August 2019 – DAZ 3D New User Challenge – Free Month (With a Twist)
DAZ_ann0314
Posts: 2,849
August 2019 – DAZ 3D New User Challenge – Free Month (With a Twist)
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 challenge...
Freedom!! - OK well "sort of"
This challenge is a general render challenge (based on having fun) where you should focus on the different aspects of 3D that you have learned so far. That said, this year we've decided to add a little twist to it!
When creating artwork, one of the hardest things to do can be to assess how your image is going. Sometimes you have just looked at it toooo long and you lose perspective of what you wanted to accomplish. Sometimes we as artists get to a point where we are just quite honestly too tough on ourselves and yet other times we get so into what we are making that we just start throwing everything at it (including that kitchen sink LOL) and the story we wanted to tell gets lost in the mix. The ability to be able to constructively look at your own work as well as someone else's can be a tough thing sometimes to learn and to do so as part of this Free Month, we thought it would be fun to show some of the CV Teams own artwork, let you constructively give feedback on it (Constructive feedback includes what you like, what it is saying to you, as well as maybe what you think could be done differently) and then once you have assessed said image...to try to do a render "similar to" the one you critiqued while keeping in mind and including the changes/thoughts you had on the original.
We do not expect you to literally copy the images or use all the same products (though you may if you choose and many of the CVs included what they used in their renders for those that choose to) The trick here is to capture the feel, the subject, the style, or the general layout and then apply your feedback to your version. For your entry in the challenge, please list the person who made the original artwork or link to the artwork you are using from Post 2, your thoughts or critique, and then attach your version. For the selection of artwork in question, please see post number 2 of this thread.
We hope that this exercise will help you to hone your own attention to details in your own work and help you to be able to give feedback that is constructive to others as well (whether it be constructively positive or things you think can be improved upon)
Of note, don't shy away from saying what you think could make something better. Often times the best breakthrough come from pushing something past what it originally was. Also of note, keep in mind to be polite and kind when giving feedback 
Art is subjective and each person who looks at it will see something different and part of this exercise is as much about exploring that aspect of art as it is giving critique.
Don't forget to look at previous themed contests where information and hints are available.
So far this year we have covered the following topics:
For a list of the current challenge rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules
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Comments
Elliandra:
Items Used:
Linwelly:
Items Used:
Kismet2012:
Items Used:
Off Camera:
Leana:
Items Used:
Rendered with 3DL, products used:
L'Adair:
Items Used:
Products Included with Daz Studio:
Not included with Daz Studio
ETA: Rendered in 3DL. Background created in Photoshop: Gaussian Blur on gradient background with clouds.
In addition to the above images, you may also choose any image from the Galleries below:
DAZ_ann0314's Gallery
Elliandra's Gallery
L'Adair's Gallery
Leana's Gallery
Kismet2012's Gallery
Well this is an intresting play on things. (BTW the comment about throwing the kitchen sink at an image that is giving the artist fits cracked me up.)
Don't know what render I'll see if I can adapt to what I've been doing most of the time (ie Shadowrunning), but at least one of them that i've seen might work.
And if worst comes to worst and I can't come up with a way to work with thing there's always the links that can be of use.
Oooh, this looks fun. I'm going to try my own version of Leana's picture.
ummm? only one pic has a background that could be called environment. the rest make this general render into a copy of the portrait month we just finished with the copy a picture limitation added to it. sure we can just redo stuff but really its nothing at all a general FREEDOM using what we've been learning to make our own creations it is a second month of copy this.
Since I have a couple of vehicles off camera in my image I will create a new camera angle with a wider shot.
Since I was hosting the Portrait Challenge I guess I had Portraits on the brain.
Constructive feedback here....2018?
TY ... obviously Im living in the past ROFL I need to come back to the future! LOL
Of note: Other images may be added as the month goes on. I haven't gotten my image in yet (can't decide if I want to render something new or use one I had all ready) Since this is something a bit different..we can attempt to open up the image pool if we feel it is needed. I am open to being fluid on this.
OK we added a couple galleries to the list and we may add some more as the day goes on
The team had done specific renders as they were wanted to try to stick with free items since often newer members don't have a lot of content. That said, please know that with any image you pick (whether it is one above or one from one of the Galleries), you do not have to literally copy it (IE use the exact products used etc) All we expect is your "interpretation" of it (along with what things you focused on/changed from the original)
Hope that helps
The way I understood the challenge, the idea was to critique our renders, and then put your own spin on the concept and incorporate the changes your critiques suggested.
