Tips and Best Practices

Start with major forms: Block out large areas first using curves or patches, then refine with individual vertex placement. This top-down approach is faster than building entirely from individual vertices.

Mind your edgeloops: For characters, ensure edge loops flow around eyes, mouths, and other areas that will animate. Loops should follow natural muscle and bone structure. Edge loops perpendicular to bending axes (like around a knee) allow for smooth deformation.

Check your work in stages: Regularly hide your reference model (click the eye icon in the SubTool palette) to see only your retopology mesh. This helps identify problem areas in your polygon flow, such as triangles in areas that should be quads, or edge loops that don't flow smoothly.

Use symmetry when appropriate: Enable Transform > Symmetry before starting retopology on symmetrical subjects to work more efficiently. ZBrush will mirror your vertex placement and topology creation across the symmetry axis.

Keep it low-poly: Remember that retopology's goal is to create a cleaner, lower-polygon mesh. Don't add more polygons than necessary for your target application (game engine, animation rig, etc.). A common mistake is creating retopology that's still too dense to be useful.

Project details later: Focus on getting clean topology flow first. You can transfer sculpting details to your retopology mesh afterward using the Projection features in the SubTool palette. This separation allows you to prioritize topology structure without worrying about losing surface detail.