Modeling with alpha maps

[Mike Bailey]

Quick sketch created with Xara as an alpha map, modeled and rendered in Zbrush.

[gidgit]

Really nice patterns Mike... would be terrific for some nice woodwork

[OklaEd]

That's pretty cool Mike ... the top one looks like a Rooster. The one on the bottom right would make a guy with a scroll saw happy for a looooong time

[Grafixman]

Alpha maps. You can extrude them in Zbrush? I don't know a thing about that program, except that it handles polys like no other.
Pretty cool effect. Woodworking, yup. Just have to be careful not to clip your fingernails with the saw...

[Mike Bailey]

Alpha maps. You can extrude them in Zbrush?

G-man,this is more along the lines of making a 3D mesh from the alpha. The models are rather organic in the begining but can be refined with modeling and sculpting technique's.

Here is another quick modeling example, I used the alpha to modify the surface geometry of a sphere.