ZBrush Tip: Conservative Projection Workflow for Artifact-Free Detail Transfer

When transferring detail from a source mesh to a new topology, control the projection strength to retain crisp features without introducing artifacts. Here’s a focused workflow that balances precision and safety.

• Prepare the target:
  • Align scale/origin so rays travel predictable distances (Transform > Size or Tool > Deformation > Unify, if needed).
  • Subdivide the target until its vertex density is comparable to the source at the detail level you need.
  • Store a Morph Target and create a new Layer on the target to make the projection non-destructive.
• Set up clean visibility:
  • Activate the target SubTool; keep the source SubTool visible; hide everything else to avoid cross-projection.
  • Mask sensitive areas (thin lips, eyelids, nostrils) if they tend to spike.
• Project All with conservative settings:
  • Tool > SubTool > Project > Project All.
  • Start with a small Dist value relative to your model’s size; use multiple passes instead of one aggressive pass.
  • Use PA Blur sparingly to soften harsh micro-noise while preserving edges.
  • Enable Projection Shell and adjust inner/outer ranges so rays stay within a safe corridor around the target surface—this greatly reduces through-surface hits and spikes.
• Control projection strength deliberately:
  • Lower the Layer intensity to globally “dial back” how strongly the transfer appears—this is an excellent post-pass strength control.
  • For localized fixes, switch to the Project or ZProject brush and reduce Brush > Modifiers > Projection Strength to blend detail in gradually.
  • Project in stages per subdivision level: subdivide, Project All, repeat. This distributes projection strength progressively and keeps forms stable.
• Polypaint and materials:
  • To project only color, enable RGB and disable ZAdd/ZSub.
  • Verify Colorize is on for both source and target when transferring polypaint.
• Local cleanup tips:
  • Use the Project brush with a low Projection Strength for eyelids, lips, and fingers; enable BackfaceMask to avoid projecting through.
  • If spikes appear, undo, reduce Dist, narrow the Projection Shell, isolate the area, and reproject locally.
  • For stubborn areas, inflate the target slightly, reproject, then gently smooth or polish.
• Workflow guardrails:
  • Save increments before each projection phase.
  • Use SubTool Master for batch visibility and quick isolation when projecting across many parts.
  • After retopology + ZRemesher, reproject detail per level to recover high-frequency sculpting reliably.

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