot Pin
Spot Pin allows you to choose and constrain what part of an image you want
to use at the start of your stroke. The portion that will be used is located under
the center of the SpotLight dial. To put it simply, if you were to place your dial
over the eye on a face photograph, you could paint that eye over and over again in differ-
ent locations of your model.
Opacity
You can click on and drag the opacity icon in both a clockwise and counter-
clockwise direction in order to increase or decrease the opacity of all of im-
ages loaded within SpotLight.
Note
The amount of opacity applied to your images will not affect how much of the image is painted
and/or sculpted onto your model. This is instead controlled by the RGB Intensity and Z Intensity
sliders. To reduce an images effect relative to the Intensity settings, use the Fade feature instead.
Fade
In SpotLight you can layer images on top of one another in order to mix and
blend the images as you paint and/or sculpt them onto your model. Fade will
control how much influence a specific image will have in a stack of images.
By default, images in SpotLight have their Fade value set at 100% which means that
no fading has been applied. By decreasing the Fade amount you will see an image start
to dim. This means if it is placed on top of another image it will blend with the image below
as you paint and or sculpt.
You can click on and drag the Fade icon in both a clockwise and counterclockwise
direction in order to increase or decrease the amount of fading an image has applied to it.
Tile Proportional
Clicking on the Tile Proportional will tile the textures on the left side of the
document space, based on the pixel size of each texture. The largest pixel
texture will be identified by being at the top of the tile and will also be visually
larger.
When a texture is selected the actual pixel size will appear in the top left of the
ZBrush Interface.
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Tile Selected
Clicking on the Tile Selected will keep the selected image large but tile all
other textures below the selected texture at a smaller size.
Tile Unified
Clicking on the Tile Unified will tile all textures to the same size and position
them on the left of the document space.
Front
By clicking on the Front icon you will bring the active image to the front of all
the other images loaded into SpotLight.
Back
By clicking on the Back icon you will send the active image to the back of all
the other images loaded into SpotLight.
Delete
By clicking the Delete icon you will remove the active image from the Spot-
Light interface.
Note
Because the active image has been deleted the SpotLight dial will now control the movement,
rotation, and scale of all the remaining images as a group until a new active image is specified.
Flip H
By clicking the Flip H icon you will flip the active image horizontally.
Note:
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By clicking on an empty area in the canvas you can temporarily group all of the images loaded
in SpotLight and flip them together.
Flip V
By clicking the Flip V icon you will flip the active image vertically.
Note
in SpotLight and flip them together.
Tile H
You can click on and drag the Tile H icon in both a clockwise and counter-
clockwise direction in order to tile the active image horizontally. If you hold the
Shift key while dragging you will tile your image both horizontally and verti-
cally at the same time.
Note:
in SpotLight and tile them together.
Tile V
You can click on and drag the Tile V icon in both a clockwise and counter-
clockwise direction in order to tile an image vertically. If you hold the Shift key
while dragging you will tile your image both vertically and horizontally at the
same time.
Note
By clicking on an empty area in the canvas you can temporarily group all of the images you
have loaded in SpotLight and tile them together.
Grid
A checker pattern or grid lines can be used for measurements, alignment and
proportion.
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You can click on and drag the grid icon in a clockwise direction in order to apply a
checker pattern to your image. You can click on and drag the grid icon in a counterclock-
wise direction in order to apply grid lines to your image.
The color of your grid or checker pattern is determined by ZBrushs currently se-
lected main color, as specified by the Color palette. Additionally, by choosing pure black
for your grid or checker pattern you will make the lines and/or squares fully transparent.
Grid lines and a checker pattern can be applied to an image at the same time by
first clicking on and dragging the grid icon in a clockwise direction to apply the checker
pattern. Then click on and drag the grid icon once more in a counterclockwise direction
to apply grid lines on top of the checker pattern.
The Grid and or Checker pattern can be cleared by clicking on and dragging the
Restore icon in a Clockwise direction. (See Restore, below)
Restore
Within SpotLight you have ability to apply many effects to your images like,
clone, smudge, saturation, hue, intensity, color and fill. These effects are non-
destructive and the original image can be restored at any time.
You can restore an entire active image back to its original state by clicking on
and dragging the Restore icon in a clockwise direction.
You can also use Restore as a brush and paint the areas of the image you want
to restore back to the original state. Simply click on the Restore icon in the Spot-
Light dial to activate the Restore brush. The amount of Restore strength that is
painted can be controlled by adjusting the RGB Intensity slider.
You can replace the original state of an image with the edited version by first
holding the Alt key, then clicking on and dragging the Restore icon in a clock-
wise direction. Please note that this will permanently replace the original state
of your image with the current edited version.
While the Restore brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point you can
click and paint on any image loaded within SpotLight to begin restoring them back to their
original state.
While in brush mode you will not be able to move the SpotLight dial around by click-
ing on an image. Instead you will need to click and drag within the orange circle at the
center of the SpotLight dial in order to move the dial around the canvas.
To exit this brush mode, click on the Restore icon once more.
Restore will not undo any Nudging done to the texture. See Nudge below.
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Nudge
The Nudge brush will allow you stretch, distort and move portions of images
loaded within SpotLight. To activate the Nudge brush, click on the Nudge icon
in the SpotLight dial. The strength of the Nudge brush is determined by the Z
Intensity slider. While using the Nudge brush you can hold the Shift key to smooth back
areas that have been nudged.
While the Nudge brush is active you have 4 levels of nudge resolution you can
work with. To move up to a higher nudge resolution level press the D key. To
move to a lower nudge resolution level press shift+D.
At higher nudge resolution levels you will have finer control over how you nudge
an image, while at lower nudge resolution levels, smoothing with the Shift key
will have a great effect.
You can also reset an active image back to its original state before any distor-
tion has been applied by clicking on and dragging the Nudge icon in a clockwise
direction.
While the Nudge brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point you
can click and nudge portions of any image loaded within SpotLight.
While in brush mode you will not be able to move the SpotLight dial around by
clicking on an image. Instead you will need to click and drag within the orange
circle at the center of the SpotLight dial in order to move the dial around the
canvas.
To exit this brush mode, click on the Nudge icon once more.
Any Nudge can be undone by clicking CTRL+Z. The Restore function will not undo
any nudge. Restore the image back to original state by clicking on the Nudge Icon and
dragging in a clockwise motion.
Clone
The Clone brush allows you to clone parts of an image onto its self or onto
any other images you have loaded in SpotLight.
To activate the Clone brush click on the Clone icon in the SpotLight dial.
The strength of the Clone brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider. The cen-
ter of the source area that will be cloned from is located underneath the orange
circle within the SpotLight dial.
While the Clone brush is selected you can click and paint on any image loaded
within SpotLight to begin cloning from the source location. To clone another
texture onto any other image in SpotLight click on the image you wish to edit,
click on the Clone Icon, use the orange circle to move the SpotLight dial over
the other texture that you wish to clone from (Do not click on the other texture
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as this would select it), then move the brush back to the texture you wish to edit
and paint.
You can restore part of your image that you have cloned to with the Restore brush.
(See Restore brush)
To exit this brush mode, click on the Clone icon once more.
Smudge
The Smudge brush allows you to smudge portions of the images you have
loaded in SpotLight.
To activate the Smudge brush click on the Smudge icon in the SpotLight dial.
The strength of the Smudge brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
While the Smudge brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point you
can click and paint on any images loaded within SpotLight to begin smudging
them.
You can also use the smudge brush to blur an entire image, all at once.
To blur an image, first make sure that the orange circle at the center of the SpotLight
dial is located over the correct image.
To create a box blur, click on and drag the Smudge icon in a clockwise direction the
complete length of the SpotLight dial.
To create more of a radial blur, click on and drag the Smudge icon in a clockwise di-
rection for only a small portion of the SpotLight dial before releasing. Repeat this process
several times until you have achieved the desired amount of blur.
You can restore parts of your smudged or blurred images by using the Restore
brush. (See Restore brush)
To exit this brush mode, click on the Smudge icon once more.
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Contrast
The Contrast brush allows you to adjust the contrast of the images you have
To activate the Contrast brush click on the Contrast icon in the SpotLight dial.
The strength of the Contrast brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
While the Contrast brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point you
can click and paint on any image loaded within SpotLight to begin changing the
contrast.
You can hold the Alt key while using the Contrast brush to reduce contrast in
an image.
You can also use the Contrast brush to increase or decreased the Contrast of an
entire image, all at once.
To do so, first select the image you want to adjust contrast for by making sure
the orange circle in the center of the SpotLight dial is located over the correct
image.
To increase the contrast for an entire image, click on and drag the Contrast icon
in a clockwise direction.
To decrease contrast for an entire image, click on and drag the Contrast icon in
a counterclockwise direction.
You can restore parts of your image that you have increased or decreased contrast
for by using the Restore brush. (See Restore brush).
To exit this brush mode, click on the Contrast icon once more.
Saturation
The Saturation brush allows you to add or remove saturation from parts of the
images you have loaded in SpotLight.
To activate the Saturation brush click on the Saturation icon in the SpotLight
dial. The strength of the Saturation brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
While the Saturation brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point
you can click and paint on any image loaded within SpotLight to begin adding
more saturation.
Hold the Alt key while using the Saturation brush to take away saturation from
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an image.
You can also use the Saturation brush to add or take away saturation from an entire
image, all at once.
First select the image you want to add or remove saturation from by making
sure the orange circle in the center of the SpotLight dial is located over the cor-
rect image.
To add saturation to an entire image, click on and drag the Saturation icon in a
clockwise direction.
To remove saturation from an image click on and drag the Saturation icon in a
counterclockwise direction.
You can restore part of the images that you have added to or removed saturation
from by using the Restore brush. (See Restore brush)
To exit this brush mode, click on the Saturation icon once more.
Hue
The Hue brush allows you to change the hue on parts of the images you have
To activate the Hue brush click on the Hue icon in the SpotLight dial.
The strength of the saturation brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
While the Hue brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point you can
click and paint on any image loaded with in SpotLight to begin changing its hue.
To change the Hue to an entire image click on and drag the Hue icon in a clock-
wise direction.
You can Restore part of your image that you have added or removed Hue from by
using the Restore brush (See Restore brush)
To exit this brush mode, click on the Saturation icon once more.
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Intensity
The Intensity brush allows you to change the intensity on parts of the images
you have loaded in SpotLight.
To activate the Intensity brush click on the Intensity icon in the SpotLight dial.
The strength of the Intensity brush is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
While the Intensity brush is selected you will be in brush mode. At this point
you can click and paint on any image loaded within SpotLight to begin adding
Intensity.
You can hold the Alt key while using the Intensity brush to take away intensity
from an image. (Note that when the intensity of a part of your image is lowered
to the point of pure black that portion will become transparent.)
You can also use the Intensity brush to increase or decreased the intensity of an
entire image, all at once.
To do so, first select the image you want to add or remove Intensity from by
making sure the orange circle in the center of the SpotLight dial is located over
the correct image.
To increase the intensity for an entire image, click on and drag the Intensity icon
in a clockwise direction.
To remove intensity from an entire image, click on and drag the Intensity icon in
a counterclockwise direction.
When the intensity of an entire image reaches pure black the image will become
completely transparent.
You can restore parts of your image that you have increased or decreased intensity
for by using the Restore brush. (See Restore brush).
To exit this brush mode, click on the Intensity icon once more.
Paint
The Paint brush allows you to paint strokes of color, fill a portion of an image,
or fill the entire image with a selected color.
To activate the Paint brush, click on the Paint icon in the SpotLight dial.
Painting a stroke of color: While the Paint brush is selected you are now in brush
mode. At this point you can click and paint on any of the images loaded within
SpotLight. The color that you will be painting with will be the main color as set
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by the Color palette. While painting, you can press the Alt key to switch to the
secondary color as set by the Color palette.
The strength of the color that is painted is affected by the RGB Intensity slider.
Filling the entire image with color: You can fill an entire image with either the
main color or the secondary color all at once.
To fill the entire image, first select the image you want to fill by making sure the
orange circle in the center of the SpotLight dial is located over the correct im-
age.
Now to fill an image with the main color click on and drag the paint icon in the
clockwise direction.
To fill an image with the secondary color, click on and drag the paint icon in a
counterclockwise direction.
Fill portions of an image

