Multiresolution Modifier

The Multiresolution modifier (often shortened to “Multires”) gives you the ability to subdivide a mesh similarly to the Subdivision Surface modifier, but also allows you to edit the new subdivision levels in Sculpt Mode.

Note

Multiresolution is the only modifier that cannot be repositioned in the stack after any modifier that will change geometry or other object data (i.e. all Generate, some Modify and some Simulate modifiers cannot come before the Multiresolution).

Deform modifiers will be applied onto the Multires subdivision levels instead of the base mesh, if they come after the Multires.

Tip

This is especially useful for re-projecting details from another sculpt with a Shrinkwrap modifier. For the best result make sure to set the wrap method to Project, snap mode to Above Surface and enable Negative.

Options

The Multiresolution modifier.

Levels Viewport

Set the level of subdivisions to show in the viewport.

Sculpt

Set the level of subdivisions to use specifically in Sculpt Mode. While in Sculpt mode use Alt-1 to decrease the level or Alt-2 to increase.

Render

Set the level of subdivisions to show when rendering.

Sculpt Base Mesh

Deform the unsubdivided base mesh instead of the higher levels. Meanwhile the set level will be previewed. This allows you to make much broader changes in visual context to higher sculpted details without creating surface noise and artifacts.

Optimal Display

Only display the edges of the original geometry. So when rendering the wireframe of this object, the wires of the subdivided edges will be skipped.

Subdivisions

Subdivide

Creates a smooth level of subdivision (using the default Catmull-Clark algorithm).

Simple

Creates a level of subdivision with un-smoothed base mesh edges (using a simple interpolation by subdividing edges without any smoothing).

Linear

Creates a completely un-smoothed level of subdivision (using linear interpolation of the current sculpted displacement).

Unsubdivide

Rebuild a lower subdivision level of the current base mesh.

Delete Higher

Deletes all subdivision levels that are higher than the current one.

Shape

Reshape

Copy the shape of another object onto the multires levels by copying its vertex coordinates.

To use it, first select a different mesh object with matching topology and vertex indices, then Shift select the object you wish to copy vertex coordinates to, and click Reshape.

Apply Base

Modifies the original unsubdivided mesh to match the form of the subdivided mesh.

Generate

Rebuild Subdivisions

Rebuilds all possible subdivisions levels to generate a lower resolution base mesh. This is used to create an optimized multiresolution version of a preexisting sculpt. This option is only available when no subdivision level have been created through the modifier.

Save External

Saves displacements to an external .btx file.

Advanced

Quality

How precisely the vertices are positioned (relatively to their theoretical position), can be lowered to get a better performance when working on high-poly meshes.

UV Smooth

How to handle UVs during subdivision.

None:

UVs remain unchanged.

Keep Corners:

UV islands are smoothed, but their boundary remain unchanged.

Keep Corners, Junctions:

UVs are smoothed, corners on discontinuous boundary and junctions of three or more regions are kept sharp.

Keep Corners, Junctions, Concave:

UVs are smoothed, corners on discontinuous boundary, junctions of three or more regions and darts and concave corners are kept sharp.

Keep Boundaries:

UVs are smoothed, boundaries are kept sharp.

All:

UVs and their boundaries are smoothed.

Boundary Smooth

Controls how open boundaries (and corners) are smoothed.

All:

Smooth boundaries, including corners.

Keep Corners:

Smooth boundaries, but corners are kept sharp.

Use Creases

Use the Weighted Edge Creases values stored in edges to control how smooth they are made.

Use Custom Normals

Interpolates existing Custom Split Normals of the resulting mesh.