Have I bitten off more than I can chew?
I've recently gotten into DAZ because I had an idea for a science fiction story in the style of a comic book or graphic novel. I plan on using Photoshop and Comic Life for image touch-uips and layout, while DAZ will be for the actual composition. But the more I get into DAZ, the more daunting the prospect becomes. It feels like it will take months if not longer to find and assemble the figures and props I'll need and the basic skills to use them before I can even begin putting the comic together.
So have I bitten off more than I can chew, here, or am I just going too fast? I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed here. :(
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Comments
First off, I use Poser, not DS, but these thoughts still apply I think.
I first started with Poser 4 Pro Pack a MUCH simpler program than either DS 4.5 or Poser 8/2010. When I started, I felt pretty much the way you are describing. Now, approximately 2487 'Aha!' moments later, I'm pretty comfortable with the much more complicated current version. If you keep at it, it will get easier.
I STILL feel that way about DS, but that's because I don't USE DS. I'm sure if I had gone that route things would be reversed.
One alternative is to use one of the 2D comic book programs. The downside to this is that there doesn't seem to be that much pre-made content for them.
You are not alone with thinking like this and it does take time and dedication to get the best out of any program not just Daz Studio or Poser. We all learn at different speeds so know one can say it will take a fixed period of time before you know how to get the job done. Plus it depends on your attitude with having to spend hours and hours learning before getting the results your are after. It took me a good 6 months before I was comfortable with the software and I only started 3 years ago.
I know it takes time to learn new programs - I've been using Photoshop for almost a decade and there are still many functions I never touch because they go right over my head. I'm just overwhelmed by all the choices. It seems that the more freedom you have to create what you want, the more complex the tool of creation becomes. I'm even having problems organizing my library of props - I went on a download binge and now I can't keep track of what I have. :(
One of the problems I'm having is the tutorials I'm finding is that official DAZ documentation is sparse, and much of it is in video format. With the low resolution of Youtube videos, the speed at which the video makers demonstrate and the assumption that I already know about the tools they're using, I'm having trouble keeping up with what's being taught. I'd much like to find some old-style text-and-screen-capture tutorials that I can peruse at my own pace.
Sorry if I come across like I'm whining - the prospect of learning all of DAZ's ins and outs is daunting. I just want to be confident that the investient of time and energy will be worth is before diving in.
Any other advice would be very welcome. Thanks for your thoughts! :)
Sorry I didn't mean to preach but yes I found it all very daunting at first and that was with 4 years of Photoshop learning under my belt.
I find Real Player to be a valued asset in downloading video tutorials, even youtube ones, to my Portable HDD then I can watch, pause and rewind to my hearts content.
As for the content well that is another issue and do be honest I found both Poser and Daz Studio formats to be a pain to learn but again overtime you get to instinctly know what is what.
Is it worth the time to invest learning well for me yes, you are really the only person who can answer that one.
It can be done, it does take time. And I'll be the first to say it, much more dedication than I have. But here is just a example of Daz and Comiclife as a team.
Hey I feel you....sometimes I just want to scream and leave this program ,
i understand you, I started with this program also only few months ago , I feel like the more tutorials I see the less I understand what's going on and the funny thing is with this program is, and what I'm starting to understand now is the best way for me to learn is by playing with the program on my own, trial and error works better for me.
3d is complex and different from 2d world like in Photoshop - where in some way you have more control on what is going on while in daz for me it feels like a shoot in the dark .
till now and from the day I started I think I created tons of unfinished scenes ...at first I tried to jump the shark by trying to create complex scenes and gotten disappointed with my result - so now I decides to go back to the basics - loading only one charter in my scene and trying to focus only on her -how to morph her, skin her , light her ect...
I think most of the time till now I mostly focused on how to install things , find them in the program , getting angry on the program when it gives me problem and errors, thinking uninstalling and re install it will help , now I start to understand this program complex and deep - I need also to learn to leave with her fellows the way they are lol :)
Similar situation here. I started playing around with Daz couple months ago after working with photoshop (composite/retouche) and graphics since 1988.
My Primary goal was to use Daz as a tool, create 'ingredients' with Daz and composite/retouche in Photoshop.
