How do you adjust the topology and resolution of your mesh after extruding and insetting in ZBrush?

1 What are extrusion and inset

Extrusion and inset are two tools in the ZModeler brush that let you manipulate the polygons of your mesh. Extrusion allows you to extend a polygon or a group of polygons along a normal direction, creating new faces and edges. Inset allows you to shrink a polygon or a group of polygons inward, creating a new border around them. You can use these tools to create details, holes, bevels, and other effects on your mesh.

2 How to extrude and inset

To extrude or inset a polygon or a group of polygons, you need to select the ZModeler brush and hover over the target face. Then, you can press the spacebar to open the ZModeler menu and choose the action and the target mode. For example, you can choose Extrude > Polygroup All to extrude all the polygons that belong to the same polygroup as the one you hover over. You can also choose Inset > Flat Island to inset all the flat polygons that are connected to the one you hover over. To perform the action, you need to click and drag on the face, adjusting the distance and direction of the extrusion or inset.

3 How to adjust the topology

The topology of your mesh refers to the arrangement and connectivity of the polygons that make up your model. A good topology should follow the shape and curvature of your mesh, avoid unnecessary or irregular polygons, and maintain a consistent density and resolution. When you extrude or inset a polygon or a group of polygons, you can change the topology of your mesh, creating new edges, vertices, and faces. This can result in unwanted effects, such as pinching, stretching, or overlapping polygons. To avoid these issues, you can use some tools in ZBrush to adjust the topology of your mesh after extruding or insetting. For example, you can use the ZRemesher tool to automatically generate a new topology that is more optimized and uniform for your mesh. You can also use the QMesh action in the ZModeler brush to extrude or inset polygons while deleting or bridging the adjacent faces, creating cleaner and smoother transitions.

4 How to adjust the resolution

The resolution of your mesh refers to the number and size of the polygons that make up your model. A higher resolution means more polygons and more details, but also more memory and processing power. A lower resolution means fewer polygons and less details, but also less memory and processing power. When you extrude or inset a polygon or a group of polygons, you can change the resolution of your mesh, creating smaller or larger polygons. This can affect the level of detail and smoothness of your mesh, as well as the performance and compatibility of your model. To adjust the resolution of your mesh after extruding or insetting, you can use some tools in ZBrush to increase or decrease the number of polygons in your mesh. For example, you can use the Divide tool to subdivide your mesh, creating more polygons and smoothing out your surface. You can also use the DynaMesh tool to remesh your mesh, creating a new mesh with a uniform resolution and topology.

5 How to preview and export your mesh

After adjusting the topology and resolution of your mesh, you may want to preview and export your mesh for further editing or rendering in other software. To preview your mesh, you can use the Preview tool in the Tool palette, which allows you to see how your mesh will look like after applying the subdivision levels and the dynamic subdivision settings. You can also use the BPR Render tool to render your mesh with shadows, materials, and filters. To export your mesh, you can use the Export tool in the Tool palette, which allows you to save your mesh as an OBJ or STL file. You can also use the Decimation Master plugin to reduce the number of polygons in your mesh while preserving the details, making it easier to export and import your mesh in other software.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?