We'll start by looking at the preparation that is needed in order to get the best results when creating the hair. From there, we'll look at the actual hair creation using the Hair Farm plug-in. We will learn how to generate the hair mesh and then convert it into actual hairs using Hair Farm modifiers. By the end of this tutorial we will have looked at how to create different hair effects using different hair objects as well as adding materials and lighting for our hair.

Throughout these lessons we'll delve into the animated growth of a tree branch as a time-lapse video. We'll learn everything from modeling, texturing and shading to the animation and final compositing. By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a better understanding of how you can employ efficient and productive techniques for a time-lapse video that can be used when up against a tight deadline.

Throughout this detailed tutorial, we'll leverage the power of ZBrush and Maya to build a strong female hero character from start to finish. We'll use Zspheres to block in the rough shape of our model and then send our geometry over to Maya using the one-click GoZ functionality. In Maya, we can recreate the topology of any of our pieces, we can create new geometry to send back to ZBrush, or modify existing geometry. We'll be going back and forth quite a bit in order to use the tools most appropriate for building the character's clothing and accessories. In addition to the modeling tools in Maya, we'll also use many of ZBrush's built in modeling functions including Shadowbox, mesh extraction, and the topology tools. Once we're done, we'll have a finished high-resolution character that can be painted or prepared for rigging, and you'll have the knowledge to repeat the process on your own character.

When building 3D assets, the ability of your computer to manipulate those objects is limited, especially when dealing with very high resolution meshes. Because of this, we use 2D images, like normal maps, to simulate the high resolution detail in a way that we can more easily use. In this course, we will build a sword from scratch in CINEMA 4D. Once the base geometry is modeled, we will completely sculpt and paint the sword in ZBrush using a variety of techniques. To finish up, we will generate maps for the color and sculpted detail and use GoZ to quickly transfer all of the data back to CINEMA 4D. When you are done, you will have a better understanding of the workflow involved in building and sculpting high resolution props and set pieces with CINEMA 4D and Zbrush and creating useable assets from them.

Creating appealing characters is a lot of fun when using powerful sculpting applications like Zbrush or Mudbox in conjunction with 3ds Max. We are able to create models with a very high level of detail in our sculpting applications. But getting those characters into a lower resolution state suitable for rigging and animation can be a little more challenging. In this tutorial, we will go through the process of using 3ds Max and Zbrush to convert a high resolution, sculpted and painted character into a low resolution game-type mesh that can be rigged and animated. We will start by using Decimation Master to reduce the resolution of our model drastically while retaining much of the visual detail. Once we are in 3ds Max, we will build low resolution geometry around these detailed meshes so we can capture the important shapes of the character. We will create uv layouts for the low resolution pieces and finally extract the color and sculpted detail from our high res pieces onto the new mesh. In the end we will have taken a model of 20 million polygons down to approximately 8000 triangles. Once you are done, you will be able to use the workflow to transfer and convert your own high resolution characters into a more useable state.

ZBrush is a great tool for putting together characters. You can create base geometry, sculpt and paint your meshes, build accessories and clothing, and work seamlessly between other applications. In this course, we'll go through the process of building up a high resolution character from start to finish using ZBrush as our main application. We'll explore the use of zSpheres in building out our base mesh. We'll use GoZ to quickly take geometry between ZBrush and Maya, although the methods used will apply to other applications as well. We'll also use a bit of Photoshop to edit and create some texture maps we can use in ZBrush to add sculpt and color detail. If you're new to ZBrush, I encourage you to first check out the introductory courses, as well as the courses on some of the new features in ZBrush 4 like Shadowbox and Spotlight. We're going to cover a lot of ground and, in the end, you'll have a finished character, along with the tools you need to create your own high resolution character models.

In this course, we'll go through the process of using Maya and ZBrush to convert a high resolution, sculpted and painted character into a low resolution game-type mesh that can be rigged and animated. We'll start by using Decimation Master to reduce the resolution of our model drastically while retaining much of the visual detail. Once we're in Maya, we'll build low resolution geometry around these detailed meshes to capture the important shapes of the character. We'll create uv layouts for the low resolution pieces and finally extract the color and sculpted detail from our high resolution pieces onto the new mesh. In the end we'll have taken a model of 20 million polygons down to a very useable 8-10k. Once you're done, you'll be able to use the workflow to transfer and convert your own high resolution characters into a more useable state.

