March 2018 - Daz 3D New User Challenge - Posing
Knittingmommy
Posts: 8,191
New User's Challenge - March 2018
Sponsored by DAZ 3D
Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest render challenge!
"Posing"
This challenge is a general render challenge with the focus being on how you pose the characters in your image. We're providing you with lots of great links on Posing from a variety of sources. To get started, find a photograph or drawing using this link or this link (be sure the image you use is labeled for non-commercial reuse - though we will only be using it as reference), to use as a reference. Additional searches approved for use include Dance 2, Running, Fighting. Google search results return different results for different people. These links should give everyone plenty to choose from.
Then try to pose your character as closely as possible to match the reference image. For this challenge, please post your reference image, a link to it, and your render. This will give forum viewers an idea of the pose you are trying to achieve and will lead to more helpful suggestions. Have fun!
How to Use Your Software:
Software is often updated, and online tutorials and information often demonstrate older versions of the software. The software version you are using may differ in User Interface and tools available. Please share links to reference material that you have found helpful in the Challenge thread.
in DAZ Studio
Daz Documentation Center [Wiki] [Associated YouTube Video]
Daz 101: Posing
Pinning, Posing and the Active Pose Tool
Applying Partial Poses
Puppeteer
DAZ Studio Tips 2 - Symmetry and Partial Poses
DAZ Studio - Using Puppeteer
Great Art Now - Posing And Morphing [Daz Store Download] [YouTube Video]
Some good tips in this forum thread.
in Poser
Pose and Editing Tools 101
Artistic Posing Techniques for 3D Human Figures - Very in Depth
Introduction to Posing in Poser
Poser Tutorial: Quick Posing
in Carrara
Dartanbeck's simple method of character animation (Carrara Cafe article, great for those who prefer illustrated written tutorials)
Huge list of helpful forum links (scroll to Animation and Posing section) If you have a problem, your answer might be here!
Carrara 8 Joint Rotation
Carrara 8 Puppeteer
Carrara 3D Tutorial - Posing a Figure
Posing in Carrara
Posing Tips - Carrara Cafe
in Bryce
While it is not possible to pose things in Bryce, you are welcome to do your posing in another program such as DAZ Studio or Poser, then export and render in Bryce. For information on how to use the Bryce bridge to import a DS scene into Bryce: http://brycebasics.blogspot.com/2009/12/using-daz-studio-with-bryce.html
I will be checking in as will the rest of the Community Volunteers to try and help with anything you all may need.
For a list of the current challenge rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules
Closing Date: March 31st, 2018
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Comments
Oh, this is exciting! Should we/can we try to replicate the image completely, or just the pose?
Pixabay and Unsplash are both great sites with amazing pictures, and all images are fine for non-commercial reuse.
Replicating the pose it the important part. I'm not sure if it's necessary to replicate the image as a whole. I'll double-check with @Daz_Ann0314 to find out the exact particulars. I'll also ask about sites like Pixabay and Unsplash.
Man, I have a love/hate relationship with this one. I like the challenge of recreating the pose from the referance, but I hate trying to pick a referance picture. Hope I'll have something to work with this month.
Edit, I think I found something I might be able to adapt to the kind of things I do.
For clarification, you only need to replicate the pose itself. You do not need to replicate the scene. Get creative and use that pose in a new scene if you wish. :)
Yeah, of all of these challenges, posing might be hardest for me because do it all the time. Not sure what we're supposed to demostrate.
Have an idea though...
Anyone know where I might find a rope prop that can be posed? Maybe a set with a a pit?
Figure it might be hard posing an adventurer sliding down a rope because the rope’s going to bend (posing) and his feet & hands will have to be tucked (posing.) Then there’s snakes... Wonder where I can find 100s of free posable snakes. Hours of if want a pit full of them!
If I can find props, might make a good challenge for myself this month.
Best!
--Bruce
PS:
@ KnittingMommy
Glad to know we don't have to replicate scene exactly. *That* might be hard.
@ LaPetite
Cool about the duck from last month. : )
Will check out sites you mentioned. Thanks for tip!
