Adjusting multiple models individually in ZBrush without merging them can be a daunting task, especially for beginners. However, with the right techniques, it’s entirely possible to manipulate each model separately while maintaining their unique characteristics. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to navigate this process seamlessly, empowering you to refine your models with precision and efficiency.
The key to adjusting multiple models without merging lies in utilizing the SubTool system within ZBrush. Each model imported into the software becomes a separate SubTool, allowing you to select, transform, and sculpt them independently. By mastering the SubTool workflow, you can easily isolate and modify specific areas of a model without affecting others. This approach grants you immense flexibility and control over your scene, enabling you to experiment and refine your work with ease.
To begin adjusting your models, start by isolating each SubTool using the SubTool menu. Once a SubTool is selected, you can manipulate it using the Transform palette, which provides options for moving, rotating, and scaling. Additionally, the Sculpting brushes become exclusive to the selected SubTool, allowing you to sculpt and refine its details precisely. By carefully navigating between SubTools and utilizing the transformative and sculpting tools, you can achieve precise adjustments without compromising the integrity of your individual models.
Understanding the Dynamic SubTool Feature
ZBrush’s Dynamic SubTool feature provides immense flexibility by allowing you to manipulate individual parts of your model without merging them into a single entity. This allows for precise adjustments, isolation, and independent movement of specific elements while maintaining their individual identity.
The Dynamic SubTool feature breaks your model into distinct components, each with its own geometry and topology. These components can be treated as separate entities, enabling you to move, rotate, and scale them independently. This approach offers several benefits, including:
- Non-Destructive Workflow: Dynamic SubTools maintain your model’s original topology and geometry, allowing you to make adjustments without committing to permanent changes. You can easily revert to previous steps without losing any data.
- Enhanced Freedom: By isolating specific parts of your model, you gain greater control over their movement and transformation. You can refine details, adjust proportions, and experiment with different poses without affecting the rest of the model.
- Improved Organization: Dynamic SubTools help organize complex models by grouping related elements together. You can easily identify, select, and manipulate specific parts, making it easier to keep track of your progress and avoid confusion.
Activating the Dynamic SubTool feature is simple. In ZBrush, navigate to the “Tool” menu and select “Dynamic SubTool.” Alternatively, you can press the “Shift” key while selecting a part of your model to automatically activate the feature.
Once activated, Dynamic SubTools will be clearly visible in your model’s geometry. Each component will be outlined in a different color, providing a visual representation of their individual status. You can then use the move, rotate, and scale tools to manipulate these components with precision.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Non-Destructive Workflow | Retains model’s original topology and geometry, allowing for non-destructive adjustments. |
| Enhanced Freedom | Enables precise movement and transformation of specific parts without affecting others. |
| Improved Organization | Groups related elements together, enhancing organization and ease of manipulation. |
Enabling and Disabling Dynamic SubTools
ZBrush’s Dynamic SubTools feature enables you to adjust the topology of different parts of a model independently, manipulating them as if they were separate objects without merging them.
Disabling Dynamic SubTools
To disable Dynamic SubTools, select the subtool you want to manipulate independently. Then, in the SubTool menu (accessible from the Tool palette), click “Disable Dynamic SubTool.” When Dynamic SubTools is disabled, you can use standard ZBrush tools on the selected subtool without affecting the rest of the model.
Enabling Dynamic SubTools
To enable Dynamic SubTools again, select the desired subtool and click “Enable Dynamic SubTool” in the SubTool menu. Dynamic SubTools will be re-enabled, allowing you to make adjustments to the topology of the selected subtool independently while maintaining the overall integrity of the model.
The following table summarizes the key differences between Dynamic SubTools enabled and disabled:
| Dynamic SubTools Enabled | Dynamic SubTools Disabled |
|---|---|
| Models can be manipulated independently | Only selected subtools can be manipulated |
| Subtools retain their hierarchy | Subtools are treated as separate objects |
| Topology changes are local to the subtool | Topology changes can affect the entire model |
Adjusting SubTools Non-Destructively
ZBrush’s non-destructive workflow allows you to make adjustments to your SubTools without merging them, preserving their individual editable states. Here are the steps to achieve this:
- Enable Edit Polygroups: Select the SubTool and click “Polygroups” > “Edit Polygroups” in the Tool menu. This will reveal the polygroup controls.