It's not easy putting an image up and letting others tell you what's wrong with it, especially when you're just getting to know the tools. This twist on the usual challenge was to put the CVs in the hot seat and let the new users tell us what's wrong with our images. (Not that critiquing is about finding things wrong with the images, but I know when you're on the receiving end of a critique, it sure can feel that way.)
Like all the challenges here, have fun with it. Don't feel constrained by our images, either the ones posted or any in the galleries.
My computer is a little broke right now, so I don't think I can participate in the recreating part. (Windows blue screened, and now refuses to boot. Linux works great, but I haven't gotten DS working over here yet.) But that doesn't stop me from giving advice! (No promises on the advice being correct. I'm not that experienced.)
Elliandra:
Between the lighting and the ground texture, my eyes have a hard time making sense of this. Now, this might be intentional - if the glowy magic pyramid is emitting some sort of psychic attack, and the image is trying to convey the experience, then maybe that should be played up with some effects centered on the GMP to emphasize that. If not, then the background could use some work to break up the flat textures.
Either way, I think it would improve the image if the subject appeared less 'fullbright' and the area around the pyramid got some blue lighting. Additionally, there is a very prominent seam to the left of the subject that should probably be covered with some sort of greebling.
My biggest takeaway is that I think there's a lot of missing context that would inform what changes should be made. There's a story there, but the image alone doesn't tell it.
Linwelly:
I like the colors here - the extreme contrast makes everything pop! While the armor is not what I would go with, I'll ignore it as artistic choice. The hair is giving me mixed signals about the motion, though. There's a bit that's blowing off to the right, and a bunch that's blowing back or left to a lesser degree, and there's another bit that looks still. I don't know if she's standing in a pose to show off, standing ready for an attack, standing ready to be attacked, or in the middle of an attack.
Kismet2012:
Good mix of colors, I see blue, purple, and yellow. I'm not sure where to go with this, as it is a simple image that does what I think its creator wanted it to do. Maybe put more stuff offscreen to catch in the reflection? If there's supposed to be more to this than a meh surfer dude on a bench, then that would be an area of improvement. The lighting + hair could be leading towards brooding?
Leana:
I like this one! Carefree and joyous. One thing that jumped out to me is that all of the butterflies are mostly only rotated around the Y axis. Some look to have slight tilts on the X, but I don't think any of them are banked to a noticable degree. I would increase the X tilts and rotate some of them around Z (think of an airplane banking). Other than that, maybe turn down the brightness a bit so her forhead doesn't burn?
L'Adair:
Now there's an action freeze-frame! I kinda enjoy how some renders just look like physical miniatures. On the other hand, you might not want that for this scene. You may want to expand the DoF (put more of the background props in focus) and add more stuff (trees? more ruins?) behind your existing ruins. Otherwise, I would try to get the cape to flap a bit more, and maybe move the dude to the left a bit. The swordswoman looks like she's about to fall on top of her opponent, not slice him. (Swords work best when the tip is doing the slicing, not the root.)
Great Catches rcbcgreenpanzer!
(Yes I did fudge things in the render deliberately as I wanted to see what everyone found, thought could be improved, what they would do differently etc!)
wow.
It is not easy to choose what i want to make critics for and do better.
I tend to L'Adair but my pc would not work with the points id like to do better XD
Imean my Pc got problems if i have background, and more characters and if they are clothed...
Would love to create cool fights but the rendertime is crazy
and at last Elliandra but i Guess i will try my limits before I chose one if it is okay
next would Linwelly with the dark elf/drow I'd need some kind of dark skin i guess :/ or maby.. iI would like to try out first...
I actually moved the two a bit closer so I could increase the DOF without making parts of the figures blurry! lol
Good points, all. I should really try again with that "armor," which the cape and sleeves are part of. I was using dForce and neither one was cooperating. I'd get one to look good, and the other… didn't. And vice-versa. I could add trees, too, but then I'm using products that didn't come with Daz Studio; A self-imposed constraint.
It's really a shame your computer is on the fritz. I'd love to see your interpretation of one or more of the CVs images. Your critique on each one is so well thought out.
1
which still becomes the copy of the month we copied poses otherwise doing a interpretation of a girl surounded by butterflies wouldn't be anything like it would it? or how about a pose with melee weapons? I know the direction you intended to go. With this the issue was entire segments of previous months were not involved in the example pictures effectively making it copy this pose and portrait 2.0
Okay, I chose the lovely Elliandra image of the wailing woman. I used Victoria 4.2, the Art of the Dance/Swan Lake ballerina tutu, and Pyrit hair. What I thought could be improved in the image was more of a sense of the drama to add to the scene and the feel of the image. By taking it overhead, I thought it would give a new perspective and focus right on her tortured face, and the addition of the colored lighting helps add to the mood. I wanted my model more sad than openly wailing. This is what I pictured when I thought about this challenge. Be kind; I literally started doing renders just a few weeks ago. Thanks!
