daz3dforbeginners

[daz3dforbeginners]

Help me create a horror character to draw!

I'll add the other polls soon 👀

[daz3dforbeginners]

DAZ for Beginners Advice.

A Basic intro

Thought I'd write a little list of things I wish I'd known about daz3D, which for me, are essential.

1, Learning Daz3D to be able to work with characters will require focusing on tutorials and lots of practise. It's all about getting your feet wet, almost drowning, then eventually realising you can float.

Stick to sitting thru a dozen or so tutorials.Just to reinforce the basics of the viewport, which is the biggest hurdle when learning Daz.

Try to always use it whenever you have free time.

Learn to understand the basics of the viewport, as well as accessing whatever assets you require.

Poke Smart Library, learn the library structure, then you can shape it to your specific needs.

Keeping it organised in a way which works for you.

Doing this will reduce the usual frustration connected to learning something new.

Oh yea, also! The trick to learning something you just want to be able to do without actually learning it! The key for me is:

2. Learn some, play some, learn some, play some. That's the best way to do it. See the first few months as time to enjoy learning the new tool (Daz3d), after all, that's what it is.

Once you feel comfortable then wander a little more into it.

Start to focus identifying the many different aspects involved in creating great art with Daz3d. There's the geometry side, textures, materials, skin on characters as opposed to objects, lighting, posing, composition, populating the environment with props which look realistic.

Adding realism to poses, expressions etc.

You don't have to know EVERYTHING about Daz to be able to create something you'll feel proud of. But, when you see what other people are capable of, hopefully it will inspire you to push yourself.

3. Don't just collect assets for the sake of it.

I'd suggest working with base models. Maybe buy some cheap characters to start off with. DON'T buy lots of characters you like the look of. They're usually just morphed geometry, with some cheap skin. Try and control the size of your library to speed up your workflow. Mess with base models. Learning how to tweak their physicality.

Also, you have to appreciate Daz3D eats storage space like it's at an all you can eat buffet.

Learn how to store the library (where all assets are kept) on a separate SSD drive.

Go for one with plenty of storage space and connect it to the fastest port etc.

There are a lot of products out there for you to use "sliders" to make subtle or more significant changes to the body shape of a character. But try not to clutter yourself with products.

Remember what it is you actually want to do.

4. Composition/structure is key.

Learn this by looking at the art you like, then writing a list of what you like about it.

When starting out, it's hard to articulate the many different variables related to 3d art.

So learn some stuff about 3d modelling, art, composition, photography etc. The more you learn, the easier it will become for you to understand the what and why, then you develop the how.

I'd suggest reading short pieces about photography, as Daz is all about capturing the image with one or multiple cameras.

These are designed to behave like real ones.

So yeah, read about photography when you can.

5. I'd definitely say to watch the first dozen or so official Daz tutorials, then re-watch them. If Daz feels like it's doing something wrong, it's because you don't understand it yet.

Don't get angry though, at least your getting your hands dirty. Just Google the issue and you'll find someone else had the same issue.

6. Don't restrict yourself.

Don't just use Daz3D, learn Blender too. Then learn Gimp after that. Stuff Photoshop, no one should pay premium to use it, it's 2024, not 1992.

7. Make stuff you want to make (legal only of course!)

Try not to please others, or guage your skills from feedback. The internet is massively restrictive these days when it comes to growing an organic fanbase. So stick to your art, like Van Gogh and all those others. Make it about your message, not someone else's!

8. Walk away from it for a bit.

Don't burn yourself out (which I did recently). I was doing 12 hour shifts learning how to use it until I realised I lost all love for what I wanted to do. See it as an extension of your creative needs. A tool which offers so much to those who apply themselves to learn it.

9. You only have to know as much as you need to know.

What I mean is, if you're happy with what you make and feel you have the skills down to make it.

Then bravo, you just learned something new, which is always good for the brain.

Of course, you could then go on to learn more. It's all up to you.