But now - 2/3 months later - I'm already thinking that this could turn around things and Daz will be my main application and Photoshop is going to be the extra tool...
Must admit I underestimated Daz - you start sculpting a bit and like it - your character is done and whats next? Scenery/setting/lights/materials/props/more props... more lights. Obviously I did not realise that at the start.
Still, for me, I only know 1 percent of the app but this is it (for me).
Keep in mind: what is your goal and what do you need to get there.
You say you wanna do comics, imagine - you have your first character done and a couple of props in a room or street, you will be making rendershots with the speed no photoshop artist can compete with, with lighting and perspective already in place... sounds cool.
Well, I've learned something today - rendering people takes a lot longer than rendering a Dalek. Wow. Hadn't expected a half hour, but live and learn. Here's my humble effort.
Half an hour....wish mine were as quick. I am lucky to get a final render out within 4 -18 hours but I do a lot of advanced lighting and surfaces and have a lower powered computer. I suppose it is down to attitude and personal patience. :)
Anyways as Jad said your moving on nicely.
Thanks for the kind words. I was just playing with Genesis, props and lighting. (The blah area was purely coincidental, tbh - I want a little light to give the background some detail, at least a little). Glad you like. :)
I'm kind of in the same boat. I have a project coming up that's a comic where I am going to be switching between my regular 2D illustration work to represent the offline world and using 3D renders to represent an MMORPG. As a result what I'm looking for in my renders is going to be very different from what most people will be looking for. I'm specifically looking for a more old-school retro low polygon look for the 3D stuff so I've been actually sudying a lot of low poly game modelling tutorials online to figure out how to get a very "game" like look.
I'm still trying to decide if I want to use Genesis for my characters (I've made a few morphs for different character races that I'm rather pleased with) or spin my own low polygon figures. I've built a low polygon figure that I'm pretty pleased with and there's nothing stopping me from building morphs for it.
Basically now what I'm looking at is the daunting task of having to build models for an entire 3D game world all by myself (I'll want to use my own clothing and set models as much as possible). The upside is I will only need to create a new model only as the storyline dictates it and once that model is created I can reuse it endlessly and easily modify it. With 2D illustration I have to draw every comic panel by hand every time. As the story progresses I'll be needing to create fewer and fewer models from scratch.
I really like the Genesis models and the expression poses for them but I'm thinking stylistically a smoother, less featured face where expressions and features are more defined by the texture map illustrations will give me a more oldschool game look. The other bonus of using my own spun character models is if I ever decide to make a game based on my comic all the modelling work will be done and I won't have to worry about any licensing issues.
Welcome to the club. :) I'm just where you are - I've only been learning Daz Studio for a week and I'm still in the process of absorbing the basics. I think one thing that's helped me is that I've developed one character (as you'll see in my owh thread discussing my first, and subsequent, renders) and have been using it as a test bed for learning various procedures and practices. It's small-scale but it works.
Here's a bit of an update: an empty corridor and an occupied one.
Just a little update - playing with the Nano Suit, props and hair.
I'm feeling pretty good today too. I just finished my low polygon basic figure. I optimised my previous low polygon figure, got rid of any N-polys and significantly streamlined the hands from their previous polygon soup. I could go even few polygons but he'd start to look pretty blocky and lose some of his anatomical definition.
The majority of the polygons are in the head just so I could get more versatility with head shaping but even still he only clocks in at 1502 polygons.
He even looks good in most genesis clothing.
I call him Mr. Lo.
Looking very good. :)
Trying to make a decent looking butt with as few polygons as possible was the second hardest part (hands being the hardest).
Sadly the figure lacks the polygons in the chest to make decent looking female breasts so I'll have to make a second figure for female morphs. I have a feeling making low polygon breasts is going to be even harder than making a low polygon butt.
Heheehee... the Lowren figures better watch out. New player in town. Just for info http://www.daz3d.com/shop/lorenzo-and-loretta-bundle
Doing tests now to see if it's easier to sculpt masks and apply them to a Genesis body instead of making a morph. The face on this beastie is just a mask, not a morph.
I think unless you absolutely need the extra geometry of the mask it's best just to make your beasties as morphs. Maybe do a half and half.
That said I think I could literally spend the rest of my days happily sculpting monsters.
A pair of renders...