How do I save a texture created with Zbrush spotlight?
KixiePixie13
Posts: 63
Hi, there is literally no documentation that actually tells you how to save the actual texture (not the texture used for painting, the texture on the actual model that was projected onto it). I have tried things, such as "create texture from polypaint," or "polypaint from texture," even "grab doc," but literally nothing works. And when I search on google on how to save the texture map, it just tells you how to save the texture that is used for the painting (meaning the texture I imported to paint onto the model, which is not what I want, I want the texture that is resulted from painting on the model). Or it tells you how to save the spotlight configuration, which also is not what I want. Also, I must clarify, that there's a chance that someone mentioned it in a video, but I am hearing impaired, so I tend to try and find written instructions, because some either don't have subtitles or the subtitles are confusing. I'm the type that needs step by step instructions that I can read, so please don't give me a link to a video or anything, I need written instructions, please. Thank you in advanced..
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In Zbrush what you paint is per pixel painting (aka vertex painting, aka polypaint). It's NOT per pixel painting (bitmap).
In order to export what you call a "texture" (but it is not a texture), you need to make a low poly, retopologized, unwrapped version of your painted model. Then you bake the polypaint and HD details onto the lowpoly version. Now you have a 3D model with per-pixel painting aka a texture, baked from your polypaint color information. And now you can export textures.
http://docs.pixologic.com/reference-guide/tool/polymesh/texture-map/
Pavwork 27 Polypaint to Texture:
P.S : I don't know anyone who bakes in ZBrush although tools are there for that. Most people I know if not all bake in Substance Painter nowadays (or eventually Marmoset Toolbag). Blender also does that but the workflow sucks and it's damn slow compared to Substance Painter.
your model needs UV mapping
If your model is already uv mapped you can go to textures and create texture from polypaint. Iiic there is also a way to do it via plug ins where you find uv master. Sorry it's been a while and I'm not on the computer.
Quick search gave me this https://pixologic.com/zbrushlive/askzbrush-how-do-you-create-a-texture-map-from-polypaint/
I was wanting to make a texture for the Genesis characters and/or fix texture seams (some characters I bought have noticeable seams). If that isn't possible, I'll have to figure out a different way, but I feel like it's kind of pointless to have spotlight, if you can't even save it. So Zbrush is only useful for morphs and some mild modeling, but not for texturing it seems (at least for Daz users). I know Blacksmith 3D can do what I want, but I can't afford it right now, so I had been hoping to do it with a program I already have, but it doesn't seem possible. Thanks.
It's certainly possible to load the textures fix them and export them. As I said earlier I'm not at my computer but there are plenty of tutorials.
Here's the ones a friend did for me and a few others
I deleted the 2nd as it might not pass the family friendly guidelines but if you look on his channel it's easy to find.
He did them specific for poser and ds which is rare but they are a few years old.
There are others that talk about exporting texture maps put out by people like pixologic, not sure if Michael pavolich did one, he's my go to for this in zbrush but if you searched for exporting/ creating texture maps there would be plenty of there.
Thank you, Pendraia for offering suggestions, unfortunately it doesn't say how to actually fix the seams. I knew how to import textures onto the model, but I don't know how to fix their seams or modify the texture (and just using polypaint doesn't look good, since it'd be detailed in one area, then no detail, just color, in the next. I'm not good at using polypaint to make it look realistic or anything and unfortunately, the textures I want to fix have pretty extreme issues, like parts on the hands that are white (in the texture map the border doesn't bleed out enough I guess, not sure, but it's a pretty big spot that's just white) and extreme issues in the crotch/inner thigh area. Trying to fix that by hand in Photoshop just made more seam issues on the thigh, so that's the dilema I'm facing (I didn't make these texture btw, they were made by someone else, I'm just trying to fix issues with the textures, but not just this one I'm referring to, it's just an example). So polypaint isn't really going to help with that unfortunately, so I'm not sure what else to do, because my pc can't handle 3D model painting in Photoshop and I don't know if it's possible to even paint on Genesis figures in Photoshop, since it crashes before I can try.
Zbrush is a sculpting app. It's got a few tools that makes it look a bit more like any 3D modeling app, but most of those tools aren't used by many because they are limited and there's much better elsewhere. Zbrush is insane in its niche category : sculpting. But it's not an all-in-one 3D app.
Main issue there, so I don't understand your first move : Zbrush doesn't have UDIM Uvs capability. It's one texture per layer. But as you know, Genesis has a dozen textures with as many UDIM (face, mouth, legs, etc). So... Given that you cannot display all textures on the Genesis body in Zbrush, I don't understand how you first ended up in there thinking that you could vertex paint a pixel texture. If in Zbrush you load the face texture on the layer where Genesis is loaded, the face will look ok, but arms, legs, teeth, etc. will also have the face texture applied.
