ZBrush Tip: Polygroups from Surface Angles

Speed up selection, isolation, and hard-edge workflows by generating Polygroups from surface angles. This lets you target panels and facets instantly, improving creasing, polishing, UVs, and retopology. If you’re setting up a clean hard-surface pass or prepping for production, this is a reliable first step. Need ZBrush or upgrades? Explore ZBrush options at NOVEDGE.

• Where to find it:
  • Tool > Polygroups > Group by Normals
  • Adjust the Max Angle slider to control how aggressively surfaces are grouped
• Quick workflow:
  • Clean up the surface if needed (minor smoothing helps avoid over-fragmentation).
  • Open Tool > Polygroups and click Group by Normals.
  • Start with Max Angle around 30–60 for hard-surface forms; lower values isolate sharper facets, higher values merge more surfaces.
  • Use Ctrl+Shift to isolate polygroups quickly; convert selections if needed with Group Visible.
• After grouping, leverage these fast wins:
  • Crease edges by groups: Tool > Geometry > Crease > Crease PG to protect borders during subdivision.
  • Polish with intent: Deformation > Polish by Groups for crisp planes without rounding through boundaries.
  • ZRemesher with edge fidelity: enable KeepGroups (and tune Smooth Groups) to maintain panel borders through retopo.
  • UV Master: enable Use Polygroups to convert groups into UV islands rapidly.
  • Brush control: Brush > Auto Masking > Mask By Polygroups for targeted sculpting, painting, and deformation.
• Angle selection guidelines:
  • 15–30 degrees: strict separation for sharp, crisp facets or beveled edges.
  • 30–60 degrees: balanced grouping for most hard-surface blockouts.
  • 60–85 degrees: broad grouping on rounded forms to reduce fragmentation.
• Combine with other group tools:
  • Group Front to capture view-facing polygons for decals or panel insets.
  • Auto Groups to split disconnected mesh islands before or after normals-based grouping.
  • Panel Loops for instant beveled borders and thickness from your new polygroups.
• Troubleshooting:
  • Too many tiny groups? Raise Max Angle or lightly smooth the surface first.
  • Soft edges collapsing during subdiv? Crease PG before subdividing, or subdivide once and then apply Crease PG for a softer start.
  • Groups don’t align after mirroring? Use Mirror And Weld, then regenerate groups or reapply Crease PG.

This approach not only accelerates selection and isolation, but also sets you up for clean creasing, predictable ZRemesher results, and UVs that mirror your design intent. For pipeline-ready licenses, training, or volume needs, connect with the specialists at NOVEDGE. Ready to upgrade your toolkit? Check current ZBrush deals at NOVEDGE.