I think it's really good. The only thing I see that sticks out to me is her lower lip. In the smaller view of the image in your post, it caught my eye and made me wonder what "that" was. Turns out it's just the way the light is hitting and reflecting off of her lower lip. But it's really a small thing. If you wanted to try to get rid of it, you could try making the lips less glossy. That could be the glossy reflectivity, or it could be something in the top coat. But really, I think it's quite lovely just as it is.
I think at the moment all the inspirons [particles of inspiration sleeting through the universe] are missing me, and I'm left feeling a bit 'mehh' about this challenge. It may change later, especially if one hits hard.
Regards,
Richard.
Thanks for the feedback. :)
Light is indeed a bit too bright, it didn't show as much on my preview renders but it's obvious on this version. And the butterflies could effectively use a bit more variety.
Brilliant job on the render the expression and lighting they're really nice! I also like how the hair looks like it's flopping back as she's looking up!
The only things I might change really nit-picky but I'm OCD like that lol.
1. If you place a spotlight set to Specular Only in the light options pointing at her eyes then you'll get some more depth to them and make them really pop. I'd suggest sticking with a mid to darker grey for the light color so it doesn't blow them out on render.
2. The dress bodice could use a stronger bump or displacement addition to it, this can be done in the surface tab in Studio I would suggest using Bump as you don't have to worry about it poking into the figure. If the dress doesn't have a bump map you can always just plug the color map into the Bump Image location and fiddle with the strength!
Elli
OK a few things I wanted to help clarify here as I feel that maybe the instructions are confusing...
1) You can use the images posted here or any of the images in any of the galleries posted. (The links were added to the bottom of the second post)
2) (To help give an example) Say I picked this image:
First I would critique it so ...what I really love about this image is how colorful and clear it is. I really like the overal tranquil nature and I like how the butterflies are surrounding her. Things I notice...I feel like the eye positioning is pulling you out of the image a bit rather than pulling you in. I do wonder if maybe a top down render would make for a more interesting angle. So now I am going to take those likes and dislikes and do my own image. I am not putting in butterflies, IDK that I will use this sort of pose..I definitely will be paying attention to eye engagement in my image and also looking for stronger camera angles while also trying to keep the more bright and dynamic look. ....goes off to do an image...
Comes back with image....
Hopefully, what you will notice is that my image isn't sitting, is wearing different clothing, has different hair (though I chose to keep the color combo..same with the one green eye and one blue eye but its very subtle). I kept the concept of something "encircling my character" but I decided to do knives. She is in an environment rather than it being more like a portrait. I did keep the things I really liked (from my critique) like the playful coloring and the sort of peaceful/magical feel. When I did mine, I did try the top down angle I thought may be interesting (which I liked especially for this since the knives seem like they are coming at you). I also tried to make the character look "away" from the viewer but in my case I made her looking at something in the image I wanted to draw your eye to. So I studied her image...found the things I really liked and things I wanted to experiment with and then put those concepts and things into something entirely different. I hope that helps to better illustrate what we were asking
The challenge has two goals basically:
1) To help get you to think beyond what is there and to see possibilities or ideas you may not initially see both from your own work or even from others. You can learn a lot just by looking at how others approach things or looking at your own artwork with fresh eyes/perspective and it can help alot when you feel you are somewhat creativly blocked.
2) To give some practice on examining artwork (and commenting on it) since sometimes giving feedback can be uncomfortable but it can also be very helpful too. Granted you sort of have to try and read when someone wants additional ideas or constructive criticism but it is a skill worth having.
If anyone has any questions, please let me know and don't forget there are a fair few images in the full galleries that we linked about too.
Hope that helped
I'm gonna have to go with Linwelly who has been an an unwitting inspiration to me since the very beginning of this.
Of course that also means I have to critique which is really hard.
First I love the bold contrast in this. It approaches monochromatic but is accented by the violets and flame orange off to the left. The pose is dynamic. I particularly like the use of hard lighting to accentuate contrast. I'm used to seeing darkness and soft shadow as a way to accentuate threat but the lighting here does that using bright glare and hard edges. That will be the hardest thing to steal from this.
In critique...
