What you'll learn

In this series of tutorials, we will go through the process of painting textures for our models in ZBrush. ZBrush is a great tool for painting textures for our sculpted models, but it works a little bit differently from other applications. We'll start the tutorial by talking about the basics of polypainting and how it differs from a map-based workflow. We'll then use a cool creature sculpt as our project as we go through the process of texture painting. We'll explore different strokes and brush settings to achieve different effects. We'll learn to use layers to blend multiple polypaint passes together. We'll use custom alphas to create detail and the noise function will allow us to add high-frequency detail quickly. We'll also learn about UVs and using masking to darken cavities in our mesh. Finally, we'll learn to create texture maps from our polypainted model and transfer those to other applications. As we go, feel free to have some fun with the color palette and really make the character your own. Once you're done, you'll have the knowledge you need to paint textures for your own models in ZBrush. Software required: ZBrush 4R6.