When the Paint brush is selected you can fill a portion of and image with the main
color. This is done by first holding Ctrl key and clicking on and dragging on the portion of
the image where you want the fill to start. As you continue to drag away from the starting
point, the main color will begin to fill the image. You can continue this drag and fill action
until the color has filled the area of the image you want.
During this drag and fill process the color may spill into an area of the image you do
not want it to, in which case you can reverse the direction of the drag and start to move
back to the starting point. By dragging back to the start position you will see the color start
to recede back from the area you were filling.
Upon releasing the mouse button, the fill will stop. You can then repeat this drag and
fill in other areas of the image with any color you like.
Based on the image that you are trying to fill you may not be able to fill the area you
want with a single stroke. Images that are more complex may require several short drag
and fill actions to completely fill the area you want.
There are several variables that effect how a color will fill across your image:
Borders: A border in an image can be any major area of change. For example
in a picture with a red balloon set against the backdrop of a blue sky, the edge
where the balloon ends and the sky begins would be a strong border, which the
color fill action will attempt to respect.
Sample area: The size of your brush when beginning the drag and fill action will
determine how intensely borders in your image are respected. The larger the
brush, the less borders will be respected, while a small Draw Size will pay more
attention to the borders in your image.
Drag distance: As you drag across an image you are increasing the sample
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area. As the sample area is increased, what is considered a border will de-
crease. This means that the farther you drag, the more color will spill into other
areas of you image.
Because of these variables it is a good idea to start your drag and fill actions near
clear and distinct borders.
While executing the drag and fill action you can hold Shift to slightly contract around
the perimeter of the area that is being filled. This can be used to more precisely control
how you fill an area. It can also be repeated with another color inside the first filled color
in order to create a small outline.
After you have filled an area of an image with a color you can replace that filled area
with any color you want. First place the orange circle at the center of the SpotLight dial
over the filled color you want to replace. Then while holding the CTRL key, click on and
drag the Paint icon in a clockwise direction to replace the filled color with the Color pal-
ettes selected main color. By rotating in a counterclockwise direction you will replace the
filled color with the Color palettes secondary color.
You can make any part of an image transparent by painting or filling it with pure
black. Note that even though transparent parts of images will not have any effect on your
model, the transparent area has not been deleted from the image. You can simply fill that
transparent area with a color to bring it out of transparency.
You can Restore any part of your image that you has been painted on by using the
Restore brush. (See Restore brush)
To exit this brush mode, click on the paint icon once more.
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ZBrush User Guide - TimeLine
TIMELINE
Enhance your presentations.
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In addition to its sculpting and painting features, ZBrush adds a large number
of animation features to its toolset. Rather than attempting to provide a full animation
system, these new functions have been added to bring more power to the sculpting and
painting processes. The main purpose of the timeline system is to allow you to create bet-
ter presentations of your 3D models and also breathe life into these presentations using
animatable Morphs and Blend Shapes.
The Timeline also allows you to quickly save different points of view while sculpt-
ing. This allows you to save numerous camera positions of your model and easily switch
between them while sculpting.
The Timeline feature lets you animate several elements, from the camera position,
3D layers, ZSpheres and more.
ZBrush Artist - Dave Wolf
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I Enabling the Timeline: basic Key framing and Timeline options
Before working on an animation or just storing information through key frames, you
must enable the Timeline. To do so, go to the Movie Palette and in the Timeline menu
click on the Show button. The Timeline will appear at the top of your Document.
Now that the Timeline is displayed, discover its main elements:
Two lines which have the same width of the document, one with graduation and
another one above it without. The one with graduation receives key frame ma-
nipulation points and can zoom in and out while the other one always displays
the animations whole Timeline.
On the left, the name of the active track is displayed.
Under the Timeline, you can find the time cursor (scrubber), which will let you
move forward and backward in time and which displays the number and time of
the current frame.
To create a new key frame, simply click anywhere on the Timeline. The time
cursor will automatically be placed at this position.
If you want to remove a key frame, click on it and drag it outside of the Timeline
before release the mouse button.
You can also click and drag a key in the Timeline to change its time position,
making the event come sooner or later within your animation.
Click and drag the time cursor to preview your animation.
Please, read the next chapters for additional control over your animation.
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II TimeLine Functions
The Timeline includes several options and controls, located in the Movie >> Timeline
menu:
Load
The Load button loads a previously saved Timeline.
Save
The Save button save the current Timeline. It can be useful when working with dif-
ferent iterations of an animation by avoiding the need to save extra data like all the 3D
models.
Note:
When saving a Project (see the project chapter), the Timeline is also saved.
Show
The Show mode shows or hides the Timeline on the top of the Document.
Note:
This option state is saved in a Project file.
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Export Name (save as MDD)

