Help with PolyPaint for export to Poser

[greengestalt]

I have a problem with Zbrush - can’t seem to ever get a working texture that I can use in other programs. It loads the texture, lets me paint it beautifully but then trying to export a map I can’t find it and all the buttons are grayed out. I’ve searched many forums and YouTube vids but none seem to tell me what I want to do.

I just need the ability to export a texture map I painted as a separate file that I can use in another program. Going through tutorials (huge headache 99% not what I’m looking for or for use in another program) the few instructions that match Zbrush’s current setup I find the options grayed out or popup alert on how it can’t do it. I can re-load the tool, the painted object but any export is only the object. The export script claims it exports (ONLY a .Tiff?) but lies and nothing shows up.

For G-ds sake I can even slap on a texture easily using Hexagon…

GrabFlower|1200x675

[Spyndel]

Hello @greengestalt

Does your mesh have UVs? In order to create a texture, your model first needs to be UV’d, either in Zbrush or elsewhere.

I just answered a similar general inquiry about creating textures, and assembled a list of points and links explaining the various concepts you need to understand in Zbrush for creating textures. If you don’t mind, I have collapsed that list below. Take a look through it and see if it explains any things you might be confused about. Remember, you also need to understand the things you need to do in your target program to get textures to display properly, as every program is different.

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**Click Here For List**

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1. The classic texturing workflow involves “unwrapping” a model to get a flattened UV layout. This flattened layout can be imported into an image editor, providing a roadmap of sorts for a texture to be overpainted, and then applied to the model. It is still the best way to approach some things.

• In Zbrush you will need to be familiar with UV Master for the unwrapping of models, and some of the quick UV solutions may be sufficient for some tasks.

• UV layout and manipulation is an art. There will always be seam issues, which is why it’s important to control where those seams appear.

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2. Zbrush and many other tools now allow you to paint directly onto a mesh and convert that to a texture.

• In Zbrush, you will need to understand Polypaint, and that polypaint and textures are interchangeable.

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3. Creating and exporting textures in Zbrush is designed around the idea of a mesh with a low poly base–or low enough to perform comfortably in your target program–and multiple subdivision levels. Color and Sculpting detail from the highest resolution are mapped onto the model at the lowest resolution for export into other programs that can’t easily display the mesh at its highest subdivision levels.

• UV unwrapping works best with lower poly meshes, and must be performed at the lowest level of subdivision. The more polygons the mesh has, the slower the process will be, and the more difficult it will be to adjust the UVs for best texture display.

• If your project requires you to create and display textures in another program, at some point you will want to convert your tool into this form for best results if it doesn’t start out that way (for example, a high poly mesh with no SubD levels).

• A multi resolution mesh with a low poly base can be created for a high poly mesh with a combination of ZRemesher and Detail projection.

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Good luck!

[greengestalt]

Thanks for the reply - but this is exactly the same problem - I just get pointed to very broad range balloon help. I don’t want to spend 20+ hours taking classes and tutorials because …mmmmaybe… somewhere along the way there’s some answer that might be perhaps applicable to what I asked.

Look, I am sorry - I am a bit frustrated now - here’s a simple request:

how do I just:

1 – start with an OBJ file, which I’ve loaded

–We’ll assume already created desired shape - I can do that. And scaled to appropriate size and proved it could be loaded in my 3rd party program.

2 - paint a texture on the imported OBJ file

3—reliably unwrap and export the texture I paint on it.

[greengestalt]

Oh, and here .

I created this beastie based on watching YouTube from a 90s era Japanese game…

Used Hexagon which sucks for texturing but at least it can put a mesh on I can use an existing texture to replace reliably or repaint myself.

But yes it works in Poser, yes the parts move and stuff. I had to setup a tree and rig it in poser - a whole new level of “Fun” but can do that reliably.

I simply want to use the infinitely better Z-brush to sculpt then be able to make a texture I can use - so all my beautiful designs aren’t just “Monocolor only” because whatever Zbrush calls an .OBJ (supposed to be standard) it f—s up loading even a basic stock texture from Poser so I get sickly off colors.

[Spyndel]

@greengestalt

Thanks for the reply - but this is exactly the same problem - I just get pointed to very broad range balloon help. I don’t want to spend 20+ hours taking classes and tutorials because …mmmmaybe… somewhere along the way there’s some answer that might be perhaps applicable to what I asked.

I understand your frustration. Just remember that there is a reason why texturing is a specialist discipline in production workflows. It involves a lot of esoteric knowledge about the subject in general, and for every single program in the workflow, all of which like to do things slightly differently.

It is extremely difficult for me to know where gaps in your knowledge or errors in your technique may come into play, and that is merely on the Zbrush side of things. I can’t/won’t speak to what might be going on in Poser at all.

