Shape Magic Freebies
Shape Magic is an old program I wrote and use to sell. It’s been free since 2009. It’s a bit archaic yet still functions as a modeler, especially for those just starting out. I thought I’d remind folks that it’s still available.
www.shapemagic.com/index_sm.htm
My site has a lot of free .obj downloads that were designed to work in Bryce and Poser. They also work in Daz Studio 4.7 but you can only assign an overall shader to them and you cannot assign different materials to different zones. My site also has a lot of free design files (.smg) that can be used with Shape Magic and with the right save settings, they will import into DAZ Studio without problem and allow you to assign different materials to different zones.
You can make simple objects with Shape Magic as the examples on my site show. You can also make more complex models by making individual parts in Shape Magic then assembling them in Daz Studio. As an example, today I used my lamp kit design files to make lamp parts and took them into Daz Studio, assembled them, and added shaders. The lamp shade shows the different material zones in use: a linen shader was applied to the overall lamp shade, then a gold shader was applied to just the one zone that creates a band near the bottom.
The tutorials on my site will show you what’s involved in using Shape Magic. There’s not a good tutorial on importing into Daz Studio, but I could add one if there is interest.
Here’s a render with the lamp I mentioned earlier. The lamp is on a chair table from the “Living Room Collection” and it’s displayed in the “Classic Deco: Eclectic 1” interior.
http://www.daz3d.com/the-living-room-collection
http://www.daz3d.com/classic-deco-eclectic-1
Comments
Here's a closeup of the lamp. I took the shade off so you can see there's all the internal stuff as well, like a bulb, support rods, switch and electric cord. I put a point light within the bulb with a glass shader applied to some of the material zones.
Rich
And here's a wood lattice shader in use.
Rich
Hey, thanks Rich. Looks like fun!
Ah, so many nice toys, so little time. Sigh. :)
Thank You, same goes for me, but i really like those pillars and will check SMG too. Thanks it will be useful I am sure of it.
This looks like a lot of fun!
Thank you!
Wow, there is a lot more, including some other programs that can be useful. Thanks again this is really very nice. http://www.shapemagic.com/products.htm
Here's another example. Now that I have a collection of DAZ shaders, I can duplicate some of what I did before for Bryce. This is a curved knife, all parts made in Shape Magic then assembled in Daz Sudio. The belt was made with SM too.
There's a tutorial on how this was made but I don't have the design files posted. There is a Bryce .obp file that can be downloaded. The tutorial is at: http://shapemagic.com/tutorial_curved_knife.htm
Rich
Thank You a lot. I have seen tutorials and they look very good and detailed. I like that house and will try to do something like that but probably others too. I am a bit busy now but I expect with start of february to give it a shot, maybe later i will try working with Hexagon and Blender. Atm I am just amazed what can be done with DS :D but i am still not very good with it but i think i am getting better. That road maker looks also very interesting and probably will be useful, i just downloaded 2 main programs and today will try doing more. Many thanks again free props are just great, I am also trying to get into Bryce and i think i am getting into it too, though still a bit more then started, but need to get better faster.
Thanks for these useful interesting items. Will save lots of time.Cheers!!:-):-)
My thnx as well!
I have installed and tried to use the programs. They look really simple and easy to use, with very good results. But I will have to read trough those tutorials first to see how it is done and learn it a bit better. I hope to make something, though i am trying to work with Bryce too lately.
I decided to create a thread in Art Studio where I will post renders of Shape Magic models in use. I'll keep this thread focused on new freebies made using Shape Magic. You can find the render thread at: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/52508/.
Most of my freebies are for Bryce as I'm only now learning how to create .duf files for Daz Studio. I have my first one made and I think it's working. It's the curved knife. You can find it on this page: http://shapemagic.com/downloads.htm under Free Models for Bryce and Daz Studio.
No textures included as the shaders I have are not mine to share. You can add shaders as you would for anything in Daz Studio. I may create a tutorial on how to add shaders and rename material groups if that's not common enough knowledge.
Rich
All I have to say is, thank You and God help me to learn all things that I have planned. As I said before I like SMG and my wish is to learn to use it, I mean to make something with it.
On the good side I have learned to use Ivy Generator in last few days and now I am hoping to do this soon too. I just need a bit more motivation to make it, and this just might be it.
Now lets see what is there... looked a bit and i liked it, those shaders looks good. Will try to make something too.
Gulan7, I added the .smg design files to the Daz Studio curved knife download. By opening those files in Shape Magic, that's a good way to see how I created the various parts. When you get ready to start learning the program, I'd recommend beginning with the tutorials and create a simple model before trying to make a multi-part model.
Ok, thank You. I will try doing that.
Since my last post in February I've been posting a number of renders using Shape Magic models in my Art Studio thread. You can check them out at http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/52508/
I've also rearranged my download page at Shape Magic so it's easier to navigate. I have 4 types of freebies:
1. .smg files which are used in Shape Magic to make objects
2. .obj files which can be imported into Bryce, Daz Studio and other 3D programs.
3. .duf files for Daz Studio
4. .obp files for Bryce
There's many of type 1, a lot of type 2, and only a few of type 3 and 4. I make the latter 2 types when the models are more complex than a simple obj or two.
All of the obj's should work fine in Bryce and I'm in the process of updating them for use in Daz Studio (some don't have UV mapping or material zones). The ones I've updated will have a recent date showing. I hope to update the reamining ones over the next few weeks.
My most recent addition is a Fantasy Cottage for Daz Studio. I'm new at making duf's, so if you have any problems with it, let me know. Here's the link to the page it is on: http://www.shapemagic.com/downloads.htm
The cottage was made using parts designed in Shape Magic and assembled in Daz Studio. Purist modelers won't like it because it's not one model, some parts intersect others parts, etc. but it renders just fine. Attached is a sample image with the simple colors founds in the duf and one showing a variety of shaders available from Daz.
Thank You, It is really a nice model. I will try working with it a bit more.
Just updated my free Christmas Kit. Contains 38 .obj and .smg files: candles, candle holders, ornaments, cookies, stars, Christmas tree, tree stand, tree skirt, and more. Smg files can be used as a base to make your own designs. Some objects may require resizing and assembly (e.g., ornament body, cap and ring). No textures included. Tested in Bryce and Daz Studio.
Rendered in Bryce with Bryce materials:
Rendered in Daz Studio 4.8 with AOA grass shader on tree, A Fabricator shader on tree skirt and various glass and metal shaders on ornament:
Just updated my free Lamp Kit for use in Daz Studio. Contains 30 .obj and .smg files that can be used to assemble a variety of lamps. Smg files can be used as a base to make your own designs. Some objects may require resizing and assembly (e.g., shade spokes, lamp base body and shade, etc.). No textures included. Tested in Bryce and Daz Studio.
Rendered in Bryce with Bryce materials:
Rendered in Daz Studio 4.8:
Thank You!! I will try to update my files :) Looks very good as usual.
This is on old kit I've never made available for free before. Flag Kit has a number of draped and waving flag models along with two flag pole models: one vertical and one wall mount. The kit contains flag .obj files generated with Shape Magic Flag Maker as well as the Shape Magic 2 design files for the flag poles. It also has 12 flag textures I made (you can find others to use off the internet).
Draped and waving models (Bryce render):
Flag textures (Bryce render):
Poles and flags in Daz Studio 4.8:
The flag kit can also be used for other purposes: