Sculpt a Mech Head with ZBrush and Present it in Keyshot

Name: Sculpt a Mech Head with ZBrush and Present it in Keyshot
Rating: 3.8 (17 reviews)

Learn to model this complex 3d asset and learn more about sculpting in ZBrush for games or film.

Created by3dmotive LLC

Last updated 5/2015

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Model a mech head or helmet inside of ZBrush
Add quick materials to the object and render it inside of Keyshot

Course content

3 sections • 23 lectures • 4h 22m total length

Introduction to the Course1:07
Explore hard surface modeling in ZBrush using dynamite spheres and the clip curve brush to build a basic helmet and upper chest, then refine shapes for a clear concept.
Roughing Out Dynamesh Shapes13:08
build a mech head from multiple dynamesh pieces, using symmetry, duplicates, clip-curve cuts, masking, and the move brush to shape and refine.
Shaping Up the Helmet14:09
Sculpt the mech head helmet in ZBrush using the move brush, masking, and symmetry to shape and refine the visor for later rendering in KeyShot.
Adding Elements to the Helmet15:17
Duplicate parts, move and scale in ZBrush, then sculpt with clay build up to shape details. Mirror and weld on the left side, clip masks, and add hoses.
Creating a Neck and Chest12:01
Rotate, scale, and sculpt a neck and bust for a mech head in ZBrush, duplicating subtools, masking, and refining with move, clay buildup, and remesh to prepare the upper torso.
Using Masking to Pull Out Shapes11:22
Apply masking to pull out mechanical shapes, then rotate, move, and remesh to build panels, hoses, and details for a mech head in ZBrush, with multi-mash brushes and quick iterations.
Using the Action Line for Chest Elements8:52
Use the action line to shape and widen the chest elements, applying masking, inverting, and clean lines before mirroring, welding, and merging with modified topology.
Tweaking Parts of the Chest8:28
Modify the chest piece by masking, moving, rotating, and scaling to fix interference, then plan to rebuild sections and add hoses for a clean, sharp mech head.

Introduction1:13
Learn to sculpt a mech head in ZBrush, build chest, side, and back plates with poly groups via the slice curve brush, then extrude, scale, color, and apply to KeyShot.
Drawing in the Chest Plating12:17
Learn to sculpt a chest piece for a mech in ZBrush, using the slice curve brush to define paneling, create new polygroups, and apply symmetry and transparency for precise planning.
Using Slice Curve for Plating12:11
Use the slice curve to cut the mech head on one side, separate armor plates, then mirror and weld to complete the symmetric plating with clean edges.
Cleaning Up Geometry13:48
Refine the mech head geometry in ZBrush by duplicating dynas pieces, clipping curves, moving and scaling parts, and using mirror and weld to clean up the back.
Trying Out a New Helmet16:25
Explore helmet sculpting in ZBrush with dynamesh, masking, and curve tools to shape a visor, then refine with slice curve and polish for a ready KeyShot presentation.
Reusing and Reworking the Original Helmet10:42
Duplicate the original helmet mesh, reduce its polygon count, and rework it with the slice curve to refine the face shield and plexiglass details, preserving the original shape.
Extruding the Helmet Plating12:08
Explore hands-on techniques for extruding helmet plating in ZBrush, including masking, inverting masks, moving, scaling, rotating, smoothing edges, and refining rim details.
Adding New Bits to the Helmet10:38
Scale down helmet pieces, duplicate components, and move them for layout. Mirror and weld for symmetry, add hoses and screws, and plan a battle-worn finish with scratches.

Introduction1:10
Begin by blocking torso panels in ZBrush, add screws and plating with alphas, insert multimap brush for geometry, create two hoses with cylinders and kinks, and render in KeyShot.
Cutting in Edges with Dam Standard10:46
Apply Dam Standard to cut in edges in ZBrush, using alphas and insert multi-mesh brushes to add futuristic details, with masking and move brush techniques.
Adding Screws with Alphas13:09
Import alphas and add screws on the mech head using masking and move brushes, ensuring consistent size and placement across helmet, shoulder pads, and back pieces.
Using the IMM Brush on the Torso14:42
Learn to use the insert multi mesh brush on the torso, experiment with alphas and gradients, and optimize geometry with decimation master for quick mech gadgets placement.
Using the IMM Brush on the Helmet15:51
Use the IMM brush on the helmet to add and position pieces, adjust symmetry, rotate and scale components, and refine placement with action lines for a cohesive mecha head.
Adding a Piece to the Torso15:14
Refine the torso by adding hoses and loops to the mech head. Use symmetry, rotate, and move pieces to position a galactic empire emblem for detail.
Adding in Hoses and Quick Render in Keyshot17:32
Add hoses to the mech head in ZBrush using the insert cylinder, lock start and end points, embed and adjust bends, then export and render a quick presentation in KeyShot.

Requirements

Pixelogic's ZBrush
Presentation in Keyshot is shown, though not mandatory

Description

In this series, we're going to jump into an introduction to creating a Mech Head in ZBrush. We'll initially use Dynamesh to create the foundational shapes before refining them and creating new polygroups within each subtool. We'll then extrude some of the polygroups to help create the plating on different parts of the mesh before using some alphas to create some smaller details over the model. We'll utilize the IMM brush particularly to add in elements to our Mech Head to finalize details. Lastly, we'll quickly drop the model into KeyShot for our final test renders.

(Students - please look under Section 1 / Lecture 1 downloads for the source files associated with the lesson.)

More about the Instructor:

Stephen Wells is an expert 3D modeler for characters, props, vehicles, weapons and environments and have created both high and low polygon assets for game productions. He has over 20 years experience in creating a variety of game assets for several different genres (fantasy, sci-fi, combat, superheroes, horror, etc) using 3ds Max, Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, Mudbox, Topogun, and xNormal. As an enthusiastic instructor, he loves creating video tutorials on a wide variety of subjects to help students better their skillsets.

Who this course is for:

Intermediate students who already have a working knowledge of ZBrush

Sculpt a Mech Head with ZBrush and Present it in Keyshot

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Blocking out the Major Shapes of the Bust8 lectures • 1hr 24min

Reworking the Chest and Adding Cut Lines8 lectures • 1hr 29min

Refining with Small Details and Final Presentation7 lectures • 1hr 28min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: