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PM to Mask

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

Hi,

Not sure if this is the correct way to post this question, please excuse the size of the images - here goes.

The first image shows the result of the problem. When I am in PM and I want to use a tool to deform the mesh, the results are nice and sharp - Right side in circle. If I pick up a stroke that I create in PM (left side in circle) as a color then convert it to a mask I get a pixelation to the edges. When I try to deflate the mask, I get more pixelation to mesh. The reason that I would like paint on the mask is that the pattern is quite complex and needs to be mirrored across, also if the client does not like the depth etc then it is easy to re-do the inflate. If I apply the texture/mask (created in PS) I get the same results. Converting the PS alpha to a stencil has the same effect.

The mesh density is high 2.6 million.
The texture is 4096 x 4096
The doc size is 4096 x 4096
I am using PM at actual size 1:1

Thanks for any help

CMD

lion5.jpg

#2

Here are screenshots for the settings in PM along with the deco cut stroke (right side) and the black stroke to use as the mask.

lion2.jpg

#3

Picking up the model results in a little distortion, worse here than it usually is, on the black stroke. The dformation is nice and clean though.

lion3.jpg

#4

Last one, The stroke is converted to a mask - you can see the pixelation on the edges:

lion4.jpg

#5

You’re forgetting that when your model is in Edit mode, it’s polygons. When it’s dropped to the canvas, it’s pixols. It takes a very dense mesh to have a ratio of 1 polygon for every pixol.

Also, when your model is in Edit mode there normally are no smoothing routines running on it. Turn off Quick 3D Edit and set Tool>Display Properties>DSmooth to 1. This converts each poly in the model to 9 polygons whenever you release the mouse, and much more closely approximates what you saw when the model was pixols.

Masks always mask points and the polygons that those points control. There is no such thing as a polygon that’s half masked and half unmasked. As a result, your masks will always have jagged edges with the quality of the mask will always depend on the resolution of the mesh – regardless of what manner you use to generate that mask.

#6

Hi Aurick,

Thank you for the reply.

I take on board what you are saying about the fact that you cannot select partial polygons - only points. I am still not clear as to why, when you pick up the model from PM, the mesh is cleaner in edit mode (right hand detail) than the deformation carried out in edit mode (left hand detail). In this case the smoothing is set to off (ie actual geometry) and still the picked up deformation from PM is sharper. I am not concerned about faking the smoothing as the model has to be smooth as possible for actual RP.

Thanks again,

CMD

#7

OK, you’re dealing with masks here. Masks, as I said, can only have ONE intensity value applied to the entire polygon. This means that the edges of the mask will always be somewhat pixelated. The more polys your model has, the less the effect will be seen.

Here’s an example: Take a Sphere 3D and draw it on the canvas. Select any alpha and press Tool>Masking>Alp. You can clearly see that each polygon has a consistent intensity across its entire surface, no matter how smooth the edges of the alpha were.

Clear the mask and divide the sphere a few times. Mask it again. Now you have much smoother edges.

This is the nature of masking, and there’s no way around it.

When you sculpt a brush stroke using the Transform brushes, individual points are being moved. When you apply a masked deformation, at least two points are always being moved in unison. This means that you will get a less smooth effect with the same number of polygons.

When you use Projection Master to paint deformations, only (no masking or anything involved), then you should get very good results provided the number of polygons supports the detail.

Rather than using masking, you might want to consider using the Stencil. You can drop the model to the canvas, turn on the stencil and paint your detail through it, turn off the stencil, and then pick the model up again. This should give much better results for those fine details, and you can easily paint custom stencils of all kinds on a blank layer in ZBrush.