Using ZBrush For Concept Art

 

Using ZBrush For Concept Art (Sergeev 2017)

A marginally faster way of producing 'paint overs' can be to use ZBrush for 'White Boxing. Using ZBrush, a polygon can be manipulated similar to programmes such as Maya using the ZModeler Brush. Using ZModuler, you can manipulate a poly meshes face, edge or point (vertices). One benefit to this tool is that it will automatically weld all vertices together when extruding the mesh (Pixologic 2015). 
Using ZBrush for 'white box' modelling is effective for achieving very basic and simple low poly meshes to be used in cityscape builds such as buildings for a city. Creating a cityscape on ZBrush is referred to as a 'Tiling Alpha'. Using the canvas of ZBrush, you can begin to populate and begin scaling the landscape, creating an assembly of all the polymers parts built and using 'Shift + S' to duplicate meshes. (Pixologic 2015)
Once an Alpha has been created and exported as a .psd file, the image can then be imported onto a plain 3D object. Then imported, the Alpha will be applied as a 'noise' and ZBrush will displace the plain 3D object based on the 'noise' applied (Known as a BPR). This BPR effect can be converted into real Geometry Using the 'Convert BPR to Geo' tool. An advantage to using ZBrush over programmes like Maya is because additional detail can also be applied if desired with the variety of textural brushes to create textural markings of roads, building detail or water. (Pixologic 2015)
To render on ZBrush, add-ons like KeyShot can be used to create cameras to focus on certain aspects of the Geometry and apply additional material textures as well as environmental lighting to produce shadows. KeyShot will allow exports of high renders, as well as a variety of settings such as line art, renders if desired. (Pixologic 2015)
Once rendered and exported, digital artists can then use these files to then start to produce 'paint overs' in programmes such as Photoshop to produce concept art with a more realistic understanding of the cityscapes' proportion, depth and scale in mind. 

Arti Sergeev (2017). Guide: Using ZBrush for Concept Art. [online] 80.lv. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/guide-using-zbrush-for-concept-art/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2020].

‌Pixologic ZBrush (2015). ZBrush for Concepting - Part 1. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGlzP1y0AO0&feature=emb_title [Accessed 1 Dec. 2020].

‌Pixologic ZBrush (2015). ZBrush for Concepting - Part 2. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2eXjm3poHw&feature=emb_title [Accessed 1 Dec. 2020].

‌Pixologic ZBrush (2015). ZBrush for Concepting - Part 2. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2eXjm3poHw&feature=emb_title [Accessed 1 Dec. 2020].

‌Pixologic ZBrush (2015). ZBrush for Concepting - Part 4. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buts74T8Ilw&feature=emb_title [Accessed 1 Dec. 2020].

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