Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
When you open Mudbox, you are presented with a Welcome page that you can dismiss since you are planning to use your own geometry.
By default, Mudbox uses a set of hotkeys that emulates those in Maya.
However, you can edit these hotkeys so that they are more familiar to a 3ds Max user.
Under Windows > Hotkeys, you have a dialog that lets you edit the many shortcuts you have in the application.
Concentrate on Orbit, Zoom & Pan.
Scroll down to Pan and ensure it is set to use the Middle Mouse button only by unchecking Alt.
For Rotate around, switch this mode to use Alt + MMB, which is the way you orbit in 3ds Max.
Finally, scroll down to Zoom and set it to use Ctrl+Alt+MMB.
You may get a warning about overwriting an existing hotkey such as Camera 2D Pan.
Answer Yes to that but answer No if you are asked to overwrite a hotkey you have just created.
Close the Window and test your 3ds Max hotkeys to pan, orbit & zoom.
If you need to revert back to the old Maya-like hotkeys,
you can edit the list again or you can close the application and browse to the Mudbox Documents folder.
In the Settings sub-folder, you will find a hotkeys.txt file.
Delete this file and start Mudbox again. The file gets recreated and the default hotkeys are restored.
Using File > Import, locate the OBJ file you have saved and import it into Mudbox.
Adjust the view to get a better look at the model.
To view the underlying geometry, you can right click in the viewport and choose Wireframe, or simply press W.
The interface in Mudbox is fairly intuitive.
Most of the tools are at the bottom of the screen and parameters display on the right hand side.
Perhaps the most important parameters when you begin sculpting are the brush size and its strength.
Although you can adjust these using numbers and sliders, it is often easier to use hotkeys.
Holding B down while clicking & dragging changes the brush size interactively, while Holding the M key changes its strength.
Before you start sculpting, take a look at the Object List.
There you can hide an object temporarily, or lock it if you want to prevent working on it inadvertently.
At this time though, the level of detail is still quite low.
To add detail to the model, press Shift + D.
This adds a level of detail and the wireframe now shows the subdivisions.
Press Shift + D twice more to add even more detail.
In the Object List, expand the Lizard_head entry and notice you have four levels. The original and three added in Mudbox.
Notice the increase in the number of faces from one level to the next.
In the Layer panel, create a new layer. At this time, this layer is available but not constrained to a specific Level of Detail just yet.
To navigate from one Level of Detail to the next, use Page up / Page Down.
At Level 1, use the Sculpt tool to make a few changes.
In the Layers panel, notice how the layer you created a few moments ago is now restricted to Level 1.
Use Page Up to move to the highest level (#3)
Create a layer and make a few changes. Notice how the new layer is now restricted to Level 3, and how the layer restricted to Level 1 is now blocked.
Move up and down the levels and notice how the layers lock/unlock based on the level of detail you are in.
You can delete or turn off an unwanted Layer, which is practical if you want to dismiss changes that you have made.
Delete all layers and create a new "clean" one.
Make sure you are on Level 3, the highest detail.
You are ready to start sculpting.
Select the Sculpt tool and set the Mirror mode in X. This way, sculpting on one side of the head carries the changes to the other side.
Adjust the brush size and strength and start having fun.
At any time, hold the Shift key down to smooth the work that you have made.
This is equivalent to using the Smooth tool but without having to switch back & forth.
Keep in mind that different tools have different brush sizes and intensities.
You can change the brush size and strength to do additional detail work.
Holding Ctrl while sculpting inverses the brush and creates a depression rather than a bump effect.
Other tools that you may find useful include Bulge, which in this case is useful around the mouth area and the nose.
Some tools, like Pinch, emphasize detail by bringing vertices together.
Other tools such as Spray work best in conjunctions with Stamp Images.
When you are done sculpting, you can concentrate on painting.