How to combine 3D and comic art in ZBrush

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3D specialist Glen Southern will be joining us on 8 March at Vertex – the ultimate event for 3D and 2D artists. He'll share some insights into the evolution of VR creation tools and prove just how useful they can be by rapidly building high-quality creatures and environments in Oculus Medium. 

Find out more about Vertex speakers or sign up for a free Vertex pass here.

The planet Varsi Prime has vast oceans teeming with life. We’ve been using this fictional planet to do creature design workshops for years now. What better story to tell in comic panels than how a survey team was brought down by giant squid-like creatures as they surveyed the planet? 

3D models have been used in comic work for years now. This tutorial gives a little introduction on how to create basic 3D models in either VR (Oculus Medium) or inside ZBrush and then render them in a cel-shader style to create unique 3D art. Below is our final design. 

The final design combines 3D and comic-style rendering

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I often start my design process inside a VR headset these days. I can block out a creature or vehicle design in no time at all, and even if it is very rough looking, I can work out lots of design problems before committing any real time to detailed modelling. 

I will work through how to create the whole scene in VR, how to use that inside ZBrush as a guide, how to make a low-polygon ship with ZModeler and then sculpt the main squid creature. At the end, I will explore how to create materials that render out your creations as cel-shaded, comic-style pages. If you want to push your skills further, take a look at our roundup of great ZBrush tutorials.

Click the icon in the top right of each image to enlarge it

01. Find the story behind the project

This design will focus on destructive sea creatures

This project and accompanying cover is about telling a story using a comic-style render in ZBrush. I find that it really helps to establish the story that is driving the action in the scene before you even start to build any models. I wanted to do a comic panel that had a survey team spaceship (or fleet!) being destroyed by large sea creatures. I love showing split-screen images in my work, half underwater, half above the waves, and this was a great opportunity to try that on a bigger scale.

02. Draft up an idea

Sometimes it helps to sketch out a design first

Sometimes I do go straight into concept modelling to get my ideas out, but very often I will sit and sketch either with Photoshop and my Wacom, with the iPad and Procreate, or more often than not just in a notebook. For this panel idea, I wanted the foreground to be dominated by a large squid-like alien grabbing a spaceship as it skimmed over the surface of the sea. I put the feature area in the bottom left and top right, which is where the eyes of the squid and the front of the ship are located.

03. Use VR to sketch out the plan

Try blocking out the scene using Oculus Medium

More and more now I am using VR in my design workflow. If you wish to follow along and you have an Oculus Rift, download Oculus Medium, which is a Voxel-based sculpting program. Use the basic tools to block out the whole scene before we ever get to ZBrush. This is one of the faster ways I know to create a whole scene in a really short amount of time and answer lots of layout and scale questions.

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04. Move into ZBrush

It's simple to import your VR design into ZBrush

One of the great things about Oculus Medium is that it can export out your models and any paint work you have done into a number of usable formats. As we want to use the models as a reference in ZBrush, we can use the FBX or OBJ formats. 

Use the File > Export function in Medium to send the models out as described. In ZBrush, the OBJ import is in the Tool panel and the FBX import can be found in the ZPlugin panel. The models come in as separate SubTools as they are laid out in Medium.

05. Lay out the scene in sections

The ship, body, tentacles and waves can all be created separately

Break the scene down into sections. Start with the ship, then the body, and then onto the tentacles and finally the waves. As we have a rough model to work with it is easy to remake or edit the individual section and then replace that SubTool with the new one (if you didn’t do the VR section, just use the 2D reference as a guide). Switch to a black colour in ZBrush and see what the layout looks like with a flat material. Next, build the ship from scratch.

06. Start on the ship

The ZModeler brush makes it easy to create hard-edged models

The ship is best built using the ZModeler brush (BZM on the keyboard). This is a great low-polygon modelling tool and it makes it easy to create hard-edged models with some speed. You can start with any shape and use MakePolymesh3D in the Tool panel. Then look for Initialize and hit QCube. Hit X to use symmetry. With B, Z, M keystrokes you are using the ZModeler brush. 

The core tool we will use is the QMesh feature to pull out new shapes polygon by polygon. You can use the Alt key to make temporary selections. 

07. Use ZModeler to create the core model

Use the different ZModeler tools to build up your design

It is worth spending the time to learn all the ZModeler tools (head to Pixologic's ZClassroom for free tutorials). Add detail using the three modes (Faces, Edges and Points) based on what you are hovering over when you press the spacebar. The main actions you will use are QMesh, insert line (edges) and Split (points). These three actions will get you most of the detail you need for the core of the model. Keep adding detail to the body.

08. Block out the body

Focus on creating an interesting shape rather than a perfect model

The idea with this kind of modelling is to add visual interest and make an interesting shape rather than creating a perfect model. With the type of render we are going to use we need to add lots of surface detail (aka greeble). Work on the panelling, windows, vents, fins, towers etc, anything that will give some detail when we render it without getting too complex. 

