DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Mortze » Tue, 17Sep05 00:49

MaxCarna wrote:I personally think that poses and expressions are bad ways to spend money, because you can achieve any pose or expressions on Pose tab. You can take a several minutes in the first time, but then is just save as pose preset and reuse latter

While I totally agree that expression presets are a waste of money, poses presets are not. I personally have a lot of pose presets because they are very useful. But I tend to avoid in rendering with the preset pose without retouching it.
See, most of the guys who make the preset poses products actually spend a lot of time looking for real model poses in fashion magazines, or something like that. Those sexy flashing poses are sexy for one reason. They are studied to be appealing to the eye. You don't usually see the people on the street or at your office posing like that. That's why, if I was to pose a model from scratch I would have to do some investigative work to make the pose look awesome and not... boring. And here the presets enter! That's at least 20 or 30 minutes I save with just one click. Then, I repose the arms, the feet, the hands to my convenience (a great deal of presets have small flaws you'll have to manually correct).
But while the pose presets, inspired from Fashion modeling,are purposely exaggerated and appealing to the eye, the Expression presets are exaggerated and NOT appealing to the eye. I have very few Expression presets and I use them for one thing only: to Zero the character expressions with one click only, to work on a new expression.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby MaxCarna » Tue, 17Sep05 03:04

Mortze wrote:While I totally agree that expression presets are a waste of money, poses presets are not. I personally have a lot of pose presets because they are very useful. But I tend to avoid in rendering with the preset pose without retouching it.
See, most of the guys who make the preset poses products actually spend a lot of time looking for real model poses in fashion magazines, or something like that. Those sexy flashing poses are sexy for one reason. They are studied to be appealing to the eye. You don't usually see the people on the street or at your office posing like that. That's why, if I was to pose a model from scratch I would have to do some investigative work to make the pose look awesome and not... boring. And here the presets enter! That's at least 20 or 30 minutes I save with just one click. Then, I repose the arms, the feet, the hands to my convenience (a great deal of presets have small flaws you'll have to manually correct).
But while the pose presets, inspired from Fashion modeling,are purposely exaggerated and appealing to the eye, the Expression presets are exaggerated and NOT appealing to the eye. I have very few Expression presets and I use them for one thing only: to Zero the character expressions with one click only, to work on a new expression.


I agree that there are great products related to poses, in this one for example, just the work on advertizing already worth the price https://www.daz3d.com/dm-s-fit-n-sexy-poses-and-props

But If I have short on money, I would prioritize things that I have no idea how to reach. Like base models, HDRI skies, good textures, hair... I don't even dream how to make hair.

I think my argument was inaccurate, I did not want to say that poses are waste of money, but prioritizes it front other spending is not very interesting in my point of view. Maybe with some patience, trial and error, maybe comparing with some photos as you mentioned, you can get there. Not a awesome pose, but something nice.

I completely ignore shaders in my first months on Daz, now I consider one of the best things to buy, but this product is my happiest acquisition on the marketplace https://www.daz3d.com/batch-render-for- ... -4-and-rib
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Mortze » Tue, 17Sep05 23:01

MaxCarna wrote:I completely ignore shaders in my first months on Daz, now I consider one of the best things to buy, but this product is my happiest acquisition on the marketplace https://www.daz3d.com/batch-render-for- ... -4-and-rib

What does that do exactly? I couldn't understand the product.

MaxCarna wrote:But If I have short on money, I would prioritize things that I have no idea how to reach. Like base models, HDRI skies, good textures, hair... I don't even dream how to make hair.

I think my argument was inaccurate, I did not want to say that poses are waste of money, but prioritizes it front other spending is not very interesting in my point of view. Maybe with some patience, trial and error, maybe comparing with some photos as you mentioned, you can get there. Not a awesome pose, but something nice.

I can't disagree with that.

MaxCarna wrote:I agree that there are great products related to poses, in this one for example, just the work on advertizing already worth the price https://www.daz3d.com/dm-s-fit-n-sexy-poses-and-props

Right into my shopping cart. Can't ignore the 66% discount and good technical poses are hard to find, contrary to sexy ones. Plus, it has props!
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby MaxCarna » Wed, 17Sep06 00:06

Mortze wrote:What does that do exactly? I couldn't understand the product.


You can render several scenes automatically and serially, when one finish, the product start the other. For example, you can assemble about 10 scenes at night and when you go sleep you let the cpu rendering then for you at dawn. It saved me a lot of time.

Mortze wrote:Right into my shopping cart. Can't ignore the 66% discount and good technical poses are hard to find, contrary to sexy ones. Plus, it has props!


