ZBrush 2021
ZBrush 2021 introduces a Dynamics system along with Controlled Cloth Sculpting and a revisiting of our Dynamic Subdivision feature. We’ve also added new features to ZModeler, as well as introducing iMage 3D support to ZBrush and giving it the ability to open native-format files created by ZBrushCoreMini.
The ZBrush engine itself has also been enhanced, finding ways to improve performance across the board. You will find that ZBrush 2021 sculpts more fluidly, as well as taking less time to perform other operations such as DynaMesh.
ZBrush 2021.6 Release Included. Features Include
Mesh from Mask
Mesh from Mask is an amazingly fast and simple mesh creation tool. Simply outline your desired shape with the masking lasso and this shape will instantly be turned into an editable mesh. Although your stroke must begin on a mesh, it can then be continued over open canvas if you wish. You can add to your shape, subtract from it or cut holes with real-time updates to the generated mesh.
CurveAlpha and ExtrudeProfile
The new Curve Alpha brushes take any 2D alpha and extrude it along a curve as real geometry! This is ideal for quickly creating stylish strands of hair or horns, twisting and tapering along any curve you create.
Snake Curve
Give your imagination a boost! The new SnakeCurve brushes work with Sculptris Pro mode, allowing you to draw out a curve on the model and then pull it out from the surface to create strange and beautiful organic extrusions. This feature is perfect for creating the sort of happy accidents that inspire artists.
True Raytracing Ambient Occlusion
A new, improved version of Ambient Occlusion masking has been added, with intensity and smoothing controls. The new AO even respects other SubTools!
USD format
The USD format has been added for import and export. The USD format was developed by Pixar to provide a way to handle scenes made up of many different elements as well as allow multiple artists to collaborate on the different assets.
Other Additions and Improvements
- Sticky Hotkeys: Any hotkey that triggers a slider can now be held down. Moving the cursor then adjusts the slider until the hotkey is released. This means fewer clicks to get the same result. To use the legacy behaviour, simply tap the hotkey and click+drag to adjust the slider. You can adjust the Preferences>Interface>Click>Sticky Keys Activation Timer slider to suit how you work. To disable Sticky Keys – so reverting to the behaviour of 2021.5 – set the slider to 4. Remember to save your configuration (Shift+Ctrl+i).
- Two new Male and Female demo meshes are included, courtesy of Tsvetomir Georgiev.
- Updates to Curve Stroke options allow more advanced behavior.
- The last saved project will now be opened when ZBrush starts. This option can be turned off in the Preferences>>Startup subpalette.
- A selection of hard surface alphas has been added to the Alpha tab of Lightbox for using with the new features.
ZBrush 2021.5 Release Included. Features Include
Thick Skin
For the true sense of adding, removing or moving clay across a surface use Thick Skin. This gives any mesh the appearance of having been sculpted as a fine art piece. Thick Skin can also be used to establish a specific plateau from which to build upon a surface to create scales and other features with consistent height or depth.
Sculptris Pro Enhancements
Sculptris Pro performance has been improved, further empowering it as a system for true creativity without limitations.
Contrast
Didn’t sculpt those wrinkles deeply enough? Need to enhance the details of those fish scales for a 3D print? The Contrast slider provides you with the ability to globally enhance all sculpting details while the Contrast brushes make it possible to focus on specific areas to heighten your sculptural details. Specific depths can be applied on an individual basis and even be adjusted in real-time, giving true freedom to experiment.
Contrast doesn’t just bump the details. It can also be applied to smooth a surface back towards the original state before any sculpting details were applied.
Curves Helper
Need to tie a knot around that character’s waist, create a flow of wires through a mech or apply laces to a shoe or boot? Curves Helper is your answer! It’s simple: draw any shape with ZSpheres and adjust it to fit your needs. Then with a simple click, convert the ZSpheres into an editable curve that will now allow any surface to be applied along the curve.
Continue your edits in Curve mode, including swapping out the geometry being applied along the curve.
Preview Ambient Occlusion
Sculpt with real-time render accuracy that captures every stroke applied to your mesh. Real-time ambient occlusion gives you the ability to quickly see which portions of your model might need that extra touch. Bring your creations to life in real-time with the Preview AO (Ambient Occlusion) feature.
