Import Victoria 2, clothing, and props into ZBrush 2

Author: ringbearer

Tools Needed

• Poser
• ZBrush 2

In ZBrush you can only have one texture map per object. Consequently, you have to import Victoria 2's body and head separately. This tutorial will show you how to import all the pieces of your scene and have everything line up.

Pose and clothe your figure in Poser.

You can only have one texture map per object in ZBrush, so you have to export the head, body, clothes, separately. In ZBrush, transparency is either off or on, so I will not be exporting hair or eyes. You just have to make sure that what you export uses only one texture map. Click on export, select wavefront object, single frame. Then de-select universe (which un-checks everything). Check Figure 1, then de-select the head and eyes. I used the default export settings. Repeat this process for the head, props, and each item of clothing.

Now you are ready to import into ZBrush. Choose the Polymesh 3D tool, then click on import, and draw the mesh onto the screen.

I first imported the body, made sure I was in edit mode (quick edit off), then moved, scaled, and rotated it where I wanted it. Then I placed a marker.

You will see that the body is still faceted. We will fix that. Go to tools, geometry, and click on crease, then divide a few times, which smooths the model.

Now you can apply the texture. Click on texture, import, and import the body texture. Uh-oh, looks really strange. Just click on texture, flip vertically and all is correct. Go back to tools, geometry and delete the lower subdivision levels. Make sure you click off the edit button and you are ready to import the next piece.

Import the head and hover your mouse over the body until you find the marker that you placed in the previous step.

Click on the marker and your head will come in exactly where it should. Then go to tools, polygroups, and click on the autogroup button. Then Ctrl+Shift click on the head and the eyelashes and eyebrows disappear. Then go to tools, geometry, and click on delete hidden. Repeat the process as before, crease, divide a few times, and apply the texture. Don't forget to flip the texture vertically and to delete the lower subdivision levels . There will be a seam between the head and body, but that's easy enough to fix in post, or the hair can cover it up.

Repeat the above steps, bringing in the clothes and props. You may not have to divide the props or clothing, it depends on how faceted they look when you import. I didn't have to divide the necklace or the butterfly; I only divided the pants and top once. If you divide too much and the mesh starts to degrade, you just go back down to the lower subdivision level or Ctrl+Z will undo what you did.

Here is the finished image: