Turn a Flat Image Into a 3d Relief for CNC

[@Polygonlin]

Here is a tip for sculpting in zbrush that a lot of beginners dont know. this goes for 3D Coat, Blender and the like too... ALWAYS sculpt in low resolution and move upwards in resolution as you need more detail. If you start out with high rez, be it in dynamesh or subdiv, its VERY VERY VERY HARD to get your shapes correct early on. And shapes are literally the backbone, the DNA, THE LITERAL FOUNDATION of your work. That goes for 2D as well. Very few artists can draw without doing guidelines first, but NO sculptors can sculpt without the shapes and foundation for the details to sit on. Just my little tip i learned early on many, many years ago.

[@Polygonlin]

Also i forgot to add, when you start out in 3D programs sculpting in high rez at first, imagine it sorta like working with warm clay to build the face or whatever up, then putting it in the icebox to cool it off for detail? Same thing. If you try to sculpt big shapes with ice cold, ultra hard clay you'll have a bad time. Same goes for ultra warm clay for handling or details. VERY annoying to deal with. Constant smudges and ruined work.

[@KirbaZ]

I am a beginner jeweler cannot begin to describe you how much this video has helped me man.... Thanks for taking the time and walking us through this.

[@jonpierce8342]

I'm here trying to figure out how to make files to print shallow relief art bars to make pendants, and such...

[@tsadickmelehoff9081]

Thank you so much! It's like a lightbulb moment for me-so clear and easy to grasp!

[@behanner]

This is the best tutorial video I have seen on just about anything. I hate tutorials that cover this amount of content and take like an hour as they show how to select every little thing. I understand those are sometimes needed but I want a 10 min video that just goes through it.

[@kdericson]

Probably one of the most useful videos I've ever seen on youtube. Great job!

[@doubleT84]

That was extremely valuable, thank you. I'm trying to create a 3D PVC patch and wanted to give the main visual a bit more depth and texture. Also, I wanted to make a terrain relief with distance marks and details for my windowsill for a while and was stuck with how to achieve that. This will help.

[@laveryring3527]

This is the video I've been looking for. Was terrified of zbrush and couldn't break into it. Now I can work on my very basic 3d stl files that I made in tinkercad in zbrush to get me started. Thank you.

[@Polygonlin]

If you ever need any paid tutorials or chracks for Zbrush, let me know. Ive been helping people get those for a while now, to help people learn the program. I was a SUPERFAN of the program, until they sold out to Maxon, i still love the program, but now i help people get it for free cause to hell with maxon "the greedy company that bought the program"

[@danpangione]

Straight to the point video with no bs. Thanks for that!

[@cecilomar]

This is one of my favorite videos, I keep watching it and I've gone as far as modeling something I want to carve in the CNC, but still have not. Just wanted to pass by and say thank you, while I watch it again to get motivated to carve what I modeled.

[@drumunl]

This is a fantastic video! I just got a CNC, and I've been watching a lot of tutorial videos to work on expanding my capabilities. This was really helpful.

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! Video coming soon about carving into irregular shaped stock in your CNC. For example - pumpkin carving!

[@darinbolvin3663]

Thanks. Great video, but that music is kind of annoying.

[@DGAWDGAW]

Very annoying at least to me.

[@anotherdrummer2]

Extremely annoying

[@MrmerryPippin-tw6rv]

Super annoying

[@boobiej08]

Make your own videos then.

[@Krokodilhunter19]

Great logic, came to watch a tutorial but because it's annoying I created my own tutorial instead.

[@thirteenthangel6482]

In one video you've solved most of my issues and got a new subscriber

[@IrjiDudek]

You are magic. So short and so clear. Really thank you.

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! I appreciate you

[@feasterfamine836]

Great video, the use of a jig and tape to hold a piece you repeat took me off guard, very clever.

[@theflamingredone]

This is a great tutorial. Super clear and helpful. It seems you've exported a metronome in the voice-over audio though. I don't know if you're aware of it but thought I'd point it out just in case. Thanks very much for your work.

[@mdandry]

Excellent video. I already have fusion 360, but recently installed Blender and it seems pretty similar. I will give it a shot on there and if no luck, definitely going your route. Thanks 👍🏻

[@vanshikhakansay7629]

ooo god uh r such a saviour man 🥺 thanks for the tutorial , everything single thing is so clear , love uh🥺

[@austinhuntley5169]

As a fast base for organic objects like this you can always shove any image into a program like materialize which is small and FREE where you can generate a heightmap and then use that as a good starting point or even find that good enough without going through most of this process. You can either displace geo in Blender or in zbrush with the heightmap or drag the alpha onto a plane.

