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ZBrush 2022 Whats New
ZBrush 2022 Whats New
ZBrush 2022 Whats New
ZBRUSH
ZBrush 2022 What’s New Guide
Welcome
Welcome to the What’s New documentation for ZBrush® 2022. While much of
ZBrush® 2022 is very similar to other previous releases, there are quite a few new fea-
tures to help make your ZBrushing even more productive and creative. We hope that the
information you find here helps you understand the differences between this release and
previous versions of ZBrush®.
This document only covers what’s new in version 2022. To learn more about the
features introduced in previous releases of ZBrush®, we invite you to read the other
ZBrush® What’s New Guides, located in your ZBrush installation’s Documentation folder.
You’re invited to visit our ZClassroom for a huge database of free high quality movies
explaining all the main features of ZBrush®. Here you will also find the Artists Spotlight,
where famous 3D Artists explain how they use ZBrush®, helping inspire you to create
like the pros.
Don’t forget to subscribe for free to our ZBrushCentral community to discover tips,
view artists’ creations, locate useful help for all things related to ZBrush® or post your
works-in-progress!
We encourage you to regularly visit our ZBrush® Blog as well as our social media
outlets where you will find all the news related to the ZBrush® universe, from the most
recent Interview to new plugins or gallery additions.
ZBrushCentral: http://www.zbrushcentral.com/
ZBlog: http://www.pixologic.com/blog/
Pixologic.com: http://www.pixologic.com
© 2022 Pixologic, Inc. All rights reserved, Pixologic and the Pixologic logo, ZBrush, and the
ZBrush logo are registered trademarks of Pixologic, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
Mac OS X & Windows Version of ZBrush®
Instead of the Windows Ctrl key, the Macintosh uses the Command (Apple) Key. This
documentation will always refer to using the Ctrl key name, although it may sometimes list
both as Ctrl/Command. When the Ctrl key is mentioned anywhere in the documentation a
Macintosh user will want to use the Command key instead.
The same is true for the Windows Enter key, which the Macintosh calls Return. When
seeing the Enter key mentioned anywhere in this documentation, a Mac user will want to
use the Return key instead.
The Close/Quit, Hide, Minimize and Maximize buttons are located on the top right in
Windows and at the top left on Mac OS X.
ZBrush Localization
ZBrush is available in multiple languages and will attempt to automatically set its
language to match that of your operating system, if available. You can change the
language at any time in the Preferences >> Languages sub-palette.
If you wish to translate ZBrush for your language, please refer to the Multilanguage
section of the ZBrush User Guide and contact documentation@pixologic.com.
ZBrush sets the industry standard for digital sculpting. Its features enable you to use
customizable brushes to shape, texture and paint virtual clay in a real-time environment.
When you use ZBrush, you’ll be working with the same tools used by film studios, game
developers, toy/collectible makers, jewelry designers, automotive/aviation designers,
illustrators and artists worldwide.
ZBrush 2022 continues on the path of creativity and productivity with major new
features allowing artists to work even faster and with more freedom. This version carries
the ability to experiment and work in a natural way to a whole new level, offering artists
greater freedom to express their ideas and discover ways of working that previously have
been beyond imagination. Get ready to unleash your creativity!
4
ZBrush 2022 - About
1. Bas Relief
Bas Relief - low relief sculpture where the sculpting has no undercuts but looks fully
three-dimensional - is difficult to achieve. ZBrush 2022 brings an automatic solution so
you can use an existing 3D model to quickly add Bas Relief sculpting to armor, coins,
building fascades, furniture and other items.
2. BevelPro
The new BevelPro plugin allows you to create complex bevels for meshes at any
resolution without low-poly modeling. Suitable for meshes of medium-to-high resolution,
BevelPro allows you to use masking and PolyGroups to determine exactly which edges
to bevel. Adjust and preview your results non-destructively, and even create your bevels
as separate sections of geometry for use with Live Boolean.
3. Two by Two
Brushes now support dual alphas and textures, allowing you to transition between
the two based on the pen pressure of your stroke. Create striking blends of color and
detail with this versatile new feature!
