Extracting in ZBrush64

When you need to create a clothing article for your character, you don't want to go through the process of creating a new raw SubTool and shaping it to your figure, do you? One simple way of creating this new object that overlays your base figure is to extract geometry.

Start with your figure. Continue to create a masked area (hold down control, and paint the mask on) where you would like its clothing, or other area of eventual extraction, to appear.

Once you have the masked area ready, go over to your SubTool panel on the right side of ZBrush. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the SubTool panel and you will find a tab labeled "Extract".

As you can see, there are presets that ZBrush automatically loads into the program. The Smt (Smoothness of extract) bar is at 5 and the Thick (Thickness of extract) is at .02. This is what it looks like if you hit the Extract button with the standard settings.

Raising the Smt will create an extract that is a smoothed overcoat type object in relation to your base figure. The more smoothness, the less distinction in the extract.

Raising the Thick slider will create a larger extract with a thicker mass. If you raise it too high, it will start looking unpleasant, like the image below.

By this time you may have attempted to move your object around to look at the extract. But come to find out the extract disappears, doesn't it? That's because your "extract" is only a projection of an extract. In order to create the sculptable geometry, you need to click on the little Accept button. But before doing so, make sure your extract is what you want, because you will not be able to alter the thickness or smoothness after extraction.

And Viola! You now have a proper extraction. Go up to your SubTool menu and there will be a new SubTool with your new geometry in it (Mind you, there will still be a mask covering your old geometry and your new extract, and clearing those out is important).

Extracting objects is a very useful tool while working in ZBrush, and can save you heaps of time you would have previously spent shaping an object to fit your base model. Extracting can be used for clothing, facial features such as eyebrows, buttons, and endless other uses. Knowing how to use this tool to your advantage is a big step in learning how to model to your best in ZBrush.

Happy sculpting!