Therefore the best I can do in most cases is to try and educate a user on general principles, in the hopes that it might illuminate something for them. I’m typically very thorough in the information I offer, but am wary about coughing up tutorials on demand from a user. The process for creating textures is described in the documentation I linked above, and at best Im just going to reframe that information. I don’t believe this is as good for either of us as helping you to understand the concepts involved, so you’ll be able to more effectively troubleshoot your own issues. The process for generating a simple color texture in Zbrush takes seconds once you are set up correctly, and understand all the concepts in play.

All that said, I will attempt to assemble a quick tutorial for you, if you allow me some time. Potential problems increase with how complex of a texture you’re trying to create, so I make no guarantees it will solve whatever the issue is you’re experiencing. Ill caution you though–troubleshooting and research in the 3d artform never stops. It’s an artform based on primitive but evolving competing technologies and this will always be a significant portion of anything you do. I’m concerned about your stated aversion to research.

[greengestalt]

Thank you very much!

Again a simple tutorial on getting a standard OBJ file, polypainting it and making an exportable texture is what I seem to be lacking from Zbrush.

I’m concerned about your stated aversion to research.

Normally I’d agree with you 100%
But I’m stretched really thin these days as far as what I’m able to do and prioritize and this is where I’ve failed even if I’ve made

I posted the critter I made in literally minutes that if I could get a texture to stick to it (vs sickly green, sickly red) it’d be worth the time to rig and make morphs for in Poser. I also posted stuff I did - forgive the re-posts.

This I did with Hexagon - ancient freeware from DAZ and rigged in Poser to move the arms and such. Having issues with dial/morphs but consulting someone else for that Poser specific issue.

This I made last night in Zbrush.

Took 10 minutes, including re-meshing so 2mb not 60MB model. THEN I spent 2 HOURS until it was way too late trying to get an exported texture so I could use it with anything else…

So my issue is -

Load OBJ file → use PolyPaint to use Zbrush to paint it → extract and unwrap the mesh so can make separate file to use with Poser or other programs!

That is where my studies have failed.

And I would greatly appreciate a direct instruction pipeline.
Would probably sell Zbrush to a LOT of Poser/Daz users if this could be made halfway easy…

Thank you!

[Spyndel]

@greengestalt

And I would greatly appreciate a direct instruction pipeline.

Wouldn’t we all! However, that kind of instruction for someone unable or unwilling to study a subject for themselves has a value, and usually comes with a price tag unfortunately. If you view going over the documentation I’ve linked you to as unreasonable, you may wish to look into some sort of commercial instruction in the form of courses or videos. In addition, a dedicated Poser resource probably has information from people working specifically for that pipeline, which you may find more useful than the general knowledge most people here will provide.

I have collapsed a tutorial below for readability. Aside from the illustration, I will not be adding much information that was not linked/explained above. If you’re curious where any of this information comes from, that’s where to find it.

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click to read Polypaint to Texture 101--should contain 5 images.

1. Here I have my mesh. It has a low poly base which I will be exporting to another program. It has multiple levels of subdivision with Polypaint at the highest levels for reasons explained in my first post. You seem to already understand how to polypaint a mesh, so this needs no explanation.

@Zbrush documentation

1) Do you have UVs? If yes, skip this step. If not, you have two options:

1) Create UVs outside of ZBrush:

• We will not be doing that here, but the explanation is linked in my original post. It has some fairly specific steps that need to be followed, so read it carefully in the event you wish to use externally created UVs that need to be preserved exactly.

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2) Create UVs inside of ZBrush:

1. Set Tool: Geometry: SDiv to 1

2. Press Tool > UV Map > PUV or use UV Master

• We will be using UV Master, because UVM is really neat, and the quick mapping methods are probably not suitable for most complex texture needs. UVM documentation linked in original reply. Like everything else contains a lot of important and useful information that might head off any number of potential problems or questions. I cannot distill all that information in the scope of this post, but you need to know it.

Here is the resulting UV’d mesh, and the simple unwrapping I’ve done herewith UVM at default settings. UV unwrapping/layout is a skill, and the more complicated the mesh/texture, the more consideration needs to go into the UVs. You will need to learn how best to lay things out to avoid issues with artifacts or texture distortion. I have deliberately chosen a simple subject to avoid those kind of issues, but expect them with more ambitious projects.

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1) Set the size you want for your final map. For 2048 by 2048, follow the steps below:

• 1)Set Tool > UV Map > Width to 2048

• 2)Set Tool > UV Map >Height to 2048

• Note the Current version of Zbrush only contains a single slider for map size. Tool > UV Map> UV Map Size

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• 3) Set Tool > Geometry > SDiv to the highest level

Here is my newly UV’d model back at the highest level of subdivision with polypaint active. Note that it actually contains many more polygons than the polyframe would suggest. Zbrush filters out polyframe divisions after a certain threshold on multilevel meshes to keep it easier to read.