When clicking on this button, a system window will appear for saving an MDD file.
This file saves all the vertex animation information that was created by recording a movie.
MDD files can be edited in other 3D software (some packages require a plugin) and can
also be reloaded by ZBrush in a new 3D layer to play the saved animation as a loop.
Go Previous & Next

Press the Go Previous or Go Next buttons to move from one key to another. You
can also skip to the beginning or the end of the Timeline by double-clicking one of these
two buttons.
Hotkey: Arrow left and right.
Timeline Magnification slider

The Time Magnification slider sets the amount of magnification of the Timeline when
a selected key is clicked.
Auto mode
When the Auto mode is enabled, ZBrush will automatically set the optimum value for
the magnification of the Timeline and wont use the Timeline magnification slider value
(see above).
Load Audio
The Load Audio function opens a system dialog box, asking you to select an audio
file. The mp3, aiff, sd2, amr, aac, 3gp m4a and wave file formats are supported.
The length of the Timeline will be resized to the length to the audio track.
Please refer to the Set/Remove audio beats section for more information.
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Remove Audio
The Remove Audio function removes the existing audio track.
Start Playback Time

The Start Playback Time slider allows you to define the beginning of the playback
audio of the track you loaded.
Duration Slider
The Duration slider uses this slider to define the length of your animation in seconds.
If an audio file is loaded, the Timeline Duration value will be set to the length of your audio
track.
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III Working with the Tracks
1. Playing and saving an animation
At any time, you can play your animation by pressing Shift and clicking on the time
cursor. Based on the complexity of the scene, ZBrush will do its best to display all frames
but will skip frames if necessary.
The animation will loop until you stop it by clicking on an element of the Timeline or
in the Document.
Note:
To preview all movie frames you must do the record action (see below), which will always
play all frames of the animation without skipping any.
2. Navigation in the track
The Timeline has several controls to help you in navigating it to achieve accurate
control when creating your animation:
Press Shift and move your mouse cursor over either end of the track to pan the
Timeline.
Click on a selected key to magnify the Timeline. Click again on a selected key
to zoom out. The magnification factor is defined by the Timline Magnification slider
located in the Movie >> Timeline menu.
3. Working with Animation Tracks
When creating your animation, ZBrush will automatically select the Timeline track
corresponding to your action: if you are manipulating a layer setting, the Layer track cor-
responding to the active layer will be enabled. Whenever empty space in the canvas is
clicked the track will be switched to Camera.
If you want to manually select the track of your choice, go in the Movie >> Timeline
Tracks menu. In the Edit section, click on the track you want to choose. ZBrush will dis-
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play this tracks content, letting you edit it as needed. Please read the Different Tracks of
ZBrush chapter for more information on these tracks and their purpose.
ZBrush can only work with one active track at a time. When selecting a new track,
the previous tracks contents are displayed as light grey dots. This lets you see where the
key frames of the previous track are located.
The animation keys can be selected or not: The selected key is always plain orange
in color while the unselected keys are represented by an outlined orange circle.
Several animation controls are available, allowing you to create advanced anima-
tions:
4. Working with Keyframes
Several animation controls are available, allowing you to create advanced anima-
tions:
1.1 Creating keys
To create a new key, click in an empty part of the Timeline. The new key will be rep-
resented by an orange circle at the location of your click.
1.2 Selecting a single Key
To select a key, simply click on it. The outlined orange circle will switch to a plain
orange one.
1.3 Deleting keys
To delete a key or a selection of multiple keys, move the selected key off the track
with a simple click and drag.
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1.4 Multiple selections
To select multiple keys, click on the first key to select it. With Shift pressed, click on
any other keys to select them. It is only possible to select the keys which are adjacent to
the current selection.
To select a range of keys, select the first one, hold Shift and select the last one. All
the keys between these two selected keys will be selected as well.
1.5 Moving Keys
To move keys, first select the keys to move, then click and drag one of the keys along
the Timeline track. Moving keys can work with a single key or a selection of multiple keys.
1.6 Duplicate Keys
To duplicate a key or several keys, you must first select it/them. Move the Time cur-
sor to the location you want to copy the key(s), then hold the Shift key and click in the
Timeline. Validate to create the copy of the selected keys.
1.7 Replace Key information
To replace the content of a key frame (like a new position for the camera), first set
your new position then press CTRL+Shift and click on the key frame of your choice. The
previous information will be deleted and replaced by the new data.
1.8 Cut your animation
To create a cut in your animation, you can insert a specific Cut key which will, when
played, stop all animation in the selected track until the next key frame is reached. This
allows you to set a new behavior for your animation without the need for external video
editing software.
To create a Cut key, first create your animation by using standard keys. Then if you
need to do a cut, press Alt/Command Key and click on the key of your choice. Its appear-
ance will change from a circle to a square.
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When your animation is played and the time cursor reaches this cut key, the animat-
ed actions will stop until the time cursor reaches the next key. Depending of the number
of frames before the next key, you can create long pauses or short ones.
1.9 Add Ease In and Ease Out
To create an Ease In and Ease Out in the Timeline, you will need to create a key
frame between two existing Key frames. Ctrl+click on the new key frame to turn that into
a circular arrow icon. Add another key frame between this new circular key frame and
the next key frame. Ctrl+click on this new key frame so that you will have four key frames
total with the first and last keys solid orange and the two keys in between being circular.
Moving the first circular key frame closer to the solid key frame will create a slower
ease in and the second circular key frame distance from the fourth key frame will control
the ease out. The further you have the second circular key frame from the fourth key
frame, the faster the ease out will be.
Note:
If you only create one circular key frame between two solid key frames then ZBrush will
automatically use the location of the circular key frame as the end of the ease in and beginning of
the ease out.
5. Enabling / disabling tracks
To select and work on a track of your choice, go in the Movie >> Timeline Tracks
menu and while in Edit mode, activate the desired track. If you wish to protect a certain
track from editing, you can temporarily disable it by going in the Enable section of the
Timeline Tracks menu and disabling the track(s) of your choice.
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6. Linking Tracks
Timeline tracks are linked together to be on the Camera Track. By default ZBrush
has Tool and Subtool linked to the Camera Track.
In this way, you can organize and work on several elements at the same time in one
track. This is useful when you need to create simple animations which include different
elements.
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IV The different tracks of ZBrush
ZBrush automatically swaps from one track to another when the corresponding con-
tent is selected in ZBrush. For example, activating a layer will turn on and switch to the
Layer track.
The Camera track is the default track. Some tracks may be disabled in the list of
available tracks if the corresponding element doesnt exist.
Camera
This track is dedicated to animation of Move, Scale and/or Rotate of the selected
Tool or SubTool, similar to a camera animation. Note that the Timeline does not create
cameras; just like with sculpting, you are moving the scene element in front of the camera
rather than moving the camera relative to the scene.
Color
This track is dedicated to animation of the color applied to the selected Tool or Sub-
Tool. Change the main color value in the Color palette and store it with key frames to cre-
ate a color animation. PolyPaint cant be animated (although the visibility of PolyPainted
layers can be using a Layer track). The Color track only works with Tools or SubTools that
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have not had PolyPaint applied to them.
Material
This track is dedicated to animation of the selection of Material. The material modi-
fiers cant be animated. No transition between two MatCaps is possible. Material can be
animated only through a transition type key frame.
Wireframes (Polyframe)
This track is dedicated to animation of the Polyframe of the selected Tool or SubTool,
through its visibility and its settings located in the Preferences >> Draw menu.
Transparent
This track is dedicated to animation of the Transparency of the selected Tool or
SubTool by toggling the Transparent mode and / or Ghost mode and the corresponding
settings located in the Preferences >> Draw menu.
SubTool
This track is dedicated to animation of SubTool visibility, by clicking on the eye icon
in the Tool >> Subtool menu.
ZSphere
This track is dedicated to the ZSphere animation of the Subdivision levels of the cur-
rent Tool or SubTool as set by the Subdivision level slider located in the Tool >> Geometry
menu.
Subdivision levels
This track is dedicated to animation of the Subdivision levels of the current Tool or
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SubTool by changing the Subdivision level slider located in the Tool >> Geometry menu.
Layers
This track is dedicated to the simultaneous animation of all 3D layers at once for the
current Tool or SubTool, by changing their visibility and/or intensity. Changing the visibility
is done by setting the intensity slider to 0 (hidden) or 1 (fully visible).
Layer
Different from the Layers track, each Layer track is dedicated to animation of the
selected layer of the current Tool or SubTool. In other words, each layer of the 3D model
can have its own animation track.
Changing the visibility is equivalent to setting the intensity slider to 0 (hidden) or 1
(fully visible).
Note:
Take the time to name your layers when creating them as the layers title will be displayed in
the Timeline, helping you to know which layer is currently animated.
Explode
This track is dedicated to animation of the Explode function and its Amount slider,
both found in the Transform Palette.
Note:
Depending on the number of SubTools and the total polygon count, the Explode animation
may not visible in real-time when playing an animation. It will normally only be fully visible with no
dropped frames when recording the animation.
Contacts
This track is dedicated to animation of the Contact function and its settings, found in
the Tool Palette. It allows you to change the contact information during your animation.
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Background
This track is dedicated to animation of the canvas background settings, found in the
Document palette. You can change the gradient range, center, rate and color settings.
Adjustments
This track is dedicated to animation of the document Adjustments settings which are
available in the Render >> Adjustment menu.
Tool
This track is dedicated to animation of the loaded tools, like swapping from one tool
to another during the animation.
Solo
This track is dedicated to animation of the Solo mode, temporarily isolating the cur-
rent SubTool and hiding all other SubTools.
Perspective
This track is dedicated to animation of perspective mode and its settings, located in
the Draw palette.
Floor
This track is dedicated to animation of the Floor settings.
The Floor can be hidden or shown by animating the Floor visibility mode. You can
also animate adjustments to the Floor settings located in the Draw palette: Elevation,
Grid Color, Opacity, Grid size, Tiles and Axis color order.
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V Working with Audio
While creating your ZBrush animation, you may need to work with an audio track. It
can help create a better presentation, or can be used to synchronize your animation with
your audio when working on lip-sync, checking morph targets/blend shapes and more.
ZBrush can recognize with these audio file formats: SD2, AMR, AAC, 3GP, AAC,
M4A, AIFF and WAV.
When loading an audio file, the Timeline duration is automatically synchronized to