Apply any image, graphical noise or noise presets to a brush for local sculptural
surface noise details. Use Brush Size or pen pressure sensitivity to adjust the noise scale
on the fly. Local Projection will give a unique way to reapply any noise by position of the
brush. This feature shines when creating environment pieces or applying skin details.
Instantly redistribute multiple SubTools, or the geometry within a single SubTool with
a single button press. Similar to alignment features found in other programs, you can now
align meshes to the left, right or center, and by the top or bottom edges.
The new Knife brushes now support the Circle and Rectangle stroke types. Cut
through meshes cleanly with these tools where the resulting cut accurately reflects the
stroke.
5
ZBrush 2022 - About
7. Interpolate Additions
The Stroke Interpolation feature can now use ZIntensity, Brush Size, RGB Intensity,
and Front and Back Colors to transition between strokes with a set number of steps.
Create dazzling blends and intricate patterns of color and detail between two strokes on
the surface of your mesh.
Stager also now has its own Interpolate function, allowing for quick placing of
duplicate meshes.
8. Other Additions
Find in this section all the various other additions and changes made in ZBrush
2022.
6
ZBrush 2022 - Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7
ZBrush 2022 - Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
BAS RELIEF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
I How Bas Relief Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
II Tool palette -Bas Relief Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Relief Repeat Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Relief Step Tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Relief Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Relief Blur Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Project BasRelief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
III Alpha palette - Bas Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
IV Alpha palette - Bas Relief Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
8
ZBrush 2022 - Table of Contents
BEVELPRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
I How BevelPro Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Step by Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
II BevelPro Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Save, Load, Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Source Mesh Edit Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Polish By Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Fix edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Bevel Analysis Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Bevel Amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Bevel Smoothness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Polygroup Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Sharp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Bevel Mesh Output Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Preview Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mesh Edge Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mesh Offset Amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Auto Crease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Auto Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Display colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Filling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Reset Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
TWO BY TWO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
I How Two by Two Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
II Brush>Alpha and Texture Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Base Alpha thumbnail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Current Alpha thumbnail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
9
ZBrush 2022 - Table of Contents
10
ZBrush 2022 - Table of Contents
INTERPOLATE ADDITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
I Interpolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
II Using Stroke Interpolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
III Interpolate Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Interpolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Strokes Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
IV Stager Interpolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
OTHER ADDITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
I Stager Additions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Copy/Paste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Interpolate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
II Edge Detect added to SpotLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
III Visibility Sets for SubTools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
IV ScribeStandard and ScribeChisel Brushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
V Gizmo Soft Deformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
VI FBX import of Camera images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
VII Deformation improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
VIII DynaMesh Resolution Picker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
IX Masking Additions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
THANK YOU! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
11
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
INSTALLATION
UPGRADING &
ACTIVATION
All the steps you need to install or upgrade ZBrush, as well as to leverage its activation system.
12
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
This is the useful information that you will need to know when installing and upgrading
ZBrush® on your computer. This chapter also describes the activation and de-activation
process. Understanding how the activation system works will help you avoid difficulties
should you upgrade your computer, reinstall your operating system, etc.
I System Requirements
Recommended:
Notes: The scratch disk may be a different drive from where ZBrush is installed.
Having ZBrush and its scratch disk running on an SSD drive will result in improved perfor-
mance.
Note: iPad Pro and other tablet devices run iOS rather than macOS. ZBrush and ZBrushCore
will not run on these devices.
13
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
After downloading the ZBrush installer you can run it to be guided through the
activation process.
For all the information about the process of the installation and activation, please
read the “Install_and_activate_ZBrush.pdf” located in the ZBrush documentation
folder or available to download at our Download Center: http://zbru.sh/docs or visit our
online documentation website; http://zbru.sh/onlinedocs
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you make a backup copy of the installer after
you have downloaded it. Download links are valid for two downloads or seven days,
whichever comes first. Our Support staff is happy to renew your download link at any
time but we also know from experience that people often need to reinstall on an evening
or weekend when there is nobody available to assist you.
1. The download is a Disk Image (DMG) file which mounts to be like any other disk
on your computer. In some cases, a Finder window does not automatically open
after mounting the DMG. If that happens, you will find it within your Devices list.
Opening that will then allow you to run the installer itself.
