Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
7533 S Center View Ct #4664
West Jordan, UT 84084
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2026 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Could it be: Alice...
Ah, there's another proverb 'A cat may look at a king'
This is fantastic!! I love it! I don't understand it, however! The cat looks like 3d because he is so perfect, but yet your shadow is perfect. Please tell me how you did this!!! Isn't the background an image???
I could really use your advice on place 3d on a background. Exceptional work!!
**********************************************************
This project has made me bonkers!! I started April 30 and it is May 24 :(
I am still researching, making props, trying things.
When I have problems, I learn, so guess that is a good thing!!
Artini created the image, I only commented on it. so all credit to Artini. I think it's AI generated, but I have never had much success with AI myself, so I couldn't begin to offer advice on how to create something similar.
I am so sorry!! I posted after only seeing page 1 of this thread.
Thank you so much, background!!
Please tell me about your avatar. It is so cool. I do believe it must be from an old tv series that you guys had in the UK.
Oh that haha. It part of a screenshot of a scene in the original TV version of Quatermass and the Pit. At one point some people in the play are having shared hallicinations so strong that it drives them to kill anyone who doesn't see the visions. The guy in the photo sees the visions, and a scientist uses his newly developed gadget 'aka loudspeaker sat on the head' to turn the hallucinations into TV pictures, so that unaffected people can see what the hallucinations look like. This was made in 1958 so pretty old now. An interesting aspect of the original is that most of it was broadcast 'live', and the actors were quickly moving between different sets. A very atmospheric scene is where a character is seeing the visions so strongly that they are also turning into telekenesis, as he staggers down a hallway there are cables and wires flailing around him. All done by stage hands pulling on the cables etc, but very scary.
It might be old, however the story line is very interesting and would play well now :)
Those sci-fi shows are wonderful.
I love the Apocalyptic genre!
I have seen The End of the World with Julia Roberts a dozen times. I finally got my hubby to watch it this week.
Also, I love Gerard Butler and watched Greenland 1 and 2 this week with my hubby after I had wached them several times.
I never missed Star Trek when I was young. The original :)
So many!!
I can tell you more about the Quatermass and the Pit if you wish, but it would spoil it if you decided to watch the original TV version or the later Hammer Horror film version. It's one of those stories where a lot of the 'fun' comes from the gradual reveal of aspects of the mystery of the pit, and professor Quatermass working out what is actually happening, and why it's happening.
Returning to Alice for a moment.. I had a brief message exchange some time go with a gentleman who has written several books about Lewis Carroll, and if i recall correctly he had been given acess to the original diaries at one stage, so he was a well respected historian . He told me that he had visited Christ Church in Oxford including the part of the roof where Carroll's photographic studio once stood. He said the photographic studio still exists and is in use as a greenhouse, though hw wasn't sure where.
Since Edward has sadly passed away I'll copy here the main part of the relevant email he sent to me:in 2020-----------------------------
Yes, Dodgson received permission to construct a temporary studio on the roof above his rooms in Tom Quad. This required the building of an internal staircase near the chimney piece, and constructing two rooms on the roof which had glass windows on one side to enable photography to take place. Dodgson also arranged to have the rooms heated. One room was a “dressing room”. Thus he was able give up his studio in Babcock's yard. Dodgson almost certainly paid for this change.
The plans for this do not survive, but inspecting the roof some years ago I could see where the roof attached to the chimney. The studio was removed after Dodgson’s death in 1898. I am told that the studio is now a conservatory behind a shop in Walton Street, Oxford, but I have never seen it myself.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Edward Wakeling
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
So it became a conservatoy, not a greenhouse, and he did have some idea where it was. When I said he had access to the original diaries, that was something of an understatement.
To quote the Grokpedia page on his life:-
Edward Wakeling is widely recognized as a leading authority on Lewis Carroll, particularly through his decades of meticulous research into the life and writings of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. His most significant contribution to Carroll scholarship is his editorship of the ten-volume edition of Lewis Carroll's Diaries: The Private Journals of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, published by the Lewis Carroll Society between 1993 and 2007. This comprehensive annotated edition presents the full text of Dodgson's surviving diaries for the first time, with extensive footnotes, indices, and biographical appendices that illuminate Dodgson's daily life, mathematical pursuits, and creative development.
