For designers, these constraints are annoying. In this stage, we don’t add details or bevels to anything because it hinders the editability of the model later down the line. This is so that our proportions are established. In this stage, we slowly build up the primary forms of the model with low poly geometry. To showcase the power of sculpting, I'd like to talk about a stage every 3D artist knows well, the blockout. But with ZBrush, it’s the closest I've gotten to that freedom in 3D, and it's amazing. Not having constraints is only something 2D artists have really been able to experience. For poly, it could be topology or booleans. In any 3D software you use, there are constraints for everything…for CAD it might be – not being able to get the fillet you want because the software gives you an error, or trying to slightly adjust a form only to realize it’s not possible. And that's the freedom of sculpting, I know, it seems like sculpting is the opposite of hard surface to many people, but it's actually the perfect tool. But there's a whole new world of creativity that could never be implemented into poly or CAD softwares through improvements or updates. With the methods I use inside ZBrush, I can marry the best of both worlds, getting amazing control of both hard surface booleans and the organic control ZBrush is known for.īut it actually goes much further than just “good booleans” or “fluid organics”, these are just the operations everyone can immediately relate to from each side of the aisle. Booleans are hard, but, organics are easier to manage, the result is fewer compound forms and a design that is generally more simple. often making models that appear stiff and lacking nice forms or sweeping bevels. The results you see from CAD designers follow these constraints.

No matter how proficient you may be in your favorite modeling package, it will inevitably dictate the decisions you make.įor example, in CAD software, it's easier to do booleans, but harder to manage organics.

Previously, I had been using polygon modeling to design in 3D, and it was great for modeling what already existed, but when it came to designing in 3D, it was extremely rigid. Now the question is why you would want to do so over the alternatives. As you can see, it's totally possible to make complex hard surface models in DynaMesh. I designed this radio inside ZBrush using the DynaMesh feature.

Zbrush hard surface tutorial