New in ZBrush 4R8
With the new ZBrush 4R8 release from Pixologic comes a ton of new awesome features to expand on the industry-leading sculpting software.
To help you keep a track of all the new features, we've compiled the complete list in one place. Keep on reading to see everything that's new in ZBrush 4R8.
LIVE BOOLEAN
For all their power, Boolean systems have historically required a lot of trial and error before finally getting a satisfying result. With Live Boolean, artists gain the ability to combine multiple sculptures together and see in real-time what the resulting mesh will look like. Any model can be subtracted from another, regardless of their polygon counts. You can even use Live Boolean with the existing instancing systems in ZBrush such as NanoMesh and ArrayMesh. While Live Boolean is active, you can even sculpt on your models while previewing the Boolean results. All of these options can be combined together to provide new sculpting workflows that are unique to ZBrush.
*Render is an example of the ArrayMesh instance copy system being used in conjunction with Live Boolean.
REAL-TIME PREVIEW
Live Boolean is also excellent for creating hard surface models. Live Boolean makes it possible for you to preview any addition and subtraction operations between your source models, allowing adjustments to be made on the fly.
There is no guesswork, since you are able to dynamically see the end result before committing to the operation. You can adjust any part on a mesh and see it instantly impact the model. It's 100% interactive, non-destructive and works with any sculpt.
*Above animation is an example of Live Boolean handling multiple SubTools in real-time.
USING LIVE BOOLEAN FOR 3D PRINTING
Live Boolean is perfect for creating models for manufacturing, toy design, product design, collectibles, and more. Use any sculpt to create articulated joints, keys for 3D printing, hollowing, or even to create molds for production.
Render is an example of creating a toy's articulated knee joint with Live Boolean.
CONVERTING YOUR LIVE BOOLEANS
The Live Boolean function is not only a preview system inside ZBrush but can also be converted to true geometry to allow export for use in other applications.
When it comes time to finalize a Live Boolean creation, simply click a single button and the Live Boolean process will be converted to geometry. The structure of your models will change as little as possible, with topology changes only taking place where the source models connect to each other. Even with models that are comprised of several million polygons, the result can be generated in just a few seconds.
Model courtesy of Nacho Reisco. The above render illustrates boolean operations on a multi-million polygon sculpt. Rendered in Keyshot.
GIZMO 3D
The Gizmo 3D provides the artist with a new, simple UI element that will allow sculpts to be manipulated and transformed with precise control. Gizmo 3D can be easily placed at any location or orientation to perform accurate transformations. You can instantly change the pivot point for Move, Scale, or Rotation. There are options to rotate relative to the surface normal or world axis and much more.
TRANSFORM MULTIPLE SUBTOOLS AT ONCE
The new Gizmo 3D transformation tool will allow multi-selection and manipulation of SubTools. Select as many SubTools as you want, then move, scale, and/or rotate them as a unit. This makes it even easier to pose hard surface models!
DEFORMATIONS
ZBrush4R8 takes making large, broad adjustments to any sculpt easy with the new deformation modifiers. Bend text around a curved surface with the classic Bend on Curve modifier. Twist a sculpt along any axis. Use the Free Form Deformation box (FFD) to completely adjust the silhouette for any model. Also included are the unique, powerful deformers like Extender and Multi-Slice.
INTERACTIVE PRIMITIVES
Design rapidly with simple geometric shapes. Artists can freely adjust the geometry that defines the shape, even after the shape has been applied to the surface. Convert a smooth cylinder to an octagon, adjust a sphere to have flat poles or change a cone into a pyramid - all in real-time. Using this system, a few primitives can be turned into a whole library of sculptable shapes.
ALPHA 3D
Convert any sculpture or shape into a 2D alpha with the click of a button. Once the shape or sculpture has been captured, you can reposition, adjust, or even rotate the alpha to any axis. It's a fast and interactive way to create uniquely different alphas for surface sculpting.
VECTOR DISPLACEMENT MESH FEATURE
Expand your Alpha arsenal with a new library of Vector Displacement Meshes (VDM). These are 3D sculpts used as brush building blocks that will allow undercutting when drawing on a model's surface. As an example, you can draw a nose complete with nostrils in a single brush stroke. Or an ear with complete front and back sides. Or a bent finger, scales with a raised angle or even an open mouth. All of this without lost depth or detail.
Vector Displacement Mesh creates real overhangs as you sculpt. Push the details of your model with precise placement on sculpts with millions of polygons.
MULTI VECTOR DISPLACEMENT MESH
Similar to the Insert Multi Mesh (IMM) brushes, the new Multi Vector Displacement Mesh system allows you to build custom brushes with a variety of vector displacement meshes and switch between them on the fly.