So (poly)painting a missing dilation/bleeding around UV islands doesn't make sense. Even less sense as when you display the face texture in Zbrush, you can't see the vertex color in the meantime.
"Polypaint from texture" in ZBrush is only interesting if the Genesis is subdivided to 10 million polygons at least. It's not with the default 16K polygons that you can expect your vertices color to look as detailled as a 4K texture.
To fix missing bleeding a solution (what I'd do) would be to import the genesis obj into Substance Painter ticking the option "UDIM". Now in Painter you have access to all Genesis UDIM UVs. You load all the diffuse textures in each corresponding UDIM. And you export textures with "common padding" set to dilation infinite. And there you go, your textures are recreated with a bleeding/padding/dilation that will fix all seams issues.
Photoshop's 3D tools have always been crap. Since Adobe bought Allegorithmic, 3D in Photoshop has been removed from the code and permanently abandoned. They are now selling all the Substance applications that handle 3D pixel painting to perfection.
Thank you for the advice, hansolocambo, I was aware it's not meant to be a full 3D modeling program, so I usually make things in other programs and refine them in Zbrush. I also have used polypaint to make simple things like tattoos (you can do multiple textures across UV tiles, it's just complicated, lol) and that sort of thing, just never full textures, I just got confused about some tutorials and articles I've seen that make it seem like they're creating textures and the fact that you can convert polypaint into a texture and export it. So I assumed you could do the same with spotlight, but I was mistaken, but I am a self taught artist and Zbrush is not my strong suit (other than for morphing/sculpting), I am better at other programs.
Are you referring to Adobe Substance Painter? That's what it shows when I search it, since I don't own that at the moment. If that's what you're talking about, I'll look into it.
Adobe Substance Painter, yep. I reduced my workflow to very few apps now. ZBrush, Blender, RizomUV, Daz and most definitely Adobe Substance Painter.
If you want to make your own textures for Genesis. Paint seamlessly a pattern from head to toes, create giant tattoos that cover the whole body, etc, etc. If you want to bake your polypaint onto the genesis (but honestly for Daz forget about polypainting aka vertex painting. It's a technique that's used nowadays only for the very first steps of a sculpting workflow, always prefer per-pixel painting), if you want to sculpt ultra complex details in ZBrush on a subdivided Genesis and bake that onto the low poly to export normal or even height maps (to make HD skin pores, wrinkled feet, pimples, whatever) you also can.
And what's great, because Substance is PBR worfkflow for real-time 3D (Metal/roughness and specular/glossiness) you can paint textures on your genesis that will look like metal, rust, water, glue, anything really. And it'll look great in a few clicks (importing textures in the right slots in Daz) with Iray. You even have (never used that stuff, can't say if it's good or not) Daz bundles that automate the process : Substance Painter Assistant
Substance Painter is king of texturing. And it's UDIM UVs compatible since about mid 2020. So to create ultra complex maps for Daz or .... fix seams (^ ▽ ^) / it's the ultimate tool. A must-have.
Have you looked at using spotlight in zbrush?
I'd load the textures on the figure and also into spotlight and then use the function to apply the texture to the spots that need fixing. There are a number of good videos out there on using spotlight I would suggest going to the pixologic classroom if it's stil there now Maxon have bought zbrush but if not have a look on youtube for spotlight. You would be able to apply parts of the original texture to cover the problem similar to using the clone stamp in photoshop.
I would humbly disagree. With the advent of the Modeller brush I've found it much easier to use than a traditional modeller and use zbrush exclusively, I do have access to silo, hexagon and carrara but haven't used them in years. I can't afford programs from autodesk and I know you're very keen on blender but it makes my brain melt.
I've seen a number of your posts and I know that you probably have way more knowledge of this stuff than I do but you only have to watch drust or pavolich to see the full potential of the modeller brush. You can pretty much do anything.
The biggest issue I have with zbrush is trying to learn all the different functions as there is so much you can do, as an older person the challenge is to keep up with it all.
Same confusion again : ZBrush is per vertex painting. Texture are per pixel painted.
You don't fix textures in ZBrush. Spotlight is fun for polypainting. But it won't do texture painting. As Zbrush is not an app to do that.
The best you can do is what I explained in my first post : bake the polypaint from a high poly onto the low poly. But in this case it would be dumb as you would what ? bake the diffuse, after it's been converted to a blurry polypaint ? And what about normal maps, roughness, metalness, SSS, etc. etc.
ZBrush is not made to handle textures. Period. ;)
I abandonned (mostly) 3DS Max modeling many years ago for ZBrush Zmodeler brush modeling only. It's been the only low poly tool that I've used for more than 5 years. For low poly modeling ZModeler brush is trully powerful and fast. But then I finally tried Blender... for 2 days about 8 months ago. And those 2 first days were enough to convince me and since then, I never went back to ZBrush for low poly modeling. Blender just blows ZBrush out of the water for that. So much more powerful it cannot even compare.