With QMesh you can pull out slanted surfaces in steps. There are lots of different settings to play with in ZModeler if you want to spend time on this sort of detail.

09. Block out the wings

Keep it low-poly to give crisp, comic-style shapes

Start another QCube as a new model in the Tool panel: Tool > Initialise > QCube. Append that into the Ship ZTool as a new SubTool. Using the same ZModeler tools, shape the wing as per the reference or your VR layout model. Look at the model from all angles and get a really strong outline worked out. 

Put some vertical fins in using the QMesh action and then add detail to those uprights. You can have as many additional SubTools as you like to make this ship; we are going to be keeping it very low polygon to give us nice, crisp, comic-style shapes.

10. Create the engines and jets

Cylinder3D is ideal for the jets

To make the jets and more cylindrical parts use a Cylinder3D from the Tool panel. In the Initialize panel set the HDivide to 64, which will give you a detailed cylinder. Use MakePolymesh3D to make that editable. Turn on symmetry with settings of Radial (Little R), 64, on Y. Now you can go to ZModeler (B, Z, M) and edit the cylinders like a lathe with all the same tools as before. This method will be used whenever we need pipes, jets, tubes etc. Make a few engines and append them into the main ZTool.

11. Add visual interest

We want to avoid large areas of solid colour

Keep in mind that we want to make a pleasing image rather than an accurate model. A lot of the model will be in darkness, and as it is like a comic that will be a solid colour. Break those areas up with something visually eye-catching. Add jets and weapons when you think they will catch the viewer's eye or make the silhouette more appealing. Try to add different-sized engines and layer them onto each other. Remember to look from all angles and especially from the angle that we want to render from.

12. Greeble using Insert mesh brush

Add greeble items to your model as needed

Any little ZTools you make can be added to an Insert Mesh brush and used to add more detail. For example, make another cylinder item. Go to Brush > Create > CreateInsertMesh. Do it again with another one but use Append rather than New. 

If you hit M now you will see you have made a little set of greeble items. You can now add these to your model as needed. Go to Material and select the Outline material to see how the ship is looking in a basic comic style.

13. Make the alien’s main body

Create a geometry version to sculpt

If you have a base model from VR simply use ZRemesher in the Tool panel to create a new base for the squid alien body. If you want to make the base from scratch then use the ZSphere method. Draw out a ZSphere with symmetry turned on and add more one by one to make the curved body. Add the fins and fluke tail. You can scale, rotate and move each sphere. 

Once you have the volume correct go to Adaptive Skin in the Tool panel and make a geometry version. You can now sculpt on this version and begin the detailing.

14. Detail the body

Shape the overall body first, then move on to the detail

Use ZRemesher in the Tool panel to bring the polygon count down to a lower level and to give the model an even covering of polygons. Subdivide the model (Ctrl+D) and start sculpting using the Clay Buildup tool and the Move tool. By switching between these two you can get most of the shape detailed. Use Shift to use the Smooth brush as you go. Shape the overall body first, and flatten the fins. Add some detail around the chest and rib cage (it’s an alien squid, so take some liberties here).

15. Create squid eyes

Add eyes as separate SubTools

Add eyes as separate SubTools. Create a sphere, and use MakePolymesh3D. Append it into the Squid SubTool. Duplicate it twice with symmetry on so you have all six eyes. Place them into the head and re-sculpt the head area of the body to add wrinkles and eyelids as needed. The shape of the area that the eye sits into is as important as the eye itself. Make sure it suits the look of the creature. Use the Move tool on the body and the eyes to make sure they look correct.

16. Add tentacles

You can sculpt the suckers using the Clay Buildup tool

As with the body, if you roughed some tentacles up in VR use those with DynaMesh or ZRemesher. If you are making them from scratch use spheres again. Block out the length of the tentacle, getting smaller at the end. Use Adaptive Skin again and then sculpt on that new ZTool. Take your time and sculpt the suckers on the underside of the tentacle using the Clay Buildup tool. 

You can use a Torus shape and make it into an Insert brush if that method suits you better. You will have to DynaMesh the finished tentacle together.

Next page: Make final tweaks and render your scene

17. Detail the suckers

Duplicate your tentacle and vary the shape

To make the suckers Insert brush choose Ring3D from the Tool panel. Select Make PolyMesh3D so it is editable. Using the Move tool, scale the ring along one axis so it is taller. Go to Brush and create an Insert brush as we did for the spaceship. Now go back to the tentacle and draw on the new suckers one by one. Once you have them all placed, DynaMesh the final tentacle. You can duplicate this tentacle a few times, but with shape variations to suit the composition.

