Lining up ZSpheres

It is very important to keep symmetry active in your ZSpheres, if you want to model the resulting adaptive skin symmetrically.

Draw the ZSphere with the brighter side down ... holding shift:

 

Set up the model to have symmetry as we draw “upwards” on Y.

Enter Edit mode

Transform/set X and Z symmetry

(X is “left and right” ...

Z is drawing in depth, “towards us” ...)

Shift rotate the view to see the top
(Do not actually rotate the zsphere, only rotate your view)

Move the cursor until is it centered/green ...

Draw a new zsphere

(we are drawing “towards us” but we have temporarily rotated the view so it is facing us.

 

Here we move the second zsphere to its position.

 

With your X and Z mirror still on

to constrain, move spheres on the canvas ...

 

... until the preview box looks perfect:

Back in Edit/Draw and click along the chain of to add zspheres.

 

Turn off the mirror symmetry

Move the zspheres, remaining symmetrical along the height (Y.)

 

If the orientation in the preview appears wrong

(here is it facing backwards) ...

... hold down shift and drag on the preview window to correct:

Hit store orientation

While working on the canvas,
keep your view aligned with Shift.

  

Check your perspective view by rotating the view without using shift:

 

Note – it is not possible to rotate the roots ZSphere, or if you think you do, the preview window orientation will rest to the original position ... make a child at the bottom of the root if you want to “close off” the mesh:

push it into the root ZSphere ...

Now you have a better looking base to the model:

You could also turn on minimal child ...

pull that lowest child out ... and get this: