SOFTWARE: ZBRUSH
Glen Southern replies
I first saw ZSpheres in 2006 when I visited the Pixologic office in Los Angeles. It was a pre-release version and their then product manager Ryan Kingslien was showing me a raft of awesome new features. Here we are in 2023 and the question is: are ZSpheres still relevant all these years later?
First of all, let’s just be sure we know what ZSpheres are and what they can be used for. ZSpheres are a unique feature in ZBrush. They’re a powerful tool used for creating base mesh structures and establishing the overall form of a 3D model. ZSpheres allow artists to build a flexible armature that you can then easily manipulate and transform into a complex character or creature.
They provide a flexible, intuitive way to create complex organic models, as they allow for easy manipulation of the base structure. ZSpheres are particularly useful for character artists and creature designers who want to establish a solid foundation before diving into the intricate sculpting process.
Once you’ve established the basic form using ZSpheres, you can convert them into a sculptable mesh. To do this, go to the Adaptive Skin sub-palette in the Tool menu and click on the Make Adaptive Skin button. This will generate a mesh based on the ZSphere structure. After creating the adaptive skin, you can switch to the Sculpting mode by clicking the Edit button in the Tool palette. This allows you to refine and add details to your model using the various brushes and sculpting techniques available in ZBrush.
I’ve used ZSpheres extensively making creatures and characters, and before VR sculpting tools such as Adobe Medium or more recently Substance 3D Modeler came along, I found them the fastest way to create my base meshes. No other company has come up with anything like the ZSphere concept. Creat
