ZBrush

ZBrush was created by the company Pixologic Inc, founded by Ofer Alon and Jack Rimokh. Zbrush combines 3D/2.5D modelling, texturing and painting. It uses a proprietary "pixol" technology, which stores lighting, colour, material, and depth information for all objects on the screen. The main difference between ZBrush and more traditional modelling packages is that it is more akin to sculpting.

ZBrush is used as a digital sculpting tool to create high-resolution models (up to ten million polygons) for use in movies, games, and animations. It is used by companies ranging from ILM to Electronic Arts. ZBrush uses dynamic levels of resolution to allow sculptors to make global or local changes to their models. ZBrush is most known for being able to sculpt medium to high frequency details that were traditionally painted in bump maps. The resulting mesh details can then be exported as normal maps to be used on a low poly version of that same model. They can also be exported as a displacement map, although in that case the lower poly version generally requires more resolution. Or, once completed, the 3D model can be projected to the background, becoming a 2.5D image. Work can then begin on another 3D model which can be used in the same scene. This feature lets users work with extremely complicated scenes without heavy processor overhead.

Uses of Digital Sculpting

Digital sculpting is still a very new method, but it has become very popular in the few short years it has been around. Sculpting can often introduce details to meshes that would otherwise have been difficult or impossible to create using traditional 3D modelling techniques. This makes it preferable for achieving photorealistic and hyperrealistic results.

Sculpting is primarily used in high poly organic modelling , the creation of 3D models which consist mainly of curves or irregular surfaces, as opposed to hard surface modelling.

It can create the source meshes for low poly game models used in video games. In conjunction with other 3D modelling and texturing techniques and Displacement and Normal mapping, it can greatly enhance the appearance of game meshes often to the point of photorealism. Some sculpting programs like 3D-Coat, Zbrush, and Mudbox offer ways to integrate their workflows with traditional 3D modelling and rendering programs.

High poly sculpts are also extensively used in CG artwork for movies, industrial design, art, photorealistic illustrations, and for prototyping in 3D printing.