Not only can a brush chisel into the surface to create overhangs, complex objects can be drawn - complete with back surfaces - in a single brush stroke. Imagine being able to texture a dragon with overlapping scales, or draw a fully formed ear without needing to re-sculpt it for every model.
LAZY MOUSE 2.0 WITH CONTINUOUS STROKE
ZBrush's Lazy Mouse system was designed to draw with smooth, precisely controlled strokes. Now an artist can guide any stroke's angle and length before applying the result to the surface. You can even keep a stroke on a consistent elevation level with no buildup when the stroke path crosses back over itself.
Ever want to apply a pattern continuously around a sculpt without any break in the design? The new LazySnap addition to Lazy Mouse makes it possible to start a stroke, stop to rotate the model, then continue the brush stroke from where you left off without breaking any pattern associated with the brush.
IMM SELECTOR: BRUSH CONTENT MANAGEMENT
ZBRUSH ARTIST CKI VANG
It is now even easier to select any mesh that is saved with your Insert Mesh brushes and Multi Vector Displacement Mesh brushes thanks to a new browser. Appearing along the top of the interface, this selector provides smooth cycling between meshes. With a quick swipe to the left or right, this system allows an artist to swap out any inserted mesh with another in real-time.
If you're someone who enjoys creating brushes you can now copy, paste, and delete the contents from one brush into another.
3D TEXT & VECTOR SHAPE CREATOR
ZBrush 4R8 comes with a complete generator for creating 3D text in real-time. This makes it possible to create individual words or small phrase in 3D. You can also use an SVG file to create your own custom logo for placement on any surface.
Combined with the new Live Boolean system, this 3D text creator is an easy way to engrave or emboss your surfaces with text. Thanks to the new deformers you also have powerful ways to adjust the text or even change the silhouette of your logo.
MULTIPLE LANGUAGE SUPPORT
ZBrush 4R8 is now available in several languages: English, Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. You can switch from one language to another at any time. Beyond the officially supported languages, it is even possible to create your own custom translation which can be shared with others.
NEW LIGHTBOX WITH 3D CONTENT
LightBox now gives an artist the capability to cycle through the files worked on in previous ZBrush sessions. Also added is the Go To Folder option: a one-click solution to navigate your file system directly within Lightbox.
ZBrush 4R8 comes with new startup projects and materials, originally created for ZBrushCore. These new projects include:
- Jewelry rings and pendants
- New base meshes of quadrupeds
- Assets for 3D Printing that any artist can begin from and sculpt into something with greater detail
Several new Brushes and Materials have also been added that are excellent to use with the other new features.
UPDATED USER INTERFACE
Unicode text is now fully supported, letting you use non-English characters for your names. This also means that scaling the UI will now also scale the text size, which is especially beneficial for today's high resolution displays.
ZSPHERE DYNAMESH MODE
Creating a base mesh with ZSpheres has become even more streamlined for sculpting. In ZBrush 4R8, creating a polymesh from ZSpheres will now default to using our popular DynaMesh system with equally distributed polygons easy sculpting. Generate a quick base mesh with ZSpheres and continue to push or pull the surface without having to worry about technical barriers and stretched polygons. Of course, if you prefer the original Adaptive Skin system for a specific model it can still be used.
ALPHA STREAKS
Give any existing alpha a new look with the Alpha Streak mode. By applying random streaks to the alpha an artist can create a unique brush stroke that is similar in effect to motion blur. Alpha Streaks also gives any alpha that perfect "paintbrush" feel.
BRUSH MAGNIFY
Adjust any alpha's magnification with the pressure of your pen. Keep a constant alpha pattern with a light touch, but then add magnification to the alpha with stronger pressure. The reverse is also possible. This functionality allows you to create one alpha and vary the pattern along a surface with pen pressure, alone.
PLUG-IN UPDATES
3D Print Exporter has been replaced with the new 3D Print Hub plug-in. This plug-in now gives any 3D printing enthusiast the capability to save and share those perfect export settings, or even export to FormLabs PreForm software with a single click. When updating export size, make sure it's just right with a new Dimension Check window.
The new Scale Master has also been added, making it easy for setting ZBrush to use real world measurements of CM, MM, Inches or Feet. It can also resize an entire sculpt with a simple click, including all SubTools.
Enhance your BPR render passes with the new ZBrush to Photoshop CC Plugin. This plug-in gives you freedom to select various render passes and several material options that will be exported into Photoshop CC as individual layers.
These are all automatically included with the default ZBrush 4R8 installation.
Michael Pavlovich put together a fantastic introduction to the new features found in ZBrush 4R8. You can grab the tutorial for free over at his Cubebrush store.