- Create Polygroups: Select the “Auto Groups” or “Group by Normals” option to automatically create polygroups based on surface angles or normals. Alternatively, use the “Polygroup” brush to manually create custom polygroups.
- Mask by Polygroups: Once polygroups are defined, you can isolate and adjust them separately. Click “Masking” > “Mask by Polygroups” and select the desired polygroup. This will create a mask that limits your sculpting or painting operations to that polygroup.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Transposing | Allows you to rotate, scale, or translate a polygroup independently without affecting the rest of the SubTool. Use the “Transpose” tools in the Tool menu. |
| Sculpting | With the polygroup masked, you can sculpt its vertices, edges, or faces using the standard sculpting brushes. This will permanently modify the shape of that polygroup only. |
| Masking & Painting | Create a mask based on the polygroup and use the Polypaint tool to apply color or textures to that specific area. You can also use masks to selectively apply materials or effects to different polygroups. |
By using polygroups and masks, you can make localized adjustments, experiment with different options, and preserve the integrity of your SubTools throughout the sculpting process.
Modifying SubTools Separately
Within the SubTool panel, each SubTool is listed individually, allowing you to select and modify them independently. This is particularly useful when you want to make adjustments to specific areas of your mesh without affecting the rest.
To modify a SubTool separately:
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Select the SubTool: In the SubTool panel, click on the name of the SubTool you want to modify.
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Enable SubTool Mode: Click the "SE" (SubTool Edit) button in the SubTool panel. This will enter SubTool mode, where you can manipulate the selected SubTool independently.
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Adjust the SubTool: Use the sculpting tools and brushes to make adjustments to the SubTool. The adjustments will only affect the selected SubTool, leaving the other SubTools unaffected.
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Disable SubTool Mode: Once you have finished making adjustments, click the "SE" button again to disable SubTool mode. This will return you to normal editing mode, where you can continue working on the entire mesh or other SubTools.
This process allows you to refine specific areas of your mesh, sculpt individual details, or make modifications to a particular SubTool without affecting the overall shape or structure of the entire model. It provides a convenient and efficient way to work with complex meshes and create intricate designs.
Maintaining SubTool Visibility
To adjust multiple models in ZBrush without merging them, it’s crucial to maintain subtool visibility. Here’s a detailed guide on how to do it:
1. Isolate a SubTool
Select the subtool you want to isolate from the SubTool palette. Right-click and choose “Hide Selected”. This will make all other subtools invisible.
2. Adjust and Mask
Once the subtool is isolated, you can make adjustments to it without affecting others. Hide the subtool if necessary to create masks and use the Mask By Points feature to protect specific areas.
3. Create Polygroups
Define polygroups for the subtool if you want to make precise adjustments. Polygroups allow you to select and modify specific portions of the model.
4. Enable/Disable Polypaint
If your subtool has polypaint, disable it by unchecking “Polypaint” in the SubTool palette. This will prevent polypaint from interfering with your adjustments.
5. Additional Tips
Here are some additional tips to help you maintain subtool visibility efficiently:
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Keyboard Shortcuts | Use keyboard shortcuts like “Shift + Click” to quickly hide or isolate subtools. |
| SubTool Groups | Organize subtools into groups for easier management and visibility control. |
| TransPose Master | Use TransPose Master to adjust multiple subtools simultaneously while maintaining their visibility. |
| Freeze SubTools | Freeze subtools that you don’t want to modify to prevent accidental changes. |
| Isolate Mode | Enable Isolate Mode from the SubTool palette to quickly toggle between hiding and showing subtools. |
Manipulating SubTool Transforms
ZBrush’s advanced capabilities allow you to manipulate SubTools independently without the need for merging. Here’s how:
Selecting SubTools
To select a SubTool, click on it or its name in the SubTool palette. Multiple SubTools can be selected by holding the “Shift” key while clicking.
