Custom hotkeys can be assigned to suit your particular working method. Press and hold CTRL + ALT and click on the interface item you want to assign a hotkey to. ZBrush 4R5 supports the mouse wheel for devices that have one. The actions performed by scrolling the mouse wheel up or down can be assigned to various ZBrush sliders such as Draw Size. When a hotkey is assigned to a palette the top center of the palette will appear under your cursor when you press the hotkey. Press and hold CTRL + ALT and click on the brush in the Brush palette. Note that this will only restore the hotkeys to those stored in the DefaultHotkeys.txt file and this option is not available after pressing Preferences > Hotkeys > Store. Scrolling your mouse wheel up or down can be assigned to any slider in place of a hotkey.
ZBrush has an overwhelming amount of brushes available, but many are just variations of things artists have created over time. Typically we don’t need to use more than a handful, and as such it might be useful to switch between them faster than using the default key sequences (like BST or BMV). Many users prefer to use a dedicated keyboard for this, like an Elgato Stream Deck and launch those key sequences, but we can of course assign custom hotkeys without the need for new hardware. Bring up the Brush Selection Menu either by pressing B, or by clicking on the brush icon on the top left, then hold down CTRL and ALT. Keep holding those keys down and select (left click) the brush you’d like to assign a shortcut key to. ZBrush will pop up a little text message at the top, prompting us to press a shortcut combo now. I’ll use ALT+C for the Clay Buildup brush as an example. Once done, ZBrush will confirm the new selection and shall henceforth show me the shortcut when I hover over the brush. If the shortkey is already taken up by something else, ZBrush will warn us of such atrocities and give us the option to go ahead anyway (OK) or to rethink our plan (Cancel). TO make sure your hotkey assignments survive a restart, head over to Preferences - Hotkeys and select Store. You can bring back all default hotkeys with the Restore option, and load/save your favourite layouts. The startup hotkeys are stored in the ZBrush App folder under ZStartup/Hotkeys. Thanks to Michael Pavlovich for this tip!
In addition, you can assign the mouse wheel to sliders, offering another layer of control without memorizing more keys. If you enjoy my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. In return you can browse this whole site without any pesky ads!
Speed Up Your Sculpting Workflow
When it comes to digital sculpting solutions for artists, ZBrush is a household name. It is well-known in the digital art and design industry for the highly detailed models its users have produced for video games, films, and design work. However, with a ton of features under its belt, using it can be daunting for some people. One of the easier ways to fully utilize ZBrush as a design tool is mastering its keyboard shortcuts. Shortcuts offer users instant access to all the essential tools and commands that the program has to offer, letting them work faster and more seamlessly than before. Today in this article, we’ll be looking at key ZBrush keyboard shortcuts that can help you streamline your sculpting workflow.
Getting Started with ZBrush Keyboard ShortcutsUsing keyboard shortcuts is a sure-fire way to simplify your sculpting workflow because it takes out the need to constantly click through and navigate complicated menus. Shortcuts provide instant access to your most frequently used ZBrush tools and allow you to focus on being creative instead of spending time executing commands. The program also comes with a versatile Hotkey Manager that allows you to set custom keyboard shortcuts to personalize your digital sculpting experience.
Essential ZBrush Keyboard Shortcuts
Below is a run-through of essential ZBrush shortcuts that are worth utilizing:
- Navigation and View Control
- Rotate View - Left-Click and Drag (Empty Canvas Space). Function: This is the primary way to use and interact with the viewport camera of your model. It rotates the view around your subject.
- Zoom - Alt + Left-Click and Drag (Release Alt when dragging). Function: This controls the scale or level of detail of the model you’re working on by zooming your viewport camera in or out.
- Pan - Alt + Left-Click and Drag. Function: Panning moves your camera in the plane you’re currently viewing by letting you strafe around.
- Basic Sculpting Shortcuts
- Draw - Q. Function: Activates the default Draw brush, which adds volume to your 3D model.
- Move - W. Function: Repositions selected parts of your model with the Move tool.
- Scale - E. Function: Resizes the selected model or parts of the model with the Scale tool.
- Rotate - R. Function: Rotates the current model.
- Mask - Ctrl + Left-Click and Drag. Function: Masks parts of the model to freeze or protect areas when 3D sculpting.
