Organic modeler Ryan Kingslien finds that ZBrush 2.0’s multi-resolution mesh editing gives the sensation of really sculpting the surface of a model. Courtesy of Ryan Kingslien.

The most powerful weapon in ZBrush’s arsenal is its modeling tools and the most important aspect of modeling in ZBrush is the ability to model at various levels of resolution and have those changes propagate both up and down the hierarchy of the model. This is called multi-resolution mesh editing.

Recently, I created a full set of morph targets for a cartoony character in one day. Seventeen base shapes. That is opposed to maybe six a day within Maya. That is a gigantic leap forward in productivity and allowed me to add more shapes onto my previous bid without altering the price for the client. This was solely the result of the power of multi-resolution mesh editing.

Multi-resolution mesh editing separates out the different levels of form changes for us. For major form changes, such as the shape of the jaw, you use lower levels of resolution. For smaller form changes, such as the corners of the mouth, you use a higher level of resolution. This means that as a modeler we do not need to be worrying about how our fine details are following along when we go from a closed neutral expression to an open happy expression. By separating out these levels of form changes, our modeling is more efficient and faster.

Another important modeling tool in ZBrush is ZSpheres. ZSpheres are basically metaballs on steroids and with joints, uh, bones that is. They are amazingly fast for blocking in figures or props. But their use does not end there. Once they are “skinned,” Pixologic’s term for converted to a 3D object, they can be modeled. It is even possible to model them while they are still ZSpheres, which is particularly useful because you can switch out the heads of models or use default hands and feet by using the Insert Mesh tool. You can even use the ZSpheres to pose your figure, which I find particularly amazing because it acts as a simple skinning solution in the 3D sense of the word.

Kingslien uses ZBrush 2.0's ZSpheres as a fast way to rough out and pose organic models that are then detailed. Courtesy of Ryan Kingslien.

ZSpheres also have “attractor spheres,” which let you pull the geometry in other directions as well as create edge loops. ZSpheres will, I believe, become a part of every modeler’s toolbox. For concept design alone they hold a lot of promise and with the advent of 3D printing and rapid prototyping digital sculpture is rapidly becoming a reality.

Pixologic has also just released a sneak peek at the future of ZSpheres, which promises to revolutionize the already revolutionary Zsphere. In the next release you will be able to remesh your models entirely within ZBrush. That’s right. ZBrush will have its own equivalent of the topology brush. It would be amazing if it stopped there but Pixologic is adding features at a rate that would make Dell jealous. ZSpheres will also be able to be added to any mesh as a rigging and skinning solution in what Pixologic is calling a Modeling-Rig.

Modeling rigs operate as a volume-rig or a surface rig. While volume-rigs can be used to pose a model in the way joints are used in 3D programs, surface-rigs lie on the surface of the model and can be used to facilitate blendshape creation and surface tweaks in a way similar to how joints and clusters are used in a facial rig.

On another note, the morph tools for ZBrush 2.0 are simple yet extremely powerful. You can finesse your morph targets by painting the morphs into a base shape giving you complete control over the falloff of the form changes. While studios such as Digital Domain have their own software for this kind of thing, it is not currently an easy option to implement in Maya or for a user without a team of programmers at their disposal. In ZBrush, it is a matter of a few mouse clicks.

Another method, which fine artist Meier has been using to create his unique wire style sculpture, is the ability to Create Difference Mesh from your morph target. This creates a mesh that is the difference between the stored morph target and the deformed object.