--- title: "Bas Relief" url: "https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/html/user-guide/3d-modeling/sculpting/bas-relief/bas-relief.html" section_path: "User Guide > 3D Modeling > Sculpting > Bas Relief" description: "Create embossed surfaces in stunning detail with the new Bas Relief features in ZBrush. Pose your model as desired and create a special new alpha from …" --- # Bas Relief *Become a Master in Bas Relief* ![Bas-Relief-James-Cain](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Bas-Relief-James-Cain.png)\ *Original model by ZBrush artist – James Cain* Create embossed surfaces in stunning detail with the new Bas Relief features in ZBrush. Pose your model as desired and create a special new alpha from that view which can be used to create raised sections of detail that more closely resemble the results of traditional relief sculpture. --- ## How Bas Relief Works The Bas Relief features enables you to take any model, including all its SubTools, and project a bas relief of it directly onto the selected SubTool. ![Bas-Relief-01](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Bas-Relief-01.png)\ *On the left, the model positioned ready for creating the Bas Relief; in the center, showing how the model is angled; on the right, the Bas Relief result.* ### Step by Step 1. Position the model exactly how you want – the view used is the screen view. 2. Adjust the settings if you wish, though the defaults will produce good results for most models. 3. Select the SubTool that will receive the bas relief. 4. Press the Project BasRelief button. 5. Turn on Solo mode to see the result. Use Stroke>Adjust Last to adjust the result if you wish. --- ## Tool palette – Bas Relief Functions ![Tool-Bas-Relief-menu](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Tool-Bas-Relief-menu.png)\ *The Project BasRelief menu in the Tool>Subtool sub-palette* The Tool>Subtool>BasRelief menu makes it easy to directly apply a bas relief from the visible SubTools onto the selected SubTool. ### Relief Repeat Count ![BasRelief-Repeat-Count](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/BasRelief-Repeat-Count.png)\ *Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Repeat count* The Relief Repeat Count slider controls the number of times the Bas Relief algorithm runs. The default value of 1000 should be good for most situations but experiment with this slider to find what best suits your work. ### Relief Step Tolerance ![BasRelief-Step-Tolerance](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/BasRelief-Step-Tolerance.png)\ *Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Step Tolerance* The Relief Step Tolerance slider controls how ZBrush treats the areas between features. Lower values will produce softer results. ### Relief Contrast ![BasRelief-Contrast](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/BasRelief-Contrast.png)\ *Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Contrast* The Relief Contrast slider controls how much contrast is added to the Bas Relief. This produces a similar effect to the Deformation>Contrast slider and can be useful when you want to enhance detail. Setting to the maximum value is best avoided. ### Relief Blur Radius ![BasRelief-Blur-Radius](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/BasRelief-Blur-Radius.png)\ *Alphas showing the effect of different values of the Relief Blur Radius* The Relief Blur Radius slider controls the amount of smoothing at the edges of the Bas Relief, removing the artifacts that can occur. ### Project BasRelief Projects the Bas Relief onto the selected SubTool using the other visible SubTools. --- ## Alpha palette – Bas Relief The Bas Relief feature is also available in the Alpha palette, allowing you to create bas relief alphas that you can apply yourself using the DragRect stroke. **Important!** Important Note: the document size determines the resolution of the bas relief alpha. ![Drone-example](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Drone-example.png)\ *A model and the resulting Bas Relief alpha. ZBrush artist: Joseph Drust* ### Step by Step 1. Make sure the Document size is large enough for your needs. The bas relief alpha will be the same size as the document. 2. Position the model exactly how you want – the view used is the screen view. 3. Adjust the settings if you wish, though the defaults will produce good results for most models. 4. Press the Make BasRelief button. A new BasRelief alpha will be created and added to the Alpha palette. To apply the bas relief alpha: 1. Select the model you want to use. 2. Select the Standard brush and the DragRect stroke. 3. Make sure the Bas Relief alpha is selected. 4. Click and drag on the model to draw out the Bas Relief. 5. Use Stroke>Adjust Last to adjust the result if you wish. ![Drone-bas-relief-applied](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Drone-bas-relief-applied.png)\ *The Bas Relief alpha applied to a sphere. A Focal Shift setting of -100 was used.* --- ## Alpha palette – Bas Relief Functions ![Alpha-Bas-Relief-menu](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Alpha-Bas-Relief-menu.png)\ *The Project BasRelief menu in the Tool>Geometry sub-palette* ### Relief Repeat Count The Relief Repeat Count slider controls the number of times the Bas Relief algorithm runs. The default value of 1000 should be good for most situations but experiment with this slider to find what best suits your work. ### Relief Contrast The Relief Contrast slider controls how much contrast is added to the Bas Relief. This produces a similar effect to the Deformation>Contrast slider and can be useful when you want to enhance detail. Setting to maximum value is best avoided. ### Relief Step Tolerance The Relief Step Tolerance slider controls how ZBrush treats the areas between features. Lower values will produce softer results. ### Relief Blur Radius The Relief Blue Radius slider controls the amount of smoothing at the edges of the Bas Relief. ### Apply BasRelief Applies the BasRelief algorithm to the selected alpha. This is useful if you have an alpha from elsewhere that you want to use as a Bas Relief inside ZBrush. ### Make BasRelief The Make BasRelief button creates a new alpha from the visible SubTools in the Alpha palette. ### BTxtr If the BTxtr switch is turned on, any color on the model is converted into a texture in the Texture palette which can then be applied at the same time as the Bas Relief alpha. **Important!** Note: Material colors are ignored. ![Earthquake bas relief](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Earthquake-bas-relief.png)\ *The result of a Bas Relief created with the BTxtr button on.*