Creating Realistic Tactical Boots with ZBrush & Substance 3D

Part 1. Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Vladislav, I’m a 2D Artist, and most of my work has been focused on illustration, character concept art, and weapon design. Some of the projects I’ve had the chance to work on include Battlefield 2042 and Warhammer 40k: Rogue Trader.

Interestingly, my interest in 3D art came before my passion for drawing. Back in elementary school, I used to sculpt portraits from modeling clay by hand, not digitally.

I eventually set that aside to focus on drawing, but over time, I realized how essential 3D skills are. They’re incredibly helpful for solving 2D challenges, like building scenes, setting up lighting, and developing a deeper understanding of light and shadow.

I started studying 3D more seriously after my time at Sperasoft, diving into it on my own. What I enjoy most about the process is sculpting, that’s where I try to invest as much time as I can.

Part 2. How It All Started

The Lowa boots project began as part of a larger military-themed character assignment, where I was responsible for creating the character’s clothing. I designed and simulated elements like the jacket, tactical vest, pants, backpack, and pouches in Marvelous Designer. But something was missing, namely the boots. That’s when the question came up: how should I go about making them

Given the wealth of information already available online about footwear modeling, I decided to stick with a workflow I know well, something flexible and efficient.

One of the first brands that came to mind was Lowa, specifically one of their more iconic boot models with a distinctive sole design. I chose that model knowing the process would be complex and time-consuming.

I usually gather references from Pinterest and official brand websites to get images from multiple angles before diving into production.

For this project, I used the following software: ZBrush, Maya, Marmoset Toolbag, Substance 3D Painter, Unreal Engine 5, and Adobe Photoshop.

Part 3. Sculpting in ZBrush

Using the reference images I gathered, I import them into ZBrush to roughly establish proportions and use them as a guide during modeling. I start sculpting with DynaMesh enabled, working from the broad shapes down to mid-level and fine details.

Here’s a breakdown of the process:

• Mask the necessary area
• Use Split Unmasked Points
• Go to the Deformation tab and apply Polish by Features
• Go to Geometry and use ZRemesher
• Export to Maya for cleanup (if needed), adding thickness, and creating UVs for later edge noise work
• Import the object back into ZBrush
• In the Polygroups tab, use Auto Groups with UV
• In the Surface tab, apply Noise – this step is mostly for leather areas

I repeat this workflow for every part of the model. Each mesh is refined to a level suitable for subdivision surface workflows, and I continue sculpting the high-poly version from there.

Part 4. Working with Seams

These days, thanks to advancements in tools like Substance 3D Painter, you can skip the labor-intensive manual stitching process and add stitches procedurally, which makes this stage much faster and easier. However, if you enjoy meticulous, almost meditative work and you have the time for it, manual stitching might still be the right choice for you.

Personally, I use the standard set of stitch brushes in ZBrush. Here’s how I approach it:

• I duplicate the specific part of the boot I want to work on
• I delete all subdivision levels
• I use a stitch brush with depth enabled to ensure the stitches sit properly on the surface
• Then, I carefully go over the edges of the part to sculpt the stitches manually

Tip: To avoid wasting time adjusting stitches that sink into the mesh, make sure to set the correct depth before you begin.

Part 5. Shoelaces

The laces were created in Maya. This was one of the simplest parts of the project; they’re quick to make and don’t present much of a challenge.

Here’s the process I followed:

• I exported the boot with a simplified mesh into Maya
• I enabled Magnet on the boot and created a curve along the desired path
• Then I went to Create → Sweep Mesh
• In the settings panel that appears on the right, I adjusted the curve’s parameters, its density, radius, and other attributes
• If needed, I manually refined the curve by moving its control points for better precision
• Once finished, I imported the laces back into ZBrush

Part 8. Retopology

My primary tools for retopology and UV unwrapping are Maya. Before starting the retopology process, I reduce the polycount of the object in ZBrush to a manageable level – no more than 200k polygons – then export the model into Maya.

Working in Maya is generally enjoyable, though it sometimes requires creative problem-solving. One common issue during retopology is vertices snapping inside the mesh. To minimize this, I use a simple but effective trick when working with the Quad Draw tool:

• Open the Live Constraint Options panel
• Set the Surface Offset value to somewhere between 0.003 and 0.005, depending on preference
• Always double-check how far the retopology mesh is offset from the high-poly surface to avoid excessive separation

Sometimes this doesn’t always work for some reason; this is one of the tricks that was recommended to me when retopology.

Part 9. Texturing in Substance 3D Painter

Texturing is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process for me. Before getting started, I create base materials for each part of the boot using Material IDs, which I set up in advance before baking maps in Marmoset Toolbag. This greatly simplifies the workflow and saves a lot of time.

I then begin working on one of the materials. I look for a high-quality suede photo and use it as a foundation for Color, Height, and Roughness Maps. After that, I fine-tune the color, contrast, roughness, and height using level adjustments, and I introduce subtle color variation to make the material feel more organic and naturally uneven.

Once the base material looks convincing, I move on to manual detailing: I add pilling, clusters of medium and fine fibers, and wear marks in areas where the surface would naturally come into contact with other objects.

Part 10. Final Render in Unreal Engine 5

I experimented with several rendering tools, but eventually settled on Unreal Engine 5. It felt like the best fit for me in terms of visual quality, performance, and scene setup flexibility.

Before assembling the scene, I gathered a few reference photos with strong boot compositions that I wanted to emulate. Using my background in drawing and an understanding of composition, I began arranging the scene and setting up the lighting.

For the final render, I used:

• HDRI maps from my personal collection
• Assets from Quixel Bridge
• A camera setup with depth of field and background blur

My goal was to highlight the key areas of the boots and draw attention to them using light and shadow contrast, depth of field, and soft transitions.

As a final touch, I polished the images in Photoshop, enhancing the lighting and shading to make the renders more striking and expressive.

Conclusion

I’d like to extend a special thanks to the 80 Level team for their interest in my work and for giving me the opportunity to share my creation process.

I hope some of the techniques I’ve shared prove useful in your own personal projects! If you want to see more of my work or have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on ArtStation and LinkedIn.