correspond to the length of the audio track.
To add an audio file, do these simple steps:
If the Timeline is not enabled, enabled it in the Movie >> Timeline menu by press-
ing the Show button.
In this same palette, click on the Load Audio button. A system dialog box will ask
you to select an audio file. Dont forget to first specify the desired audio format.
When selected and validated, the audio track will be added to the Timeline
1. Working with Beats markers
When working with your animation and audio track, you can create audio beat marks
in your Timeline which will help you visualize the important parts of your animation and
ensure that your animation will be synchronized to the audio.
These marks can be created in any color, providing more flexibility in your marks
creation. Colored beats are an excellent way to separate different parts of your audio.
To create audio beats:
Use the Color palette to select the color of your choice for the markers.
Start playing your animation by Shift+clicking on the Timeline cursor.
While listening the audio, hold Ctrl and click in the Timeline to create an audio
beat mark.
Note:
You dont need to put your cursor on the location of the marker. You only need to Ctrl+click
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anywhere within the Timeline when you hear a beat. The mark will automatically appear at the cor-
rect point along the Timeline that corresponds with the timing of your Ctrl+click.
You can remove the created Audio Beat markers by clicking on the Clear Beat but-
ton, located in the Movie >> Tilmeline Tracks menu.
To the left of this button you have the Color Beat switch, which is turned on by de-
fault. Disable it to create Audio Beats markers without colors.
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VI Record and Preview the final Animation
To record an animation, Press Ctrl and Shift at the same time and click on the Time
cursor. ZBrush will play all animation frames, recording them as a movie stored in mem-
ory.
At any time, play the movie by clicking on the Play movie button, located at the top
of the Movie palette.
When playing a movie, ZBrush will use post-process compositing to add the Overlay
image and Title image according to the settings located in the Movie palette menus of
the same name. You dont need to re-record the movie to change these settings. Instead,
you can adjust them and then visualize the result by clicking on the Play Movie button.
You can mix your animation with the original way of creating movies in ZBrush 3. So
Timeline animation can be combined with using the Turntable tools or just clicking the
Record button in the Movie palette and manipulating the canvas freely.
If you wish to record a movie in Best Render or with BPR you will need to render first
before Ctrl+Shift+clicking on the Time Cursor. Each frame will then be rendered until the
animation is complete. Please keep in mind that depending on your settings, hardware
and the complexity of the scene this can take quite a while.
1. Save and Export an animation

ZBrush lets you save and record a movie in its own format, the ZMovie (.zmv). You
can open a previously created movie at any time, even if the Tools used to create this
movie are not loaded.
After recording your animation you can also export it as a Quicktime movie. When
pressing the Export button, located in the Movie palette, a system dialog box will prompt
you to choose a filename. When done, a Quicktime dialog box will ask you for the com-
pression codec and quality. After a few seconds or minutes for conversion, your anima-
tion will be exported, ready to be played on your computer or uploaded online.
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ZBrush User Guide - History Movie
HISTORY MOVIE
CREATION
Use the power of your Undo History to create a ZBrush time-lapse movie.
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Due to their thousands of Undo levels, ZBrush Project (ZPR) files are able to follow
the entire process of creating your models from start to finish even over multiple ses-
sions! One of the ways in which ZBrush leverages this information is by allowing you to
actually record a movie playback of your modeling work, ready to be shared with other
users.
While sculpting with ZBrush, you are always rotating your model, zooming in and out
or changing the models position to focus on a portion of it. Simply playing back a record-
ing of your sculpting session can be awkward to watch due to all these movements. The
Undo History feature has controls to overcome this and make your time-lapse recordings
more enjoyable for viewers.
I Overview of the History Movie
ZBrush has several actions and options located in the Movie palette and Movie >>
Modifiers SubPalette to alter movements during playback and create smooth movies.
Within the Movie >> Modifiers SubPalette, you will find options related to creating movies from
the Undo History. Notice that Spin Frames and Spin Cycles have an impact on the Undo History
movie.
As with the usual method for creating a movie in ZBrush, your history recording can
be combined with BPR rendering and even BPR filters. The process is easy. Simply do
a BPR render of your first frame, add your desired BPR filters, then launch the Forward
or Backward history command.
If you are using a background to illustrate your model creation, the Light >> Back-
ground >> Rotate with Object mode setting will synchronize the animation as well. If you
wish to have a static background, disable this mode.
Click the F/B History buttons located in the Movie palette to play the history in a
forward (FHistory) or backward (BHistory) direction from the current history point. This
action is similar to the Turntable function and will not only play the actions but will also
record them as a movie, ready to be replayed or exported.
Notes:
If you are already in a record mode, clicking the F or B History buttons will add the current
movie to the existing one. If you do not wish to have these several movies overlaying each other
you can click Delete to clear all previously created movies.
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Press the Escape key to stop the F/B History recording.
II Movie Creation Functions
These different functions (located in the Movie palette) will have an impact on movie
creation because they define how ZBrush creates the camera path of the animation, as
well as its speed and the interpolation between each undo step.
Of course, you need to combine them with the other Movie options found in the
Movie palette to define the size of your movie, whether it includes the whole interface or
only the document region, etc. Please refer to the Movie chapter of the user Guide for
more information about creating ZBrush movies.
Note:
You wont find an option to render your movie using the BPR render. This is be-
cause by default, movie creation will render what is displayed in the document. If you
wish to render each frame of the movie with the BPR render, then first do a render of
your first frame, followed by starting the movie recording. ZBrush will recognize that
BPR is in use and will now render all frames with it. As mentioned above, you can even
apply filters to the first frames BPR render before you start recording.
HFrames (History Frames)

