Many of 3DCoat’s functions are implemented with a familiar “Brush” interface that both corresponds to real-world equivalents and goes beyond and extends the abilities that real-world tools of similar nature are capable of.
Add and remove volume, extrude and imprint detail, and add accurate hard surface features with the control of splines and curves, circles, ellipses, and polygons.
Add realistic media textures and displacements, paint curve-based repetitive elements, precisely position and stamp relief elements and actual models, and add appendages with freehand flexibility, as well as with the precision of adjustable curves… all these things are possible with 3DCoat Brushes and their Options.
Brush strokes can also be modified using functions from the Smart Materials, Stencils, Strips, Models, and Curves Panels when the context is appropriate.
Brush Controls
In general, in all workspaces, Brush behavior and control are standardized. 3DCoat has provided a very fast, responsive, and intuitive set of gestures that the mouse or stylus can utilize to apply many Brush attributes:
1. LMB dragging with the cursor over an object performs the primary function of any tool and its parameters.
2. RMB dragging (left and right) with the cursor over an object resizes the Brush. This value can be entered numerically, as well, in the “Brush Parameters Panel” located at the top of the interface.
3. RMB dragging (up and down) with the cursor over an object increases the operational depth of the Brush. This value can be entered numerically in the “Brush Parameters Panel” at the top of the interface.
4 SHIFT+LMB and stroking will perform a smooth operation with almost any tool in both the Paint & Sculpt Rooms.
5 SHIFT+CTRL+LMB and stroking in the Sculpt Room will apply whatever action you’ve set in the Top Bar (The default is Powerful Smoothing, and there are a number of other functions in this drop-down list, which are covered in another section of this documentation).
6. Both Brush “Falloff” and “Smoothing”, as well as a spline-based, directional Steady Stroke can be applied by check box and numerical entry in the “Brush Parameters Panel”, at the top of the interface.
Brushes
Brushes
3DCoat’s Brushes can be given a “profile” by means of the Brush Alpha Panel. These are default or custom-made images which affect both the depth of the Brush application and the shape of the “bristles”, as well. Brush Alphas can also be constructed from 3D .obj files, extracting the view-based height map from the model.
Stroke Mode Panel
Stroke Mode Panel
In the Stroke Mode Panel, you will find various stylus pressure modes, lasso modes, and curve modes. Each of these modes allows you to control your strokes either with pressure, using a curve as a path, lassos, and more. This panel contains some of the most versatile aspects of a brush in 3DCoat.
Brush Options Panel
Brush Options Panel
The Brush Options panel contains most of the brush-related functions.
Top Bar Tool Parameters
Top Bar Tool Parameters
The upper Brush Parameters Panel contains toggles for functions like “Depth, Smoothing, Opacity, and Glossiness” with Conditions in the Paint Room in the form of a switchable icon (that switches between Mouse response and Tablet Response).
Conditions (Height/Color Limiter)
Height/Color Limiter Conditions
Select how the depth, color, and Gloss of your brush strokes are affected by colors, height, and other parameters. Remember to set it to “None” when you finish using this option.
Strips Panel
Strips Panel
Strips allow you to make repeating patterns along your strokes.
Stencils Panel
Stencils Panel
Stencils are used as a way to mask (shield) an area from sculpting and painting for pen depth and transparency.
Smart Materials
Painting with Smart Materials
Smart Materials allow you to paint with physically accurate materials, as well as create them. They can be projected upon your mesh with various methods and allow for advanced textures to be painted very quickly.
Stencil & Smart Material Preview Options
Preview Options
When activating one of the Materials or Stencils, or both simultaneously, you’ll have a new panel on the screen.
This panel contains all of the editable functions for both Smart Materials and Stencils.
– All of these combined bring together a very powerful Brush Engine and make it easy to achieve normally difficult paint or sculpting tasks a whole lot easier. These components can also be saved together as a single Brush Preset for use later or to share with your team or anyone else.
Tutorials
Installing Brush Alphas This video is part 1 of 2 that covers the various methods of installing Brush alphas, individually or as brush packs. This includes a brief demonstration of creating your own brush alpha with a 3D model.
The link to the free XMD brush pack for 3DCoat is below:
https://gumroad.com/mdunnam?#RogB
Brush Creation: This video cover the creation and importation of PSD image files from photoshop and 3D object files as brushes.
apply a brush along a curve: This video demonstrates the ability to brush along a curve…primarily in the Voxel Sculpting Room, using the Curves tool. It also includes creating a 3D Brush Alpha from an OBJ object/file in the process.