@Tynkere Here are a couple of links for free a rigged rope. It says Poser but I think it will work in DS.
http://www.sharecg.com/v/54282/browse/11/Poser/Easy-Pose-Rope
Also, you put a space between the '@' symbol and the name. If you want users to get the notification, you need to get rid of the extra space. I'm not sure but exact spelling might also be necessary. However, I don't always remember that one.
This should be fun. I found a pose I liked at the first link. Here is the reference image that I chose. Will have some fun with it. Maybe a Back to the Future type thing. Plenty of time to give it thought.
@Diomede That should be fun.
This probably doesn't need to be said, but still, be careful about some of these sites that come up in the searches. If something doesn't seem right, don't download it.
Having said that, I'm having a hard time deciding. So many options. I see a lot I like, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew since this is sometimes a real struggle for me. You are all very good at this. Looking back at what's gone before, especially in composition, I saw some really excellent work. @daybird You can be much too modest.
I'm not so sure I can do anything as good as what I shared last month. It's actually kind of intimidating.
Decisions.
I'd like to do 2. The second one I'm not decided on, but the first one is going to be this:
I think it's a great pic with a decent pose. I love the expression on her face. (Finally all those outfits in the store are justified.) I would normally stay away from something like this because of the clothing/ground collision stuff, but I'll see what I can do. I don't suppose anyone knows where I might find fire dance props like the ones shown?
Ay Caramba!!!!!!
Just watched the first tutorial link. Had no idea that there were all these posing tools. Multicolored ball? Didn't know it was related to posing. Active pose tool? Thought it was for animations. And pins. Love the pins. This month is already a success for me.
I had just been using the rotate tool for everything. As you might imagine, I was very frustrated.
@Wanderer - yes, way to justify all those loincloth warrior amazons in the store! Unfortunately for me, as is probably clear from my previous post, I am completely lost in Studio. But that is what these are for. Can't wait to see what you do with your choice. There are a lot of directions to take it. If you really want to challenge yourself, you could use DForce on the fabric if you haven't learned it yet.
@Diomede - Heh, you're off to a great start. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I've been nervous about going there, but it would be awesome to be able to do. I know there are ways to make custom morphs for clothes, so I suppose that would also be an option, but I'd really like to learn DForce so I think I'll try that first.
@Wanderer - you have several choices for the skirt. Here are 3.
- DForce - I don't know enough about it, but it would seem to be perfect. I've only used it a few times so can't give you any tips. But what I see others do is impressive. It doesn't work on all items though. EDIT: here is one of the DForce threads - https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/203671/let-s-see-your-dforce-renders-experiments-interesting-results/p1
- DFormer - you can use the create menu to create a a magnet DFormer. Choose your item, select CREATE : NEW DFORMER. In your scene tab, you will find the 3 tools. There first 2 are the dformer base, which has the dformer parented to it. The third is the dformer field. Use the scale and translate tools to place the field to isolate the part of the item that you want to dform. Use the base and deformer to pull, scale, drag,or rotate the mesh of the item.
- create a morph in another program - I have a walk through for creating a morph for a clothing item using the bridge to Hexagon. You can find much more thorough tutorials on youtube and on the web, but this has the basics. https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/2881536/#Comment_2881536 I'd recommend searching for youtube Daz Studio tutorial morph clothing sickleyield Has much more detail but uses Blender.
@Diomede - Thanks a bunch. I appreciate you sharing that info. I'll check your thread, definitely. I've watched one of SY's tutorials with Blender a long time ago, but never put it into practice because I wasn't ready yet. Still not sure I am. Hadn't even really known about dformers until I used one to expose the cyborg endoskeleton on that pic I did for last month. I agree about the dforce stuffs being very impressive, but also hear lots of talk of some items flying away or exploding (?) when attempted. So, yeah, it's a bit intimidating, but I'll give it my best go. I'm going with the dforce first, though, definitely, as I've been wanting something like this in Studio forever, yet here it's been in how long already and I've yet to attempt it.
Also, I want to point out that this series and its contributors have taught me something very valuable. I was completely unaware until reading it in the composition thread for January that you could turn on a ROT guide in the Daz Studio viewscreen. That Rule of Thirds thing is very handy. Thank you all so much.