The HFrames slider, located in the Movie >> Modifiers sub-palette defines the qual-
ity of the transition between each recorded history operation by specifying how many
animation frames to use between each undo step. A low value will create a movie with
no interpolation. A higher value will create a movie with better interpolation between the
operations, similar to a blending transition between your strokes or operations. Increas-
ing the HFrames setting will have require longer to render the movie and will also result
in slower overall playback.
HRecenter (History Recenter)

The HRecenter slider, located in the Movie >> Modifiers sub-palette defines how
strongly ZBrush will attempt to keep the mesh centered within the document. A high value
will keep the mesh positioned at the center of the document, while a low value will allow
the mesh to move across the canvas closer to what happened during its creation.
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HOrientation (History Orientation)

The HOrientation slider, located in the Movie >> Modifiers sub-palette defines how
much the model should be allowed to tumble in front of the camera as it did during sculpt-
ing. A high value will keep the mesh orientation similar to what it was done during the
creation process while a low value will reduce the mesh spinning and create smoother
rotations during movie playback.
HPosition (History Position)

The HPosition slider, located in the Movie >> Modifiers sub-palette defines how much
the mesh position will be maintained relative to how the model was moved and scaled
during sculpting. A high value will keep the mesh position similar to what it was during the
creation process, while a low value will minimize mesh movements and create smoother
playback.
History Camera Path Smoothness

The HSmoothness slider, located in the Movie >> Modifiers sub-palette defines how
smoothly the camera path will be interpolated. A higher setting will have a smoother in-
terpolation of the camera relative to the original movement during the creation process.
Note:
If you wish no camera movements for your recording put the HOrientation, HPosition and
HRencenter to 0. You must also set the Movie >> Modifiers >> Spin Cycles to 0 and Spin Frames
to 1.
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ZBrush User Guide - Posterization
POSTERIZATION
Add Cell Shading effect in 3D or 2D to your models
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Posterization takes a smooth gradient and converts it to fewer steps with abrupt
changes between them a staircase kind of effect. This was originally done with pho-
tographic processes to make posters, which is where the name of the effect is derived
from.
With additions made to the profile curves, Material Mixer, BPR Filters and a new 3D
Posterize feature you can now easily create a cell shaded render.
Posterization isnt only for BPR renders. It can be applied to any profile curve in
ZBrush. This means that you can add a posterization effect to a brush curve, a brush
alpha or any other place a profile curve is used.
Posterization can also be found in premade settings to make your creative work
easier, such as in the render settings or through the BPR filters.
An example of posterization. Model courtesy of Olivier Milas.
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I Posterization of the Curve Settings
The first location where you can set posterization is with profile curves of ZBrush.
A couple of new settings have been added which will affect the curve shape: Step and
Strength.
By increasing the Step value, you will create steps in your curve, breaking it into a
number of steps defined by the sliders value.
These steps are modulated by the Strength value. At a value of 1 the angles will be
at their sharpest, giving your curve a perfect staircase effect. Lower values soften the
angles until no stepping if visible at all when Strength reaches its minimum value of zero.
(Technically, the steps are still there but theyve been softened so much as to have no
effect.)
Three different curves and their results.
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To visualize the effect of posterizing a curve, try the following:

1. Load a 3D model.
2. Select the Skin Shade 4 material from the Material palette (found in the Standard
material group).
3. Open the Material palette and expand the Modifiers.
4. You should find a list of sliders and curves. Expand the Diffuse Curve.
5. Change the Strength value to 1 and set the Step value to 5.
6. Your model should now show distinct shading colors rather than smooth gradi-
ents.
7. You can also make changes to the Specular curve to alter your cell shading effect.
8. Hit the Shift+R shortcut to perform a BPR render and most clearly see your modi-
fications.
Note:
If you have a low polygon mesh, posterization of the material can make the low model resolu-
tion really visible. To get the best results, enable Smooth Normal mode in the Render >> Render
Properties sub-palette.
This is just one example of posterization. As mentioned in the introduction of this

chapter, you will find the Step and Strength sliders in every ZBrush curve, letting you
posterize a large number of things.
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II Posterization for Materials and Rendering
The optimized solution for creating a cell shading effect is to alter existing material
curves as described above. This solution may make it somewhat time consuming to first
define a material, but it pays off later. ZBrush calculates this level of posterization as a
pre-render effect, before even considering the colors present on the model (as PolyPaint
or texture). This creates a truly 3D posterization which produces great results.
Remember: Once you have created a material you like, you can save it for later use.
1. 3D Posterization at Render Time
As an alternative to individually adjusting your various materials you can do a quick

posterization adjusting the 3D Posterize slider now found in the Render >> Render Prop-
erties sub-palette. Increasing this sliders value will add more steps to your posterization,
reducing the cell shading effect.
The benefit of this solution is that ZBrush uses the surface curvature rather than color
to establish the posterization. So when PolyPaint is applied the posterization will not be
affected. This posterization is done on the top of the existing material, rather than alter-
ing the material itself.
2. 2D Posterization
As with render time 3D posterization, you can apply a global posterization to your
materials by using the Material >> Mixer sub-palette and increasing the Steps value
found there.
The Posteriez slider, located in the Material Mixer.
This solution is different from the 3D Posterize found in the Render Properties as it is
applied as a 2D effect such as you would find in a photo editing software. In other words,
rather than being taken into account as part of the render, it is applied to the image after
the render has been completed.
332
Yet it is also different from what you could accomplish in another program because as
a Material Mixer, you can mix several shaders through a posterization value.
This is also where you will find the Outline slider. This gives that black outline to the
model that you often see in comic books or cartoons.
333
III Posterization as a BPR Filter
A model using 3D posterization, along with a background image using a combination of two
posterization BPR Filters.
Posterization can also be applied on top of an existing render through the BPR filters.
This allows the posterization effect to be modulated by all the filter settings like depth,
masking, cavity, etc.
ZBrush has five different posterization filters based on their intensity. Each has its
own Step (posterize) slider and opacity.
The five different posterization BPR Filters.
Because a BPR filter is applied to the final render, its effect can also be applied to a
2D background image or even the panorama image
334
Edge Detection
A new control has been added to the filter exponents. You now have the capability to
apply any filter to the edges of the surface. You can use this to simulate an outline of a
model, much like a comic book or cartoon. For example:
1. Select the Paint filter.
2. Turn the Paint slider all the way to 100. The whole image will become grey.
3. Click on the color swatch and select your desired color.
4. Increase EdgeDetection to its maximum value.
You will see that your model now has an outline around the edge using the color you
selected. Now use the following sliders to refine the results.
Ed Exp
This will control the Edge Detection roll off. The higher this value is, the more solid
the outline will be.
Ed Ds
With this pressed the filter will be double sided, applied to both sides of the edge.
Ed Radius
The Edge Radius adjusts the thickness of the edge filter being applied to the model.
E Sense
The Edge Detection Filter Sensitivity slider adjusts how much change in surface is
required for ZBrush to determine that an edge is present.
335
IV Outline of the Model
Three Outline variations.
In addition to posterization, ZBrush provides an alternative (or supplemental) way to