This month is the Annual Premier Artist Sale, every day there is a section called "Mega Fastgrab Stores", many products from 65% to 75% off.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Mortze » Wed, 17Sep06 14:45

Back to regarding pictures as backgrounds there is also the HDRIs (High Dynamic Range) environments. It's a superb and easy (but not cheap) method to light up a scene. Look at this new product at DAZ https://www.daz3d.com/ultrahd-iray-hdri ... ines-beach
If I wanted to make a single picture of a cute girl at the beach I'd use that HDRI. Fast render, lovely picture. You don't need to twerk much the lighting settings. All you need to worry is the model and its texture, and the camera placement.
But if Tlaero asked me to make a scene happening on the beach it would be tricky to use that. In the event that the scene implies the characters go in the water (or anywhere other than the center of the HDRI picture) I would be screwed. That picture wouldn't be usable.
So, for 1 picture only, any real photo, background picture, HDRI, etc is a good method. But for scenes where there is dynamism in the whole set, you have to build up your own 3D space.

MaxCarna wrote:This month is the Annual Premier Artist Sale, every day there is a section called "Mega Fastgrab Stores", many products from 65% to 75% off.

I'll eat microwaved food this month.

MaxCarna wrote:You can render several scenes automatically and serially, when one finish, the product start the other. For example, you can assemble about 10 scenes at night and when you go sleep you let the cpu rendering then for you at dawn. It saved me a lot of time.

Useful but not for me. I'm afraid of letting the computer on when I'm away.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby MaxCarna » Wed, 17Sep06 18:15

Mortze wrote:Useful but not for me. I'm afraid of letting the computer on when I'm away.


Why? Is it concern with overheating gpus or some hacker action?

I even mine Zcash during dwan sometimes :)
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Mortze » Wed, 17Sep06 18:55

MaxCarna wrote:Why? Is it concern with overheating gpus or some hacker action?

Just an illogical fear that it might spontaneously catch fire while I'm not around. Plus I have a cat that likes to climb on my desk and sleep on keyboards.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Eldormain » Sun, 17Sep10 13:20

Mortze wrote:Just an illogical fear that it might spontaneously catch fire while I'm not around. Plus I have a cat that likes to climb on my desk and sleep on keyboards.


Can't help you with the fear of spontaneous fire but there is a software that can help with the cat... it detects catlike typing. http://www.bitboost.com/pawsense/
This just makes me laugh. It does more then I had initially heard, though. Still funny.

lydia02, Welcome to the creators world. I'm a little ashamed that I haven't checked back recently. The advice you have gotten has been on spot and couldn't have come from better sources. The thing that is great about this is that everyone piping in has different styles. Yet, they are all in agreement about many of the same elements. Experience will support that.

I am new myself, been working with DAZ for a little over 8 months now. Learning the lighting has absorbed much of my thoughts and time. The rest has been how to do certain things and how the program itself works (different functions etc).

I have been learning as I have been working towards a goal. But am also doing side images to experiment with new things I have learned or thought I figured out.

Best advice I have gotten: (will be putting into my own words)

For your first project, keep it simple. - Tlaero (I have, unfortunately, not followed this bit of advice. There have been a tone of headaches and a few nightmares along the way but I accepted that potential when I started. Still there is huge wisdom here).

Learn Lighting - Mortze (I can't add more to what has already been said - still learning)

If money is a factor, and really for most of us when isn't it, things that expand the usability of DAZ is where it can be best spent. Shaders, for instance, if you have a nice cross section you can use one room for a multitude of things by changing the shaders. A square room can be a luxury bedroom or a dungeon cell. Body/head morphs can extend the life of one figure/actor substantially.

It might have been MaxCarna (don't remember, sorry MC) that pointed me to a free to use program called Sweet Home 3D http://www.sweethome3d.com/ . Another money saver as you can make rooms and such, import it into DAZ and shade it as you need it. The stuff you can do renders nicely with good shaders. I got comfortable with the program early on and haven't been back much but I have used it and have plans to for the future.

Again, Welcome.

Eldormain

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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby GDS » Sun, 17Sep10 18:13

Mortze wrote:
MaxCarna wrote:Why? Is it concern with overheating gpus or some hacker action?

Just an illogical fear that it might spontaneously catch fire while I'm not around. Plus I have a cat that likes to climb on my desk and sleep on keyboards.

Need to agreed with Mortze
A cat given the chance will willing set things of fire
[*]Suddenly a Party!:http://the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3965
[*]Matt and the Bus stop Girl:http://the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3666
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Greebo » Sun, 17Sep10 23:51

GDS wrote:Need to agreed with Mortze
A cat given the chance will willing set things of fire

Yeah, then stroll nonchalantly to a safe place to sit licking itself innocently, while watching the Fire Services doing their thing.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby lydia02 » Wed, 17Oct04 02:21

Been working with just the model for renders and trying out the various suggestions provided. Hopefully the below render shows progress. Please let me know what you think and what suggestions you may have for improvements. Thanks.

