Production pipeline?

[Colero]

Im progressing quite a bit in both Maya and zbrush. Im starting to find that its easier to build low poly meshes in maya (or use z spheres in zbrush) and refine the mesh in Zbrush and then export it back into Maya.
Im making creatures in maya using extrude faces or edges or whatever it seems a pain in the ass to do things like eye sockets when it seems so much easier to do it in zbrush.
Is this true or is it because im still a novice that it seems this way?

This seems to be my production pipeline.
Build base mesh in maya
Export into zbrush - refine
Port back into maya to finish
Use setup machine to rig it
Use final obj in whatever program to render for me its either Vue infinite or im just starting to learn to use Renderman in Maya. But since i want complete scenes/images its generally Vue Infinite
Again, does this seem logical or is it again my novice knowledge showing through?
Thanks

[danlefeb]

The best production pipeline is whatever is easiest for you. If that's what you've found to be the best for you... then go for it!

[Colero]

I'd be interested in finding out others production pipeline

[laxman]

Lots of people make a base mesh in Maya. The detail is comparative to say a video game. You have the basic musculature and form of the creature. This includes eye sockets and fingers and everything. Zbrush is then used for displacement maps only where things like veins and wrinkles in the skin are created. Actual geometry is not created using zbrush, only detail to existing geometry.


Hope this helps.

[Colero]

I just getting ready to start the "Zbrush/Maya integration" dvd from DT. So im sure that will clear up quite a few things. I just finished "polygon/aub d modeling" and Im hoping to blend the best of both worlds of Maya and zbrush. However, I've been told on another site that maya would have a hard time importing "a high rez model from Zbrush". Im currently using a quad processor, 16 gigs of ram with 1 gig from my graphics card and over 600 ggs of hard drive space...so I would presume my computer can handle it...lol...it better...

[papa]

It is hard to get things "exactly right" in zbrush due to the fact that there are no units in the program or grids. So it makes it a bit difficult to make things perfect. Of course you can sculpt but it is very easy to get away from the proportions of the final model.

That is why most people model in Maya or XSI.

[laxman]

Also importing a model straight from zbrush is pretty inefficient. Similar results can be achieved without have millions of polygons. Also I don't know if the Maya engine is designed for millions of polygons, but then again i've never had such a beast of a computer, so you never know:)

Hope the kits helps you out.

[Colero]

So then I gather the best way is to design a base polygon mesh in maya, then export it into zbrush to refine and add a displacement map and send it back into maya?
My last concern is posing then. I purchased "setup machine" for easier rigging in maya (is dt coming out with a rigging dvd?). Once I get the final mesh (using both maya and zbrush) do I then pose it? What about the change in musculature due to the posing of the figure, where do I go to change the muculature?

[danlefeb]

http://www.digitaltutors.com/store/home.php?cat=40

[papa]

Well there is nothing like rigging your own character so you know how all of the pieces work together. That said, yes you rig your low res character and render it with the displacment / normal maps. You can deal with muscles using the different binding tools and weights.

[laxman]

If you follow the workflow you mentioned above, as soon as you have the base mesh in Maya done, you could pose that. Zbrush is only used to add textures to the model, so doing the rigging before or after applying the displacement map from zbrush makes no difference

[Colero]

What are binding tools and weights? Can I not scupt the muscles in both maya and zbrush?

[danlefeb]

Sculpting the muscles to look properly doesn't make them actually work the way you want. Using different binding tools and weights, as Papa mentioned, can make your muscles act like real muscles rather than muscles that look cool but don't do anything.

[Colero]

Im only intested in final 2d images at this point, when (and if) I get into animation ill look into weights and binding tools. Im presuming weights, binding etc takes longer than simply sculpting them in maya/zbrush?