3D Artist Zhelong Xu on Using ZBrush for iPad to Create Mythical Icons With a passion for traditional Chinese art and culture, Zhelong Xu employs ZBrush to reimagine ancient Chinese artifacts.
Professionally, Zhelong Xu is principal 3D artist at NVIDIA, an art consultant for Tencent TiMi Studio Group, and was a creature concept artist on “Love, Death + Robots” with Tacit Sign Studio. Internationally, he is known for his personal, extraordinarily detailed artworks that capture the spirit of Chinese myth and earned him the ZBrush 2018 Sculpt of the Year award.
We asked Xu about how ZBrush transformed his approach to art, what it means to be a craftsman in the digital age and how ZBrush for iPad compares to the desktop experience.
Tell us about yourself and how ZBrush transformed your creative career.
XU: I was born in Jingdezhen, a small city famous for making porcelain and I studied art and clay sculpting at Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute. At the time there didn’t seem to be much overlap between traditional art and the software we learned. I graduated in 2001 and became a 3D artist, founding my own studio. I first used ZBrush 1.5 in 2002 and was deeply impressed by its amazing brush modeling tools and unique 2.5D painting features. In 2009, I felt that ZBrush 3.1 broke down the barriers between technology and art. It enabled me to apply digital tools and techniques to the traditional art and culture I love. I have used it almost every day since, for my professional and personal work.
What inspires and drives your personal work?
XU: Having grown up around the tradition of ceramic art, the craftsmen and their work, traditional Chinese art is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me. The subject matter - gods, demons, monsters, and dragons - and the form of expression, the curves, restrained and concise shapes, fascinate me.
I see myself as a creator, a “folk artist” and craftsman in the digital age. I think about how I can use digital tools to evolve the legacy of Chinese art. As my understanding of ZBrush deepens, I try to reinterpret the style and expression of traditional modeling languages with characteristics of the digital era.
Please describe your creative process and which tools you use in your work.
XU: I often make quick, rough sketches on paper or on a tablet to capture my ideas and provide an initial framework for further development in ZBrush. I then use Substance Painter 3D to apply textures.
In ZBrush, Scluptris Pro and DynaMesh provide the most flexible toolset for preliminary sculpting. I usually spend two to three hours creating the initial silhouette and level of work based on the sketch. I don't pay attention to details at this stage but focus on creative inspiration. If I like a certain shape, I will continue to use the ZRemesher and Subdivision toolsets to create high-resolution models.
This process of “speed sculpting” is so fascinating to me that I have produced two series of 26 sketches at this level of completion.
How does ZBrush for desktop help your creativity and pipeline?
XU: ZBrush's customizable interface and intuitive brush system make it the best creative tool for my work. On the one hand, it recreates a variety of tools used in traditional clay sculpture, such as my favorite Clay Buildup Brush, which mimics the effect of stacking sculpted clay. Dam Standard and Slash are the carving knives of clay sculpture. On the other hand, it also provides a brush set that completely surpasses traditional clay sculpting, such as Move Infinite and Cloth brushes.
In addition, ZBrush's “hand feel” is the best in the industry. It is difficult to describe what hand-feel is but it’s like using a set of paint brushes that adjust the pressure curve perfectly when painting. The tool seems to be an extension of natural ability, allowing a state of "self-forgetting" – a concentrated expression of the joy of creation.
Finally, the unique DynaMesh and Subd modeling systems provide freedom of topology without having to consider it, and seamlessly integrate with other DCC (digital content creation) software in my workflow.
What appealed to you about the ZBrush for iPad beta, and what was your experience with it?
XU: When I commute, travel, sit in cafés or tea rooms, or on the sofa, I bring my iPad Pro to draft or do some light work. So, the opportunity of trying ZBrush on the iPad was extremely exciting.
The iPad version is a fully functional version of ZBrush. It makes efficient use of the limited screen space and I like the new interface design of arranging long menus into tabs based on their functions.
It is also equipped with almost all the functions of the desktop version. Not only DynaMesh but the full-featured ZRemesher, all brush attributes, and more. You can even see FiberMesh and Shadowbox plus Dynamics menu!
For artists used to the desktop version, you can import and export your favorite brushes, materials, alpha, and more into the iPad version. You can also customize your toolbar and menu in a similar way to how you organize your desktop.
What does ZBrush for iPad mean for your personal and professional work?
XU: To me, ZBrush is more than just software; it changed my life and allowed me to find my true creative passion. The fact that I can now use my favorite software without compromise — in the park, on the subway, or on the sofa — to develop and finish my ideas drives me crazy! And most importantly, it is completely consistent and seamless with my desktop ZBrush data, whether I’m using a ZTL or ZPR workflow. I believe ZBrush for iPad will bring the best ZBrush experience to artists.
Helena Swahn is a writer based in London, UK.