I love Zbrush and everything it can do. I wish I was better…scratch that, I wish I had more time to get better!
I wanted nothing more than to see my Zbrush pieces in the real world so I decided to start 3D printing them. Let me tell you, there is nothing more satisfying than holding your Zbrush pieces in your hand!
Here is the process: First, I sculpt the pieces in Zbrush (duh)
After that I do a first print on an FFD printer in PLA to see if the size is right. (not show)
Then I print the piece on an SLA printer in clear resin. After inspecting the clear piece and making sure it’s good enough, it then gets used to create a silicone mold. From there, I will create another test piece in white resin to see the details better. At that point, I’ll do a “Cold Cast” of the piece. A Cold Cast is when you mix real bronze powder into the resin mix to give the piece a “metallic” finish. Finally, I buff the piece with very fine steel wool. Buffing the piece gives it that sheen like a bronze at the same time ages the piece to give it a more realistic look. They are great for cosplay pieces and embellishments for other projects!
I hope you found the process interesting.
Thanks Pixologic!