ZModeler Additions
Don’t let the walls of your topology restrict your creative process. Slice your topology along an edge, face or point to control the direction in which you want to take the construction of polygons. Once you’ve got everything in place, apply a crease to multiple edges with two clicks to maintain that crisp edge needed for your next hard surface model.
Use the Fill PolyGroup option to mark the faces where you will add an extra layer of topology to create a suit of armor or the right touch of detail on a utility knife.
Axis Rotation
Lock your model to one rotational axis to give you that real world feeling of working on a sculpture stand, just like the clay masters did. Use the Axis Rotation option to specify a degree of rotation for your model during a presentation meeting or limit your viewing area of interest to just one portion of the model.
3D Connexion Mouse Support
Navigate in a way that frees you from a keyboard. Using the line of 3D Connexion mice gives you the ability to navigate with just a slight touch of the navigation knob. Rotate and zoom at the same time or pivot around the point of interest without breaking your sculpting stride.
And More…
- Two new Render Presets have been added.
- A new Radial Overlay filter lets you focus your render on a specific part of the scene.
- Various plug-ins have been updated.
- Four new demo projects have been added to be used as a base for many sculpts.
- Several brushes have been added to take advantage of the Thick Skin feature.
2021 Features
Introducing Dynamics
Enhance your sculpting with a Dynamics system that allows any surface to be contracted, expanded, inflated or draped with gravity. Use masking to pin a portion of the mesh to create a point of interest or use a mask to create a unique interaction that can allow the surface to be rolled on itself. Create realistic cloth folds - even on a low resolution plane. Place your mesh, turn on the collision volume and any desired controls, then watch as ZBrush drapes the cloth mesh over any other visible meshes.
Controlled Cloth
Special brushes have been introduced which use the Dynamics engine to give unique capabilities for interacting with the cloth surface. As examples, you can choose where folds will lay or simply grab the geometry to move it freely in the work space and create folds in real-time. The ClothTwister brush simulates twisted cloth. ClothWind allows directional movement. ClothPinchTrails will create a seam with pinched cloth wherever your brush stroke takes place on the surface.
Dynamic Subdiv Revisited
Dynamic Subdiv provides a working preview of your subdivision levels without actually increasing the base polygon count. This feature is now taken a step further by allowing you to add an adjustable thickness to any single piece of planar geometry.
A piece of geometry can also be added to each polygon as a completely interactive instance. Select from the library of presets to make a surface look like canvas or denim jeans. Even select a piece of armor to create repeatable chainmail.
Performance
Even more performance enhancements have now been added to ZBrush. We revisited the systems behind the sculpting brushes along with many other popular features. Speed has increased across all sectors, including faster response time with high polygon models, increased DynaMesh speed and much more. In addition, a new Optimal option for smart management of multithreading will always maintain the right amount of threads ZBrush needs with your system for the best performance.
ZModeler Upgraded
New functions have been added to the already powerful ZModeler brush system.
Extrude Edge
It’s never been easier to build a plane up into what you imagine or construct a completely new piece of geometry that fits into an existing sculpt. The new Edge Extrude feature gives you the ability to build with one edge, multiple edges, complete edge loops and/or polyloops -- with interactive edge snapping. Not only can you extrude an edge to snap to the adjacent face but you can enable SnapToSurface to allow the new edges to snap to an underlying surface.
Equidistant Inset
With Equidistant Inset you can inset a single polygon or region of polygons and all newly created topology will be equidistant from the existing topology. The result is a perfect new set of polygons.
Nanomesh Modifications
Continuing to expand on the already powerful instancing system of NanoMesh, ZBrush 2021 now gives you the ability to edit the instance mesh while it is in place within the scene. Combining Split Screen with NanoMesh, this throws wide open your ability to create and adjust without adding unwieldy numbers of polygons.
iMage3D GIF and PNG Formats
The iMage 3D format provides a unique way to share both an image of your work and the 3D model itself with others, all in a single GIF or PNG file. This file can be posted on any website where it will appear as a regular 2D image and once opened in ZBrush the complete model with all its SubTools is ready to edit.