create the characteristic edge lines visible in cell shading.
In the Material >> Mixer you can find the new Outline and Depth settings. These are
located just below the Posterize slider.
The Outline slider defines the intensity of the outline color, based on the objects
diffuse color.
The Depth slider defines the detection of breaks in the models curvature in order
to calculate the width of the outline.
These outline settings are also available as BPR filter modulators through the Edge
detection sliders.
336
ZBrush User Guide - ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge
KEYSHOT FOR ZBRUSH
Interactive raytracing and global illumination render for ZBrush.
337
KeyShot is a rendering software created by the company Luxion. They have expert
knowledge in areas related to daylighting (atmospheric scattering), light scattering by
materials (BRDF and BSSRDF models), light transport algorithms such as photon map-
ping, and real-time rendering technology. KeyShot is an interactive raytracing and global
illumination program developed by Luxion for both PC and Mac that breaks down the
complexity of creating photographic images from 3D models. KeyShot is easy to use and
gives anybody involved with 3D data the ability to create photographic-quality images in
a matter of minutes, independent of the size of the digital model. KeyShot features Scien-
tifically Accurate Materials, Multi-Core Photon Mapping, Adaptive Material Sampling and
a Dynamic Light Core. These features allow users to see results as changes are being
made. In addition to the above, KeyShot also allows you to create your own lights as well
as materials in order to have full control over your rendering.
KeyShot for ZBrush consists of two parts: KeyShot itself and a ZBrush to KeyShot
Bridge based on the LiveLinking function which connects ZBrush to KeyShot 5. For
ZBrush users who do not already own a copy of KeyShot 5, there is a special edition of
the renderer, named KeyShot for ZBrush. With the Bridge active, KeyShot becomes an
alternative renderer for BPR inside of ZBrush.
If you are already an owner of KeyShot, you will only need the ZBrush to KeyShot
plugin to enable the Bridge. All versions of KeyShot 5 and beyond are compatible with
this plugin.
With the combination of ZBrush and KeyShot, you will have another option to almost
instantly produce high quality images from your ZBrush models. At any time you can
send your models to KeyShot which will then display what you have in ZBrush, including
primitives, ZSpheres, ZSketches, geometry and more. This will include the correspond-
ing material or MatCap already applied to them. In a way, KeyShot can become your
second ZBrush monitor.
We invite you to visit the KeyShot website for further information and documenta-
tion on the application. The ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge plugin can be purchased from the
Pixologic web store. Also available is a bundle containing both KeyShot for ZBrush and
the ZBrush to KeyShot Plugin. All versions of KeyShot itself (including special licensing
options for KeyShot for ZBrush) are available from the Luxion website.
338
I About the KeyShot for ZBrush Software
The KeyShot for ZBrush edition is a dedicated version of KeyShot that works only
with ZBrush. This version is equivalent to KeyShot HD in terms of features except that it
can only open KeyShots native .bip files and of course, connect to ZBrush. It is not pos-
sible to use other file formats to import data, although one could load such models into
ZBrush and then use KeyShot to render via the Bridge.
This edition has no restrictions on render resolution..
All versions of KeyShot starting with KeyShot 5 natively support the Bridge, which
mean that if you are already an owner of a KeyShot license you will be able to use it with-
out needing to buy the special edition of KeyShot for ZBrush. In that case you will only
need to purchase the Bridge plugin, adding it to ZBrush to enable connection between
both applications.
The purpose of the KeyShot for ZBrush version is to make KeyShot more readily
priced for hobbyists. To that end, a bundle is also available with special pricing when you
buy both KeyShot for ZBrush and the KeyShot Bridge together. You of course are not
required to purchase the KeyShot for ZBrush edition and could instead opt to buy one of
the other editions in order to have expanded import capabilities or larger renders.
339
II Installing and Activating
The KeyShot for ZBrush Bridge plugin is already installed with ZBrush and doesnt
need any additional files to be added by you after your purchase. All that is necessary is
to activate the plugin after purchasing a license for it.
The activation process is simple and will be triggered the first time you use the
ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge.
1. First, install and activate KeyShot.

2. Click Render >> External Render >> KeyShot to set it as the default BPR ren-
derer.
3. Load a model and click Render >> BPR RenderPass >> BPR or use the Shift
+ R hotkey.
4. A dialog box will open, notifying you that you need a license to run the ZBrush to
KeyShot Bridge. Click the Install my License button. If you dont own a license,
you will need to purchase one at the Pixologic Store (http://store.pixologic.com/)
or download a trial license. Internet links in the dialog box can take you directly
to the appropriate pages for these choices.
5. Upon clicking the Install my License button, a window will open so that you
can browse your computer hard drive to locate and load the license file that you
saved after your purchase. (If you havent download your license you will need
to do so before you can proceed. Please refer to the email you received from
the Pixologic store which includes all the information needed to download your
license file.)
6. When your license has been located, select it and click the Open button.
7. A new dialog box will appear notifying you that the license has been success-
fully installed on your computer.
8. The final step is to activate your license on this computer. To do this, click the
Activate My License button.
9. If your computer is connected to the internet, activation will be immediate. If
you do not have an internet connection, see the paragraph immediately follow-
ing these steps.
10. Upon activation, KeyShot should now launch and your ZBrush model should
appear in its document window. If you have a connection error in ZBrush after
performing the activation, click the BPR button again. (You should not have to
go through steps 4-9 again).
If your computer does not have internet access, an offline activation process is avail-
able. After loading your license file you will be given the opportunity to save an activa-
tion request file to your computer. Simple put it on a USB stick and visit https://register.
pixologic.com/activate/ from any computer that does have internet access. Following the
instructions on that web page will create an activation file. Download the file and save it
to your USB stick. The ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge activation window will allow you to load
that file from the USB stick and complete the activation.
340
Notes:
Activation of the KeyShot to ZBrush Bridge is separate from your ZBrush activation.
341
III Deactivating the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge Plugin
To deactivate the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge, follow these steps:
1. Browse your hard drive to locate the ZBrush installation. By default, it is located
at:
2. On Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Pixologic\ZBrushXX
3. On Mac OSX: Applications/Pixologic/ZBrushXX
4. Within the ZBrush folder, locate the Pixologic Deactivation Manager application
and launch it.
5. The application lists your currently activated plugins. You should have the
ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge listed.
6. Select it.
7. Click the Deactivate button. The bridge will now be deactivated and the activa-
tion credited back to your license for use elsewhere.
If your computer does not have internet access, an offline activation process is avail-
able. After loading your license file you will be given the opportunity to save an activa-
tion request file to your computer. Simple put it on a USB stick and visit https://register.
pixologic.com/deactivate/ from any computer that does have internet access. Following
the instructions on that web page will create a deactivation file. Download the file and
save it to your USB stick. The Pixologic Deactivation Manager will allow you to load that
file from the USB stick and complete the activation.
Note:
Deactivating the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge does not deactivate ZBrush or KeyShot. You will
need to deactivate them separately if you intend to remove them from your computer or reinstall
your operating system.
342
KeyShot Hardware Specifications
KeyShot will run on both Windows and Mac OSX operating systems. Like ZBrush,
it is a CPU driven software which means that it doesnt need an expensive high end
graphic card to give great renders. KeyShot will work on most computers, from laptops
to high end workstations. If your computer can execute ZBrush, then it will be able to
execute KeyShot
Because KeyShot performs real-time renders, the model render is constantly up-
dated to refine and optimize the quality of the image. For this reason, the processor is
always used at its maximum potential. Both processor speed and number of cores have
an impact on performance. As a rule, more cores will be of greater benefit than faster
individual core speed. (This holds true for ZBrush as well.) An easy if generic way
to compare CPUs for both ZBrush and KeyShot is to multiply each CPUs speed by the
number of cores that it has. Doing this for each CPU will give you values that you can
compare, with the higher number being the better choice. In this way, a dual core pro-
cessor at 4 GHz (comparison value of 8) is inferior to a quad core processor at 3 GHz
(comparison value of 12) even though the dual core CPU is the faster chip.
Both ZBrush and KeyShot also rely heavily on memory. If your computer has a
limited amount of memory, running both applications at the same time will produce de-
graded performance due to the memory that is needed. It is advised to have at least 8 GB
of memory to be able to run both programs at the same time. To give you an estimation
of the memory needed, with 16 GB of RAM you can manipulate between 100 and 200
million polygons. Of course, to push that many polygons in ZBrush you would need to be
using the 64-bit version of ZBrush.)
343
IV Supported and Non-Supported ZBrush Data Types
The KeyShot for ZBrush Bridge allows you to produce high quality renders in a
single click without the need for converting your models to a specific type of file. KeyShot
will not only render your geometry, but also many of ZBrushs proprietary functions like
ZSpheres and ZSketch.
This list gives a quick rundown of the information types that are supported and not
supported, along with various notes:
1. Geometry and Meshes
Geometry with or without UVs: All of your 3D models displayed in ZBrush in

