Sculpting in ZBrush
In this chapter we’ll continue to explore
the tools and techniques for sculpting in ZBrush. We’ll start by using a
ZBrush primitive sphere as a base to sculpt a human skull. This allows us
to lay a solid foundation for the rest of the sculpting tutorials because it
illustrates both the power of the ZBrush sculpting tools and an approach
to sculpting characters that takes anatomical structure and landmarks into
consideration.
During this process, we’ll pay special attention to the anatomical
forms and relative proportions of the skull. Once the skull is roughed in
using the Rake and Clay tools, we’ll mass out the muscular tissues and
build a human head.
In this chapter I’ll introduce many of ZBrush’s powerful sculpting
tools as well as some important aspects of human anatomy. It is important
to inform your character work with real anatomy—even if it is a fantasy
character. If you understand the bone and muscle that influences surface
forms, your creature and character work in ZBrush will be all the more
convincing.
An Approach to Sculpting
Starting a head from a simple sphere primitive has several benefits. Sculpting character
heads from spheres in ZBrush is a valuable exercise, similar to sketching on paper or with
a digital ball of clay. Also, approaching a complex form in ZBrush from such a simple