[@freshmaker4o]

In was thinking exact same thing, Materialize is fantastic. Apparently there is also a website where you can convert a normal map to geometry

[@austinhuntley5169]

@@freshmaker4o recently there's been some really good ai tools on huggingface for generating high-quality depth maps from images too.

[@fxsrider]

I have been playing around with Fusion 360 for a couple years. Every now and then I'll get frustrated with the whole mess and play a guitar instead, only to find out I can't remember how to play more than a few songs. I have a cnc router and it has been quite an experience by itself. My main goal is to take a photo and create a 3D model from it. Every time I come back to try again I find videos I haven't seen yet demonstrating software I've never heard of. If we didn't have the internet and I had to do this old school with the local library resources I doubt I would get very far. The technology advances faster than they can get the books on the shelves. The books they do have are always checked out. The internet changed everything didn't it? Thank you for taking the time to show the rest of us what probably took you a good while to sort out.

[@MrAtomic9]

I have been trying to figure out how to do a 3d image of my dog that passed a couple weeks ago. Very concise explanation of where I need to start! Excellent video!

[@joepaonessa1298]

Excellent video, I was looking for something as straight forward as this.

[@jeepers52002]

Great intro to the concepts! Love the fixture/tape method for two sided machining. I'll be using that trick for sure :).

[@daveyJ213]

WOW! Amazing. Excellent tutorial. It will be a while before I can catch up to you, but very inspirational. Thanks for sharing.

[@emilianoperezr9676]

Just started yesterday with fusion and your tutorial was completely understandable. Didn't knew I could do that!

[@cgrosbeck]

most brushes can add more vertices if you enable sculptures pro. Quick tip!!!!! Its the round button to the left of MRGB at the top the button looks kind of like yin and yang.

[@dynomania]

Very nice - Kurt would be impressed

[@jewelator]

Respect for leaving a comment to the author. I would be grateful if you look at my content and rate it. In one of the videos, I made a gold case for a Zippo 3D printer lighter.

[@team-tinker]

Amazing tutorial, perfect pace, very clear.

[@barefootlyrooted]

Thanks so much for sharing this process. Woke up with an idea and now I have a bit more direction on how to do it.

[@cgrosbeck]

Also when smoothing if sculptures pro is enabled you can do finer smoothing keeping detail!

[@grahamshere]

Thank you Chemical, been struggling with ways to do this, tried box modeling first but ahhhh just not great and takes for ever. This should work great.

[@mcdo8975]

fantastic video, thank you a bunch for showing the big picture

[@crookcostello6018]

LEGENDARY VIDEO!! GREAT INFO! You earned the Thumb and Sub many times over.

[@Chemical14]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@mellis966]

Holy Smokes, This video is Fire, I don't mean like match fire. I mean like California Roast the Toast Fire. .... This is an awesome video. Not too long, not too short. Thanks!

[@LtJerryRigg]

Excellent demonstration of workflow, exactly what I was looking for. I love the integration of the softwares. Thank you, I have some research to do now, hah. You do beautiful work

[@andrewlongfellow8745]

Wow this is amazing. I’ve attempt to sculpt multiple times now with different programs and I never get the shape I want. I’m going to seriously try this technique with blender or some other free program.

[@gomtb]

The Fusion 360 Image2Surface Addin may help in this process. You would be able to quickly convert the heart image to a mesh and to a T-Spline surface.

[@CraftySven]

this is really neatly done and makes the sculpting step really easy and understandable.

[@shahbokhari]

That was an exceptional piece of work! Thank You for sharing!

[@hondaman900f]

Excellent video - thank you. What CNC machine do you use?

[@johnfogg7858]

Excellent video! Exactly what I needed to see. THANKS!

[@mapache_jega]

Excelente , gracias por compartir. Como se consigue el Zplugin?

[@MakeSomething]

Oh wow, that was great! I have to try this. Thanks!

[@Chemical14]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheZahnputz]

hi, have you tried using a texture brush? i just discovered this in blender - you use a 2d black and white image to deform surface texture. you wont get the complete depth and your image might need some photoshopping, but after that its basically just ONE click to get you 90% of the work done.

[@МаксМаксов-к9ь]

Шкатулки - просто красота !!!👍👍👍👍

[@jhall651]

Awesome video! Just what I was looking for. What type of gaming controller is that you controller your cnc with? Does it control it through your computer or through the cnc module/brain?

[@wjones1972]

This is a great video. Nice job..I haven't used Zbrush but now I am going to have to check it out.

