Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
ZBrush now has a new topology brush that makes manual retopology feel a lot more approachable, especially if you’re getting started with building clean topology directly on your sculpts.
In this video, I’ll walk through how this new tool works, how to get started with it quickly, and a few small but useful tricks that make the process feel more visual, flexible, and easy to adjust as you go. Manual retopology has always been possible in ZBrush, but this new workflow makes it much more intuitive, particularly for new users.
This isn’t about replacing every other method or overcomplicating things. It’s about having a clean, artist-friendly way to lay out topology, refine flow, and gradually build a solid mesh without friction.
If you’re curious about manual retopo in ZBrush, or you want a better way to approach it without getting overwhelmed, this should give you a solid starting point.
🎬 WATCH NEXT:
From Idea to Final Character | A Full Production Workflow Series:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTHWvraT6EYeIQzyMIl0cc7eyATdFQeA3
_________________________________________
🎓 TUTORIALS, RESOURCES, COURSES & WORKSHOPS
https://www.pablander.academy/
💬 Join the Discord community:
discord.gg/A35DmkWCPE
💌 STAY IN TOUCH
Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter:
https://www.pablander.academy/newsletter
Subscribe to the channel:
youtube.com/channel/UCXOeEvVK_pXktERIEftnRMg/?sub_confirmation=1
🌐 My website: pablander.com
🔗 ArtStation: artstation.com/pablander
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/pablander
🎥 TikTok: tiktok.com/@pablander
🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/pablander
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-munoz-gomez
_________________________________________
⏱ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - The Retopo Brush Basics
05:59 - The "New Mesh" Pop-Up
07:15 - The Importance of the Space Bar
11:03 - Points, Edges and Faces Control
15:22 - The Alt Key
18:09 - Smooth and Average the Topology
20:58 - Space Bar to Add Edge Loops
23:00 - Fast Way to Delete Edge Loops
25:32 - Instant Topology Patches with Alt + Drag
29:03 - Use Built-in Presets to Save Hours of Work
32:18 — Professional Topology Tip: How to Connect Patches Perfectly?
34:48 — Non-Symmetrical Retopology and Mirror & Weld Trick
35:20 - Outro
ZBrush now has a new topology brush that makes manual retopology feel a lot more approachable, especially if you’re getting started with building clean topology directly on your sculpts.
In this video, I’ll walk through how this new tool works, how to get started with it quickly, and a few small but useful tricks that make the process feel more visual, flexible, and easy to adjust as you go. Manual retopology has always been possible in ZBrush, but this new workflow makes it much more intuitive, particularly for new users.
This isn’t about replacing every other method or overcomplicating things. It’s about having a clean, artist-friendly way to lay out topology, refine flow, and gradually build a solid mesh without friction.
If you’re curious about manual retopo in ZBrush, or you want a better way to approach it without getting overwhelmed, this should give you a solid starting point.
🎬 WATCH NEXT:
From Idea to Final Character | A Full Production Workflow Series:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTHWvraT6EYeIQzyMIl0cc7eyATdFQeA3
_________________________________________
🎓 TUTORIALS, RESOURCES, COURSES & WORKSHOPS
https://www.pablander.academy/
💬 Join the Discord community:
discord.gg/A35DmkWCPE
💌 STAY IN TOUCH
Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter:
https://www.pablander.academy/newsletter
Subscribe to the channel:
youtube.com/channel/UCXOeEvVK_pXktERIEftnRMg/?sub_confirmation=1
🌐 My website: pablander.com
🔗 ArtStation: artstation.com/pablander
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/pablander
🎥 TikTok: tiktok.com/@pablander
🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/pablander
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pablo-munoz-gomez
_________________________________________
⏱ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - The Retopo Brush Basics
05:59 - The "New Mesh" Pop-Up
07:15 - The Importance of the Space Bar
11:03 - Points, Edges and Faces Control
15:22 - The Alt Key
18:09 - Smooth and Average the Topology
20:58 - Space Bar to Add Edge Loops
23:00 - Fast Way to Delete Edge Loops
25:32 - Instant Topology Patches with Alt + Drag
29:03 - Use Built-in Presets to Save Hours of Work
32:18 — Professional Topology Tip: How to Connect Patches Perfectly?
34:48 — Non-Symmetrical Retopology and Mirror & Weld Trick
35:20 - Outro