- Clear Mask - Ctrl + Left-Click on empty canvas. Function: Removes any applied and existing masks.
- Selection and Subtools
- Select Rectangle - Ctrl + Shift + Drag. Function: Selects multiple subtools or polygons using a rectangular-shaped selection.
- Select Lasso - Ctrl + Shift + Click on icon in the subtool palette. Function: Selects multiple objects or polygons using a freeform lasso selection.
- Hide/Show Subtools - Ctrl + Shift + Click on the eye icon next to a subtool. Function: Control the visibility of individual subtools.
- Brush Controls
- Brush Size - S. Function: Adjusts the size of the currently used brush.
- Brush Intensity - U. Function: Controls the strength of brush strokes.
- Toggle Symmetry - X. Function: Toggles on and off the symmetrical mirroring of sculpting actions across an axis.
- Undo/Redo
- Undo - Ctrl + Z. Function: Reverses the last action.
- Redo - Ctrl + Shift + Z. Function: Repeats an action that was undone.
- File Management
- Save Tool - Ctrl + S. Function: Saves the tool that’s presently active.
- Save Project - Ctrl + Shift + S. Function: Saves the entire project.
Advanced keyboard shortcuts for power users include Dynamesh, ZRemesher, and UV Master, which can be personalized or set in the HotKey Manager. Dynamesh reorders model geography for a more consistent topology, ZRemesher optimizes topology by reconstructing assets, and UV Master optimizes the UV map and automatically generates UV coordinates. Hotkeys that perform frequently used functions are great for streamlining your workflow. Take note of the tools and commands that you use a lot and assign shortcuts to them if they don’t already have designated hotkeys.
Creating Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in ZBrush
Using ZBrush's Hotkey Manager, you can personalize your workflow by following these steps: Go to Preferences > Hotkeys. Look for the command you want to assign a shortcut to. Click in the "Hotkey" column and press the desired key combination. Click "Store" to save your custom shortcut. When you need to transfer your personalized hotkey settings between machines or if you want to share them with others, the Hotkey Manager also has a useful save and export function that helps you do so easily.
Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
Here is a handy cheat sheet of the shortcuts we’ve discussed so far.
- Navigation & View Control: Rotate View - Left-Click & Drag; Zoom - Alt + Left-Click & Drag; Pan - Alt + Left-Click & Drag.
- Basic Sculpting: Draw - Q; Move - W; Scale - E; Rotate - R; Mask - Ctrl + Left-Click & Drag; Clear Mask - Ctrl + Left-Click (Empty Canvas).
- Selection & Subtools: Select Rectangle - Ctrl + Shift + Drag; Select Lasso - Ctrl + Shift + Click; Hide/Show Subtools - Ctrl + Shift + Click (Eye Icon).
- Brush Controls: Brush Size - S; Brush Intensity - U; Toggle Symmetry - X.
- Undo/Redo: Undo - Ctrl + Z; Redo - Ctrl + Shift + Z.
- File Management: Save Tool - Ctrl + S; Save Project - Ctrl + Shift + S.
- Advanced (Power Users): Dynamesh - Ctrl + Drag (Empty Canvas, Dynamesh Active); ZRemesher - Customizable in HotKey Manager; UV Master - Customizable in HotKey Manager.
Supercharge Your ZBrush Workflow with VagonMastering ZBrush keyboard shortcuts is a great way to speed up your sculpting workflow, but true efficiency comes from both software skills and the right hardware. High-poly models, advanced brushes, and real-time sculpting can quickly push your device to its limits-leading to frustrating lags and slow performance. With Vagon’s high-performance cloud PCs, you don’t have to worry about system slowdowns. Whether you’re working on a complex character sculpt or a detailed environment, Vagon gives you access to powerful cloud machines equipped with high-end GPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth and responsive sculpting. Plus, you can run ZBrush on any device, from anywhere, without being tied to a single workstation. Don’t let hardware limitations hold you back-try Vagon today and take your ZBrush workflow to the next level!
Both the official hotkeys and the flexibility of the Hotkey Manager empower artists to tailor their ZBrush experience. The combination of quick access to tools, scalable workflows, and potential hardware enhancements makes mastering shortcuts a practical path to higher productivity and creativity in digital sculpting.