2. Upon running the installer you may receive a message to the effect that it is from
an unknown publisher. In this case you will need to disable Gatekeeper before
you will be able to run the installer. Apple explains how to do this here: http://
support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491
14
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
III Upgrading
Depending on your current ZBrush version and what you need to upgrade to, there
are two upgrade paths available:
• Using a full installer to perform a “clean” install of a fresh new copy of ZBrush.
This does not require any earlier version to already be on your computer.
• Using an upgrader (downloaded from our Download Center or through the Auto
Upgrader system) which will duplicate your current ZBrush folder and then
upgrade the copy without affecting your current installation.
The full installer takes longer to download, but is greatly preferred. Using it avoids
any possible permissions issues. Also, if there are any problems with your current
ZBrush installation (even those you might not be aware of), an update will copy those
problems to the new installation! The full installer avoids that possibility. You will still be
able to manually copy any desired files from the old installation to the new one.
If you do wish to use the update process instead of the full installer, please read the
Auto Update chapter of this section.
15
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
IV Auto Update
ZBrush includes an Auto Update system which can check with the Pixologic®
servers at your request to see if a new minor update is available.
This process is initiated manually and is voluntary. It is recommended that you run
it from time to time to see if a new update is available.
The Auto Update is a separate application named ZUpgrader.exe (.app for Mac
users), located at the root of your ZBrush folder.
This program can be executed by itself and when you wish to check for a new update
or upgrade. Make sure that ZBrush is closed, then simply double-click ZUpgrader to run
it.
An installer-like window will open. From there, simply follow the steps to check for
any available updates. The application will tell you whether or not something is available
for download.
The update installer is similar to the ZBrush full install process. Just follow the steps
to install the new components. The Auto Updater will automatically place all files in their
proper locations. When installation is finished the updater will close and you can launch
ZBrush to enjoy the new features or changes.
16
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
You will also find the update’s installer as a new program in the root of your ZBrush
folder. You can keep it for future use or simply delete it. We recommend that you keep
the most recent update and delete any older ones.
Note:
Each new update will include all items since the most recent ZBrush version release. This
means that if you’ve just installed ZBrush you will not need to download multiple updates – a
single download will be all that’s necessary to bring your installation up to date.
17
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
V Un-installation
Un-installation process:
1. In the ZPlugin menu, choose Web Deactivation and proceed with license
deactivation as explained above. If you do not deactivate prior to un-installation,
the un-installed machine will continue to count against your serial number and
potentially prevent you from reactivating!
2. On Windows, use the Windows Control Panel uninstall utility and follow the
steps. On Mac OS X, simply move the Applications/ZBrush folder and the
Users/Public/Pixologic folder to the Trash.
3. During the un-install process, depending on the Version of ZBrush you are using,
the Uninstaller may ask you if you want to keep your GoZ files. Always answer
“Yes” if you are removing an older version of ZBrush after having upgraded. If
you answer “No”, GoZ won’t work anymore because most of its components will
be deleted by the un-install process.
4. After the un-installer has finished, check the location where ZBrush had been
installed. There will often be extra files which remain. You can delete those
folders if you do not intend to use ZBrush on this computer again.
Note:
With the exception of GoZ and the various files in the ZBrushData shared/public folder, ZBrush
doesn’t write files outside its own directory.
18
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
VI Support Registration
If your purchase was of ZBrush 4R5 or earlier, you won’t have a Support account
unless you specifically created one yourself! Having activated an earlier version of
ZBrush is not the same as having a registered Support account. The Support system
is an independent platform. It does not use any existing log-ins that you might have for
ZBrushCentral, Cleverbridge or any other ZBrush-related sites.
Note:
Purchases of ZBrush 4R6 and later required having a Support account to be able to complete
the purchase or get your serial number. If your first version was ZBrush 4R6 or later, you will have
a Support account already and can skip this section.
1. Go to https://support.pixologic.com.
2. Click the Register icon.
3. Enter your email address and whatever password you would like to use for the
Support site. These will become your login info for the future.
4. Fill in your system information. We need this info in order to respond to your
support requests more efficiently.
