Tutorial - Rev 1 - 2009

DAZ Studio to ZBrush

DAZ Studio to ZBrush Contents

Requirements: To complete this tutorial you should have a good understanding of both DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 and ZBrush 3.1. Also, interface navigation, tools and their use. Objective: This tutorial will walk you through the steps to export a model from DAZ Studio into ZBrush 3.1 then add textures. The goal of this tutorial is to provide you a simple and affective way of importing and texturing a DAZ Studio model in ZBrush. Note: For this tutorial we will be using the default layouts for both DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 and ZBrush 3.1. If you need to download DAZ Studio or a 30 day trial of ZBrush 3.1 follow the links below: In the near future I will write detailed tutorials and detailed training courseware on popular 2D and 3D applications. Make it a point to check out my website on occasion to see what has been added. DAZ Studio: http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/studio?_m=d ZBrush 3.1: http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/trial/ ZBrush 3.1 Plugins: http://www.pixologic.com/zbrush/downloadcenter/zplugins/ Download all the ZBrush 3.1 Plugins. You will use the plugins as you become a ZBrush Master. Part 1: Getting started with DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 (page 4) 1.1 Setting up your model for export. 1.2 Exporting your model Part 2: Getting started with ZBrush 3.1 (page 8) 2.1 Setting up your model for texturing. 2.2 Wrapping it up.

DAZ Studio and ZBrush Interface

DAZ Studio Default Interface

ZBrush Default Interface

Part 1 - Getting started with DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146

1.1 - Setting up your model for export

Start DAZ Studio. Now we will change the User Interface so we will both have the same layout to begin the tutorial. From the Menu choices located at the top left of the DAZ Studio application window, select VIEW, INTERFACE LAYOUT, SELECT LAYOUT. See Image 1.0.

Image 1.0

Image 1.1

From the Select a layout dialog box choose the Basic layout from the cascading menu. See Image 1.1. The DAZ Studio interface should look similar to image 1.2.

Image 1.2

DAZ Studio comes with sample models that you can use to begin the learning process. One of the models provided is the famous Victoria model. This young lady has been around for years and is perhaps the most widely used model on the planet. One possible exception would be Autodesks 3D Studios Teapot. Go figure. We will now load the Victoria 4.2 EZ model to begin the process of setting up parameters to export for use in ZBrush. In the tabbed panel on the left side of the DAZ Studio Interface we will select and load Victoria 4.2 EZ. From the content tab select UNASSIGNED, FIGURES, DAZ PEOPLE then double click the Victoria 4.2 EZ Model to load her in the main DAZ Studio Work Space. See Image 1.3.

Image 1.3

Image 1.4

In the tabbed panel on the right side of the DAZ Studio Interface, select the PARAMETERS tab. The Parameters tab is where you begin the process of changing the numerical values of the Victoria model. Some examples would be facial expressions, posing body parts and changing body features. For the purpose of this tutorial we will change the facial expression of Victoria to give her an open mouth smile. Select Victorias head in the main viewport and open the BASE selection from the parameters menu on the right side of the User Interface. See Image 1.5

Image 1.5

Under the Base category, Scroll down to MouthOpenSmile parameter and set the percentage value to 85.0%. Now Victoria is smiling. If you want to change other parameters for her face and pose her in a different configuration other than the default pose, feel free to go crazy.

Part 1 - Exporting Your Model - 1.2

Now its time to export Victoria for use in ZBrush. From the menu choices on the left top of the user interface select FILE, EXPORT. In the Export File dialog box provide a file name of you choice and Save as Type to Wavefront Object (*.obj) to your desktop location and Save. If you use a different Working Folder, use that. You will now be presented with the OBJ Export Options dialog box. Check the setting shown in the images below then click Accept. See Image 1.6. Close DAZ Studio.

Image 1.6

On you Desktop you will now have a Maps Folder, filename.obj and filename.mtl. Filename refers to what name you used at export time. In my case I used Woman.obj and Woman.mtl. Note: ZBrush does not use the .mtl file. This file is used in other programs like 3D Studio MAX when importing models.

Part 2 - Getting started with ZBrush 3.1

2.1 - Setting up your model for texturing

Start the ZBrush 3.1 application. From the ZBrush intro menu select Other (Press Esc). Your screen should look similar to Image 2.0. If your interface looks different select the Preferences Menu at the top of the interface and choose Init ZBrush. This will reset ZBrush to the default layout.