Moving SubTools
To move a SubTool, click and drag it using the “Move” tool (W key). Adjust the position and orientation as desired.
Rotating SubTools
Rotate a SubTool using the “Rotate” tool (E key). Click and drag on the object to rotate it around its中心 point or a custom pivot point.
Scaling SubTools
Scale a SubTool using the “Scale” tool (R key). Click and drag on the object to scale it uniformly or non-uniformly in the X, Y, or Z axes.
Positioning SubTools in 3D Space
Use the “Position” palette to precisely reposition a SubTool in 3D space. This palette provides numerical values for the object’s position, rotation, and scale.
Complex Transformations Using Transpose Master
| Transpose Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Transpose All | Moves, rotates, and scales the SubTool while maintaining its shape. |
| Transpose XYZ | Moves, rotates, and scales the SubTool independently in each axis. |
| Transpose Move | Moves the SubTool while maintaining its rotation and scale. |
| Transpose Rotate | Rotates the SubTool while maintaining its position and scale. |
| Transpose Scale | Scales the SubTool while maintaining its position and rotation. |
The “Transpose Master” (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T) provides additional options for complex transformations, such as aligning, mirroring, and inverting SubTools.
Scaling SubTools Independently
To scale individual SubTools without merging them, follow these steps:
1. Isolation Mode
Toggle “Isolate Mode” by pressing “I” on the keyboard. This isolates the selected SubTool and hides the others.
2. Transform Menu
Access the “Transform” menu by pressing “T” or selecting it from the Tool palette.
3. Scale Tool
Select the “Scale” icon from the Transform menu.
4. Scale Uniformly
To scale the SubTool uniformly in all directions, drag the handles on the edges of the bounding box.
5. Scale Non-Uniformly
To scale the SubTool non-uniformly, drag the handles on the vertices or edges of the bounding box.
6. Enter Scale Values
You can also enter specific scale values in the Transform Properties panel located at the bottom of the interface.
7. Scaling Options
In the Transform Properties panel, you have additional scaling options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Scale X/Y/Z | Scale the SubTool along the X, Y, or Z axis independently. |
| XYZ | Scale the SubTool uniformly along all three axes. |
| Pivot | Change the center point for scaling. |
| Scale Mode | Set the scaling method, such as Uniform or Non-Uniform. |
| Gizmo Size | Adjust the size of the bounding box handles. |
Rotating and Translating SubTools
ZBrush’s Transpose Master allows you to adjust individual SubTools without merging them. To rotate or translate a SubTool, follow these steps:
1. In the Tool palette, isolate the SubTool you want to adjust.
2. Click the “Z” button on the keyboard to enter Edit Mode.
3. Under the “Transform” menu, select “Move” or “Rotate”.
4. Use the Gizmo manipulator to adjust the SubTool’s rotation or position.
5. Click the “OK” button to apply the changes and exit Edit Mode.
Tip: You can also use the Hotkeys “W” for Move and “E” for Rotate to quickly access the Transform tools.
Translating SubTools with XYZ Coordinates
For precise translation, you can use the “X”, “Y”, and “Z” buttons in the Gizmo manipulator to specify exact coordinates for the movement.
To do this, select the “Move” tool, click one of the axis buttons, and enter the desired distance in the corresponding field.
| Axis | Coordinates |
|---|---|
| X | Left/Right |
| Y | Up/Down |
| Z | Forward/Backward |
Note: The specified coordinates are relative to the SubTool’s current position.
Mirroring and Deleting SubTools
Mirroring SubTools
Mirroring a SubTool creates a symmetrical copy along a selected axis.
To mirror a SubTool:
- Select the SubTool you want to mirror.
- Go to the "Transform" menu and select "Mirror Geometry."
- Select the axis along which you want to mirror the SubTool (X, Y, or Z).
