Zbrush Tips 01: Hardsurface Shell Design

[@joepeezly]

Thanks for making this video. I really like your style, and I found it very beneficial to see you put your own hand into marco plouffe's general process. It helps the technique sink in to my head even more, AND helps me consider more options around the workflow. Love your sculpts.

[@lukamivsek]

Thank you Joe, I am really glad to hear this is helpful!

[@Alander787]

Great content! Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm looking forward for next video!

[@Userjdk11031sks]

very useful tutorial for me!! veryvery thank you!!!

[@TriGon_Art]

Awesome stuff Luka, thanks for sharing!

[@ohlssonster]

This is really great Luka - would love to see some more tutorials from you if you have the time for it. You have a calm voice and clear instructions, really very nice to follow along.

[@XoioDe]

Luka, you are an outstanding designer - great designs and very original ideas. Always looking out for your designs!

[@JarmanProps]

Clear and concise workflow. Thanks for sharing these tips!

[@PHpedrassi]

This video helped me a lot. Thank you!!

[@piker78]

Perfect, love it :)

[@Nexxorcist]

So good. Thank you!

[@RH3D]

Please do another one of these!

[@Novasx2216]

perfect solution, 100 times better than remodeling by hand and fighting with topology

[@giovannimontagnana6262]

definitely, but imagine if you have to unwrap and texture this 💀

[@Novasx2216]

@@giovannimontagnana6262 Ofc you have to retopo this. No i am not imagining this, this is hurtful

[@giovannimontagnana6262]

@@Novasx2216 that's why for me Zbrush is amazing for hard surface modeling as long as it's not too complicated. Once you need a proper model to work on later on it becomes impossible to handle this kind of geometry.

[@Novasx2216]

@@giovannimontagnana6262 Yes, I have seen a course from Raf Grassetti (God of War) once and he uses the same technique and laughed at the suggestion of modeling.

[@brycegeurts3345]

ok this is bussin

[@ginger3d]

Luka Hello! thanks for this video! i am new on Zbrush and i am learning hardsurface, thanks for your videos! you help me a lot with this! Can i ask about the burhs that you use at 8:00 How is it named? where can i find that brush? thanks!

[@ohlssonster]

Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing. Can you recommend where one can find Alphas like you use? Did you buy any specific pack?

[@lukamivsek]

I updated description, check it out 🙌

[@ohlssonster]

@@lukamivsek You are awesome! Thank you

[@dan323609]

where can i find this alpha/brushes kit?

[@yurka709]

Thank you!)

[@heinblues]

very cool stuff. could also maybe do some more moi3d videos in the future? there is not so much stuff out there when i comes to robot/sci fi stuff

[@lukamivsek]

Yes maybe i could do moi3d as well, do you have anything specific in mind that you would like to see?

[@heinblues]

@@lukamivsek hey;) Anything towards hard surface/sci fi stuff would be super cool.

[@dntsleepray]

thanks so much for this! it’s extremely helpful. :) I was wondering: for the final version of this piece (the one posted on artstation), did you also use moi3d and/or nvil anywhere in your workflow? I see that you use it sometimes, is there any specific reason for that? like faster workflow, etc.?

[@lukamivsek]

The helmet posted on artstation 80-90% was done in zbrush. I did use some kitbash parts from personal library (for example the ear cylinder part you see on the side) which was done in moi3d. Regarding nvil and moi3d i used to have a process for a long time where i start with a rough sculpt in zbrush and then move into nvil and moi3d for final polished result, the reason was just me being used to the workflow, all 3 softwares have its own benefits regarding speed and quality (cad, subd modeling, sculpting). But over time my blockouts were getting more and more clean in zbrush so I started to think why not just finish everything inside zbrush, so this is where i am at now, trying to explore zbrush more and get that sharp finish. But i do think there is a fun combination with moi3d along zbrush, i will try to explore it more.

[@dntsleepray]

@@lukamivsek I see, I see. I can definitely see the difference in cleanliness now that you mention it. I appreciate your response :) can’t wait to see your future projects!

[@cbdf12]

Luka, what do you think about the workflow with Extract masked areas? I have to enter, to create... pure geometry? Or, in any case, will you have to clean it later and rebuild it with Zmodeler? If, for example, you need to make a face mask or separate elements for the head, and not a helmet? Are you going to do a rough blockout with the Clay brushes, or is it better to mask them right away and make an extract?

[@lukamivsek]

Hello CBDF! Thanks for asking, yes I used to work with Extract but I find it hard to keep the shell really precise with nice edges. Because the moment you start moving the mesh around using Dynamesh you quickly loose consistency in the edge, and if it is a thin shell it is going to be hard to get it back, so I prefer this route a lot more, it gives me more control. And the freedom of designing having whole blob together and using Clay brushes to sculpt the form I think adds to the speed of the process.

[@cbdf12]

​@@lukamivsek Yes, I agree that it's faster. I guess I should look into your approach. I have been thinking about how to do this for a long time, but I did not know that the guide was from Marco. Thank you for recording this video, now everything looks holistic.

[@knucklesbyname]

thankss!!!

[@ronydey2696]

Great thanks for making such great tips content tutorials over Pixologic also how to high poly to low poly while Maya to zbrush ???

[@ArtFromRachel]

Very nice, I'm looking to get better at Zbrush and this helps. :)

[@lukamivsek]

Happy to hear that Rachel!

[@nitrogamesstudios5276]

How you fix the jaggy edges? and get clean and smooth

[@valstres]

Only issue is once you start detaching and zremeshing, the mindset has completely changed from form to detailing. The relationship between form and detailing is broken

[@lukamivsek]

Yes, you sort of commit to the form after you decide to polish it up, it sort of works the same way if you work with standard SubD poly modeling workflow (maya, xsi, 3dsmax etc). But you know, you can always rework your idea, remove the shell, re-sculpt in dynamesh and go at it again. Or you can even mix and match - some parts with dynamesh, others parts with this workflow etc.

[@goguma-i6q]

i just got some question about the panel loops. i just started learning zbrush and i wondered if there is any tool in zbrush like does in blender modifier. i would like to work in thickness mod but not applying it. just to make sure before applying if is good. thank you very mich in advance

[@lukamivsek]

there are no modifiers like in Blender, but one thing that comes to my mind is you could try using layers, perhaps it works!

[@Nexxorcist]

you can try dynamic subdiv. there's a thickness slider in there u can slide back and forth before hitting the apply button

[@chrisg4433]

Tips? Everything is moving so fast lol