Preface

Perhaps the most effective way to articulate what ZBrush is about and what it offers is by envisioning scenes such as Godzilla engaging in a fierce battle with King Kong, colossal dragons soaring over fictional cities, or digital doubles of actors executing extraordinary stunts. These scenarios, with their full glory and intricate details, would be impossible to conceive without the capabilities of this software, and its ability to create incredibly detailed 3D models.

Although several digital sculpting programs exist, ZBrush stands out as the unquestionable leader in VFX, games, and numerous other industries. This is not only because of its vast amount of unique and powerful tools, constant updates, and excellent customization options, but especially due to its large and passionate community. This collective enthusiasm makes ZBrush the optimal choice for anyone wanting to start their journey in digital sculpting.

When I first tried ZBrush, it was remarkable to see how fast I could achieve interesting results, without having had much drawing practice or even a formal art background. Since then, I’ve been hooked on the digital sculpting experience. In writing this book, I did so with certainty and joy, knowing that others may become just as captivated, unlocking diverse and rewarding career paths in the process.

As you navigate through this book, I hope the hands-on examples make all those tools and workflows seem less scary and inspire you to start your digital sculpting journey. The idea is to keep things fun so that learning new tools doesn’t become a chore, but instead, you see it as opening up possibilities for creating new and better things.