Also, also, I want to point out that DS Creative E-zine is a very helpful resource for learning users, even if a bit of it is growing outdated, and it seems a shame that they stopped making them. They have freebies in every month, and you can still read them on Issuu. I've found several of their articles very helpful (and would have known about the ROT guidelines in Studio if I'd been paying more attention). The freebies aren't bad either.
how about this one https://www.daz3d.com/strings
@Lynwelly Thanks for that. I knew I had seen something in the store that would work but couldn't find it when I went looking. Turns out I should have looked in my own wishlist. I might have found it.
I got word that using Pixabay and UnSplash images are okay since both sites allow for pretty much anything we want to do them. So, if you can't find anything you like in the links in the OP, you can look on those two sites. If you go to another site, be careful you know exactly what the reuse rules are under their licensing agreements. I know we aren't modifying images in this challenge. It's the reposting of the images we need to know we can do safely. The links in the OP are considered safe as well as Pixabay and UnSplash. I'd be very careful about using any other sites.
Later this afternoon, I'm going to be going into DS and work on a posing project. I'll take some screenshots and show you my posing process and the tools I use. I should be able to post them later this evening. Hopefully, 'watching' me work will give you give you guys some insight into how someone who has been posing for a long time works. You might pick up some pointers or find something I do helpful. I have a posing project I've been working on for another member so her two guys can get married and I was so busy last month, it kind of fell by the wayside. Time to dust them off and get them hitched.
I like the posing choices I've seen so far. Not too complicated but a nice little challenge. @Diomede Activepose can be very useful. @Wanderer You should be able to replicate that expression nicely in puppeteer if you are using G8. If you are using an older character, I think you can still get really close if you try mixing expression sliders. I would start by seeing how close you can get with the vowel sound sliders and then mix in some smiles and see how that works when you are ready to do the expression. Just remember expressions should be done last.
Here are a couple of tips for all you posers:
1. Save and save often. I like doing save files with incremental numbers. I don't mean saving your whole scene though you should do that, too. I mean save each pose as a new pose every time you make a change and see something you like. You never know when you'll make a change and then decide you like the pose better four poses back. If you save each change in the pose, you can always go back. When you first start, you can just save the pose as a whole. However, if you end up with a partial pose you like, I highly recommend saving those partial poses, too. You never know when they will come in handy. You can build up a whole library of poses this way.
2. Start all of you poses with the hip and work your way down. Then do the upper part of the body. Any change you make that involves the hip is major and will mess up, ur, change everything else.
3. While working on poses, have your viewport set to square. When you save a pose, DS automatically takes a picture of whatever is in the viewport to use as a thumbnail for the pose. Make use of that feature and have your figure front and center in that square viewport when you save your pose.
4. I find that it makes posing so much easier if the figure is naked. However, we have rules about nudity on the forums so here are a couple of tips so we don't accidentally post any naked body parts. Use close-fitting underwear like what comes with the figure. You want your figure to wear something that won't inhibit posing when you first start out. I can't tell you how many times I went to pose something and accidentally selected the clothing and posed that instead.
If you are going to have your model fully clothed, do yourself a favor and uncheck all clothing in your scene tree so that it has an 'X' next to it. That should make it so you can select the bones you want and not the clothing.
Another option is to play with the model textures and give him/her a clay-like texture. One thing I love about G8, is that Daz3d included a developmental model with a texture that isn't flesh colored. Kind of like the old Genesis model.
That's all I can think of for now. I'll check back in later. Good luck everyone!
Thanks for links/suggestions. Prop hunting-- esp. finding the set I had envisioned proving be a toughie. Might just go with NAE “pose a rope guy”
Funny how memory plays tricks on me. Had thought Indiana Jones had the rope wrapped around torso & using his feet to guide. Youtube says otherwise.
Maybe an adventurer version of something like this guy with this feet down around rope.
(retireved on Mar 2 from Stripes.com For educational & recruitment only. All rights reserved.)
https://www.stripes.com/news/korea-based-soldiers-learn-rappelling-is-no-easy-task-1.303905
This project going to require some careful planning...
Anyway, thanks for reading!
--Bruce
EDIT:
Found a better photo so hopefully combination of two allowed
(Retrieved on Mar 3 from Diffen.com - For educational & comparison purposes only. All rights reserved.)
