ZBrush 2019

ZBrush is an industry standard digital sculpting and painting program built within an elegant interface used by automotive designers, film studios, game developers, toy makers and artists worldwide. With ZBrush 2019, users can manipulate virtual clay in a real-time environment using customisable brushes, all while producing stunning nonrealistic renders for instant feedback.

The menus in ZBrush work together in a non-linear and mode-free method, and the powerful software processing means you can sculpt and paint with millions of polygons with no need for an expensive graphics card.

What's New in ZBrush

Non-Photorealistic Rendering (NPR)
See your 3D artwork in a whole new way with the new NPR system. Give that final 3D sculpt a hand drawn 2D style and even take your sculpted creations into the pages of a comic book. With the ability to add overlaying textures, apply a halftone printed paper style, draw a dark outline around the 3D model or apply a number of built-in presets, the new NPR system will open up an entire world of artistic possibilities.

Snapshot3D
Featuring all the original features, Snapshot3D now also makes it possible to convert any greyscale image (alpha) into a 3D model. The source images can be modified or combined through Boolean-type addition or subtraction to create even more complex 3D shapes.

ZRemesher v3.0
Automatic retopology is a key component in the modern 3D artist's workflow, which now goes to the next level with ZRemesher v3.0. The enhanced systems can maintain creased edges and automatically detect sharp surface angles, ideal for mechanical models. The result is also a more efficient final polygon count with an increase in speed.

Folders
Speed up productivity with the efficient folder system. Much more than just an organisational tool, folders also make it possible to apply actions to all contained meshed at once such as scale, rotate, move duplicate, delete, Live Boolean and more.

Universal Camera
New and upgraded, artists can now precisely match the focal length of 3D renders and imported photographs with the camera tool. You can even export or import your ZBrush camera settings for use in any 3D application, which opens the path to rich 2D composited illustrations when combined with other 3D renderers like KeyShot. The Universal Camera offers complete control over focal length, crop factor and more.

Intersection Masker
Generate a mask where geometry islands intersect on a selected subtool using the Intersection Masker. The perfect solution to create complex mask in only a few clicks.

ZColor
The ZColor plugin is the only colour manager you need for any digital painting task. Featuring a set palette of colours, you can express the mood you wish to create with consistent results. ZColor files can be shared with others, helping teams achieve a cohesive style across projects.

Features in ZBrush

ZModeler 

 This smart polygonal modeling system is designed to simplify your creation process. Quickly and dynamically create new shapes, doing so more easily than ever before possible: fuse polygons, delete full blocks of geometry, connect parts with advanced paths, and repeat your actions with a single click!

With the ZModeler brush, ZBrush takes a quantum leap beyond the organics that it is already relied upon for. You can refine the shape of your model in real-time to revolutionize how you create hard surface models, architectural structures or highly detailed environments.

Core Functions:

QMesh Action
The ZModeler brush contains most of the common functions found in 3D modeling packages and also has a few smarter ones like the QMesh Action. Not only does this offer you the ability to extrude but also to fuse the extrusion with any adjacent or crossed polygons. Or it can remove blocks of polygons. The QMesh Action will also move pieces of geometry or extract an area to create a new polygonal island. It's versatile and intelligent.

Repeat Last
Because some polygonal modeling actions are repetitive by their very nature, the ZModeler brush stores all settings and values used in your last Action. You can then simply click once on your selection to instantly reproduce that last operation. It works for all ZModeler Actions, saving both time and tedium!

Dynamic Subdivision
Traditional subdivision surfaces allow you to preview a more tessellated version of your model while editing at the base mesh level. Dynamic Subdivision provides a powerful alternative. It is comprised of three internal subdivision systems: QuickGrid, Flat Subdivision and Smooth Subdivision. These systems provide you the ability to create real-time bevel effects on your model or simply view a smooth surface aspect. Since it's dynamic, you can swap between or combine modes, even applying changes to the settings or density at any time!