Her hair is poking through her neck, shoulder and armor. If the hair is not dForce it could be converted or repositioned manually. It is also quite coarse. This can be adjusted with cutout opacity in the surfaces tab to give it just a little more of a wispy character so it's not quite so straw-like. Fussing with the glossy reflectivity or dual lobe specular values might give it some shine but that might not work as well as I envision it. It might ruin the contrast which is so essential to the overall effect. That said I really like the dynamic of flow in the back.
The use of DOF is great in the background but a little too strong in the foreground. The edge of the Katana becomes too soft and it loses it's definition. Even the forward hand is a bit too blurred. I would consider splitting the difference in the f-stop and focal distance so you don't lose the DOF on the back panels of the armor but pick up the sword a little 'sharper' (yeah, it was a bad pun). The katana could also (or alternatively) be brought closer to the body to bring it into better focus but I would still like just a tiny bit more definition on the leading hand.
The face paint (well she actually has entire body paint but I mean the pink face paint) is very stark and contrasty but very flat. The rest of the body paint is obviously laid over the skin and you see texture in it. There should be some surface texture to the face paint as well. I would add a bump map to get a little texture into it so it looks like a layer. It's especially notable because the lips have the underlying bump seeming to affect them and look perfectly natural as if that is real face paint. I do think the effect is actually there in all of the face paint but is just still too subtle except for the lips.
Finally the eyelashes really play the monochromatic contrasts but seem a little flat as it they are facepaint instead of white eyelashes. Not sure what I'd do about that because I'd actually have to look at what I was working with. And once again I'm not sure that in this case change would be good. They really draw your eye to hers and since it's pretty clear once you look in her eyes taht she is about to kill you....well that's an important element of this piece.
That's all I got and I had to work for that.
Now it's time to begin the long and painful process of trying to develop my own take on a Linwelly.
Rather than try to directly reproduce her image I was inspired to attempt a African take on the idea (I also might have had Marvel's Black Panther on my mind at the time) to see how the situation and setting change the feel of the whole.
Wish me luck, I'm gonna need lots of it.
@Elliandra:
I would put some glowy thingy on the pyramid and try to cast a glow on the character. The problem that I never could solve is to make an emissive object bright enough to cast a glow and not be overly bright itself (or if there is such method let me know), probably need to independant render and layer it. The plant growth looks really odd on the left side, thought it was a hdri but its a object. Everything is too evenly light up at the moment, a HDRI or a similar lighting with a focus on rim lights would be nice.
@Linwelly:
Sweet ninja striking a pose for a cosplay photoshoot or just looking badass before stabbing some faces, my favorite.
Some users has suggested the in-focus issue, this is a question I ask myself often too, does it make sense to change the camera fstop to some crazy numbers so that you can get everything in focus or try to be realistic? Or do you just stand back and shoot and crop the image for a closer look.
The warm bokeh on the left side could be a fireplace, brazier? Might try to use a different colored rim light. Hair issue, postwork by blur layer should help.
While I haven't had a chance to look at your render, I'd like to take a moment to welcome you to the community. Best of luck to you with the challange, and above all, have fun with things.
OK I've added my "after" image now to the post up above
My thinking was similar, when I saw the challenge pop up, I had another idea for what I might give a go. Gave it a thought for a bit and came up with this. I look at the reference images as a concept and see where I can take it. So, I am going with Elliandra's image. I am not going to go into much more detail regarding the image as Ruris, rcbcgreenpanzer have noted, but my feedback is in reference to the image as a whole. She seems to be in agony over something, but what is unkown why. For example, maybe you could have posed her with only a single earing and the other inside the pyramid and she cannot figure out how to get it back. You know, girls and their jewelry...
So here is my go at this ("Wishing Well"). I have changed the mood to a night scene and added an additional character for some tension in the scene. My thought for this was a follow on to my Moonlight Kiss scene in the June NUC. Here Cora decided to go to the wishing well and make a wish following her kiss, but something else happened when she went to touch the orb. Looks like she may have stirred up some trouble.
As I typically try to create two submissions for these challenges, I have a feeling that L'Adair or Linwelly girls with swords may end up comming to the rescue. We will see.
Ask and ye shall recieve! I whipped up a shader based off the one I used in the image there are two versions a base with no maps/opacity and then the full shader with textures and opacity on it! I put them up in my ShareCG Gallery for anyone who wants them!
Elli
OMG that is a hilarious idea I love it!!
I am going to use @Kismet2012 's image as my inspiration. I like the camera angle as it focuses on his face in an interesting way. There is a lot of dead space on the right of the picture. I am wondering whether to add another person or an object - maybe I will change the man's outfit to fit with whatever I add. However I like his mood - he is brooding or maybe a little sinister.
Added more galleries of images you can choose from to the second post at the bottom