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Rappelling_vs_Rock_Climbing
Edit of the Edit:
Terms of use for 'Share' the article(s) or image(s) implies linking the article(s) to them. These have been added.
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Edit: weeding out old imgur files. PM missing links.
Hello Everyone,
I am going through the process of selecting a pose source photo and I have a question. I'm thinking I would like to choose a photo depicting a conflict between two characters. I know the Daz TOS mentions gratuitous violence and torture as unacceptable, I was wondering if boxing, martial arts, or wrestling holds are ok or if they would fall under this category of the TOS? I wouldn't be depicting any blood or gore, but I would hate to put the work in only to find it didn't qualify.
If anyone has any insight into this I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Yes, they are okay. As long as there is no blood/gore/unnecessary weirdness, you should be good. Boxing, martial arts, wrestling are all sports where one would expect a certain amount of violence that I don't think falls into that category of the TOS.
So, I did some screenshots to show you guys how I set things up to start posing. This is by no means the only way to do things. This is just how I do it. I tend to use whichever tool works best for the situation. So, sometimes, I'll use the ActivePose, sometimes the posing sliders, and sometimes PowerPose.
The first thing I do after finding my reference photo is to get it into DS. This saves me from having to switch back and forth between DS and some other program to view my reference. Just create a plane and then add your image to the plane. If you don't know how to do this yet, go to Create Primitive>Plane. It doesn't really matter how big you make it because you'll resize it to fit your needs once your image is on the plane. Then go to the plane's Surface Tab>Diffuse Color and browse to find your image and put it in there. It doesn't matter if the plane is 3DL or Iray since you aren't going to render it.
Resize your image to about the same size as your model. It doesn't have to be perfect since it's just a reference. You can move this plane around as you move around your figure and you don't have to worry about going outside of DS to view your reference.
If you have clothes on your model, make sure to select the clothing in your scene tab so that it has a little 'x' instead of the checkmark so it can't be selected with the Universal Tool. My tool of choice. You whichever tool you are comfortable using. Start posing with the lower body first. Once you have that set, then you can set the pins to lock the lower body in place. The best way to pin is to use the Tool Settings tab. Select EVERY bone in the lower body and pin them all. Make sure that you select Pin at Both Ends in the Tool Settings tab. For some reason, pins don't stick as well if you just pin with the ActivePose or selecting pins on the body. I have no idea why that is. Pinning works slightly differently on each generation. I think they hit it best with G8. Earlier figures may still move around slightly when pinned so be careful.
With everything pinned, you should be able to do things like grab a hand to move into position and the lower body will stay put. Convenient. Start with the big parts of the pose, hips, legs, arms, shoulders, etc. before you move on to toes, hands, and fingers. Last work on expression. Save every step of the way. You never know when you'll need to go back a few poses.
If you are working on your pose and suddenly your figure goes all wonky in a way you never intended, remember you can still use the Undo feature or Cntrl-Z to get back to where you were. It happens more often than you think. You'll be clicking a slider and the next thing you know, the slider is all the way at 100% or something.
Look at the screenshots. I'm sure I've forgotten to mention something. If you have questions, just ask. I hope this helps you guys with your posing.
Sorry to be dense. How do I change my viewport? I have been entering new numbers in the render settings but they just keep snapping back. I am missing something really simple. Aargh.
Wow, thank you for the detailed tutorial.. This has been very helpful for me. I have been having a lot of trouble selecting the correct bone through the clothing, so had been relying on the scene tab.
You have a few different ways to change the Aspect Frame in DS. First, you go to the Render tab. Click on General. You'll find the Render settings for your image size here. To get one of the built-in presets, click on the Custom button and several presets that come with Daz Studio will drop down. Select Square or Widescreen or any of the other options. If you'll notice my screenshot, I have a few all the way down at the bottom that you won't have. Those are my custom sizes. I've set some up for renders I do often like Daz Promo images.
To create a custom size, Click on the gear above Pixel Size if you have a specific pixel size you want for your image. Choose Parameter Settings. You can change the pixel size in the window that pops up. Input your pixel numbers in the Value spots.
