---
title: "Symmetry Essentials"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/html/5_sculpting-and-painting_symmetry-essentials.html"
section_path: "Sculpting | Modeling | Painting > Symmetry Essentials"
description: "This section provides basic guides for using Symmetry, Local Symmetry, and Radial Symmetry modes."
---

# Symmetry Essentials

This section provides basic guides for using Symmetry, Local Symmetry, and Radial Symmetry modes.

> **Note:** 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.

![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-header.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-header.png)

---

# Basic Applications

The below steps offer the basic applications and steps for editing symmetry settings.

> **Note:** This example uses the DemoAnimeHead file found at Home Screen > New Sculpt > 3D Meshes section.

### Quick Steps:

1. Ensure the model is at the world center. Use **Deformation** > tap **Unify**.

> **Note:** 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:** Note here that Gizmo3D remains in its previous position before the **Deformation > Unify** action was applied.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-1-2.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-1-2.mp4)

3. Apply the following actions to reset Gizmo3D back to the center of the subtool:

1. Toggle **Symmetry** off.
2. Hold Alt/Option and tap the Gizmo3D > **Go To Unmasked Mesh Center** icon.

> **Note:** 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.

> **Important:** **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).

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-3-4.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-3-4.mp4)

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.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-5.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-symmetry-step-5.mp4)

> **Note:** 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.

> **Tip:** 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**.

---

# Local Symmetry

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.

![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-header.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-header.png)

## Dynamic Local Symmetry

When activated, the central point of Gizmo3D, and Gizmo3D orientation, becomes the central axis in which symmetry is applied to the model.

### Quick Steps:

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.

> **Note:** **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.

> **Note:** X is the default symmetry axis, and demonstrated in our example.

3. Long press **Local Symmetry** to ensure Dynamic mode is active.

> **Note:** Dynamic is active by default.

4. Select Gizmo3D, move the model away from world center, and rotate to change its orientation.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-1-4.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-1-4.mp4)

> **Note:** 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.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-5-6.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-5-6.mp4)

> **Note:** 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.

> **Tip:** 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.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-7.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-local-symmetry-step-7.mp4)

> **Note:** Learn how to Gizmo3D settings and functions in this guide's [Gizmo3D Essentials](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/html/5_sculpting-modeling-painting_gizmo3d-essentials.html.md) section.

> **Note:** ZBrush for iPad's symmetry settings work the same as in ZBrush desktop. Learn more in these external ZBrush documentation sections:\
> [Symmetry](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Default.htm#html/user-guide/3d-modeling/sculpting/symmetry/symmetry.html)\
> [Dynamic Symmetry](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/#html/user-guide/3d-modeling/sculpting/symmetry/dynamic-symmetry/dynamic-symmetry.html)

---

# Radial Symmetry

Activating Radial Symmetry draws instances of a brush stroke around a selected axis.

![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-symmetry-header.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-symmetry-header.png)

> **Note:** 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.

## Radial Count

Defines the number of radial brush instances.

![Image: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-count-menu.png](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-count-menu.png)

> **Note:** Radial Symmetry functions in combination with Dynamic Local Symmetry. See examples below for more information.

## Quick Steps:

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.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-step-1-3.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-step-1-3.mp4)

> **Note:** Example steps 1 through 4 demonstrate how radial brush instances are drawn around the selected y axis.

> **Tip:** 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.

[Video: 2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-step-4-5.mp4](https://help.maxon.net/zbp/en-us/Content/Resources/Videos/2024-5-sculpting-painting-symmetry-essentials-radial-step-4-5.mp4)

> **Note:** 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.