18. Make waves

Use a simple, primitive shape for the sea

The sea can be made from a simple primitive shape. We don’t want it to be completely wafer thin, so use a Cube3D and Make PolyMesh3D to make it editable. With the Move tool, flatten it right down to a very thin profile. Divide it a few times to give you lots of polygons to work with. You can DynaMesh instead if you wish. Use the Move tool and a large brush size to get the shape of the main waves correct. Append it into the main scene and duplicate it a few times for the background waves.

19. Focus on scene composition

With Perspective turned on, align the ZTool to match the initial sketch

Make sure that you now have all of the models we created in the same ZTool as separate SubTools. If you have missed anything or have not duplicated something, do it now as we work out the main composition. 

With Perspective turned on, align the ZTool to match the initial sketch. Using the Move tool on each layer, push or pull the tentacles and waves into the best position. Make sure the tentacles grab ahold of the ship. Don’t mess with the spaceship at this point, other than rotating.

20. Render in a flat comic style

We want to make our own materials to suit this project

As we went along with the project we used a material called Outline. This is a default in ZBrush and it gives us an idea of what a basic comic render might look like. Now it’s time to make our own materials to suit the project. Take a look at the Modifiers in the Outline material and at the bottom, you will see that the material is using a texture that is basically a black circle with a white outline. This is called a MatCap, and it is how we will go about making our own materials.

21. Change the Matcap image

As we're going for a comic style, we'll keep colours to a minimum

The render style is defined by the image that you load into the texture box at the bottom of the Modifiers panel. Load in any image and see what effect it has on the ship mode for example. The image represents an environment sphere, so if you use an image with a red centre that will show front and centre on your model. As it is a comic style, we need to keep the number of colours to a minimum. The basic Outline material only has black and white.

22. Make your own images in Photoshop

This stage might take a little trial and error

This takes some trial and error, so be prepared to make lots of Photoshop images and to experiment with them on your models. Make a square Photoshop document. Draw a circle exactly in the centre. Outline that circle with a dark colour. For this project, I used a dark blue-green for the underside of the models and a variety of oranges for the upper parts. Replicate that in the Photoshop document with crescent shapes and lighter highlight circles. Save that image and load it into the material via the import.

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23. Render different styles

The final design will include a few different comic styles

To get the overall look for this scene we need to render out a few different comic styles. The squid will be mostly dark green-blue while the sky and top of the ship will need to be a light orange. The are lots of resources online where you can acquire material images and sets. I bought some from Pablo Munoz , who has some amazing textures, materials and even templates.

24. Render passes

Save each version of the images, as we'll need to composite them in Photoshop

Once you have a few options for the materials it is time to render the final scene. Change the document size to 5,000 x 500 (or whatever suits). Line up your model and hit BPR render (the tiny BPR button). Once it has calculated look at the Render panel under Render > BPR Render Pass. 

There you will see a number of rendered images including Shaded, Depth, Shadow, Mask and others you can activate if needed. Click on each one and save them as we need to composite them in Photoshop.

25. Render background elements

You'll need to render certain other elements separately

You will need certain other elements in the scene, and to be able to place them individually. You can render each one separately. Turn off all the SubTools in ZBrush apart for the ship. Render this out in a position you like. Save out the renders and the mask so you can quickly cut them out. Do this for the tentacles and the body.

26. Put it all together

Most layers will need to be masked out 

The next step is to open all the versions in Photoshop. Most layers will need to be masked out. Select and copy the mask image to the clipboard. On each image add a layer mask and paste in the mask as an alpha (Alt-click on the layer mask to edit it). 

Now start with the render that is closest to the desired look. Use this as the base layer for the undersea portion of the image. Colour adjust it to a dark blue-green. Make sure the one you choose has good lighting from the top. Use blending modes like Overlay and Multiply, and try to find the best look for your image.

27. Tweak the final comp

Clouds and vapour trails finish off the piece

As well as rendered background elements, you can add more interest to the whole piece with things like clouds and vapour trails. As we have been going for a flat, 2D look all along, draw these elements in blocks of single complementary colours. Choose a range of oranges and yellows for the clouds and sky, and try to help tell the story with the vapour of the ship that is just getting away by throttling up the engines.

Explore the magic of VR at Vertex

Glen Southern will be sharing his insights at Vertex

• Get free admission to VERTEX 2019, the ultimate event for 2D and 3D artists

Glen Southern runs a studio specialising in character and creature design. At Vertex (8 March, Olympia London), he'll be delivering a talk entitled The Evolution of VR Tools. 

In it, he'll explore how VR is quickly absorbed into film and game production pipelines, and take a closer look at the transformation modern production environments have seen from using these tools.

This article appears in 3D World issue 244. Buy it here or subscribe. 

Read more:

• Gravity Sketch on Oculus Rift review
• How to bring a 2D character to life in VR
• 15 tips to master ZBrush

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