5. Also provide your ZBrush 4x serial number for your copy of ZBrush. This
information identifies you as someone who has actually purchased a ZBrush
license. (If you have upgraded from an earlier version of ZBrush 4, your serial
number will remain unchanged. All versions of ZBrush 4x use the same serial
number.)
6. After you submit the form you will receive a confirmation email at the address
you used to register. Follow the instructions in that email to complete your
registration.
19
ZBrush 2022 - Installation and Activation
ZBrush files are not backward compatible, which means that your files created with
the most recent version of ZBrush won’t be compatible with any older version.
For example, if you have a file that you’d been working on with ZBrush 2021 and
then save it using ZBrush 2022, you will no longer be able to open it in version 2021.
Different versions of ZBrush can be used together with GoZ due to the fact that its
main components have remained the same, but it’s not possible to work on the same
project between multiple versions of ZBrush at the same time. Once a file has been
created or saved in a newer version of ZBrush, it will not be able to be opened by any
earlier version.
GoZ cannot get around this restriction. It can be used to open files from earlier
versions of ZBrush but it cannot be used to send files to an earlier version. The only way
to get a file into an earlier version of ZBrush than it was last saved in is through the OBJ
format.
20
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
BAS RELIEF
21
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Create embossed surfaces in stunning detail with the new Bas Relief features in
ZBrush. Pose your model as desired and create a special new alpha from that view which
can be used to create raised sections of detail that more closely resemble the results of
traditional relief sculpture.
22
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
The Bas Relief features enables you to take any model, including all its SubTools,
and project a bas relief of it directly onto the selected SubTool.
On the left, the model positioned ready for creating the Bas Relief; in the center, showing how the
model is angled; on the right, the Bas Relief result.
Step by Step
1. Position the model exactly how you want - the view used is the screen view.
2. Adjust the settings if you wish, though the defaults will produce good results for
most models.
3. Select the SubTool that will receive the bas relief.
4. Press the Project BasRelief button.
5. Turn on Solo mode to see the result. Use Stroke>Adjust Last to adjust the result
if you wish.
23
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Repeat count
The Relief Repeat Count slider controls the number of times the Bas Relief algorithm
runs. The default value of 1000 should be good for most situations but experiment with
this slider to find what best suits your work.
Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Step Tolerance
The Relief Step Tolerance slider controls how ZBrush treats the areas between
features. Lower values will produce softer results.
24
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Relief Contrast
The Relief Contrast slider controls how much contrast is added to the Bas Relief.
This produces a similar effect to the Deformation>Contrast slider and can be useful when
you want to enhance detail. Setting to the maximum value is best avoided.
Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Blur Radius
The Relief Blur Radius slider controls the amount of smoothing at the edges of the
Bas Relief, removing the artifacts that can occur.
25
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Project BasRelief
Projects the Bas Relief onto the selected SubTool using the other visible SubTools.
The Bas Relief feature is also available in the Alpha palette, allowing you to create
bas relief alphas that you can apply yourself using the DragRect stroke.
Important Note: the document size determines the resolution of the bas relief alpha.
A model and the resulting Bas Relief alpha. ZBrush artist: Joseph Drust
Step by Step
1. Make sure the Document size is large enough for your needs. The bas relief
alpha will be the same size as the document.
2. Position the model exactly how you want - the view used is the screen view
3. Adjust the settings if you wish, though the defaults will produce good results for
most models.
4. Press the Make BasRelief button. A new BasRelief alpha will be created and
added to the Alpha palette.
26
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
The Bas Relief alpha applied to a sphere. A Focal Shift setting of -100 was used.
27
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Relief Contrast
The Relief Contrast slider controls how much contrast is added to the Bas Relief.
This produces a similar effect to the Deformation>Contrast slider and can be useful when
you want to enhance detail. Setting to maximum value is best avoided.
Apply BasRelief
Applies the BasRelief algorithm to the selected alpha. This is useful if you have an
alpha from elsewhere that you want to use as a Bas Relief inside ZBrush.
28
ZBrush 2022 - Bas Relief
Make BasRelief
The Make BasRelief button creates a new alpha from the visible SubTools in the
Alpha palette.
BTxtr
If the BTxtr switch is turned on, any color on the model is converted into a texture in
the Texture palette which can then be applied at the same time as the Bas Relief alpha.