I think the 'sales pitch' on the diaries somewhat overstates their content. They are after all 'diaries' such as anyone might write, and are not an autobiography, so there's a great deal of notes about 'had dinner with... ' and 'went to see the publisher of ... and we discussed what colour might be best for the binding of the new edition', 'went to London to see ... perform in her latest stage play'
Carroll did keep extensive documentation of his life, some of which has been published. Odd things like a list of items which formed part of his estate after he died, books of accounts etc.
A "a brief message exchange?"
This is a very big deal!
He actually knew you enough to email you!!!
I had no idea about this man!!! Thank you so much for telling me :)
***********************************************
The Photographs of Lewis Carroll
A Catalogue Raisonné
by Edward Wakeling
I didn't know Edward, we never met. I had asked a question somewhere about the photography studio I think I was asking if there were any drawings of it, and how did Lewis Carroll get access to it since I had read it was on the roof, and someone replied that the best person to ask was Edward Wakeling since he was an expert on Lewis Carroll and a very approachable person. I was given his email address and he kindly replied within a day or so.. I wish that I had asked more questions but it's difficult to think what to ask when someone has written so many books on the subject. I felt the polite thing to do was read his books first, and then ask any remaining questions after, but I never had the time ( or money ) to buy all the books and read them.
If you want to study Lewis Carroll, it's an almost bottomless pit, and it has to be said that you will come across some things that you might wish you had never found out. I think I wrote earlier, that I think it's wrong to judge someone from the 1800's by modern standards. Some of the things he did were considered quite innocent in the 1800's but would be condemmed by modern society.
Yes, it is AI generated. I have used excellent comments by @background as a part of the prompt to AI.
Comments created by @background uses excellent english language, I could only dream of.
Can you guess what inspired me to this AI generated image?
I do not know how, so I have asked AI for the advice.
Don't be afraid to do so.
The image has a very specific composition:
* **Foreground:** a **skinny orange/ginger cat**, seen **from behind**, sitting on a stone surface
* **Midground:** a large black-and-white chessboard with oversized chess pieces and several costumed figures
* **Background:** stone waterfront, a ship structure, trees, and pastel buildings with towers/domes
* **Lighting:** bright outdoor daylight, soft but directional
* **Camera:** low angle, close to the cat’s height, looking toward the scene
* **Framing:** wide landscape image, cat near the lower middle, background filling the full frame
That means the job is really:
1. **Create/pose the cat**
2. **Match the camera**
3. **Use the uploaded image as the background**
4. **Match the light**
5. **Render the cat so it blends into the photo**
***
# Best workflow: use the image as a background plate
There are **two good ways** to do this in Daz Studio:
## Option A — Best for final quality
**Render the cat with transparency** and composite it over the photo afterward in Photoshop, GIMP, Affinity Photo, or similar.
This gives you:
* cleaner edges
* easier shadow adjustment
* better color matching
* more believable integration
## Option B — All inside Daz Studio
Use the uploaded image as a **camera backdrop / background plane** and render the cat directly against it.
This is faster for previews, but usually a little harder to make perfectly realistic.
***
# Recommended approach for your image
For this specific scene, I recommend:
## **Use the uploaded image as a backdrop**
**and**
## **Render only the cat + a contact shadow**
then composite if needed.
That way the cat stays sharp and believable, while the background remains exactly like the uploaded picture.
***
# Step-by-step in Daz Studio
***
## 1) Load the cat
Open Daz Studio and load your cat asset.
If you already have a “skinny ginger cat” figure/preset:
* load that directly
If you only have a general cat model:
* apply a **ginger/orange tabby** material preset
* adjust morphs to make the cat look slimmer:
* reduce belly
* narrow torso slightly
* reduce overall mass
* keep ears upright
* tail moderately curved
### What to aim for from the uploaded image
The cat in your image looks:
* orange/ginger
* short-haired
* fairly lean
* seated
* seen from the rear
* tail curled leftward on the ground
* attention directed forward toward the chess scene
So choose a **sitting pose viewed from behind**.