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• 4) Press Tool > Texture Map > New From Polypaint

And boom. The polypaint is now converted to an image texture that can display on the low level mesh, regardless of actual mesh resolution. The base level mesh only has 6 polygons, but displays the former polypaint info perfectly. If you export the base level mesh now with the texture active (tool> export), it will automatically export with a texture .bmp that should auto import into many other applications with the .OBJ

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However, if you want to do something more advanced with that texture, like flip it or export it in a different format, we know from elsewhere in the information I linked that:

The Clone Texture button will create a copy of the currently selected texture (as displayed in the Texture Map thumbnail) and put it in the main Texture palette. It is necessary to clone a texture like this if you wish to export it from ZBrush.

So I clone that texture in the Tool > Texture Map menu, and send it over to the main texture palette and export it as a Tiff.

Here is my cube in Maya, subject to all the differences in the Maya render environment that may make it appear differently. Each program may have its own preferences as to how to correctly display a texture. You may need to, for instance, flip the texture vertically. That will require you to be familiar with the target program, in addition to the source program.

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I hope you’ll discover that however much effort you put into the polypainting, the actual creation of a texture can be very easy, and very fast. This operation took less than 30 seconds all told. But it was a simple mesh/texture, and in order to troubleshoot issues with more ambitious texture work, you will really need to understand smoothing and seam issues, as well the texture display functions in your target program. The only way to do this is to dive in and start doing it, over and over.

Good luck!

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[greengestalt]

Thank you! I’m working on it now. So far I’ve at least figured out a work around.

I will spend some time researching this. And thanks for your time. So far I’ve made some progress (getting a mesh after letting it grind a few minutes) but doesn’t stick. Far FAR better than before though.

Still might just add crude painted textures in Hexagon then edit said textures with Affinity photo but will try some more. THAT does work, btw.

Ancient Windows XP era software can handle an imported Zbrush obj mesh so thick you can’t see the wireframe if turned on and I can paint parts red, green, etc. to edit later - and then there’s a base UV so can go lazy and add a tiled texture and it does work versus a raw Zbrush .obj that won’t even take a texture…

Heh, I love the un-wrap but doesn’t seem to hold in Poser no matter how I flip it. I’m NOT complaining, this is big progress - especially the next pic. This I got that crazy peel - didn’t line up so far but able to use any/alt texture to get a cohesive pattern!

Coz I now I CAN get it to hold a tiled pattern. Or paint one via Hexagon and then edit.

Again, OBJs created by Zbrush were always “Sickly green, Sickly red” etc. no matter what texture I tried to add in Poser. So I had this wonderful modelling thing I’d paid an entire tax return years ago that could make wonderful stuff but not usable outside… Such as places I could animate and render scenes and use other models. Poser coz haven’t invested the time to use blender and not doing the Maya racket (which also takes more time than I care to invest) I’m not unwilling to study, just overloaded and stretched very thin with the things I’m trying to do.

Thanks again!

Update - late in the day -

Had other things to do today but did a few hours trying to nail the texture down. This time I DID get a texture to work direct in Poser - didn’t even have to LOAD it. Simpler prop and after decimation even with texture 957K also! Alien stomach that swallows stuff. Vore stuff. So far a LOT of progress!

[greengestalt]

Another reply in thanks!
I’ve made the bridge and will do more research.

I was able to (using the tools near the top right menu) get the polypaint mapped and then after I can separate the map the thing decided to actually load…!?

And - this is another layer of pain - but related to Poser - and I was finally able to get around it I was able to get a morph working in Poser without the morph being a scaling nightmare.

This prop came from Z-brush (think an alien’s stomach for some kind of Vore/Tentacle thing) but was able to get to work in Poser (only 954 Kb!) so rendered a simple animation and converted to gifanimation.

Also I created an alien…appendage… but kinda NSFW but able to paint the texture, scale down to low memory but good image then (Poser end) get shine and subsurface additional textures. Zbrush and Maya laugh at those but since can’t use 'em …. but part of why I had that issue in the first place.

So I accomplished a LOT this weekend, Zbrush progress alone!

Thanks again for your help and tolerating me being a bit abrupt!

Edit - did another. Two actually to make sure I had the pipeline down. Nearly forgot the texture path again but caught it. This is 3 morphs on the same object and (Poser’s crazy issues) at last no weird re-size issues. Final working model 500K - lots less than the gifanimation!

[Spyndel]

@greengestalt

Thanks again for your help and tolerating me being a bit abrupt!

You’re welcome, and I’m proud of you for working through your confusion and solving a problem! I wish I could say you’ll never have to do it again, but this is a common aspect of 3d work.

Good luck!