ZBrush Tip: Refining ZBrush Curve Brushes for Production-Ready Tubular Details

Curve brushes turn a simple stroke into editable tubular geometry, making them ideal for cables, hoses, pipes, veins, ropes, and other flexible details. The key is to refine the curve before committing to additional sculpting.

Start with the appropriate brush

• CurveTube: Creates a clean tube along a freely drawn curve.
• CurveTubeSnap: Keeps the tube close to the underlying surface, which is useful for wiring, piping, or raised ornamental details.
• CurveMultiTube: Generates several parallel tubes from one stroke—excellent for cable bundles and braided structures.

Select a brush, set Draw Size, and drag across the model. Draw Size determines the tube’s initial diameter, so establish an approximate scale before creating the stroke. If the result is too large or small, undo, adjust the brush size, and redraw rather than trying to force an unsuitable curve into place.

Edit while the curve is active

An active ZBrush curve appears as an orange line. Move the cursor over it and drag to reshape the path. Pulling near the end extends or repositions the endpoint, while dragging the middle adjusts the tube’s overall flow. Use broad, deliberate movements first, then refine smaller sections.

• View the model from several angles to catch tubes that float above or pass through the surface.
• Use a lower Draw Size temporarily when precise curve editing is difficult.
• Avoid excessive control changes; a smooth cable usually looks more convincing than a curve with many small bends.
• Open Stroke > Curve to adjust curve resolution and smoothness when the path appears angular.

Control the profile and taper

Use the curve modifiers associated with the brush to determine how thickness changes from one end to the other. A flat size profile produces a uniform pipe, while a descending profile creates a tapered tube. This is useful for organic tendrils, horns, roots, and vascular forms. For manufactured cables, keep the profile consistent unless the design includes a connector or protective sleeve.

Make tubes follow the surface cleanly

CurveTubeSnap is particularly effective when a cable must hug armor, machinery, or a character’s clothing. Rotate the model after placing the stroke and inspect the spacing. If sections penetrate the mesh, edit the active curve or use the Move Topological brush after the geometry is finalized. Backface Masking can help prevent nearby surfaces from being displaced during cleanup.

Finish with a production-friendly structure

• Keep procedural tube geometry separate from the base model whenever possible.
• Use SubTool > Split options to move inserted geometry into its own SubTool when appropriate.
• Duplicate the tube before destructive edits such as DynaMesh, ZRemesher, or Boolean operations.
• For hard-surface pipes, use ZModeler or crease settings to refine connectors and end caps.
• For organic tubes, apply subdivision and light smoothing before adding tertiary detail.

A reliable curve-tube workflow is: establish diameter, draw the path, inspect it in depth, refine its silhouette, separate the geometry, and only then add connectors or surface detail. Artists building cable-heavy characters or mechanical assets can explore ZBrush licensing and related production tools through NOVEDGE, a trusted source for professional design software.

You can find all the ZBrush products on the NOVEDGE web site at this page.