ZBrush

ZBrush is one of the most advanced 3D sculpting and digital painting tools available today for Windows OS. Utilizing a proprietary “pixol” technology that combines the information about objects color, material, and depth information, artists that utilize Maxon ZBrush can easily perform incredible feats of design with techniques that are very closely aligned to real-world sculpting.

Download the Maxon App to start your 14-day free trial of ZBrush.

It has been acquired by Maxon.

In addition to free-flowing 3D sculpting that can handle both rough models and incredibly intricate micro details, It also has a full set of tools dedicated to creating advanced 2D art. Since it is capable of handling high-frequency details and models of up to 1 billion polygons in complexity, it is widely used for extraction of detail into normal maps metadata textures, that can provide 3D features to the low poly versions of the same model.



ZBrush 2024 provides enhancements that affect many areas of your workflow, with a focus on innovative new features that are designed to fuel exploration and inspire creativity.

Built from the ground up to promote creativity and a natural style of painting, It has evolved a lot in the past decades, becoming one of the most commonly used modeling apps for personal users, students, professionals, and large organizations. Today, ZBrush 2024 is commonly used in creating movie/VFX projects, video games, illustrations, advertising, scientific visualization, 3D printing, Automotive, and industrial design, jewelry design, education, and much more.

A free version of the app comes in the form of a 45-day trial with a fully unlocked toolset that professional users are using to create their masterpieces. The only limitation it has is that it cannot be used for commercial or for-profit purposes.

Features and Highlights

• Fully-featured 3D sculpting tool used across the world for personal and commercial uses.
• A powerful set of tools and features that will support your creative work.
• Create models with up to a billion polygons.
• Extensive realistic and non-realistic rendering support.
• Project texture data into sculpt surface to enhance details.
• Modify sculpts with an incredible array of tools.
• Organize and manage your project with an efficient folder system.
• Take advantage of the upgraded Universal Camera.
• Customize brushes.
• Support for a wide range of plug-ins.
• Available on a wide array of Windows OS (2000, 7, Vista, 8, 10, 11).

Installation and Use

Since ZBrush has experienced a constant flow of upgrades and redesigns since it appeared first on the market in 1999, the latest version of this app comes inside a significantly large installer package. After downloading it to your local storage, to access the app all you need to do is to follow the simple on-screen instructions. Upon finishing the installation, you will finally be able to load the app. Please be aware that you will have to create an account and authenticate your local copy during installation and first boot since otherwise, the app will not be able to activate its 45-day free trial feature.

Upon starting the app, you will be welcomed with the stylish dark UI that has become a staple of this popular 3D sculpting tool. Like many other 3D modeling editors, It has a layout design and large toolset that will not be immediately friendly to complete novices. To learn all the possible benefits of the tools and services that this app has, you will have to invest significant time and effort. Because of this, the program is often placed on the learning schedule in many design schools, together with other competing fully-featured 3D modeling editors.

What`s New

It stands as the premier digital sculpting software in the industry. Its latest iteration introduces an enhanced Anchors Brush system, revolutionizing mesh manipulation by seamlessly applying anchors for precise deformations and actions. Knife Brushes now boast heightened design flexibility with the Split to Parts feature, facilitating the retention of cut-off sections. Compatibility of Insert Mesh brushes with Stroke menu options opens up a vast array of visual potentials.

Crafting intricate surface details and incorporating secondary elements into models is streamlined with the Repeat to Similar function. The new DragStamp stroke option elevates surface detailing, complemented by features like Crease UnMasked and Uncrease UnMasked for dynamic edge control.

Both the Gizmo and Transpose functions offer topology masking, with the added perk of snapping to perfectly masked areas. The Gizmo now includes the ability to snap to the center of masked regions, while the integration of Cinema 4D noises enriches asset detailing capabilities. With ZBrush, diverse workflows and boundless creative avenues are within reach.

New Features

• ANCHOR BRUSH
• GIZMO/TRANSPOSE MASKING
• C4D NOISES
• REPEAT TO SIMILAR
• GROW/SHRINK MASK
• KNIFE BRUSH SPLIT TO PARTS
• DRAGSTAMP
• CREASE UNMASKED/UNCREASE UNMASKED
• BASE MESH CREATION
• DYNAMIC SCULPTING BRUSH SYSTEM
• SCULPTURAL FREEDOM
• POLYGON MODELING OPTIONS
• REMESHING OPTIONS
• FLEXIBLE WORKFLOWS
• POLYPAINT
• UV MASTER
• SPOTLIGHT
• ADVANCED FEATURES
• REDSHIFT
• BPR
• LIGHTCAP® SYSTEM
• MAP GENERATION
• CUSTOM MATERIALS
• FILE FORMATS
• UNIVERSAL CAMERA
• INTEROPERABILITY

If you are looking for a computer optimized for ZBrush, these are the key elements to keep in mind:

• It runs the same on Macintosh and Windows. Choosing one or the other is a personal choice.
• A fast processor with multiple cores is a key item because this program is only CPU based. The more powerful, the better.
• One must have enough memory to handle the system and other background applications in addition to this app itself. If the intent is to create complex models with many millions of polygons, aim for at least 16 GB of RAM and a 64-bit version of the OS.
• The app is highly optimized and writes a large number of temporary files in order to ensure fast performance. Depending on the model, this can quickly reach several GB of data. An SSD drive for ZBrush and its virtual memory files will provide the best results. Costs can be saved by having an additional mechanical drive to save work on.
• A Wacom (or compatible) pen tablet with a preference for professional models will provide better accuracy in brush strokes and increase the artist's feeling. Tablets based on N-Trig technology are not recommended, as they use an entirely different protocol and are not fully compatible with this software.

Highly recommended specifications:

• OS: 64-bit editions of Windows 10 or 11.
• CPU: Intel 64-bit CPU or AMD 64-bit CPU with AVX2.
• RAM: 16 GB for working with multi-million poly models (32+ GB preferred.)
• HDD: 100 GB of free hard drive space for Maxon ZBrush and its scratch disk. (SSD drive highly recommended.)
• Pen Tablet: Compatible pressure sensitive tablet from Wacom, XPen, XenceLabs, Huion or other compatible pressure sensitive tablets. (Must support WinTab API.)
• Monitor: 1920x1080 monitor resolution or higher with 32-bit color.
• Video card: Must support OpenGL 3.3 or higher and Vulkan 1.1 or higher.

PROS

• Powerful sculpting and modeling capabilities.
• Intuitive interface for artists.
• Extensive toolset for digital sculpting, painting, and texturing.
• High-resolution detailing.
• Integration with other 3D software.

CONS

• Steep learning curve, especially for beginners.
• Resource-intensive, requires a powerful computer.
• Limited animation capabilities.
• Expensive compared to some other 3D software options.
• Some users find the interface overwhelming at first.