The result of a Bas Relief created with the BTxtr button on.
29
ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
BEVELPRO
Put a Bevel on It
30
ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
BevelPro is perfect for adding fine detail beveling to hard surface models
The new BevelPro plugin allows you to create complex bevels for meshes at any
resolution without low-poly modeling. Suitable for meshes of medium-to-high resolution,
BevelPro allows you to use masking and Polygroups to determine exactly which edges
to bevel. Adjust and preview your results non-destructively, and even create your bevels
as separate sections of geometry for use with Live Boolean.
31
ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
BevelPro works by creating bevels along the borders of Polygroups. It will respect
masking but will not work with partially hidden meshes.
On the left, a mesh with Polygroups; in the center, the same mesh inside BevelPro; on the right,
the final result.
Step by Step
1. Set up Polygroups on your model so that the borders are where you want the
bevels to be. Mask any areas that you don’t want to be beveled.
2. Press the BevelPro button in the Zplugin palette. This will launch the BevelPro
app.
3. Adjust the settings in the BevelPro app to get the result you want.
4. If desired, press the Auto Apply button to see the result inside BevelPro. Further
adjustments can be made.
5. If the Auto Apply button is turned on beveling will be applied to the model before
returning to ZBrush and the original SubTool replaced. If Auto Apply is off then
the Boolean parts will be sent back to ZBrush where you can make further
adjustments if you wish.
6. Press OK to return to ZBrush.
32
ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
The BevelPro app interface. In the default colors, the Polygroup border is shown in blue,
the Bevel Amount is in red and the Bevel Offset in pink.
II BevelPro Functions
Polish By Groups
The same function as in the Tool>Deformation sub-palette, this option will polish the
Polygroup borders. This is especially useful with DynaMeshed models where the group
borders can be ragged.
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ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
On the left, Polygroups after DynaMeshing; in the center, the same mesh in BevelPro; on the right,
the result after using Polish By Groups.
Fix edges
This option will try to resolve poor Polygroup alignment within the beveling edges,
such as can sometimes arise from previous boolean operations.
Reset
Undos the result of Fix Edges and Polish by Groups, resetting the mesh to its original
state.
Bevel Amount
The width of space along polygroup edges that will be used for beveling. With the
default colors this is shown on the mesh in red.
Bevel Smoothness
The strength of smoothing applied to the bevel contours within the mesh surface.
Bevel smoothness can be useful to reduce the influence of the original mesh and create
a more pleasing result.
Polygroup Angle
The degree of the maximum angle between polygroups to consider “flat” and skip on
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ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
beveling. This is useful if you have Polygroups that are on flatter areas on the mesh and
you want to exclude them from beveling.
Sharp
A corner detection mode. When turned on, the app will try to place exact corners in
the transitions between bevels, but note that this could lead to artifacts on some curved
meshes. When turned off, the corners will be smoother.
Preview Edges
Turn on to display the wireframe of the beveled surface.
Correct adjustment of the Mesh Offset is necessary to achieve a clean result. Too
small an offset may leave artifacts or separate pieces. Too large an offset can lead to the
bevel penetrating the surrounding geometry.
Auto Crease
Turn this option on to crease the bevel geometry, simplifying polishing and subdividing
in ZBrush.
Auto Apply
Show the bevel result within the BevelPro app. With this option turned on, the
beveled mesh will replace the original mesh when returning to ZBrush.
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ZBrush 2022 - BevelPro
Display colors
Press the relevant button to change colors in the preview:
Mesh
The display color of the original mesh. The default color is gray.
Edges
The point color along the polygroup edges of the original mesh. The default color is
blue.
Amount
The point color along the bevel edges. The default color is red.
Filling
The color of the full extent of the bevel. The default color is pink.
Reset Colors
Resets the colors to their defaults.
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ZBrush 2022 - Two by Two
TWO BY TWO
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ZBrush 2022 - Two by Two
Brushes now support dual alphas and textures, allowing you to transition between
the two based on the pen pressure of your stroke. Create striking blends of color and
detail with this versatile new feature!
Two by Two is excellent for quickly creating environments. Pen pressure allows for easy switching
between the two alphas and textures.
