raeoffrecord

Timelapse - Sculpting practice

Added 2021-11-19 15:52:42 +0000 UTC

A video showing I'm having too much fun fiddling with ZBrush's playback function. *ahem* As long as one wishes to learn digital sculpting, it is inevitable to learn ZBrush -- I guess. So, here I am.

/ Video Start ~ 2:26 / I have some head figures sitting on my desk, I'm using Hot Toy's Paul Rudd for reference. I didn't aim to imitate, just wanted to get an idea of how a real (& handsome) human face should be structured.

/ 2:26 ~ video end / Starting to adjust facial features. Basically...I was trying to sculpt Credo. Though it probably doesn't really look like him yet...

The model resolution is still low, because I'm trying the workflow of keeping modeling in low res until adding all structures (hair, torso, limbs, etc.). Just like doing sketching on 2D, I don't refine the linework until all element is drawn on the canvas.

# History playback

ZBrush has some sort of black magic of remembering the working history (like Procreate) which I can just sculpt normally and ZBrush will simultaneously record the history. And the limit is 10,000 steps, probably 2-3 days' works!

My setup so far is like this:

So the video is just me exporting history playback video from 3 different angles. I use DaVinci Resolve to put those 3 videos side by side.

# Why switch to ZBrush?

I've tried these software: Mudbox -> Blender -> ZBrush

After the previous post, I added a base mesh of torso & limbs (with Rey's help on Maya) and kept sculpting, eventually thought it might be better to start over, and should avoid sculpting in high resolution on early stage.

Mudbox doesn't have re-mesh function, and can't add geometry to the base mesh. Blender's sculpting brush is...uh, I found myself can't get used to it. So eventually I had to try ZBrush, though the UI is hard to understand, but it can be conquered with some free online videos. Here are some great free tutorials for beginners like me:

Getting Started with Sculpting - ZBrush for Beginners Tutorial | FlippedNormals
Customizing the Zbrush Interface | Pixel Fondue
How To ZBrush Time Lapse | Follygon

# DanCre 3D project

Rey is sharing some WIPs of DanCre sculpting on her Twitter. We are both excited to know everyone's thoughts!!

Oh and, we eventually decide to let her create the project model. So my own sculpt only serves as a reference/guide. Anyway I'm also having lots of fun learning sculpting, and I'll keep practicing more!

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一小段試作的影片，ZBrush的回播能力好威啊！是說，玩3D雕塑到後來似乎還是得學ZBrush。

/ 影片開始 ~ 2:26 / 這段時間捏的臉型，主要是參考Hot Toy家的Paul Rudd(蟻人)頭雕，我桌上就放了一顆，拿來參考很方便。沒有很刻意要做得很像，只是大致上對真實人臉的結構有個掌握這樣。

/ 2:26 ~ 影片結束 / 開始依照需求修改臉部特徵，總之我是想雕Credo...但可能還沒有做得很像...

應該看得出頭雕的解析度還很低，因為我想盡量在低解析度的狀態下、把所有物件都先雕出來(頭髮、身體、四肢等)。就像2D繪畫中打草稿那樣，若沒把所有東西畫出來，就不好直接上墨線或細化。

# 過程回播

ZBrush很神奇，可以像Procreate那樣自動記住創作過程，而上限是一萬個步驟！所以甚至不用擔心錄影程式會占螢幕空間或電腦效能的問題。

我的Zbrush作業螢幕大概像這樣：

所以那支試作影片，是我透過ZBrush匯出了3個不同角度的回播影片，然後再用影片剪輯軟體(DaVinci Resolve)讓它們並列播放。

# 為啥換到ZBrush上雕塑？

目前試過這三個軟體：Mudbox -> Blender -> ZBrush

發表上一篇文章之後，我接上身體和四肢的基礎模組(透過Rey幫忙用Maya接上去)，打算繼續雕，但嘗試一番之後覺得很難繼續，其中一個問題是頭部的解析開太大，而在高解析的情況下很難快速地抓出大結構。

Mudbox在這方面就有些尷尬，匯入的模型不能降低解析度繼續雕，只能不斷增加解析度；此外、也沒有remesh功能、且不能增加基礎模型的幾何結構(geometry)。至於Blender...不知為啥就是無法習慣它的筆刷。最後只好入門ZBrush，那個人盡皆知的可怕操作介面...透過一些線上免費影片的協助，還是可以克服的！這邊推薦幾支不錯參考影片：