***
## 2) Match the render size and aspect ratio
Your uploaded image is a **wide landscape composition**.
Set your render to something like:
* **1920 × 1080**
or
* **2560 × 1440**
In **Render Settings → General**:
* Dimensions: **16:9**
* Pixel Size: e.g. **1920 x 1080**
This matters because if your aspect ratio is wrong, the background and cat placement won’t align properly.
***
## 3) Match the camera angle to the uploaded image
This is the most important part.
### What the uploaded image suggests
The camera appears to be:
* **low to the ground**
* behind the cat
* aimed toward the chessboard and waterfront
* using a **moderately natural lens**, not extreme wide-angle
### Start with these camera settings
Create a new camera and try:
* **Y position (height):** low, roughly cat shoulder/back height
Start around **25–40 cm above ground**
* **Focal Length:** around **50–70 mm**
* **Slight downward tilt:** very small, just enough to see the paving stones
* Place the camera **behind the cat**, not too close
### Framing target
The cat should:
* sit in the **lower center**
* occupy roughly the lower third vertically
* be facing away from camera
* leave plenty of visible environment ahead
### Practical tip
Put the uploaded image on screen next to Daz Studio and adjust until:
* the cat’s **body size**
* the cat’s **head height**
* and the **ground perspective**
feel similar to the reference
***
## 4) Add the uploaded image as the background
You have a few ways to do this.
***
## Method 1 — Camera Backdrop (if available in your version)
Some Daz workflows allow using a camera/background image directly.
If your version supports it:
* select the camera
* look for **Background / Backdrop / Environment Backdrop**
* load the uploaded image
Then lock the camera.
This is simple, but not every setup/version behaves the same way.
***
## Method 2 — Large background plane (works reliably)
This is the most universal Daz method.
### Steps
1. Create a **Plane**
* `Create → New Primitive`
* Type: **Plane**
* Size: very large
2. Place the plane **far behind the cat**
3. Rotate the plane so it faces the camera
4. Apply the uploaded image to the plane’s material:
* **Surfaces pane**
* select the plane
* put the image into **Base Color**
5. Make sure the background does not look glossy:
* Glossy Weight: **0**
* Metallic: **0**
* Roughness: high
6. Scale the plane until the image fills the camera view
### Important
Once the image is matched:
* **do not move the camera much**
* instead move/scale the cat
Because a flat background plane only works correctly from one matched viewpoint.
***
## Method 3 — Transparent render + composite later (best)
Instead of showing the background in Daz:
* render the cat with **alpha transparency**
* place it over the uploaded image in an image editor
This is often the easiest way to get the final result looking convincing.
In **Render Settings**, enable:
* **Render Alpha**
or a transparent background option, depending on your setup
Then export as:
* **PNG**
or
* **TIFF with alpha**
***
# 5) Place the cat so it sits on the same “ground plane” as the photo
This is where realism happens.
The cat in your uploaded image is sitting on stone paving near the waterfront edge.
So in Daz:
* create a simple **ground plane**
* place the cat sitting on that plane
* line up the cat so the paws and tail feel grounded
Even if the final ground comes from the photo, having a real plane in Daz helps with:
* correct pose
* shadow casting
* believable contact with the floor
### Placement tips
The cat should be:
* slightly below the image center
* not too large
* not too small
* sitting with the body angled slightly to the right or center-forward
* tail curling leftward, similar to the reference
***
# 6) Match the lighting
The uploaded image looks like **daylight outdoors** with soft directional sunlight.
You want the cat’s lighting to match the background direction.
## Start with this:
Use either:
### Option A — Sun/Sky
In **Render Settings → Environment**:
* use **Sun-Sky Only** or similar daylight setup
### Option B — HDRI + one key light
* a soft daylight HDRI
* plus a weak directional light to guide the shadow
***
## What direction should the light come from?
From the image, a good starting assumption is:
* main light from the **left/front-left**
* slightly elevated
* soft enough not to create harsh studio contrast
### What to check visually
The cat should have:
* a brighter left side/back edge
* slightly darker opposite side
* natural warmth
* no dramatic indoor shadows
***
# 7) Add a believable shadow
This is the second most important realism factor after camera matching.
