ZBrushCentral

Accurate Absolute Height painting?

ZBrush Artworks
#1

Hi,

I was wondering if there is a way to paint onto a surface (Say a flat plane) with fixed heights? For example I would paint on one area of the plane to raise it and if i started painting on other parts of the plane it would bring the surface up to the same height as the first set of strokes… but… if i also paint over the first set of strokes that have already been raised it wont alter the height as it knows that it’s already at the correct height specified.

Basically I need to find ways where I can accurately control the height of what i’m doing, similar to painting in photoshop in greyscale. If you imagine a black canvas and I paint with mid grey over and over the colour remains mid grey, whereas in zbrush if I keep painting over the same area it will keep raising the height.

I have more questions on this subject but this will do for now :slight_smile:

#2

Hi,

Try out the single layer brush for this. It’s in the tools palette waiting for you :wink:

#3

Forget photoshop, there are not traditional “copy/past” or selecting aera in ZB :smiley:
Just another funny tools :sunglasses:
Try the Stencil Menu for all this :sunglasses:

Concept
:large_orange_diamond: draw your form that mask the part you want color with the same altitude
:large_orange_diamond: Grabb it = make Alpha
:large_orange_diamond: Create the Stencil (Menu Alpha)
:large_orange_diamond: Call the Stencil (place it with the space Barre)
:large_orange_diamond: Invert it
:large_orange_diamond: Menu Color / Fill the layer
= you have the same altitude of color on your image or object if you use projection master:)

Pilou

#4

Nemo,

If I use the single layer brush and keep painting in the same area it will stay at the same height? That’s what I would want it to do. I can’t try this out until I get home from work.

Also, do I switch to this tool by using the projection masters deformation option and then picking the mesh back up afterwards?

Thanks

#5

In addition to the single layer brush, you might find the Document/StoreDepthHistory button helpful. (Control + hover over the button for info on how it works). Works best if you first do a Layer/fill after choosing an appropriate color and material.

An interesting variation to play with: First, construct a series of 3d objects or raised surfaces, then Press StoreDepthHistory, then Layer/erase AND Layer/fill the canvas. Then try painting with the single layer brush (using that stored-depth information).

Another helpful bit of trivia is to use your mouse rather than your tablet/stylus - this helps keep the depth of the applied stroke absolutely uniform… (until you change the draw size)… :o

Sven

[edit]
What Pixolator said… and, perhaps it goes without saying, but the ALPHA BRUSH you choose has a lot to do with the character of the stroke… i.e. the Radial Fade dictates the kind of edge the stroke will have - alphabrush 01 will be have a gradual contour where as alphabrush 14 will give you a sharp drop.

Use Alphabrush 00 and the Radial Fade slider to dictate exactly the kind of edge your stroke should have.

#6

Hi Boz
See my solution above :slight_smile:
Pilou

#7

Adding to the previous replies (thanks :slight_smile: )…

There are several methods which will allow you to achieve constant-depth drawing. Here is one such method…

  1. Launch Z2.

  2. Press CTRL+F to fill the canvas with a flat base-surface. (You may resize the canvas before, or after, pressing the CTRL+F)

  3. Select the Tool :small_orange_diamond: SingleLayer brush which was designed to add a consistent layer of depth to the canvas. If you paint with this brush , you’ll see that each stroke produces consistent elevated depth. However, if you draw over existing stroke, the depth will be added to the previously drawn stroke. To ‘fix’ that, execute the following step…

  4. Press the Document:small_orange_diamond:StoreDepthHistory. This step will now store a snapshot of the current depth values of the canvas. The SingleLayer brush will be able to use the depth-history values as the base-line depth-values.

Workflow tips…

  1. To control the amount of depth added, you may adjust the Z-Intensity value or modify the DRAW :small_orange_diamond: Depth value instead.

  2. If you choose to use the DRAW :small_orange_diamond: Depth value slider, you may want to CTRL+Click on this slider and drag it to the drawing area. This will allow for easy access to the depth value.

  3. If you are using a graphic tablet with pressure sensitivity, you may want to turn off the pressure sensitivity by unpressing the Preferences:small_orange_diamond:Tablet:small_orange_diamond:Use Tablet option. When the tablet is off, the depth (and size) of the brush will remain consistent (regardless of pen pressure changes).

  4. At any time, the depth values can be converted to a gary-scale alpha by pressing the ALPAH :small_orange_diamond: Grab Doc button. This will produce a 16-bits gray-scale image with pixel-intensity proportional to the height (depth) of each pixol. This alpha can now be used as a high-res displacement-map for a 3D surface. Furthermore, if you load the NormalRGBMat material, you’ll be able to grab a normal-map which can be applied to a 3D mesh (see this thread ).

:bulb: Another method is described in here

Hope this helps,
-Pixolator

#8

Many solutions indeed :smiley:
Pilou

#9

Ok im clarifying a bit:

The easy way out would be to use Projection Master and draw with the single layer brush.
Important - do not change the alpha as different alphas have different height values and do not change the z-intensity.
All your brushstrokes should reach the exact same height with no overlapping.

But ALAS the Pixolator has spoken so take what he says as 100% there is to it :wink:

P.S. If you use the Single Layer Brush without Projection Master on the Canves the Brushstrokes get layered.

#10

Ok thanks for all of the help so far guys, I’ll try these methods out when I get in.

My other question is can each of these methods be used on a plane in ‘edit’ mode or by dropping the mesh down, or are you just painting on a blank canvas.

The other thing I was wondering about was actually looking at the model in 3d as I am using photo reference of structures and need to make sure the depths I am painting are similar to photo’s. If I am just painting onto a blank canvas will this be difficult to do?

#11

This is cool, thanks for bringing it up and thanks to Pixolator for sharing.

#12

Pixolator, I have tried your method and it is pretty good, althought im not too keen on the fact that brush size ALSO affects the depth of the stroke.

The main problem that I have here is that I can’t physically see the depth that is being painted onto the canvas, it’s as though I need a profile view if you get me.

I’ve loaded in a source texture and filled it so that I have reference on the canvas but I need to pick it up and rotate it 90 degrees to that I can see the depth effects of my work.

Do you think ZBrush is maybe not geared towards this sort of thing or do you think it’s possible?

#13

In most scenarios, this behaviour -i.e. depth amount remains proportional to the size of the brush - is advantageous. However, if this behaviour does not fit your current requirements, please post additional details (+sample images) regarding your workflow and i’ll be able to recommend a more suitable method.:slight_smile:

-Pixolator

#14

further to this, does anyone know how to make a ramp in zbrush?

I know it’s pretty difficult to describe but I will try to post some images later of what I want to do exactly