The ZModeler brush contains thousands of Action and Target combinations, putting astonishing power behind something that is so easy to learn and use. With just a little practice, ZModeler and QMesh will undoubtedly become a new favorite in your arsenal for creating low-res geometry assets in ZBrush.

Instances and Details 

With the new NanoMesh and Array Mesh features, you as the artist can bring more complexity and detail to your work while still maintaining a low polygon count. Both NanoMesh and ArrayMmesh will allow for multiple instances of any object to be created and then adjusted in a matter of seconds.

NanoMesh 
Combined with ZModeler, the new NanoMesh system takes the process of using ZBrush's InsertMesh to a new whole level. The 3D models inserted into a mesh can be populated based on a specific ZModeler Target. This result can then be modified in real time by adding variations to instance scale, offset, angle and multiple alignment options.

If the default variations options are not enough, there is also a random distribution mode that propagates the NanoMeshes in a naturally random way across the surface of the model.

ArrayMesh
ArrayMesh operates in real time as you edit the content of the original mesh or use TransPose action lines to adjust placement, deform the mesh (along with its copies) and much more.

ZBrush also incorporates into this a multiple stage system which will allows you to stack separate Array functions on top of each other. 

Render with Complete Details - Surface Noise

With ZBrush the BPR Render system will now render all Surface Noise as displacement, deforming the mesh to match the attributes of any procedurally created noise. It is like having a displacement map without needing to actually create the map. See extremely detailed results at render time regardless of polygon count. 

The ZBrush Surface Noise capabilities have been improved to support more than one noise source at any given time. Now, whether your noise is a grayscale texture or generated procedurally using the Noise plugin, all sources can be modulated with various mix modifiers and curve functions to create very unique results.

Build your own library of presets and reuse them in future projects to create rich and subtle surface details. It will be impossible for viewers to spot the repeating patterns which are inherent in noise generation systems, which means that your creations will look more real than ever before.

Displacement Rendering
Whether you are using BPR or the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge, you can now see procedural and texture-created surface noise rendered as displaced geometry. This process is automatic; after designing your noise you no longer need to worry about applying it before you can view the result on your geometry. All you need to do is render! This feature can also be applied to NanoMeshes. 

ZBrush to KeyShot

With the ZBrush to Keyshot Bridge you can seamlessly connect ZBrush with KeyShot to produce hyper-realistic and high quality images. 

The KeyShot to ZBrush Bridge changes your Best Preview Render (BPR) button to instead send your models to KeyShot with a single click. All associated data transfers automatically, including materials, displaced geometries, procedural noise, PolyPaint or textures -- and of course the new NanoMesh and Array Mesh. If ZBrush can display it, KeyShot can render it.

True One-Click Transfer
When the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge is enabled, KeyShot becomes a substitute for ZBrush's BPR render. Clicking the BPR button in ZBrush will now send all data to KeyShot automatically. You won't need to worry about selecting your models, converting your noise to real geometry, generating displacement maps or anything else. ZBrush will do it all automatically.

ZBrush Data Support
The ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge supports: ZSpheres, ZSketch, MatCaps, PolyMesh 3D, Surface Noise and more. If you can generate it in ZBrush, it can be sent via the ZBrush to KeyShot Bridge!

FBX Import/Export 

To continue improving its integration with the artist’s pipeline, ZBrush introduces a new free plugin: FBX Import Export. This supports texture, normal and displacement maps, blendshapes, smoothing based on normals and more.

Other Enhancements and Additions 

• Replay Last can now be reapplied to any portion of the model. 
• Background images applied with the Grid system can now be projected onto your model for a painted guide in your newest creations. 
• Start any sculpt with the new polygonal Cube, Sphere and Cylinder primitives. 
• Automatically center the TransPose line on any unmasked, partially visible or symmetrical piece of geometry with one click. 
• Copy and Paste between Tools, SubTools and even Projects.