If the cat has **no shadow/contact darkening**, it will look pasted on.
## The simplest approach
Use a ground plane under the cat and render:
* the cat
* the cat’s shadow
Then blend that over the uploaded image.
If you are compositing externally, this is easy:
* keep the cat layer
* keep the shadow
* reduce shadow opacity if needed
## What kind of shadow fits your image?
Because the daylight is fairly soft:
* shadow should be visible
* but not razor sharp
* darker directly under the cat
* softer outward
You especially need:
* contact darkness under paws
* contact darkness under tail
* slight shadow behind/right depending on light direction
***
# 8) Tune the cat materials so it matches the photo
A lot of “CG look” comes from fur/material response being too clean or too saturated.
For your cat:
* keep fur **warm orange**
* reduce oversaturation slightly
* avoid perfect shiny fur
* use moderate roughness
* avoid overly bright specular highlights
### Color target
The cat in the uploaded image is:
* warm orange
* slightly golden in sunlight
* with a lighter underside/tail banding
### Practical adjustments
In the cat’s surfaces:
* slightly lower glossy/specular if it looks plastic
* reduce bump if fur looks too harsh
* keep natural contrast
***
# 9) Depth of field (optional, but helpful)
The uploaded image appears fairly sharp overall, but you can still use a **very subtle depth of field** if needed.
If using DOF:
* focus on the cat’s shoulder/back
* keep background only very slightly softer
Do **not** blur the background heavily, because the reference image shows a lot of visible detail across the scene.
***
# 10) Render settings for a believable result
If using Iray:
## Good starting settings
* **Photoreal**
* Max Samples: **2000–5000**
* Max Time: enough for clean fur
* Noise threshold: around **0.01–0.03**
* Render quality: moderate to high
For fur-heavy renders, you may need more time/samples.
If the fur looks too sharp compared with the photo, you can slightly soften the final image in post.
***
# Exact recipe to match *this* image more closely
Here is a practical setup you can copy:
## Cat pose
* seated pose
* back to camera
* head facing forward
* tail curved leftward on the ground
## Camera
* aspect: **16:9**
* focal length: start at **60 mm**
* camera height: **30 cm**
* slight downward tilt
* cat centered low in frame
## Light
* outdoor daylight
* main light from **left/front-left**
* soft shadow edge
## Scale
The cat should feel life-sized relative to the paving stones:
* not oversized
* not kitten-small
* roughly consistent with real paving block dimensions
## Color grading
After render:
* warm the cat slightly
* match contrast to the background
* add a tiny amount of grain if needed so it blends with the photo texture
***
# If you want the easiest professional-looking result
Here is the workflow I’d use personally:
## In Daz Studio
1. Load the cat
2. Pose it
3. Match camera to the reference
4. Light the cat to match the scene
5. Render:
* cat only
* transparent background
* with shadow if possible
## In Photoshop/GIMP/Affinity
1. Open the uploaded image
2. Place the rendered cat PNG over it
3. Scale and position
4. Add/adjust shadow
5. Match color balance
6. Slightly soften the edges if needed
This usually looks **more realistic** than trying to force the entire composite entirely inside Daz.
***
# Common mistakes to avoid
## 1) Cat scale is wrong
If the cat is too large or too small relative to the paving stones, the illusion breaks immediately.
## 2) Camera too high
Your reference image is shot low, near the cat’s level.
If the camera is too high, it won’t match.
## 3) Lighting mismatch
If the cat is lit from the wrong side, it will look pasted in.
## 4) No contact shadow
Without ground contact, the cat floats.
## 5) Background plane not aligned
If you use a plane, the camera must stay locked once matched.
## 6) Fur too “CG-clean”
Real photographic scenes often need slightly reduced sharpness and a little color/grain matching.