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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Mortze » Wed, 17Oct04 14:27

lydia02 wrote:Been working with just the model for renders and trying out the various suggestions provided. Hopefully the below render shows progress. Please let me know what you think and what suggestions you may have for improvements. Thanks.

First thing I notice is the waste of space. There is too much empty space on her left and right and it makes the model small. Unless there is a reason for that, your model should be the center of your picture (not the actual center but the most important thing in it). That picture could be better with just a crop of the sides. Try a vertical ratio instead 1X2 for example. This is on composition. Also on composition is that you shouldn't cut a model in mid shins. You could either show her fully, with her feet, or cut her mid-thighs or on the upper hips. It's more elegant.

About the lights, I see 2 immediate things. First, a blooming effect. If that's intentional, cool. If not, be careful to disable it. And secondly I see a warm orange light coming from her right. Maybe be a fire, or a sunset, but it's inconsistent with the brighter overall white lighting. There might be a reason but you're hiding it from us and because of that it's disconcerting. I can't build a story with that.

Sorry for the harsh critics but I try to give you good insight to make you better.

I'm glad you keep rendering. It's the only secret to get better. Render, render, and render.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby Eldormain » Thu, 17Oct05 04:30

I agree with Mortze, it's good to see that you are still rendering. Keep it up.

I had run into a similar bloom effect issue when I had just started. It was with a motorcycle image here: http://the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4026

It was kind of a neat artistic thing but ultimately distracting and not what I was trying to do. One of the things I remember Mortze asking was how I had done it. At the time I honestly didn't know. But I did find out. I had unintentionally, because I didn't know any better at the time, used a light source designed for 3Delight. I believe because everything else was set for Iray it came out this. Your bloom is similar.

Keep at the lighting it is the toughest part of the learning of DAZ3D.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby lydia02 » Fri, 17Oct06 00:04

Mortze wrote:First thing I notice is the waste of space. There is too much empty space on her left and right and it makes the model small. Unless there is a reason for that, your model should be the center of your picture (not the actual center but the most important thing in it). That picture could be better with just a crop of the sides. Try a vertical ratio instead 1X2 for example. This is on composition. Also on composition is that you shouldn't cut a model in mid shins. You could either show her fully, with her feet, or cut her mid-thighs or on the upper hips. It's more elegant.


Will change the ratio as you suggest for the next batch. Found her to be rather small as well. The feet were in earlier renders but the model tends to get moved in adjusting the cameras. Good to know the best points of where to cut the image.

Mortze wrote:About the lights, I see 2 immediate things. First, a blooming effect. If that's intentional, cool. If not, be careful to disable it. And secondly I see a warm orange light coming from her right. Maybe be a fire, or a sunset, but it's inconsistent with the brighter overall white lighting. There might be a reason but you're hiding it from us and because of that it's disconcerting. I can't build a story with that.


Sorry but not familiar with lighting terms yet so not familiar with a "blooming effect". Not intentional and don't know how to remove this. Intent was to manage an even lighting of the model. The bangs on the models right side cast a shadow on her face. So I added a spotlight to try and even the lighting of her face. Believe this is the fire that you refer to. Wasn't able to find a value to match the white light of the rest of the lighting. I also lowered the temperature for each of the cameras to try for a softer look. I tried a distant light in front of the model. But it always left a glare on her shirt and tie. Even after I changed the value to 0. So I ended up removing the distant light and using 3 spotlights.

Sorry for the harsh critics but I try to give you good insight to make you better.

I'm glad you keep rendering. It's the only secret to get better. Render, render, and render.


Grateful for your time and feedback. Point in posting the render was to learn what I was doing wrong and right to make my next renders better. Thanks.
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Re: DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

Postby lydia02 » Fri, 17Oct06 00:22

Eldormain wrote:I agree with Mortze, it's good to see that you are still rendering. Keep it up.

I had run into a similar bloom effect issue when I had just started. It was with a motorcycle image here: http://the-new-lagoon.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4026

It was kind of a neat artistic thing but ultimately distracting and not what I was trying to do. One of the things I remember Mortze asking was how I had done it. At the time I honestly didn't know. But I did find out. I had unintentionally, because I didn't know any better at the time, used a light source designed for 3Delight. I believe because everything else was set for Iray it came out this. Your bloom is similar.

Keep at the lighting it is the toughest part of the learning of DAZ3D.



Thanks for the post. Is the bloom the lights on her shirt? I started with a distant light in front and this left bright spots on both shirt and tie. I tried lowering the lumens on the distant light. This reduce the bright spots but they were still there. Removing the distant light helped a great deal with the tie, and to a lesser extent, the shirt. I only used 3 spotlights and the render settings tab shows Iray. Would think these options would mean that the render would be iray. Is there someone else I need to check to verify that the render is all iray? Tlaero posted that she thought my first render was 3delight.
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