ZBrush Tip: ZAppLink workflow for pixel-accurate Polypaint and texture projection

Accelerate paint-overs and decal work by bridging ZBrush and Photoshop with ZAppLink. It’s a fast, view-based round‑trip that projects your 2D edits back to Polypaint or an active Texture Map with pixel accuracy.

Quick setup

• Open ZPlugin > ZAppLink and set Photoshop as the external editor the first time you use it.
• In ZAppLink Properties, store consistent camera views (Front/Back/Left/Right/Up/Down) for repeatable projections across multiple passes.
• Match Document size to your target texture (2048, 4096, etc.). Work at 100% zoom to avoid interpolation; use AA Half only for previews, not for painting.
• Decide your target: with UVs and an active Texture Map, ZAppLink will project to the texture; otherwise it writes to Polypaint. Go to the highest Subdivision Level for crisp results.

Core workflow

• Visibility matters: Solo the active SubTool, hide others, and mask protected regions if needed.
• Trigger ZAppLink and choose the passes you want to send (e.g., shaded, masks). ZBrush creates a layered PSD in Photoshop.
• In Photoshop, paint on the designated paint layer. Keep ZBrush-provided mask and reference layers intact above your work.
• For predictable results, create a merged top layer (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E) before saving. Save (Ctrl+S), close the PSD, then in ZBrush choose Pickup Now to project.
• Repeat for stored opposing views (Front/Back, Left/Right) to wrap artwork cleanly around forms.

Pro tips for clean projections

• Edge seams: Increase ZAppLink Fade (8–16 px) to soften viewport-edge transitions.
• Perspective: For decals and graphic elements, disable Perspective or keep a consistent FOV across passes to reduce distortion.
• Resolution: If you see stair-stepping, increase Document size or Subdivision Level. For texture workflows, target the final texel density upfront.
• Color management: Work in sRGB, 8‑bit PSDs. Avoid CMYK and embedded profiles that can cause gamma shifts on return.
• Non-destructive edits: Use separate layers, masks, and blending modes in Photoshop, but ensure the final visible result is committed (merged) before pickup.
• Coverage strategy: Use multiple stored views for convex/concave regions; don’t try to cover large curvature from a single angle.
• Selection discipline: Only the active SubTool receives the projection—double‑check the correct SubTool is selected before Pickup.

Troubleshooting

• No changes after Pickup: Enable RGB/Colorize on the SubTool; verify you didn’t paint only with ZAdd/ZSub.
• Jagged borders or halos: Raise Fade, avoid low-res documents, and ensure your Photoshop strokes meet or slightly exceed the masked area.
• Color mismatch: Confirm sRGB in Photoshop and avoid adjustment layers that rely on color-managed previews only.

From Polypaint to production

• When satisfied, bake Polypaint to texture: Tool > Texture Map > Create > New From Polypaint, then export via Multi Map Exporter.
• Save incremental Tool files and keep your ZAppLink PSDs organized per view for easy iteration.

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