[@jamesriley5057]

This is great. Fortunately AI is able to create height maps pretty well now. Turn an image to height map with AI then use the map as your displacement in blender. Apply the modifier.

[@bemccune7671]

Hey thanks for this. That's a very cool workflow!

[@Polygonlin]

Forgot to ask, what sorta C&C machine do you use? Is it a fairly affordable one? Id love to make lie... furnature type stuff like this.

[@artsquirrel]

If you want a nice basemesh from a depth / height map to begin the sculpt process 3d Coat or inflate bitmap in Curvy 3D is useful

[@AJonahU]

Great video. Do you have any recommendations on learning material for how to mill on fusion or in general? Thank you!

[@Chemical14]

When I first got started I just watched whatever tutorials for Fusion I could find on KZbin. After that I just started trying things. Just being persistent and not being scared to screw up is what will get you where you want to go.

[@DJminor92]

Just a heads up the free version of zbrush (zbrush core mini) does not support the importation of stl or even obj files.

[@evangelina84]

So good! Thanks for sharing

[@danwohlslagel1277]

Awesome work! Are you able to use the G-code generated from Fusion 360 for a proprietary program like the Shark HD4 ( Nextwave CNC)? I know that there is an export option for Shark CNC but I have also heard that generic G-code will not work and you have to use Vectric V-Carve Pro.

[@Chemical14]

When you export your gcode from fusion you get a lot of options for post processing for different systems. If your system is in the list just select that and it’ll work. Lots of hobbyist cncs are grbl based (like shapeoko) so in that case you just select the grbl post processor. You can also find other post processor add-ons that people have made if you don’t see your system in the list.

[@erosangelos9422]

El MAGNIFICO)). no Words more! Thank you !

[@johnlafferty5032]

Thank you. Excellent intro

[@SpencerYonce]

I loved this!! Thank you man!!

[@garyzalewski9787]

Well done! What type and size of bit did you use for the heart?

[@Chemical14]

I used a 1mm radius tapered bit for the finish pass. 1/4” radius ballnose for the rough in.

[@altar7885]

Great stuff. Thanks a lot. I was wanting to do some medallions and this could come in handy. Are the functions you used available in the free versions of those softwares?

[@eliotaugusto9548]

Perfect. Exactly what I needed.

[@AnuNafs]

This is amazing thank you so much this is going to change my whole process.

[@JacquelynSmith_perfect45degree]

Fantastic video! Thanks for sharing!!!!

[@skyeblue6834]

Gorgeous boxes

[@antonioferreiro]

Very helpful video. Thanks for sharing. I will practice in my designs.

[@omsingharjit]

7:10 i just wondered that 😅

[@JAYTEEAU]

Nicely done, thanks. Cheers, JAYTEE

[@longlivingdude]

Great tutorial!

[@AzazelWill.]

actually this tutorial is very helpful and informative thank very much ;)

[@ScottBarrettihq]

this is great - well done. really terrific tutorial on a lot of levels. now, PLEASE find a rubber heart replica, painted as realistically as possible and place it in that box and perhaps fill it with a clear epoxy. Let nosey people just 'discover' the contents of the heart box.

[@Funcasino-royaleCoUk]

Is there a similar tutorial using Blender instead of Zbrush?

[@noochmahh]

what was the controller you used to jog your cnc. I am looking for a new controller

[@bjoernbrasch2432]

Hardcore. Well done.

[@AbolfazelKharazmi-wd6pv]

Hello I can't improt any stl file as a tool what should I do my zbruch just have goz mesh and other formats it cant import stl help me please

[@BEEFYCNC]

Thanks for the tutorial, just what i was looking for... Which tablet are you using? I've been looking at getting one with a screen for design work...

[@escanmek]

Great tutorial, thanks.

[@TheHorrorHabit-SC]

Is there a cnc machine u would recommend for this sort of work but a high quality beginner? Something that is something I can grow into

[@HappilyUnMarred]

Please sir! Thank you for your video, but I have a question! How do I make this an INDENTION? Thank you!

[@Chemical14]

In fusion you can use one body to cut another body and create a negative using the combine function. You would have to convert the mesh to a solid first. If you try to do it with a shape that has too many polygons it will give you an error so you may need to simplify it. I’m sure you can find a tutorial explaining this better than I can but I have done it to make molds. Check out my video on casting concrete skulls if you want to see how I did it.

[@aaliceMG]

What is the model of the tablet in the video?

[@johnstra002]

thats incredible thanks man

[@onlyychevys]

WOW, impressive video!

