Pixologic - ZBrush 3.1
Currently PC only, MAC coming soon

This an Educational Version only. School information must be provided at the time of purchase.

Image by Francois Rimasson

Overview

One small step for man. One extraordinary leap for artists.

Every hero's journey begins with a single step. ZBrush 3.1 is the next step; the next step in the creation process; the step that liberates you from the restrictions of conventional software; the step that carries you beyond experience and knowledge and into pure imagination. Sculpt using materials that so closely resemble earth you'll wonder why your hands aren't dirty. Pose your sculpture as if you were moving its limbs with your hands rather than a stylus and a tablet. ZBrush's technology allows you to ignore technology altogether, transferring its power directly to your hands, hands that can be used to create, sculpt, imagine and cast your creations as heroes in your own journey.

• Rapid Start:
  Dive right into creating with an interface designed to give you the basics, make you comfortable, and get you ready for the next step.
• Transpose:
  Quickly and easily position, pose or deform your model. Turn your default static model into something dynamic and beautiful.
• Subtools:
  Split your model into several components, work on each component as if it's a separate mesh, only bringing them together at the end of your design process.
• Tweak, magnify, pinch, flatten, and morph.
  A quiver of brushes lets you abuse and refine your model to your imagination's satisfaction. Furthermore, Z3 lets you customize your brushes to create even more variations on a theme.
• Mesh extraction:
  Add to existing geometry, quickly make a jacket, hat, gloves, etc. for your hero character's journey.
• Real-Time Shadows:
  As you sculpt, real-time shadows provide you with visual feedback, without the need for rendering.
• Layers:
  Work with your model at numerous and varied stages of its evolution. Give your character features in one layer, or turn them off to refine your character's underlying features.

Image by Taron Baysal

Core Features

ZBrush 3.1 gives you access to unparalleled power and control previously unknown in digital art creation software. Controls enable sculptors to create with a stylus and a tablet as intuitively as if they were using their hands on a block of clay. ZBrush further extends the creation experience, harnessing technology and providing artists with a multitude of creation-enhancing tools.

Transpose

Posing your model is as simple as moving an action line. Create a mask to isolate an area, click and drag. It’s no more complicated than posing a clay model with your fingers.

MatCap

Matcap lets you apply real world texturing and lighting to your model. Sample a few points from your chosen photograph or texture; apply to your model, and seconds later you’ve got a model complete with texture and lighting.

Perspective Camera

The perspective camera gives you the ability to apply perspective to your model, giving you the ability to adjust your focal length at will.

Speed

Multithreaded support for up to 256 processors let ZBrush compute at the speed of your imagination.

Higher Poly Count

Up to a billion polygons allow you to create objects with almost infinite detail.

HD Geometry

HD Geometry allows you to divide your model to 1 billion polygons, and your system will only process the polygons visible onscreen.

Topology

ZSpheres makes simple and fast work of creating a new topology. And the projection feature lets you shrink-wrap your topology to an existing model.

Scripted Interface

ZBrush’s integrated scripting lets you create an interface that suits your workflow and your needs. Move existing interface items as you like, or add entirely new buttons and palettes to your interface.

User Defined Alpha and texture Start up

Customize your environment with the alphas, textures, materials and plug-ins you use most.

New Movie Palette

Create, view or export ZBrush tutorials, movies, turntables, models, and even time-lapse videos of your sculpting process.

64 bit support

ZBrush takes full advantage of your 64-bit system.

Image by Magdalena Dadela

Sculpt

ZBrush 3.1 brings you the next step in sculpting, letting you create with shadows, alphas, providing you with a huge palette of brushes, and the ability to create even more. This powerful, scriptable tool lets you control your sculpt as never before, Using a number of mimic materials, you can simulate gravity, create numerous variations atop your original, or even using your original geometry to give your model a whole new wardrobe. And if you’re new to ZBrush, Rapid Start lets you dive into creating with the smallest possible learning curve.

Full 3D Sculpting With Alphas

A powerful new feature; sculpt with any ZBrush alpha or your own. Add a whole new level of detail to your brushes. You may even choose to have ZBrush start up with your own custom alpha.

RealTime Shadows

Real-time shadows provide a level of visual feedback as you sculpt, giving you the ability to control the lighting conditions, seeing the lighting you prefer, and controlling the lighting conditions ultimately used in your model.

Matcap Materials

Sculpt using a number of mimic materials, including two flavors of red wax, pearl cavity and white cavity.

New Brushes

A quiver of new brushes lets you create as never before. And if the ones we include aren’t enough, ZBrush lets you create even more.

Lazy Mouse

Lazy Mouse provides you with a way to control your curves and steady your hand, creating precise and controlled brush strokes. Effortlessly.

Gravity

Simulate wrinkles, age, wind, magnetism or other gravitational pulls.

Subtools

Subtools let the artist treat a single mesh as numerous independent objects, giving you the ability to create much larger structures than your system would otherwise permit.

3D Layers

Release yourself from a linear workflow, and work on as many versions, details and elements as you wish, in whatever order suits your process and your creation.

Mesh Extraction

Use existing geometry to adorn your model with a jacket, helmet, gloves, vest or whatever garments it may need.

Local Subdivision

Add detail to only the areas where you need it most, add local subdivision around an eye to create crow feet wrinkles, or a forehead to make creases, all while the remaining geometry stays lighter.

Rapid Start

Sculpt immediately with Rapid Start, a gateway to the power of ZBrush without the need to invest in time learning features unnecessary to an artist wishing to dive into sculpting.

Lasso Tool

Create freeform selections with the Lasso tool.

Image by Magdalena Dadela

Paint

ZBrush 3.1 releases you from the restrictions of traditional software, giving you the freedom to create the same way you have since you picked up your first crayon. Paint directly on your model, on your canvas, or directly on a texture map you wrap to your model; switch seamlessly between ZBrush and your favorite image editing software. The options are as infinite as your imagination.

ZApplink V2

Integrate your image editing software into your ZBrush workflow. Use Photoshop's layer mask, to mask parts of your ZBrush canvas, save and load views, create layers, generate a character sheet with all views of your model, and that's just the beginning.

Poly Painting

Paint directly onto your model. If you like, you can transfer all your detail to a texture map when you've finished painting.

Cavity Masking

Achieve real-world effects of timeworn cracks and weatherworn crevices. Cavity masking allows you to automatically mask fine recesses so your work only affects the highest or lowest point of your model's surface.

ZBrush 3 Demo Movie Watch examples of some of the great new features in ZBrush 3. Click to watch (Opens new window, 32.8 MB) (Requires QuickTime)

Image by Kris Costa

Also available:   Introduction to ZBrush 3 Tools and Workflow with Meats Meier Quickly learn ZBrush 3 with these fantastic Gnomon DVDs! This is a 2 DVD set with 6 hours of lecture. Available now for only $49