Zbrush smooth alphas question
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- benvoid
Hi guys
I was wondering if there is a way to make smooth edges with a custom alpha on a low poly model. I've attached what I've done so far and I can improve the appearance when I up the geometry but then the model is too big to bring into cinema 4d. If anyone knows how I can do this effect in cinema 4d that doesn't involve boole and extruding that would be helpful too.
- ESKEMA0
Is that Gorbachev skull?
- M_C_P0
did you make your own alpha? you have to make sure it's a 16-bit greyscale image and not 8-bit. you're missing out on a whole bunch of detail
- M_C_P0
are you sculpting with your alpha on a higher res mesh? the pic looks like you used the alpha on a subdiv level 1 and then subdivided higher. you need to start at subdiv 4 or higher then use your alpha. then bring it back down to sub div 1 and create a displacement map. import that map and your low poly skull and when you render with the displacement map it should look as it did in zbrush
- yeah. using alphas at low divisions gives you pretty useless masks.dopepope
- lukus_W0
What's the final use? If you just need to create a few renders .. fake it - use a normal map.
- benvoid0
@M_C_P
The images I have provided are on sub division 1. When I up the division and apply the alpha it looks good but then when I lower the sub division it looks awful. Am I missing something?
- M_C_P0
no, that's it. the workflow is as i described it above. the model is low poly so you can import it into c4d without it crashing your system. the detail comes at rendertime when you use the displacement map to add back in all that detail as geometry.
but as lukus_W is saying, what's the final use? the alpha doesn't look like it's adding that much depth to it. you can probably get by using a normal map. if you are animating it, then yes, go with the method above. just know that in your c4d viewport, it will look low res until rendertime.
- But how would you ever get to see what you're actually going to render?dopepope
- Basically I want to be able to select the individual layers and apply different materials to them.benvoid
- displacement mapping is a rendertime thing. it can't really be previewed. small res test renders is the only way i know how.M_C_P
- benvoid0
Basically I want to be able to select the individual layers and apply different materials to them.
- M_C_P0
how are your modeling skills? i'd just model the portion you need. i made this with loft nurbs, tracing out your original paths. then i made it editable so i could make selection tags for the different colors.
rather than attaching this mesh to the skull, i'd render this out at the same angle as the skull and composite in photoshop
- dopepope0
Which version of zBrush are you guys using? Just curious.
- honestly0
lemme get an .stl of that bad boy will ya? ;)