Polygroups

Polygroups are labels assigned to connected sets of polygons on a 3D model, serving as a convenient way to organize surface regions for editing, visibility, and texturing. They let artists treat a complex mesh as a collection of simpler parts, such as limbs, armor plates, or accessory pieces. The concept is especially prominent in ZBrush, where polygroups underpin many sculpting and workflow tasks, though other packages refer to similar ideas as face sets or grouping.

Creation and management: Polygroups are created by selecting polygons and assigning a new group label, or by automatic methods that separate regions based on topology or visibility. Once defined, polygroups can be renamed, merged, or split. Artists can hide or isolate all polygons from a given polygroup to focus editing on a single region, and perform operations such as masking, deformation, or texture painting on a per-group basis. Polygroups also facilitate exporting parts as separate subtools or objects in some applications, or can be used to drive UV islands and texture maps.

Applications and workflow: In sculpting, polygroups simplify pose adjustments, masking, and selective edits. For modeling, they help with retopology or creating modular pieces. In texturing, they enable different materials or textures per region without altering geometry. History and terminology vary across software, but the core idea remains: a flexible, persistent labeling system for polygon regions that helps manage complex meshes.