ZBrush Tip: Solo Mode — Isolate Active SubTool

Streamline focus while sculpting by isolating exactly what matters: the active SubTool.

What Solo Mode does

• Solo Mode temporarily hides all non-active SubTools without altering their visibility states. When you exit Solo, your previous visibility setup returns intact.
• Find it on the right shelf or via the Transform palette. Consider adding it to a custom shelf for one-click access.

Set it up for speed

• Assign a hotkey: Ctrl+Alt+click the Solo button, press your preferred key, then Preferences > Config > Store Config to keep it across sessions.
• Cycle through SubTools while Solo is on using the Up/Down arrow keys—great for fast inspection passes, cleanup, or material checks.
• Prefer a non-destructive workflow: use Solo to isolate, rather than Alt-clicking the SubTool eye (which changes visibility sets).

When to use Solo Mode

• High-poly scenes: reduce viewport clutter and improve responsiveness by hiding heavy neighbors while sculpting pores, bevels, or panel breaks.
• Precision edits: pair Solo with PolyFrame (Shift+F) to review edge flow and creasing without distractions.
• Hard surface tweaks: isolate one panel, run HPolish/TrimDynamic, and quickly iterate proportions with the Gizmo free of overlapping parts.
• Retopo and projection: inspect your retopologized target mesh alone to verify silhouette and volume before projecting details.

Workflow safeguards

• Projection and baking depend on visibility. Before Project All or map baking, toggle Solo off so all intended source SubTools are visible.
• Live Booleans: Solo is perfect for inspecting a single operand, but disable Solo to preview the final Boolean result across all parts.
• Cloth and collision workflows: Solo the garment for sculpting, then un-solo to evaluate intersections against the body mesh.

Context vs isolation

• Need context without clutter? Turn off Solo and use Transp/Ghost to see neighboring SubTools faintly while working on the active one.
• Need absolute focus? Solo keeps only the active SubTool visible—no accidental clicks on adjacent meshes.

Customize your UI

• Preferences > Config > Enable Customize, then Ctrl+Alt-drag the Solo button to your custom shelf. Store Config to save.
• Create a macro that toggles Solo and PolyFrame together for quick topology checks.

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