Pavlovitch is a killer I know ;) I use ZBrush for a very long time. You can pretty much do anything. Yes. I agree. But it's always the same with what one thinks is the best tool ever. I moved from Maya, to 3DS Max, to ZBrush (talking only about low poly modeling). And now that I moved to Blender, it totally destroys any experience I had before. Because it is way, way better than anything else I've had to use.
Every tool from every app can be great once mastered. It's just that Blender puts the quality bar very, very high ;)
I have to disagree with this it can and is used for textures, the trick is to do it on as high polys as you can. I have created textures with spotlight and seen others do brilliant textures in zbrush using spotlight. Even polypaint has its functions in texturing.
I would agree that there are many good tools out there and many can get used for similar purposes. Sometimes it comes down to how familiar a person is with the program and I'm not about to get into which program is best as I firmly believe the more programs you can use, the more tools you have at your disposal the easier it is to create.
For me as I said before I find Blender really difficult to use. That doesn't stop me from trying from time to time and I'm about due to give it another shot as I want to use it for modding for Elder Scroll games. That said I will probably need one of the earlier versions to do the actual importing and exporting of nif files.
I have many good friends who have been using it for years and swear by it. It is for many a very useful program. For me it's like using Poser and Bryce I invariably end up swearing at them as my brain turns to mud.
Having said that I'm still going to perservere with attempting to learn Blender it's just low on my priority list right now.
Thanks for the discussion it is always good to hear others views on things...
Zbrush sees UDIM but the imporrted obj has to have them
DAZ GoZ exports for me never do
I do an obj export at high resolution for polypaint and don't collapse the UVs in the export dialogue
I also use the Multimap exporter plugin to create my maps, I don't create texture from Polypaint as that kills that option
GoZ drops all grouping, both surfaces and group-groups. UDIMs require separate surface groups.
Thank you again, hansolocambo for the advice, Substance Painter definitely seems very impressive, so I'll probably try it and hope it isn't too complicated to learn (lol)
Pendraia, that was my issue, that I didn't know how to save the texture from spotlight and it does seem like it's not really made for texturing using references (such as human models from 3D.sk, etc), though it does look good for concept art creation, animated characters and game character textures (with the hand painted look, which I can't do, due to nerve damage in my hand, so my hand is too shakey, lol). I do still love Zbrush for the other things it's able to do though, I just do think another program that makes the process easier and is made for that is probably the better way to go.
WendyLuvsCatz and Richard Haseltine, in order to apply multiple textures for material groups (like torso, limbs, face, etc), you have to expand the Polygroups menu and click "Auto Groups with UV" and it creates new groups based on the UV islands (so it generates a torso group based on what part of the mesh is covered by the torso island. It works with GoZ as well, I use this to isolate the head and mask the body when making morphs and it works with Genesis 2 and 3 (I haven't tried with Genesis 8, since I'm not really a fan of Genesis 8 lol). So you can load images to their respective body parts, by autogrouping by UVs and isolating the body part the texture is for, so if you hide everything except for the face and load a texture for the face, it will show up and then you do the same for all the other UV groups (for the limbs it seperates it into 4 groups, the left arm and leg and the right arm and leg, since they aren't one island, they have their own islands, so you have to hide everything except for those 4 groups. It shows some of this process in the video Pendraia linked, but I already knew how to do all that, I was simply trying to find a way to either modify existing textures or create new ones using human model reference photos, but it seems Zbrush is best for things like tattoos and stuff that have flat textures (like polypaint has) and not what I want to be able to do. I basically want to do what Blacksmith 3D does, paint human references directly onto the model, rather than painting it like polypaint does, but I can't afford Blacksmith 3D, so Substance Painter sounds like a very good option, since it has a monthly plan (which is what I'm doing for Photoshop), so it's a nice option.
Thank you all for your advice :)
thanks Wendy that was the plug in I was referring to earlier but couldn't remember the name and wasn't at the computer.
Surface groups can be recreated using the polygroup uv function and then merge similar. I do that all the time with figures as it makes it easier to morph them and hide the parts you need to.
When exporting from zbrush it keeps the groups and surfaces and can be imported into DS as an object.
I'm not familiar with udims as I haven't used them in zbrush as I mainly play with other figures. But Wendy does and I would think there would be a way to export them especially if they are the type of maps used in games.
In the end it's your choice and it's all about personal preferences. I know people who love using substance painter. I haven't been able to afford it so can't really comment on it. I have seen people very successfully use stock images from places like 3Dsk in spotlight. I totally get having issues with hands and such...it seems to get worse as you get older. It really is about what works for you.
Yep...very true!
UDIM mapped figures are definitely easier to use, I have UDIM UV options for genesis 1 and 2, I grabbed off shareCG
https://www.sharecg.com/v/88140/browse/21/DAZ-Studio/
Thanks for the link Wendy...