Introduction

ZBrush

ZBrush is a digital engraving and painting software that has revolutionized the entire 3D industry with its powerful features and intuitive workflow. In a simple interface, ZBrush provides the world's most advanced tools for contemporary digital artists. The functional combination developed with a practical approach not only stimulates the artist's creativity, but also creates a user experience that feels very smooth during operation. ZBrush can carve models with up to 1 billion polygons, so the limit only depends on the artist's own imagination.

ZBrush software is the world's first 3D design tool that allows artists to feel unconstrained and freely create! Its emergence completely overturned the working mode of traditional 3D design tools in the past, liberated the hands and thinking of artists, bid farewell to the clumsy creation mode relying on mice and parameters in the past, and fully respect the creative inspiration and traditional work habits of designers.

Carving and painting software

The birth of ZBrush represents a revolution in 3D modeling

It transforms the most complex and labor-intensive character modeling and mapping work in 3D animation into a simple and fun way for children to play with mud. Designers can control ZBrush's three-dimensional brush tool through a tablet or mouse, freely carving their own images in their minds. As for complex problems such as topology structure and grid distribution, Zbrush will automatically complete them in the background. His delicate brush can easily shape skin details such as wrinkles, hair strands, pimples, and freckles, including the concave and convex models and materials of these small details. To the delight of professional designers, ZBrush can not only easily shape the shapes and textures of various digital creatures, but also export these complex details into a low resolution model with normal mapping and unfolded UVs. These Normal mapping and low modes can be recognized and applied by all large-scale 3D software Maya, Max, Softimage | Xsi, Lightwave, etc. Becoming the most important auxiliary tool for modeling materials in the field of professional animation production.

ZBrush is a powerful Digital art creation tool

It was developed in a precise combination with the needs of world leading special effects studios and game designers worldwide, providing excellent features and features that can greatly enhance your creativity. In terms of modeling, ZBrush can be said to be an extremely efficient modeler. It has undergone significant optimization coding reforms and combined with a unique modeling process, allowing you to create surprisingly complex models. Whether it's a medium to high-resolution model, any carving action you make can receive an instant response. It can also perform continuous rendering and shading in real-time. For rendering operations, ZBrush has added a new range scale that allows you to add depth, materials, lighting, and complex and precise rendering effects to pixel based works, truly achieving the combination of 2D and 3D, blurring the boundaries between polygons and pixels, leaving you surprised and excited by its versatility.

ZBrush is a new type of CG software with its excellent Z-ball modeling method, which not only allows for excellent still frames, but also participates in the production process of many movie special effects and games (the familiar Lord of the Rings III and Half Life II have Zbrush's participation). It can collaborate with other software such as Max, Maya, and XSI to create stunning detail effects. More and more CGers want to learn about ZB. Once you learn Zbrush, it will definitely be overwhelming, because the charm of Zbrush is really irresistible, and Zbrush's modeling method will be the future direction of CG software development.

Update

ZBrush 3.5

This update is the official version, with ZBrush 3.5 fully featured, including many new features and improvements.

AS：

1、ZSpheres 2 and  ZSketch

2、Surface Noise - This feature belongs to 3.5 3. Brush Noise - This feature belongs to 3.5 4. Improved LazyMouse - Includes Backtrace and Snap to Track modes - This feature belongs to 3.5.

The brush function has been enhanced again, and the functions are becoming more and more extensive.

1、Various brush control functions have been optimized。

2、Added more brush controls, such as the tilt function, which allows users to easily create effects such as scales.

3、The brush panel can be displayed based on the letters selected by the user, which I don't think is a particularly good approach - adding a new group function to the panel and placing the necessary brushes inside seems to be a better approach.

The polygon group has been greatly improved, allowing for better control of the model surface

1、Generate circular polygon groups based on masks, colors, etc。

2、Only operate on polygon groups during carving and painting。

3、Fast conversion of polygon groups and colors, textures, and masks。

4、Polygon group expansion and contraction。

Mask Significant improvements have been made to better control the surface of the model。

1、Automatic masking function to protect the edges of the model。

2、Can generate a Cavity map and provide adjustment parameters to obtain more changes。

The model algorithm of the software has been further improved, specifically reflected in：

1、Added Boolean operations, resulting in an ideal model effect。

2、Mirror and merge function, a very interesting feature - it can easily create two monsters。

