This section provides basic guides for using Symmetry, Local Symmetry, and Radial Symmetry modes.
Symmetry settings are accessible from the right canvas toolbar. Long press to open this menu, which offers options to sculpt symmetrically in your chosen x/y/z axis.
The below steps offer the basic applications and steps for editing symmetry settings.
This example uses the DemoAnimeHead file found at Home Screen > New Sculpt > 3D Meshes section.
1. Ensure the model is at the world center. Use Deformation > tap Unify.
The example project is unified by default. It's important to begin at world center if following along with a difference model.
2. Tap Gizmo3D to check its position.
Note here that Gizmo3D remains in its previous position before the Deformation > Unify action was applied.
3. Apply the following actions to reset Gizmo3D back to the center of the subtool:
Toggle Symmetry off.
Hold Alt/Option and tap the Gizmo3D > Go To Unmasked Mesh Center icon.
While holding Alt/Option, the Gizmo3D Lock feature is temporarily unlocked. Lock/Unlock defines whether or not Gizmo3D is parent to the subtool instance. When unlocked, Gizmo3D can be moved in space without affecting the subtool.
Symmetry affects Gizmo3D and its ability to snap to the perfect center of a model. When Symmetry is active and no masks are present on the surface, multiple Gizmo3D controllers are drawn equidistant from the center portion of the assigned symmetrical axes.
4. Hold Alt/Option and tap Reset Orientation (rotate wheel).
5. Long press Symmetry in the right canvas toolbar. Tap Symmetry to activate, then select the x axis.
6. Select a sculpting brush and apply some symmetrical brush strokes.
Examples 5 - 6 demonstrates the default symmetry configuration in the x axis. Change symmetry to your selected x/y/z-axis or all three axes together.
Additionally, CamView (top-right canvas corner) is demonstrated for snapping the camera to an x/y/z-axis to reorient the scene. Tap the red cone to center along the x axis, the green cone to center along the y axis, or the blue cone to center along the z axis.
When sculpting symmetrically, the model should have perfectly symmetrical topology to ensure brush strokes can be applied equally to the same vertices.
Head to Palettes > Tool > Geometry > Modify Topology > Mirror & Weld > choose the x/y/z axis you have assigned in Symmetry settings, then tap Mirror & Weld.
When a model is not centered to the world origin, Local Symmetry uses the central position of the model as the central axis for symmetry.
When activated, the central point of Gizmo3D, and Gizmo3D orientation, becomes the central axis in which symmetry is applied to the model.
This example demonstrates using the DemoAnimeHead file found at Home Screen > New Sculpt > 3D Meshes section.
1. Tap Symmetry and Local Symmetry to set as active.
Local Symmetry is child to the Symmetry button. When you disable Symmetry, Local Symmetry is also disabled.
2. Long press Symmetry to choose the desired axis.
X is the default symmetry axis, and demonstrated in our example.
3. Long press Local Symmetry to ensure Dynamic mode is active.
Dynamic is active by default.
4. Select Gizmo3D, move the model away from world center, and rotate to change its orientation.
This example demonstrates steps 1 through 4 described above.
Note the position of Gizmo3D in respect to the model. Gizmo3D is locked to the model and serves as the central axis Local Symmetry > Dynamic mode.
5. Long press Local Symmetry and tap Dynamic to disable.
6. Select a sculptural brush and apply some brush strokes to the surface.
Note that brush strokes are no longer symmetrical at step 6.
When Dynamic mode is disabled, regardless of whether Local Symmetry is still active, ZBrush no longer uses Gizmo3D as the anchor point, and symmetry is lost.
Dynamic mode is most essential when the model has been rotated off from the world center axis.
7. Long press Local Symmetry, then tap Dynamic to activate it. Test symmetry by sculpting on the surface. Continue to orient the model and sculpt symmetrically with this configuration.
Learn how to Gizmo3D settings and functions in this guide's Gizmo3D Essentials section.
ZBrush for iPad's symmetry settings work the same as in ZBrush desktop. Learn more in these external ZBrush documentation sections:
Symmetry
Dynamic Symmetry
Activating Radial Symmetry draws instances of a brush stroke around a selected axis.
This feature is comparable to using a pottery wheel on a rotational axis. ZBrush lets you change your rotation anchor line along the x, y, or z axis.
Defines the number of radial brush instances.
Radial Symmetry functions in combination with Dynamic Local Symmetry. See examples below for more information.
The provided steps use the DynaMeshSphere128 file found in Home Screen > New Sculpts > 3D Meshes.
1. Long press Symmetry and activate Radial Symmetry.
2. Choose a desired axis for radial brush instances to draw around.
2. Increase Radial Count to a desired amount of brush instances.
4. Select a brush and apply it to the surface.
Example steps 1 through 4 demonstrate how radial brush instances are drawn around the selected y axis.
Experiment with other brush types to experience diverse radial effects. Move brushes are handy to grab large selections of a model in a radial fashion and reshape at will.
4. Activate Gizmo3D and move the model away from the world center.
5. Select a sculpting brush and apply to the model to test symmetry.
This example demonstrates that where Local Symmetry > Dynamic is active, ZBrush uses Gizmo3D as the central plane for local symmetry, effectively supporting Radial Symmetry to function at any orientation.