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Creating a Detailed Forest Creature in ZBrush

by Brad Groatman

In this ZBrush tutorial we will learn a number of different sculpting techniques in order to create a creature made of a variety of materials and substances. Software required: ZBrush 4R6, After Effects CS5.

What you'll learn

In this ZBrush tutorial we will learn a number of different sculpting techniques in order to create a creature made of a variety of materials and substances. The idea here is to create a creature with a focus on using a variety of sculpting tools in ZBrush. We will create our own MultiMesh tools for efficiently sculpting elements such as vines, ivy and thorny branches, utilize the curve function to increase use textures - specifically, the luminance of textures - in conjunction with morph targets as a means of gaining finer controls over the creation of subtools. We will look at nestling FiberMesh within FiberMesh in order to create various forms of vegetation, and we will also utilize ZSketching in order to create the complex structural makeup of this creature, which is comprised of many different kinds of materials, from moss and grasses to tree bark and rocks. Texturing will combine the use of Spotlight and Polypainting, and we will go through the process of gathering the necessary reference for each. We will go through the process of establishing effective render settings, as well as creating a final composite in After Effects to give the sculpt a fitting final presentation. By the end of this training, you will have developed a good familiarity with the variety of tools with which you can create diverse characters in ZBrush. Software required: ZBrush 4R6, After Effects CS5.

Table of contents

Introduction and Project Overview
1min
Creating a Detailed Forest Creature in ZBrush
604mins

About the author

Brad Groatman is a freelance animator and modeler with an MFA in Animation and Visual Effects from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He currently teaches 3D Character Design and Character Animation in the northeastern US.

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