ZBrush

What is ZBrush?

ZBrush is a sculpting application built around a completely different idea from traditional 3D modelling: instead of placing vertices and edges, you push and pull digital clay with brushes. The software is famous for handling tens of millions of polygons in real time, which is why artists use it for the incredibly detailed characters and creatures you see in games and films.

Pixologic created ZBrush and released the first version in 1999, building a devoted community of character artists along the way. Maxon acquired the company in 2022 and now sells ZBrush alongside its Cinema 4D line, while keeping the sculpting workflow that made it legendary.

Key Features

• Brush-based sculpting with real-time performance on huge meshes
• DynaMesh for re-meshing while you sculpt
• ZRemesher for clean retopology
• Polypaint for painting color directly on the model
• FiberMesh for hair, fur and grass
• ZModeler for hard-surface and polygon work
• GoZ integration that bridges to Maya, Blender and other tools
• Powerful render passes with the BPR renderer

How to get started

Install ZBrush, launch it, and start with a sphere. ZBrush's interface is famously unusual, so do not fight it: the core habit is picking a brush, adjusting its size and intensity, and sculpting with the stylus or mouse. Most artists learn by following along with beginner tutorials.

A typical workflow is to block out a base shape, use DynaMesh to keep the mesh even as you add forms, then add fine detail with alpha brushes and Polypaint. When the sculpt is done, ZRemesher cleans the topology and GoZ sends the model to your favourite tool for animation or final rendering.

• Download and install ZBrush
• Start from a primitive sphere or imported base mesh
• Sculpt with brushes, using DynaMesh to maintain detail
• Paint and texture with Polypaint
• Retopologize with ZRemesher and export via GoZ

Use cases

• High-detail game characters, creatures and monsters
• Film and TV props with intricate surface detail
• Miniature and toy design for 3D printing
• Product design and jewellery concepting
• Creature and character concept sculpts for pre-production

Pricing and licensing

When Maxon took over ZBrush, new purchases moved to a subscription model, while existing perpetual licenses continue to be honoured. There is also ZBrush Core, a reduced-price version that covers the essential sculpting workflow for hobbyists.

Pricing details live on the Maxon website, since subscriptions are billed monthly or yearly with regional pricing. If you are evaluating it, Maxon offers a free trial of ZBrush so you can judge the learning curve before committing.

Pros and cons

Nothing else sculpts like ZBrush. The brush feel, the massive polygon counts and the depth of the toolset make it the default choice for character art, and the community around it is huge, friendly and full of free learning material.

The drawbacks are the intimidating interface and the subscription shift, which annoyed many long-time users. It is also a sculpting and texturing tool rather than an all-in-one suite, so you will still need Maya or Blender for animation and rigging.

Alternatives

• Blender: free sculpting and full 3D pipeline in one app
• Nomad Sculpt: powerful sculpting on iPad and Android tablets
• 3D-Coat: voxel sculpting with a strong texturing workflow
• ZBrush Core: Maxon's entry-level ZBrush for hobbyists
• Sculptris: Pixologic's lightweight free sculpting tool