Priya Kapoor
Painting subtools in ZBrush involves applying materials and colours to create desired effects. Materials define how objects are rendered, such as transparency or reflectiveness. Users can select a SubTool in the Tool > SubTool palette and then choose a material from the picker. The next step involves filling the SubTool with the chosen material and colour by selecting Mrgb, choosing a colour, and clicking FillObject. To lock a mesh to a particular material, set the brush mode to 'MRgb' or 'M', choose the material, and then select Colour > FillObject. Different materials suit different objects, like skin or machinery, based on their specular and reflective settings. Users can also adjust the appearance of materials by accessing Materials > Modifiers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to apply different materials to different subtools | Select a given SubTool in the Tool > SubTool palette, click on the Material icon to open the material picker, select a desired material, and fill the SubTool |
| How to lock a mesh to a particular material | Set brush mode to 'MRgb' or 'M', choose the material, and select Colour > FillObject from the top taskbar |
| How to change materials per subtool while preserving polypaint | Flood each subtool with the desired material, which will override all the "non-filled" ones |
| How to paint with different materials | Use the M channel inside of ZBrush |
| How to add decals to a mesh | Create a decal design in software like Photoshop, create an alpha brush consisting of the silhouette of the decal in white and everything else in black, import the alpha and full-colour decal in the alphas and Texture sections of the brush toolbar, and add the details to the mesh |
| How to choose brush stroke style | Select a brush stroke style to determine how paint is applied, and add an alpha to change the shape of the brush |
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What You'll Learn
Selecting the subtool
Selecting a subtool in ZBrush is a straightforward process. First, you need to access the Tool > SubTool palette. From there, you can select the desired subtool. This is also where you can assign materials and colours to the selected subtool.
To duplicate a selected subtool, simply press the Duplicate button, and a copy of the subtool will be added below the original. The Append button allows you to add a new subtool to the list, and you can choose the model you want to add from the pop-up menu. Similarly, the Insert button adds a new subtool immediately below the selected one, and you can choose the model from a pop-up.
If you want to remove a subtool, you can press Delete to remove the currently selected subtool. This action only removes the selected subtool and does not affect any others. It is important to note that this action cannot be undone. Alternatively, you can use the Del Other button to delete all subtools except for the selected one, or the Del All button to delete all subtools and remove the tool from the Tool palette.
Another option is to use the Split Hidden button, which splits the selected subtool into two separate subtools, with the hidden and visible parts of the mesh becoming separate.
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Choosing the material
When it comes to choosing the material for your ZBrush model, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, materials play a crucial role in determining the visual appeal of your model by influencing how light interacts with its surface. Therefore, it's important to select a material that aligns with the desired visual effect. ZBrush offers a wide range of materials, from basic options to customisable presets and entirely unique, custom materials.
To begin, it's advisable to familiarise yourself with the Material Palette in ZBrush. This will allow you to understand the diverse range of materials available and how they interact with light and geometry. Experimenting with different materials will help you make an informed decision about which material best suits your creative vision.
ZBrush provides preset materials that offer control over a scene, and these can be modified to create new, unique materials. You can also create custom materials by adjusting parameters such as diffuse colour, specular intensity, and metallic properties. This level of customisation ensures that you can achieve unique surface finishes that perfectly match your project's requirements.
For a quick visualisation of lighting and material properties, MatCap materials are a popular choice. They are excellent for initial experimentation as they already contain light and reflection properties, making it easier to select the desired material appearance before finalising textures. However, for more detailed texturing, it is recommended to use Basic Materials.
When applying materials to your model, it's important to ensure that your model is fully complete to avoid losing any intricate details. The ""Fill Object" command is crucial for correctly assigning materials or colours to specific subtools within your model. Additionally, embedding the desired material is essential when working with 3D objects to ensure that the selected material is applied accurately.