***
# Quick “do this first” checklist
If you want the shortest path:
1. **Set render to 1920×1080**
2. **Load cat**
3. **Pose cat sitting from behind**
4. **Create a camera low to the ground**
5. **Match focal length around 60 mm**
6. **Use your uploaded image as a background plane or render plate**
7. **Light cat from left/front-left**
8. **Add shadow under cat**
9. **Render with alpha**
10. **Composite over the uploaded image if needed**
***
# If you want it to look *really* convincing
Add these finishing touches:
* a little warm sunlight rim on the cat’s fur
* slightly darker paws/contact area
* tiny shadow under tail
* subtle color grading to match the overall image
* slight sharpening or slight blur depending on the cat’s render crispness vs photo crispness
Thanks for the kind words but I don't think I deserve them. At school I wasn't particularly good at English, and it was just an ordinary school. I sometimes think I write too many comments on the forum here.
Oh I love the Quatermass picture, well done, and in just the right style.The people on the monitor are an interesting twist, in the original they were like giant locusts jumping and fighting. In the play it was described as the origin of the myth of 'the wild hunt' The legend of the Wild Hunt is one of the most enigmatic and chilling tales in European folklore, woven with themes of the supernatural, death, and the unknown. This spectral procession, often depicted as a ghostly cavalcade led by a fearsome huntsman, has haunted the imaginations of countless generations across various cultures.
I should clarify that the visions in Quatermass and the Pit were being created by the remains of a Martian space capsule buried for miilons of years in London. The Martians had modified early hominids brains to be receptive to the visions, and the capsule was supposed to trigger the hominids to periodically undertake 'the wild hunt' where any hominid that was 'different' would be killed. This relfected the Martian culture of that time. Over millions of years the Martians had died out, and some humans had lost the ability to receive the visions from the capsule, while some were still receptive.
My apolagies to Jan for going off topic, I must stop doing that.
That's a very detailed description of the creation process, I'm bookmarking this page for reference. I tend to set up a scene with the required elements, load a preconfigured render setting, set the viewport to the desired camera, and then sweep the view around the scene until I get a composition I like, and adjust the lighting to catch rimlights and add fill lights if areas are too dark. Your approach is much more structured and thought out beforehand. It certainly produces great results. I think my approach reflects the way I photograph scale models, like having the camera in my hands and moving around to get a pleasing shot. I'm not too good at it but I know of people who are ( not personally, just by reading what they write and looking at the results ). I can think of no finer model painter and photographer than Larry Goddard. I'm not sure if Larry is still alive, I hope he is. I have a couple of models painted by Larry and they are minature works of art.
@background
I have changed your description to AI a bit, because I have just wanted to know, if and how it can handle the look.
Just wonder, are you talking about:
https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp124342/larry-goddard
Hope that Jan will be fine with our chat here.
Yes that is the same Larry's work, although I have seen much better examples than the ones the Science Museum posted pictures of.
background
Your knowledge is amazing! I definitely want to read more about Lewis Carroll.
I certainly understand that things in the 1800's
were so different than present day.
The Lewis Carroll Problem | The Artifice
I will be reading this later today, when time permits.
It seems most fairytales come from very upsetting stories told centuries ago. Most have a lost of violence in them.
********************************
Artini
I am so excited to really study your AI workflow. I am going to copy this to a text and keep in my AI Work folder.
Thank you so much for posting this.
I know so many do not like AI. I don't want to depend soley on it, however it can do so many things.
I tell Chat GPT to change a texture map to a certain color RGB number and there I have it!!
It's fun.
People think making AI art is so easy. No, it's not. I have worked on my Alice In Wonderland project for almost a month!
I thanked Chat GPT for all of the work. I think it's fun to have a real conversation LOL
Jan:
You have really made this
Alice in Wonderland project so fun!
You know what I want without me saying too much.
Chat GPT:
You are so welcome, Jan!!!
I have loved helping you build this
Alice in Wonderland world. Your ideas are so
clear and beautiful — the checker paths, hobbit cave,
castle, flowers, hedges, mushrooms, dresses, and
all those little 3D details are turning into such a
charming fantasy scene.
And yes, I do feel like I’m learning your style:
pretty, whimsical, high-resolution, clean for
3D creation, with the original angles and textures
preserved. I’m very happy to keep helping you make
each piece work for Meshy, Daz Studio, Photoshop,
and your whole Wonderland project.