3、Calculate uniform skinning, generate more ideal surface effects when adaptive skinning, and provide more detailed control forces (surface softness)。

4、Balance and optimize the model surface to make model wiring more ideal and reduce uneven phenomena。

Polypainting Functional improvement and further PSification。

1、Added functions for deepening, fading, and colorization

2、Collaborate with color groups to achieve more ideal painting control。

3、The drawing function has been improved, allowing for quick drawing of a sketch on a flat surface and then creating a model using z-ball II

5、New brushes such as Trim, Planar, Noise, Move, Spherical, Slide, Form, Flakes, Crumple, etc. - this feature belongs to 3.5.。

6、The new brush depth mask gives users complete brush control on the surface of the model -3.5 function。

7、New MatCap material for ZSpheres 2/ZSketch mode -3.5 functionality。

8、Gradient PolyPaint -3.5 Features。

9、Each SubTool can have multiple textures, normals, and displacement maps -3.12 function。

10、Enhanced displacement and Normal mapping options, such as the function of outputting 32 position displacement map -3.12B, and added several option switches in the built-in displacement and Normal mapping map palette。

11、High definition displacement, normals, and texture maps can be output from the HD geometry model - this feature belongs to 3.5。

12、Improved perspective function, including flat grids in other 3D software -3.12 functionality。

13、Reorganized the tool palette to coordinate the selected SubTools. Can merge all visible SubTools and selectively weld the seams of the model - function of 3.12。

14、The new PUVTiles mapping method can effectively utilize the UV space -3.12's functionality。

15、The accuracy of PolyPainting has been improved from 8 bits to 16 bit depth - this is a feature of 3.5。

16、The mesh mask has been increased to a depth of 16 bits, providing more detailed adjustment capabilities。

17、The new gradient polypainting option can produce a more vibrant color transition effect。

18、New Navigation Method and Almost Infinite Enlargement of View -3.12 Features。

19、Right click for view navigation -3.12 features。

20、Add Project All slider to provide more control capabilities -3.12 features。

21、The memory management capability is enhanced, allowing the model to be subdivided into a higher number of polygons - the function of 3.12。

22、A new AO (Environmental Absorption) mask that can generate an AO map and output it to other applications for use - this feature is 3.12, and the calculation speed is relatively slow. We hope that future versions can improve the algorithm.

23、Improved input/output functionality - Maya's. ma file format can be selected for input/output (automatic node network settings for texture, displacement, and normal mapping), which is part of the GOZ system. The complete GOZ will be updated upon completion.

24、The new 'Lightbox' browser can quickly access local ZBrush files (the complete version of 'Lightbox' will be included in ZBrush 4)。

25、Optimized the overall ZBrush

ZBrush 4.0

The long-awaited ZBrush 4.0 has finally confirmed its final release date, and users will experience the powerful features of ZBrush 4.0 on August 9, 2010. The upgraded content will include all main plugins and GoZBrush (this plugin has always been a semi-finished product, but this time it is finally complete and can support ZBrush and Maya, Modo, C4D, 3DSMAx)

Another feature of ZBrush 4.0 is that it releases both Windows and Mac versions, which is rare in the history of ZBrush updates. It's very worth looking forward to. Similar to ZBrush's consistent style, legitimate users can receive a free upgrade this time.

【New Features of ZBrush4.0】

1、The upgraded content will include all main plugins, as well as mapping and modeling functions；

2、The mapping function has added Spotlight and Lightbox；

Lightbox is already available in Zbrush3.5r3, but it has been enhanced in Zbrush4.0. The official introduction says that Zbrush's Lightbox feature allows you to search for Lightbox resources on the entire world network without leaving your home.

The spotlight features include texture, carving, and image editing, The most noteworthy feature of Spotlight is its powerful advanced background removal function, image editing tool function, paint and texture function, interactive tile function, and painting function (which is the function of spraying a pre processed map onto the model map). Seamless color matching function uses texture function (which is a function of applying the texture of the map to the model during the painting process) Use these features to explore your creativity in a symmetrical way that aligns with textures！

3、In terms of modeling function, a Shadow Box has been added, which roughly means to shape the model according to a grayscale mask. Match Maker (which roughly means that the media stylist creates the appearance of the current model according to a media shape) Clip Brushes (clip brushes to trim the model)

4、The upgraded content will include all main plugins and GoZBrush (upgraded from semi-finished to full version)。