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Filling the subtool
Filling a subtool in ZBrush involves applying a chosen material and/or colour to the selected subtool. This can be done by first selecting the desired subtool in the Tool > SubTool palette.
Next, you can choose a material by clicking on the Material icon, which will open the material picker. From here, you can select the desired material, such as SkinShade4 in the example provided.
To fill the subtool with only the colour from the selected material, ensure that only RGB is selected. If you want the subtool to be filled with both the material and the colour, select MRGB.
After making your selection, click on the Colour menu to open the Colour palette and choose your desired colour. Finally, click on FillObject to fill the subtool with the selected colour and/or material.
It is important to note that if you want to preserve any existing paint on the subtool, you should turn off RGB and leave only M enabled before filling. This will ensure that your paint remains intact while filling the subtool with the selected material and/or colour.
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Adjusting the material's appearance
Adjusting the appearance of materials in ZBrush allows you to define how objects are rendered beyond mere colour data. You can make them shiny, reflective, transparent, or apply other effects. To adjust a material's appearance, click on 'Materials > Modifiers' in the top taskbar and use the sliders to make adjustments.
You can also adjust the opacity of your brush strokes by using the RGB Intensity slider. Setting it to light values will help you add subtle hues and details.
If you want to add decals to your mesh, such as tattoos on skin or labels on machinery, you can do so by creating your decal design in software like Photoshop. For simple monochrome decals, set the alpha of your brush to your design and then drag it onto your mesh in the desired colour. The alpha should be a square, greyscale .png file. You can import your alpha by going to 'Alphas > Import' in the top taskbar or by opening the Alphas panel in the brush toolbar and clicking the 'Import' button.
For multicoloured decals, create your decal as before, then create an alpha brush consisting of the silhouette of the entire decal in white, with everything else in black.
To 'lock' a mesh to a particular material, set your brush mode to 'MRgb' or 'M', choose your desired material, and then select 'Colour > FillObject' from the top taskbar.
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Painting the subtool
Painting a subtool in ZBrush involves applying materials and colours to the object. This is done through the Tool > SubTool palette, where you can select the desired subtool and apply a material from the picker. You can then fill the subtool with the chosen material and colour by selecting Mrgb, which fills the object with the material and its colour.
To lock a mesh to a particular material so that it doesn't change when you select a new one, or to apply a material to an individual subtool, set your brush mode to 'MRgb' or 'M', choose your desired material, and then select Colour > FillObject from the top taskbar. This will ensure that the material is applied to the active subtool.
Materials are added on a per-polygon basis, allowing for different materials to be painted onto the same mesh. This is useful for creating different textures and effects, such as skin textures or machinery. The appearance of a material can be adjusted by clicking on Materials > Modifiers in the top taskbar and using the sliders.
Polypaint is a process where texture is added to the material by directly painting on colours with a brush. This can be done by creating an alpha brush, consisting of the silhouette of the decal in white and everything else in black. Import the alpha in the alphas section of the brush toolbar, and then import the full-colour version of the alpha in the Texture section. With the Brush Stroke mode set to Drag-Rect, you can quickly add these details to your mesh.
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Frequently asked questions
To paint SubTools in ZBrush, you must first assign a material and/or colour to the SubTool.
To assign a material to a SubTool, follow these steps:
- Select a given SubTool in the Tool > SubTool palette
- Click on the Material icon to open the material picker and select your desired material
- Fill the SubTool with the chosen material and colour by selecting Mrgb. Then, click the Colour menu, choose your colour, and click FillObject.
To assign a colour to a SubTool, follow these steps:
- Click the Colour menu to open the Colour palette
- Choose your desired colour in the colour picker
- Click FillObject
To lock a mesh to a particular material, set your brush mode to 'MRgb' or 'M', choose your desired material, and then select Colour > FillObject from the top taskbar.
To change the brush stroke style, add an alpha to change the shape of the brush. Hold Shift to blend the edges of your paint together. The RGB Intensity slider will affect the opacity of your brush stroke.
