Monday, April 19th, 2021 Posted by Jim Thacker

Discover how to match a stylized concept in ZBrush


The Gnomon Workshop has released Matching a Stylized Concept in ZBrush, a guide to translating a 2D concept sketch into a 3D character, recorded by character artist Daniel Zeni.

The new workshop, which comprises six hours of video training, covers the entire process in ZBrush, Pixologic’s industry-standard digital sculpting software, and Adobe’s Photoshop.

A detailed starter guide to sculpting stylised characters in ZBrush
Zeni begins by explaining how to set up a 2D concept image – provided here by character designer Việt Nguyễn – inside ZBrush, using the Spotlight projection tool.

He then explains how to sculpt the overall shapes of the character, using ZBrush’s symmetry features to align the body with the head.

Zeni also discusses how saving out camera angles using ZBrush’s ZAppLink plugin can help line up to mesh with the concept image every time you make a change.

The final stage of the workshop demonstrates how to select the correct colour for the 3D character from the original concept, creating a clean final image ready to use in a portfolio.

Other topics covered include how to use ZBrush’s ZModeler polygon modelling toolset for character work.

About the artist
Daniel Zeni is a Gnomon School graduate whose career has touched all corners of the industry, with experience working across consumer products, practical effects for film, mobile games, and episodic animation. His focus remains on character work with recent credits including The Mandalorian television series for Disney Plus and the Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery mobile game.

Pricing and availability
Matching a Stylized Concept in ZBrush is available via an online subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, providing access to over 300 tutorials. Subscriptions cost $49/month or $490/year.

Read more about Matching a Stylized Concept in ZBrush on The Gnomon Workshop’s website


Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.