Deleting SubTools
To delete a SubTool:
- Select the SubTool you want to delete.
- Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard.
Alternatively, you can delete a SubTool using the SubTool palette:
- Go to the "SubTool" palette on the right-hand side of the interface.
- Right-click on the SubTool you want to delete and select "Delete."
Renaming SubTools
To rename a SubTool:
- Double-click on the SubTool’s name in the SubTool palette.
- Type in a new name for the SubTool and press "Enter."
Hiding and Unhiding SubTools
To hide a SubTool:
- Go to the "SubTool" palette on the right-hand side of the interface.
- Click on the "Eye" icon next to the SubTool you want to hide.
To unhide a SubTool:
- Click on the "Eye" icon next to the SubTool you want to unhide.
Merging SubTools
Merging SubTools combines two or more SubTools into a single SubTool.
To merge SubTools:
- Select the SubTools you want to merge.
- Go to the "SubTool" palette on the right-hand side of the interface.
- Click on the "Merge" button.
Copying SubTools
Copying a SubTool creates a duplicate of the original SubTool.
To copy a SubTool:
- Select the SubTool you want to copy.
- Go to the "SubTool" palette on the right-hand side of the interface.
- Click on the "Copy" button.
Pasting SubTools
Pasting a SubTool creates a new SubTool from a copied SubTool.
To paste a SubTool:
- Go to the "SubTool" palette on the right-hand side of the interface.
- Click on the "Paste" button.
Converting SubTools
Converting a SubTool changes the type of geometry for the selected SubTool.
To convert a SubTool:
- Select the SubTool you want to convert.
- Go to the "Geometry" menu and select the type of geometry you want to convert to (e.g., PolyMesh, Dynamesh).
Preserving SubTool Connections
When you adjust one SubTool, it can affect the other connected SubTools. To preserve their connections, follow these steps:
1. Hide the SubTools to Adjust
First, hide the SubTools you don’t want to adjust. Go to the “SubTool” menu and select “Hide All Unselected.”
2. Adjust the Visible SubTool
Now, only the visible SubTool will be affected by your adjustments. Make the necessary changes using the brushes or tools in ZBrush.
3. Apply the Adjustments to Other SubTools
Once you’re satisfied with the adjustments, you can apply them to the other SubTools. Go to the “SubTool” menu and select “Apply Unique” or “Apply Group” to transfer the changes.
4. Unhide the Adjusted SubTools
After applying the adjustments, unhide the other SubTools by going to the “SubTool” menu and selecting “Unhide All.”
How To Adjust All Models In Zbrush Without Merging Them
If you want to adjust all models in ZBrush without merging them, you can use the “Move” tool. This tool allows you to move all models in the scene at once, without having to merge them together. To use the “Move” tool, first select all of the models that you want to move. Then, click on the “Move” tool in the toolbar. You can then click and drag on the models to move them in the scene.
You can also use the “Scale” and “Rotate” tools to adjust all models in the scene without merging them. The “Scale” tool allows you to scale all models in the scene at once, while the “Rotate” tool allows you to rotate all models in the scene at once.
People Also Ask About How To Adjust All Models In Zbrush Without Merging Them
How do I move all subtools at once in ZBrush?
To move all subtools at once in ZBrush, you can use the “Move” tool. First, select all of the subtools that you want to move. Then, click on the “Move” tool in the toolbar. You can then click and drag on the subtools to move them in the scene.
How do I scale all subtools at once in ZBrush?
To scale all subtools at once in ZBrush, you can use the “Scale” tool. First, select all of the subtools that you want to scale. Then, click on the “Scale” tool in the toolbar. You can then click and drag on the subtools to scale them in the scene.
How do I rotate all subtools at once in ZBrush?
To rotate all subtools at once in ZBrush, you can use the “Rotate” tool. First, select all of the subtools that you want to rotate. Then, click on the “Rotate” tool in the toolbar. You can then click and drag on the subtools to rotate them in the scene.
