---
title: "Surface"
url: "https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/html/zbrushcore/reference-guide/tool/surface/surface.html"
section_path: "ZBrushCore > Reference Guide > Tool > Surface"
description: "The Surface menu contains controls to apply noise to the mesh. Noise is a render effect – it does not affect the geometry of the mesh and so is not …"
---

# Surface

![Surface sub-palette](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/Core-ui-Tool-Surface.jpg)

Surface sub-palette

The Surface menu contains controls to apply noise to the mesh. Noise is a render effect – it does not affect the geometry of the mesh and so is not dependent on the number of polygons. However, noise can be applied to the mesh so that the geometry is displaced, in which case sufficient polygon detail will be needed to capture the detail.

### Noise

The Noise button turns noise on and off for the selected mesh. If no noise has been applied then the **NoiseMaker** pop-up interface will be launched (see below).

### Edit

Launch the Noise pop-up interface so that the current noise settings can be edited.

### Del

Delete the current noise settings. All noise will be cleared and the Edit button disabled.

### Lightbox>NoiseMakers

Will show the NoiseMakers tab in Lightbox so you can load a noise preset from the examples available.

### Apply To Mesh

The Apply To Mesh button will apply the noise to the mesh.

If either Color0 or Color1 is on the RGB will also be applied to the mesh. (Remember noise does not depend on polygons. When appling noise to a mesh you will need to divide the mesh up to capture the RGB and Noise.)

## NoiseMaker

![NoiseMaker interface](https://help.maxon.net/zbr/en-us/Content/Resources/Images/4R5-Tool-NoiseMaker02.jpg)

NoiseMaker interface

### Open

Open a NoiseMaker file.

### Save

Save a NoiseMaker file.

### Copy

Copy the current NoiseMaker settings so that you can apply them to a different mesh.

### Paste

Paste NoiseMaker settings from a different mesh.

### 2D

Apply noise is two dimensions (color intensity only).

### 3D

Apply noise in three dimensions.

### Uv

Apply noise based on the mesh UVs.

### Scale

The Scale button will increase the size of the noise. A larger setting will create larger peaks and deaper valleys.

### Strength

The Strength slider will control how extreme noise will be applied to the mesh.

### ColorBlend

The Color Blend slider adjusts the intensity of Color0 and Color1.

At 0 there will be no color applied to the cavity of the noise. When the slider is moved from 0 to 1 it will effect the intensity of Color1. When the slider is moved from 0 to -1 it will effect the intensity of Color0.

### Col1 and Col2

### Noise curve

The Noise Curve alters the intensity of the noise, from the values originally defined. Moving the points of the curve upward intentifies the peaks of the noise, and moving points of the curve downward intentifies the valleys of the noise.