If you have a specific Aspect Ratio that you want, you can simply change those in the Aspect Ratio spot. When you change the Aspect Ratio, the Pixel size automatically updates. Then you can change the value the Pixel size in the Render tab and your image should keep the ratio you've chosen.
If you totally screw things up, you can always reset everything back to the defaults by clicking the gear on the Pixel Size and the Aspect Ratio and select Reset.
I hope this helps. I'll be checking back in this afternoon. It's time to take the kiddos to the dojo so they can learn how to use weapons and stuff. :)
Thank you very much!
Thanks for the links to tutorials. I learned much that will simply current projects
Zebra jumping
@Knittingmommy thanks for clarifying that for me.
Here's is my source picture as well as a 1st draft render attempting to replicate it.
The source image was found at pixabay. Incase anyone is wondering what the pose is about, it's a pro-wrestling hold called the "abdominal stretch". The aggressor places pressure on the thigh and pulls back on the victims trapped arm causing discomfort in the abdominal area. The goal is to achieve a submission victory.
Title: "Ask Her Ref!"
Software: Daz Studio, light post production in Photoshop CS3
@Knittingmommy - Thank you for the helpful advice and links. They are greatly appreciated.
Wow, guys, I'm falling seriously behind here. Bleh!
Looks like you're off to a great start!
At least I've made a basic start.
@ Shinji and RCB Panzer (if you happen to be lurking...)
Muzzle flash prop & spent .308 shell casings? Script to have spent casings arcing out, or hand place them? S-o-o much fun for something like that, but needed for detail. : )
(I looked at Novica’s topic but didn’t see anything that specific.)
@ Diomede
Slightly OT, but noticed your pull for the RRRR. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. Same for NU! :)
@ Linwelly
Thanks for suggestion on “Strings” product. Pricy by DAZ standards, but the rope is sixty segments and all are rigged. If it’s possible to move, coil, twist or untwist a rope in real life, PA has it covered. Don’t mind investing in quality products like that-- will probably only need one resource like that, so now have it covered!
@ Ultimativity
Welcome to the fun! Hope to see some of your renders!
@ Gallows
Pretty cool. Obviously got that zebra worked in. : )
@ Nightwing
Like the cartoon look & nice to meet someone still using CS-3! I will be on my best behavior and not type that some people think "Adobe CC" means "Adobe Cash Cow."
Did I type that?
@ KnittingMommy
Thank you very much for the tutorials. I’m sure those took some time and you have other things you could be doing. Very much appreciated!
@ Wanderer
Like the choice of photo. Nice warm tones and good opportunity to work in facial expression too. For props, familiar with "Novica's" Topic? If not here's link.
"Prop Stop" is on page one and have to scroll down a ways.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/28138/novica-serene-night-s-renders-tips-tutorials-product-reviews-part-2/p1
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Hope that’s everyone.
Anyway, here’s mine. Took a few liberties with pose because following it exactly looks kind of stupid.
(Plus more of a story & dramtic to give him a weapon.) Hope that’s OK. Otherwise NAE time.
I start temp work tomorrow crunching numbers-- that’s beau coup overtime, so not sure how if have brain cells left for DS. Wish me luck!
Thanks for reading!
--Bruce
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Edit: weeding out old imgur files. PM missing links.
@Wanderer and @Tynkere My pleasure. Some strange soul, ur, very intelligent person decided to let me loose on you guys this month and, lucky you, posing is one thing I really love doing. :)
*Hehe* With this knot on the rope, the guy may have some problems, to get away when he is on ground. :P
Can't say much about the pose, because how you said, you mixed up two poses.
BUT... with the rope in this position on the belly, the guy will have bad injures and get in danger to break his back.
Plus of course he is just hanging around and has now way of going down or going up. Climbers if they use just ropes will still have 2 separtate ropes secured together with sliding knots or fisherman's knots and hitches, maybe with a prussic loop or a carbiner. Also I have never seen a climber use such a think rope. OK I am used to watching tree climbers, woodsmen and tree surgeons, not rock climbers, Their harness is secured around the thighs and waist as they need to use tools whilst haging from the rope, a chain saw usually, or a woodsman's axe
Simple tree climbing kit