Edit mode can be sent to KeyShot without restriction.
Geometry HD: This specific sculpting mode isnt supported by the Bridge. Ge-
ometry HD supports up to 1 billion polygons, which is well beyond the capabili-
ties of KeyShot.
ZSphere, ZSketch, Primitives: These procedural geometries (i.e., non-Poly-
Mesh3D) can be sent to KeyShot and will appear as they do in ZBrush without
the need to convert them to PolyMesh3D objects via Adaptive or Unified Skin-
ning.
Partial visibility (hiding part of a mesh): Partially visible meshes are sent to
KeyShot as they are displayed within ZBrush.
SubTools: All visible SubTools are sent to KeyShot. The selected SubTool will
also always be sent, even if it is flagged as invisible.
FiberMesh: The FiberMesh feature is fully supported, from preview mode to
generated FiberMesh.
MicroMesh: If MicroMesh mode is enabled in the Render properties of ZBrush,
instances are sent to KeyShot as geometry.
NanoMesh: The different NanoMesh layers applied to a model will be exported
to KeyShot as separate geometry.
Surface Noise: This feature is fully supported in KeyShot and is equivalent to
what you would have with the traditional BPR render. Noise is converted to real
geometry without any action being required from you.
2. Color, Textures and Materials
PolyPainting: KeyShot supports ZBrush PolyPaint. Models will keep their
344
PolyPaint when applying different KeyShot materials as long as those materials

support vertex shading.
Color Textures: KeyShot supports the color texture applied on a mesh via its
UVW coordinates. The user can keep the texture when applying different Key-
Shot materials as long as those materials support textures.
Normal Maps, Displacement Maps and Vector Displacement Maps: None of
these maps are currently supported. KeyShot can easily handle the high resolu-
tion geometry generated by ZBrush, so using such maps would only increase
render time while actually reducing render quality. In effect, these maps are
useless for KeyShot renders.
Materials and MatCap: ZBrush materials -- whether they are classic materials
or MatCaps -- are fully interpolated to KeyShot. Most of this information is trans-
ferred via a texture, which means that you wont be able to tweak the material in
KeyShot like you could do in ZBrush. However, what you see in ZBrush will be
what you can expect to see in KeyShot.
3. Environmental Data
ZBrush Lights: The lights set in the Light palette are not supported in KeyShot.
LightCap: This is not directly supported. The effect of any LightCap is con-
verted to be a part of the the ZBrush Material in KeyShot. This means that your
material will look the same there, but if you change materials in KeyShot the
LightCap result will be lost.
Background color: The ZBrush background color defined in the Document >>
Back color is supported by setting Environment >> Background in KeyShot to
Color.
Background image: Background images loaded in ZBrush are not transferred
to KeyShot.
4. Settings
ZBrush camera: ZBrush uses a 2.5D camera while KeyShot uses a fully 3D
camera. As a result, when going to KeyShot it is not possible to preserve the
models position relative to the ZBrush camera.
References images and Grids: Neither feature is supported by KeyShot.
Grid level: The grid level (defined by Draw >> Elv (Elevation Grid)) isnt sup-
ported in KeyShot.
345
V Basic Workflow from ZBrush to KeyShot
The process of rendering your ZBrush models or scenes in KeyShot is easy and
mainly relies on the materials applied in ZBrush.
1. Changing the Rendering Engine
The first step to use KeyShot instead of the ZBrush BPR is to go to Render >> Ex-
ternal Renderer and click the KeyShot button to enable it as the default rendering engine
for ZBrush.
2. Setting the Bridge Options
Before sending your data to KeyShot, you can change the various options found in
the External Renderer sub-palette.
The most important setting to consider is the Auto Merge mode which we recom-
mend be left enabled. Please refer to the AutoMerge function description at the end of
this chapter.
3. Sending Data from ZBrush to KeyShot
With the above settings in place, clicking the BPR button (located in the Render
>> BPR Render Pass menu or on the right Shelf in main ZBrush interface) or using the
Shift+R hotkey will automatically send your current model to KeyShot, launching it if
necessary. If KeyShot is already running, the current instance of KeyShot will be used.
Depending on what you have in ZBrush, you can have these scenarios inside of
KeyShot:
If you have an empty scene in KeyShot, the Bridge will build the scene by using
the information from ZBrush.
If you already have a model loaded in KeyShot composed of one or more Sub-
Tools and you have the same model in ZBrush, the KeyShot scene will update
according to the current ZBrush state. For example, modified SubTools or even
added/removed SubTools will be updated appropriately in KeyShot.
346
Note:
All visible SubTools are always sent to KeyShot even if they have not been edited.
If you selected a different Tool or Project in ZBrush, then whatever is in the Key-
Shot scene will be replaced by what is now in ZBrush. This is similar to creating
a new scene.
It is important to consider that the Bridge itself wont automatically save your Key-
Shot renders. If you like a render, save it before doing a new render! Otherwise the new
render will replace the previous one. The Bridge actions are not undoable.
Note:
It is not possible to update your KeyShot scene from ZBrush if KeyShot is in Pause mode.
You must disable Pause mode before pressing BPR to try again.
4. Going Back from KeyShot to ZBrush
The Bridge is strictly a one-way action, from ZBrush to KeyShot. While you can send
materials from ZBrush to KeyShot it is not possible to bring KeyShot materials back into
ZBrush. Additionally, if you used the copy/instance functions of KeyShot you would not
be able to reflect that in ZBrush.
To go from KeyShot to ZBrush you can use your operating system commands (such
as Alt/Cmd+Tab) or you can click the small ZBrush logo located at the right of the Key-
Shot toolbar. All that this will do is change your focus application from KeyShot back to
ZBrush, without any data being transferred.
Of course, if you are working on a dual monitor configuration with ZBrush and Key-
Shot located on different monitors, you wont need to use this function.
347
VI Working with ZBrush Data
The workflow to produce nice models in KeyShot is partly based on the background
environment image which will produce the light, as well as the materials applied to you
model.
In KeyShot, you have complete freedom to change the lighting, use ZBrush materi-
als already applied to your model and also use anything from the rich material library
provided within KeyShot.
Applying materials to a model in KeyShot is done in two different ways:

Drag a material from the library and drop it onto the model. The ZBrush mate-
rial applied to the model will be replaced by the selected one and this change
will also be applied to all other SubTools which have the same ZBrush material.
Drag a material from the library and drop it onto the model of your choice in the
KeyShot scene tree. In this case, the material change will only be applied to
that specific SubTool.
This way of working gives you great flexibility. If you are working with a single model
which only needs one material, you can simply do a quick drag and drop from the library
onto the model, no matter how many SubTools it might be comprised of. On the other
hand, if you want to keep the ZBrush materials for some SubTools while using KeyShot
materials for others, you can drag materials onto the scene tree. Alternatively, you can
define different Materials/MatCaps in ZBrush before sending it to KeyShot.
1. Material Priority
When working with materials in either ZBrush or KeyShot, the last material applied
in either program will have the priority when doing an update of the scene from ZBrush
to KeyShot.
In other words, if you sent a scene to KeyShot and changed the materials there,
those materials would remain even if you do some edits in ZBrush and perform a new
render. However, if you then changed a material in ZBrush that would be reflected in
your next KeyShot render. KeyShot will always use the most recently applied material for
any SubTool, regardless of whether that material was applied in ZBrush or in KeyShot.
348
2. Multiple Materials in Action
If you wish to apply different KeyShot materials to different parts of your model, you
will generally first want to assign separate ZBrush materials to each part. Applying a
material in ZBrush always means being able to apply a KeyShot material to the same
location.
If you want separate KeyShot materials on different parts of the same SubTool you
would have to:
1. Select your SubTool.