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ZBrush 2022 - Two by Two
When two alphas and/or two textures are applied to a brush pen pressure will
transition between them. Lighter pressure will use the Base Alpha/Texture and heavier
pressure will use the Current Alpha/Texture.
Important Note: As varied pen pressure is essential, you may need to adjust the Brush>Tablet
Pressure curves to get the results you want. Don’t forget that textures will be applied as polypaint -
make sure Tool>Polypaint>Colorize and Draw>Rgb are turned on.
The Brush>Alpha and Texture sub-palette now has thumbnails for loading two alphas and textures.
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ZBrush 2022 - Two by Two
Base Texture
Click to select a Base Texture.
Current Texture
Click to select a Current Texture. This will be the same texture as if selected through
the Texture palette.
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ZBrush 2022 - Brush Noise
BRUSH NOISE
IMPROVEMENTS
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ZBrush 2022 - Brush Noise
Apply any image, graphical noise or noise presets to a brush for local sculptural
surface noise details. Use Brush Size or pen pressure sensitivity to adjust the noise scale
on the fly. Local Projection will give a unique way to reapply any noise by position of the
brush. This feature shines when creating environment pieces or applying skin details.
On the left, the result of Brush Noise with Local Projection Mode off; on the right, the result with
Local Projection Mode on.
Brush Noise uses the same noise as the Tool>Surface sub-palette. You can apply
the noise directly as sculpted detail.
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ZBrush 2022 - Brush Noise
II Brush>Surface Functions
Noise
The Noise button will allow you to assign noise to a sculpting brush using the settings
in the NoiseMaker interface. The noise will be applied to your mesh as you sculpt.
Edit
Once noise has been assigned to the brush, the Edit button will enable you to make
changes by relaunching the NoiseMaker interface.
Del
The Del (Delete) button will remove the surface noise from the brush.
Dynamic Scale
The Dynamic Scale option varies the noise scale with changes in Draw Size. The
multiplier value is set in the Base Scale slider.
Base Scale
The Base Scale muliplier used by Dynamic Scale.
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
Instantly redistribute multiple SubTools, or the geometry within a single SubTool with
a single button press. Similar to alignment features found in other programs, you can now
align meshes to the left, right or center, and by the top or bottom edges.
Align and Distribute work on visible meshes. If you have Solo mode on, or the
other SubTools are hidden, the separate meshes that compose a single SubTool can be
aligned or distributed. If you have several or all SubTools showing, then those SubTools
will be aligned or distributed.
Important Note: Meshes are aligned or distributed based on the screen view.
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
II Align Functions
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
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ZBrush 2022 - Align & Distribute
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ZBrush 2022 - Knife Brush
KNIFE BRUSH
ADDITIONS
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ZBrush 2022 - Knife Brush
An example of using the Knife brushes - on the left a KnifeCircle cut has been made and a
KnifeRect cut is in progress; on the right, the mesh turned to show the result.
The Knife brushes are designed to accurately cut and close a mesh along the
precise line of the stroke. The result is an exact profile based on what you draw. The new
topology created is quads and so can be sculpted. This is a powerful and versatile new
tool which, unlike the Trim brushes, can be used with symmetry.
Two new Knife brushes are added for ZBrush 2022 - KnifeRect and KnifeCircle.
Note: there will be some triangles created where the new topology meets the old. This cannot
be avoided.
KnifeRect
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ZBrush 2022 - Knife Brush
KnifeCircle
Select which brush you want to use by holding Ctrl+Shift and selecting from the
Brush palette pop-up.
You can constrain the Circle or Rectangle to a uniform circle or square by turning on
the Square button in the Stroke palette Modifiers. To start drawing from the center, turn
on the Center button in the Stroke palette Modifiers. Both these options are available in
the popup that appears after clicking the large Current Stroke thumbnail.
Turn on symmetry if you want to use it. Hold Ctrl+Shift and start drawing off the model.
Finish drawing and the cut will be made. The new surface will have its own Polygroup.
Note: if the SubTool is made of separate pieces of geometry only those touched by the Knife
brush will be affected.
The KinfeRect and KnifeCircle brushes cannot cut holes through the center of meshes.