ZBrush and Maya are both very powerful 3D applications that each offers its own strengths. By combining these two programs into our workflow, we can take advantage of those strengths to get our work done quicker and more efficiently. In this course, we'’ll cover many of the tools and techniques we can use to merge ZBrush and Maya into our workflows. We'll explore methods for manually transferring geometry back and forth between the two applications. We'll also look at creating color maps, Normal maps, and Displacement maps, and transferring those to Maya. We'll look at the GoZ pipeline and how it will make working with ZBrush and Maya a really seamless process. We'll also look at some practical reasons for choosing to use Maya and ZBrush in tandem. In the end, you'll have a good understanding of how you can work efficiently between Maya and ZBrush, leveraging the strengths of both to create your best work.

Popular highlights include: Composition and Layout; Working from Sketch; Creating ZSphere Base; Adaptive Skins; Character Posing; Re-working Topology; Quick Shaping the Model; Character Interaction; Adding Multiple Pieces with ZSpheres; Appending Subtools; Adding Temporary Materials; Custom Alphas and Textures; Exaggerating Features for Appeal; Creating UVs in ZBrush; Polypainting; Converting Polypaints to Texture Maps; Exporting Displacement Maps; Exporting Normal Maps; Exporting Geometry from ZBrush; Importing Geometry into Maya; 3-point Lighting Setup; Camera Placement; Subsurface Scattering Effects; Approximations for High-quality Displacement; Using Final Gather with Subsurface Scattering; Adjusting Render Stats of Objects; Rendering Scenes in Multiple Passes; Outputting Color, Occlusion, and Depth Passes; Compositing Multiple Passes with Photoshop; Depth-of-field Effects to Final Render.

Popular highlights include: Shaping Facial Features; Shaping with Move Brush; Utilizing 3D Layers; Creating Expression Libraries; Adding Normal Maps in Maya; Setting up Blendshapes in Maya; Key Framing Blendshapes; Creating In-betweens; Isolating Geometry with Masks; Manipulating Subtools with Polygroups; Exporting Geometry from ZBrush; Blending Shapes using Morph Targets; Sculpting Facial Expressions; Isolating Areas of Face; Moving the Teeth and Gums; Smoothing Geometry; Working with Subdivision Levels; Creating Phonemes; Creating Distinct Emotions.

Popular highlights include: Modeling Exaggerated Features; Using Reference Art; Building Deformable Topology; Building Initial Edge-flow; Extruding Geometry Along Curves; Bridging Geometry; Modeling Eyes; Modeling Symmetrically; Building Large Wrinkles; Modeling Ears; Adding Mouth Interior; Connecting Edges with Split Polygon Tool; Importing/Exporting Geometry; Assembling Subtools in ZBrush; Filling Portions of Subtools with Color; Modifying Head with Move Brush; Sub-dividing Geometry; Sculpting Facial Features; Adding Small Wrinkles; Adding Irregularities; Adding Detail with Alpha Maps and Strokes; Creating a UV Layout; Integrating UV Changes into ZBrush Sculpt; Creating Normal Maps in ZBrush; Applying and Viewing Normal Maps in Maya.

Popular highlights include: ZBrush Sculpting Workflow; Maya and ZBrush Pipeline Overview; Form Development in Maya; Maintaining Mesh Integrity; Sculpting Across Multiple Levels; Incorporating 3D Layers for Variation; Working with Subtools; Extracting Geometry; Low Poly Modeling in Maya; Creating Clean Topology; Geometry Preparation for ZBrush; Importing Geometry into ZBrush; Using Alphas and Strokes; Using Custom Alphas; Creating Displacement Maps in ZBrush; Applying Displacement Maps in Maya; Setting up Render-time Subdivisions; Adjusting Displacement Settings; Using Projection Master; Using Lazy Mouse for Hair Detail.

Popular highlights include: Polygon Modeling; Projection Master; Morph Targets; UV Mapping Techniques; Advanced Geometry Tools; Rendering with mental ray; Geometry Sculpting; Displacement maps; Cavity Maps; Normal Maps; Brushes.