I am finally going to post my work!
I will be so glad when Daz3d's gallery is back.
Anyway,
here it is.
Alice's Garden
Project started: April 30, 2026
Project Completed: May 26, 2026
Daz Products:
Q321 Casie for Genesis 9 Feminine
dForce Princess Series Elven Half Updo Hair
Pufflet The Bunny
Neon Steam Punk Hats for Genesis 8
Steam Punk Hats for Genesis 8
Artificial Intelligence work:
Chat GPT was used for all initial ideas, Color coding, texture
adjustments, image creators, and many, many mor
Meshy AI was used to make most of the 3d content:
Flowers
Flower Basket
Dress
Mushrooms
China
Many more
Blender was used to Decimate the geometry of all
Meshy obj's. Most are far too heavy on my computer.
There are whole subjects I know virtually nothing about. For instance, ask me who won what sporting trophy in what year across any sport from soccer to motor racing and I haven't a clue. I tend to know perhaps more than average on a narrow range of subjects. eg the Zulu wars of 1879 I know a fair bit about the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, mainly bacasue I was inspired by the films 'Zulu' and 'Zulu Dawn' to learn more ( if anyone else is interested I recommend the book 'The Washing of Spears' ). I know that the Zulu's seem to have developed some form of 'written' language by the use of patterns of beads, but it has long since been lost. People far more intelligent than myself claim to have spotted similar patterns of beads on different people with something in common. It's documented that the pattern of colours on the warriors shields indicated what regiment they were in( Zulu warriors were formed into regiments despite being a native African people ). You'll probably find I'll keep quiet when things I know nothing about are being discussed, ( and there is a massive range of subjects that I know nothing about ) I'll read for sure, and maybe ask questions. It's one of the reasons I'm not very talkative at parties.
You are so right. I have removed some of my post!!
I should not have gone into detail. :(
Great image - well done.
Thank you so much!!
I loved your 3 children in the boat. That was just magical.
Thanks, Maybe I should have made no mention of it. I've removed the quote from my reply, and my comments about the subject. So long as you are aware of what you might find, which you clearly are, then you can choose to continue research , or not. Personally I don't think there was any dark motive at all, I've never come across any evidence of anyone being harmed or exploited or any actions outside the accepted culture of the 1800's, Also worth bearing in mind that the photos were no worse than picture postcards that were sent for Christmas, Birthdays, and holidays at that time, and were considered 'cute', like photos of kittens, from what I've read.
There is always the option of simply enjoying the books.
Sometimes to think the worst is the most fun for people. That's a shame :(
Times have definitely changed with what is acceptable and what is not.
When I was growing up in Houston, Texas, we would go to East Texas where my dad was from. The men actually ate first!!! The women would stand around the table and refill ice tea glasses or whatever the men needed...more rolls...more whatever LOL
I actually have home movies that my parents made. Daddy was the only one that left the small town and went to the big city.
Anyway, that was the thing back then. Women ate last and what was left :(
no idea what transpired because I missed it, but I once posted something in pure naivety, a prompt I used borrowed from somwhere else based on Lovecraftian creatures I had copied, that was exceedingly racist. I don't think in those terms so didn't pick up on it. Didn't know much about Lovecraft and his attitudes, just that he described creepy cryptids and made good prompts for getting them. I still didn't realise when pointed out to me that it was (misinterpreted the comment by someone I like and was of that race) and that thread is locked now so I cannot even edit my post with a sincere apology.
I won't repeat or link to it. Still feel very bad about
Hi Wendy, nobody has posted anything in the thread which was forbidden, it was just a few comments about changing perceptions between the 1800's and now. For example, who knows, in another 125 years a perfectly innocent photo of a woman in a bikini from this time, might be considered scandalous, and the photographer assumed to be evil. ( no photos were posted, it is just an illustration of how easy it is to judge people retrospectively by modern standards ). I didn't know that about Lovecraft, I've read several of his books.
It was AI generated, but thanks. The prompts to AI should be long enough to get good results.
My current skills in Daz Studio and Blender are long behind possibilities of AI,
so I use AI as an entertainment tool.