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ZBrush 2022 - Interpolate
INTERPOLATE
ADDITIONS
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ZBrush 2022 - Interpolate
I Interpolate
With the Stroke Interpolation feature, you can morph a series of strokes between the
last two strokes on a surface. Create striking patterns as one stroke transforms into the
other over the specified number of iterations!
The Stroke Interpolation feature can now use ZIntensity, Brush Size, RGB Intensity,
and Front and Back Colors to transition between strokes with a set number of steps.
Create dazzling blends and intricate patterns of color and detail between two strokes on
the surface of your mesh.
Stager also now has its own Interpolate function, allowing for quick placing of
duplicate meshes.
The Interpolate button and Strokes Count slider are in the Stroke palette
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ZBrush 2022 - Interpolate
Interpolate
Press the button to create the in-between strokes.
Stroke Interpolate has two modes:
Strokes Count
Adjust the Strokes Count slider to the number of in-between strokes you want.
IV Stager Interpolate
Stager now has its own Interpolate allowing for quick placing of duplicate meshes
between the Home and Target stages. Set the Stages Count to the number of duplicates
you want.
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ZBrush 2022 - Interpolate
An example of using Stager Interpolate: on the left, the Home and Target stages; on the right, the
Interpolated bars.
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ZBrush 2022 - Other Additions
OTHER ADDITIONS
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ZBrush 2022- Other Additions
I Stager Additions
Copy/Paste
Stager now has Copy/Paste buttons so that the Home and Target stages can be
copied across SubTools.
Interpolate
Stager now has an Interpolate function to interpolate between the Home and Target
stages. See the Interpolate Additions chapter for more details.
Spotlight Edge Detect in action. The image can be restored using the Restore option (shown on
the right).
Edge Detect allows users to interactively highlight the edges of an image for various
effects. The colors used are the main and secondary colors. This can be useful when
positioning an image over a model. The full image can be restored using the Restore
option.
Eight buttons for storing visibility of subtools - V1 to V8 - have been added to the
SubTool sub-palette. This will work with folder visibility.
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ZBrush 2022 - Other Additions
ScribeStandard and ScribeChisel brushes have been added. They both take
advantage of the new Curve Sub-Steps slider. The brushes use DragDot stroke. You can
adjust the Curve>SubSteps to change result; low values will show the separate alpha
instances. Use the Curve Modifiers graph to change the beginning-to-end shape of the
scribed line.
Gizmo deformation with on the left, Focal Shift of -50; on the right, Focal Shift of 50.
The Gizmo can apply soft deformation with its falloff adjusted by Focal Shift. Any
value above -100 will result in soft deformation - move, scale or rotate. Masking can be
used to further control the results.
Note: When Focal Shift is set to -100 the Gizmo will behave as in earlier versions and will not
deform the mesh.
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ZBrush 2022- Other Additions
FBX import will now load Camera view background images if they are available.
New options in the Draw>Cameras allow loading and storing of images, and changes to
model opacity.
Deformation actions from the Deformation menu can now affect multiple SubTools
simultaneously with the Gizmo Multi-Select option.
DynaMesh Resolution can now be sampled directly from a mesh on the canvas by
dragging from its slider to target mesh polygons.
IX Masking Additions
Mask by Depth and Mask by Normals options have been added to the Tool>Masking
sub-palette.
ZBrush now provides access to the XMD ToolBox from within ZBrush. Once installed,
the XMD ToolBox provides users new ways to search and organize all of their ZBrush
resources, as well as access to additional free and commercial brushes, alphas, textures,
and materials not included in ZBrush by default. ZBrush will launch the XMD ToolBox
interface from inside of ZBrush, and allow you to access content and features that are
maintained and supported by XMD.
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ZBrush 2022 - Thank you!
THANK YOU!
Yes, to you!
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ZBrush 2022 - Thank you!
Thank You
Pixologic® would like to thank everyone who has participated as a beta tester for
ZBrush® since its beginning. We also thank all the ZBrush users who are making such
wonderful artwork, inspiring us to push our limits and offer you new, innovative, artistic
and production tools!
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ZBrush 2022 - Thank you!
Notes
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ZBrush 2022 - Thank you!
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