Create mask from intensity

Here we have a texture made with projection master, ZAppLink and Photoshop ... this is a low-res file – the canvas is only 640 x 480, and the texture is only 1024x1024.

Int = Create mask from intensity

Turn off the texture so you can see only the mask you just made from the texture ...

Repeatedly enter these numbers under deformation:

Inflate 5

Smooth 10

If you turn off view mask you can watch your details rise to the surface:

 

We can see where we are developing the surface to match the texture art ...

The following steps are to correct your alpha mask made from the texture, and work much better with a UVW Unwrap ... just the same, here is the process to reduce artifacts and clean up the mask art:

Make alpha from the texture ...

Then, use the alpha to crop and fill the document

Here is a segment of the results:

You can change the alpha depth and re-crop and fill:

You can blur out artifacts with Zadd on, rgb off, and a large, low intensity blur brush ...

 

... this is directly working on that alpha ...

With unrapped uvws, you could go in with the deco brush and zsub and cut in details like wrinkles ... the inflate brush would inflate between the wrinkles ... of course you could blur more as well ...

When complete, “grab doc” again (from the alpha palette) in order save the data as a 16 bit file ...

Then save document (canvas with height/depth values) ... the purpose of this is to re-access this art again (via grab doc) if you need to.

Then make a new document to clear the canvas ... draw the model ...

Texture off:

Under Tools ... Hit Alp ... mask from alpha intensity

Do more Inflate 5, smooth 10’s ...

 

Store a morph target so you can use a morph brush later, if you want to pull back some of your sculpting effects ...

With the texture

Use the inflate brush with the mask on to pull out more detailing

 

Go back to projection master if necessary and sharpen up folds and scales with dodge and burn, as well as 1 pt brush painting lines and hi-lites ...

 

Back in ZBrush ...