Image 2.0

From the Tool Pallet Import your .obj model le from you Desktop and drag it out in your ZBrush canvas. Press the T key to enter edit mode and rotate and position your model like Image 2.1. Now we are ready to start the texturing operation using the exported maps from DAZ Studio. Again, this tutorial assumes you have a good working knowledge of ZBrush. However, I will step through the process. I have seen some information on the topic of DAZ (or Poser) to ZBrush information located at ZBrush Central but, never a complete document on this subject. ZBrush Central is a great place for just about all things ZBrush. Make it a point to visit this valuable forum. http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/index.php 8

Toggle the Draw Polyframe button or Shift+F to view the Polygroups of your model. Each Polygroup will be assigned a color to allow you to see the different groups. When you toggle off the Draw Polygroup button the model will appear with the default Red Wax MatCap material. See Image 2.1. Now Change the MatCap material to White01. See Image 2.2

Image 2.1

Image 2.2

Now its time to start the texturing process. In the ZBrush Shelf on the right of the Interface, open the Geometry and Texture menus. See Image 2.3 This will give you access to the commands available under each menu heading. Under the Geometry menu click on Divide. YIKES.....What up with that. Well, your DAZ model has broken up into its various Polygroups. We do not want this. Undo (Ctrl+Z) the last command, Divide, and you will return to the original model state. What we want to do is divide the model to a higher poly count without the PolyGroups going south on us. To do this, select Crease in the Geometry Menu then select Divide several times. Make the SDiv value to 4. This will give you a poly count of around 4,306,674. If your computer starts hating you, you may reduce the SDiv value to 3. The reason we want a high poly count is so the applied textures dont appear smudged. If you apply the texture to Divide, SDiv1 it will look nasty. We will try this later so you can see the difference. Turn Draw Polyframe on if it is off and scale your model up to match the image below. See Image 2.4.

Image 2.3

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Now its time to import our textures. We will select the upper body group and apply the texture that DAZ Study supplied when it collected the maps on export. Hold down the Ctrl+Shift keys and click on the upper part of the torso. Your Canvas should look like Image 2.4.

Image 2.4

Turn off the Draw Polyframe button and now you will see that the current Polygroup has the MatCap material White01 attached. See Image 2.5 Select the Texture pulldown menu at the top of the ZBrush interface and navigate to you Desktop, Maps folder. Now select the V4SmplTorsoM_BKN texture. When the texture loads you will need to ip the image vertically. See Image 2.6. Select the Flip V option. Now the texture should t correctly on the upper torso polygroup. See Image 2.7.

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Image 2.5

Image 2.6

Image 2.7

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WARNING: This next step is very important. Dont miss this step when you texture each polygroup. In the Texture Pallet in the right shelf select Txr>Col (Colors from Texture). If you miss this step it will start to get frustrating. This command will tell ZBrush to apply the current texture to the currently displayed Polygroup. After applying the Txr>Col command o the upper torso, Ctrl +Shift anywhere in an empty space on the canvas to reveal the hidden Polygroups. Victoria should look like Image 2.8. If you did the procedure incorrectly you will get the results in Image 2.9.

Image 2.8

Image 2.9

What has happened in Image 2.9 is that the entire V4SmplTorsoM_BKN texture has been applied to Victoria. There are two textures associated to the Polygroups from the neck down. To recover from this error is easy. You can undo to get back to the white torso polygroup and start from page 11 or you can reapply the V4SmplTorsoM_BKN texture to the entire model then use the Txr>Col command. From here you can begin selecting individual polygroups by holding down Ctrl+Shift and start the texturing process again. In sample Image 2.10 I selected the polygroup that includes the lower thigh, knees and upper calf. Then I loaded the V4SmplLimbsM texture which applied the texture, ipped the image using the FlipV in the Texture Pallet and selected Txr>Col in the Texture Pallet in the right shelf and then Ctrl+Shift on a blank area on the canvas and Bingo problem solved.

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Image 2.10

Now you can continue the process of texturing the rest of the body and face. View all the images in the Maps folder to become familiar with them and determine where each texture resides on the model.

Part 2 - Wrapping it up - 1.2

This is a down-and-dirty tutorial to get you started. Later I will develop a more advanced tutorial which will include: using Alpha Maps, Transposing the Model and creating sub-Tools to add detail to your project. Enjoy ZBrush. It is unique and powerful. This is Revision One of this tutorial. Please feel free to comment or point out sections which might have been difcult to understand. At this time this document may be a bit sloppy. Marc Gebhart marcgebhart1@mac.com 14