2. Select the first ZBrush Material/MatCap.
3. Select Draw >> M or MRGB.
4. Click Color >> Fill Object to attribute the material to all the SubTools polygons.
5. Use the Marquee or Lasso selection brush (Ctrl+Shift+click drag) to hide the
parts of the model that you want to continue using the first material.
6. Select another material.
7. Color >> Fill Object to attribute the material only to the visible polygons of the
model.
8. Repeat the last few steps for any other materials.
9. Show all the polygons of the model with by Ctrl+Shift+click on the document or
by clicking Tool >> Visibility >> ShowPt.
10. Now send your model to KeyShot.
11. If you select a material and drag it over your model without releasing the mouse
button, portions of the model should become highlighted based upon which
ZBrush material was assigned to that portion.
12. Now you can define which KeyShot material to apply to each section simply by
dropping it on the desired highlighted area.
3. Working with Texture and PolyPaint
The KeyShot for ZBrush Bridge fully supports both textures applied to your model
and ZBrush PolyPaint. If your SubTool has both an applied texture and PolyPaint, the
Bridge will transfer whichever is currently visible in the ZBrush document. (Texture takes
priority unless it is turned off in Tool >> Texture Map.)
You can also apply KeyShot materials to your model to replace the ZBrush materi-
als. By default, doing this will completely replace the material and its information of color/
texture. To preserve the texture or PolyPaint information you need to hold the Alt key
while dragging and dropping the KeyShot material to its destination.
349
Keep in mind that not all KeyShot materials support vertex shading or texture map-
ping! If you choose to use such a material it will be impossible to preserve the incom-
patible data in that part of the model. In those cases it is not possible to add the Color/
Texture information in KeyShot except by changing the type of material but this may
make some physical properties of the material disappear.
4. Working with Surface Noise
Any Surface Noise applied to your model is fully transferable to KeyShot. During
the rendering process, ZBrush applies a tessellation to the whole model before then
displacing the geometry to correspond with the procedural noise. This automatic opera-
tion means that you dont need to apply your surface noise to the mesh for rendering
purposes.
The quality of the tessellation and as a result the quality of the produced noise is
defined by the Tool >> Display Properties >> BPR Settings >> 3D Noise Max Resolution
slider. This sets (in millions) the maximum number of polygons that ZBrush can add to
your model during the rendering process.
Please refer to the Surface Noise documentation for more information.
350
VII ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge Options
The ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge is simple and easy to use but there are a few options
can have great impact on the way you work. This is particularly true of the Auto Merge
mode.
KeyShot
Render >> External Render >> KeyShot enables the Bridge between ZBrush and
KeyShot. When enabled, any time you tell ZBrush to do a BPR render it will automatically
send your model to KeyShot.
If disabled, ZBrush will use its own BPR renderer.
Max Faces
The Render >> External Render >> Max Faces mode splits the current model into
smaller parts. The size of each part will be no larger (in millions of polygons) than what
has been set by this slider. Increasing the sliders value sends your work to KeyShot in
larger chunks. Depending upon your computer configuration, this may produce slow-
downs or cause the Bridge to hang entirely.
Imagine crossing a foot bridge. If you tried to drive a tank across, it would most likely
collapse. But if you disassemble the tank and carry it across one piece at a time youll be
able to reassemble it on the other side. The actual capacity of your bridge depends upon
your system specs. But even with a powerful computer, keeping a low value will produce
smaller chunks of data when sending to KeyShot and usually speed up the process.
If the Auto Merge option is active, these smaller chucks will be merged together
inside of KeyShot.
Auto Merge Mode

Because ZBrush can send large amounts of data to KeyShot, the information usu-
ally needs to be split into smaller chunks to speed up the Bridge process. (See the Max
Faces section above.) The Render >> External Renderer >> Auto Merge mode then tells
KeyShot to weld all these parts to rebuild the models as they originally were in ZBrush.
Of course, you can increase the Max Faces Slider value to send the data in larger
chunks, thus avoiding splitting of the model. However, since the maximum value is 10
351
million polygons you will most likely need to merge parts of your model sooner or later.
If you dont enable Auto Merge mode, your KeyShot scene may contain hundreds of
parts. For this reason, it is strongly advised to leave Auto Merge enabled.
So why would you ever want to turn Auto Merge off? There may be times when you
want to do quick renders of your models while working and are not going to be applying
KeyShot-specific materials through the Scene tree. In that case, turning Auto Merge off
will make the Bridge operation much faster because KeyShot wont need to spend time
welding the model back together again.
Group By Materials
The Render >> External Render >> Group by Material mode creates a separate
group for each ZBrush material applied to the models SubTools. This means that hav-
ing multiple materials applied to your model in ZBrush will produce the same number of
material groups in KeyShot.
These groups are simply defined by the materials in ZBrush; no other visual repre-
sentation exist.
When the model is sent to KeyShot, dragging a material from the KeyShot library
onto any part of the model which is part of a material group will apply that material to parts
that share this material group.
When this Group by Materials options is disabled, each model is independent and
dragging a material from the KeyShot library onto the model will affect only that model.
Send Document Color

When enabled, the Render >> External Render >> Send Document Color mode
instructs KeyShot to set its own document background color to match your ZBrush docu-
ment.
This function doesnt send any background image to KeyShot; it only sends the color
values found in the Document palette.
352
ZBrush User Guide - Thank you!
THANK YOU!
Yes, to you!
353
I Thank You
Pixologic would like to thank everyone who has participated as a beta tester for
ZBrush since its beginning, but also all the ZBrush users who are making all of these
wonderfull artwork and makes us pushing our limits to offers you new innovative artistic
and production tools!
Happy ZBrushing, and thank you again!
The Pixologic Team
354
II Notes
355
356
357

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ZBrush User Guide - Disclamer

ZBRUSH USER GUIDE

ZBrush is an extremely powerful piece of software which includes features ranging

The Pixologic Team

ZBrush Documentation Guide - version 0.1

Learn and Share

ZClassRoom Portal: http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/

Artist Spotlight: http://www.pixologic.com/zclassroom/artistspotlight/

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Mac OS X & Windows version of ZBrush

ZBRUSH USER GUIDE PHASE 1 - DISCALMER . . . 2

PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE

Del UH (Delete Undo History) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8. Working with Duplication and the Mesh Insert Brushes . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Open and Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

III The ZModeler Brush: Actions and Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

ZModeler Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

DYNAMIC SUBDIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

2. The Instanced Geometry (Nanos) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

Mesh Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

MESH FUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221

VI Spirals in the Retopology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

SURFACE NOISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

X Surface Noise Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Tile Proportional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

1.1 Creating keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

HISTORY MOVIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

HFrames (History Frames) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

KEYSHOT FOR ZBRUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

3. Working with Texture and PolyPaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

THANK YOU! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

Minimum System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows Vista or newer. Mac OS X 10.7 or newer. (32-bits

II Installation and Activation

ZBrush installation is based on an installer application, which is similar on both Win-

Special notes for Mac users:

1. Auto Update In Action

If no update is available, the software will automatically quit.

Auto Update in action.

2. Auto Update Within ZBrush

The Auto Update button in the ZPlugin palette.

V Summary of the Activation Process

ZBrush activation window.

The Web activation form

code and press Enter/Return to complete your activation.

The Deactivation plugin in the ZPlugin menu.

VII Activation Troubleshooting

Activation Failed after entering activation code:

This process completely removes ZBrush from your computer.

It is required to have a current Support account at http://support.pixologic.

If you have not already registered on the Support site:

If you have already registered on the Support site:

You do not need to change any information.

At any time, you can go to https://support.pixologic.com to view your past tickets or

X Backward Compatibility of ZBrush Files

I Undo and Undo History Overview

It is important to keep in mind that in ZBrush, some operations cannot be undone.

The Edit >> Tool History sub-palette.

II History and Project File Size

To give you some examples:

III History Functions and Commands

Del UH (Delete Undo History)

IV Undo History Preferences

The Undo History preferences, located in the Preferences palette.