[@KN-ix2xm]

are all these tools free to use on the softwares you have shown in this video? Also, would this design and other designs like these, also be applicable for engraving onto metal via fiber lasers? Thanks and keep up the amazing work!

[@jannik3556]

Is this possible with the "ZBrushCore" license for ~15€? Or do I need the very expensive license?

[@metallicaandchimaira]

Man idk how the hell you got the mesh on the box to carve out. Idk what im doing wrong with the programing but mine just gets stuck at 80% toolpath progress and wont want to carve down to the lowest depth im trying to carve to. It does not want to carve the meshes I have sculpted to my box.

[@650mm]

Thanks for the tutorial. I'm having problems with the outline of my image getting distorted as I add 3D contours to it. When you show the sides of your heart, it looks like the "clay" is added to the top while leaving the thick flat material underneath- so the heart outline doesn't actually change if you're looking straight on. How did you do that? Help appreciated.

[@Chemical14]

I had that problem sometimes too. It will help if you make the original shape thicker in fusion to start with when you extrude it. Now I just make it much deeper than necessary to start and it prevents the back side from being distorted while I’m working on it. You can always trim off the extra later.

[@650mm]

@@Chemical14 Thanks, man!

[@AbelLeba-tb7lg]

what cnc router do you prefer?

[@peteredwards2371]

Well done, you explained that really well 👍😊

[@aleX3mer]

Yeah. ZBrush ZRemesher the best))) Thank you)

[@PeterCane]

great video, thank you!

[@seabeepirate]

Pretty cool. I was hoping for something simpler though like using a pic in greyscale.

[@amysteryprojects]

Great simplistic video thank you so very much very straight forward

[@juanjosesilva4315]

I can do something like that but with 5 axis?

[@eddycheung4693]

can you make a general form in the sculpting software as well?

[@Chemical14]

Yes you can start from a primitive shape in the sculpting software like a sphere or cube or you can also start from an armature if your making something more like a figure.

[@eddycheung4693]

@@Chemical14 I meant can I do the same I the video in blender instead of fusion 360 for the basic outline shape in the beginning of the video? Cheers

[@Chemical14]

Sorry, I misunderstood. The sculpting software doesn’t have an option to create a form from a sketch in that way as far as I know. I think they’ve added a feature for automatically generating a relief from an image but I haven’t played with that yet to really know how it works. I’m just really comfortable working with fusion and this method is easy for me.

[@djorgeo]

Excelente video, Muchas gracias por compartir tu conocimiento!!!!

[@Chemical14]

Gracias!

[@barnettbuilds227]

What touch screen tablet and pen are you using, or do you now recommend 2 years later?

[@Chemical14]

I’ve been using Wacom one and still using it. It’s a pretty affordable option and I’ve got no complaints.

[@barnettbuilds227]

@@Chemical14 any specific model I should look for?

[@Chemical14]

I think I have the Wacom One 12. I don’t have experience with any other models I just read some reviews and then picked this one because it seamed like good value for the price.

[@barnettbuilds227]

@@Chemical14 nice. Thanks!

[@hillcountryCNC]

What kind of controller was that with your CNC?

[@sierraecho884]

Nicely done, I am surprised how involved this is to be honest. I was expecting that the software can turn an image to a depth map and then simply generate the height.

[@Chemical14]

It can turn an image into a depth map but the result isn’t that great unless you’re image is designed for that. In a photo there are lots of cross shadows and reflections and changing textures that get interpreted inappropriately. This method gives you much better control and it’s actually pretty fun. It feels more like you’re really sculpting but it’s still easy.

[@sierraecho884]

@@Chemical14 You are right. The depth map method is best for when you have a 3D object from the beginning and want to create just a 2.5D relief.

[@sierraecho884]

@@Chemical14 I am a CAD designer not a 3D artist. My idea was to use a colored picture as an input, convert it into grey scale, sort the grey scale in say 5 levels of intensity automatically and extrude each one of them to different depth. What do you think of this method ? I could smooth over everything at the end with Z-brush. This way I would avoid drawing manual lines which is really time consuming for more complex pictures. I want to make sliding doors for my DIY furniture with a movie theme, Terminator or Lord of the Rings or something like that.

[@Cagrippa]

amazing work i subscribed because of this video

[@Chemical14]

Thanks!

[@ericgaymard5218]

amazing tuto thks bro !!

[@rafaelnadalgoat8617]

Is the pro engineer wildfire 5.0 program good for the CNC machine? I'm learning him at school

[@maverick342]

Yes, of course.

[@michaelfuller3656]

Very cool.😮