Diomede's Studio Sketchpad

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Comments

  • You've really been coming along nicely learning to use DS.  I do enjoy watching how you approach things in DS versus how you do things in Carrara.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    Thank you, Vyusur, IceDragonArt, and KnittingMommy. 

     

    Project for G8M Villain

     

    I am slowly learning a workflow for projects with Daz Studio.  The surfaces pane is still a struggle, but I am slowly getting used to MorphLoaderPro.  Repitition with MorphLoaderPro will help.  So next, I plan to make a custom FBM for the genesis 8 male that includes changes in limb proportions.  I've successfully done this once before for an earlier genesis.  The A-pose of G8M may cause a slight wrinkle.  I will be following this video tutorial by SickleYield.

     

    My previous project for G2M using similar techniques is summarized here.  https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/2373941/#Comment_2373941

     

    This time I hope to do it in a new folder that is capable of being shared as a freebie.  Forum regular MDO2010 provided the summary that I wil be relying on for preparing the file structure.

    My plan will be to try to create an FBM for a custom melodramatic villain character for G8M, and then create some conforming clothes for the ba$t@ard.  Here are some classic villains.  Just when I thought the aqualine nose was standard, Voldomort has no nose.  Tall and thin?  No, Boris from Rocky and Bullwinkle is short and fat.  However, I kind of feel inspired by Basel Rathbone and Peter Cushing, so a tall and thin villain is the order of the day - subject to my changing whims.

     

     

    bb01 file structure for G8M villain.JPG
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    bb01 Villains reference collage.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    I used the methods for the flower face on the previous page to create a full body morph for G8M.  Here is a comparison of the results for the body and for the heads of my FBM and the default G8M.  Maybe you can see that the limbs are longer in proportion to the body, that the nose is more aqualine, the cheekbones more prominent, but that the cheeks themselves are sunken slightly?  I only did very slight adjustments to the waist and limbs to make thinner, as the lengthening of the limbs tends to make appear thinner without much other adjustment.  And his lips are thinner.  Villainous!

     

    bb25 show difference in figures.jpg
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    bb26 compare villain face to default.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Creating and saving the Studio morph asset and character preset

    .

    The following is largely based on SickleYield's video linked above.  The basic workflow is to load the saved morph using morphloader pro, use the joint editor to make sure the skeleton adjusts to the new morp proportions, and then use ERC freeze to make sure that the new skeleton is limited to when the new morph is used.  Then save the morph as a morph asset, and the adjusted figure as a character preset (which can be replaced with revised materials subsequently).

     

    I am going to provide the more detailed screenshots in this thread in case I forget.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    - Recall that the morph was saed to a new content directory.  Have to add that directory to the content pane in order to later distribute.

    - Open an empty Daz Stuio scene.  Open the content pane.  Click on the menu in upper right corner of content pane to select the content manager

    - Highlight the Daz Studio format and the ADD button will become active

    - Add the folder that contains the content folder that goes with your working files

    - Then load the default Genesis 8 Male

    bb25 show difference in figures.jpg
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    cc01 content pane click corner content manager brings up content directory manager add daz content and browse to folder holding content subfile.JPG
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    cc02 highlight Daz Stdio format and ADD function becomes active.JPG
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    cc03 load defalt G8M.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    - select G8M in scene tab and use EDIT : Figure : Morph Loader Pro

    - morphloader pro menu ,

    - make sure units correct, in this case Carrara

    - navigate to obj file in its location in new directory

    - morph loader menu appears, click to expand, notice that the name of the morph matches saved name of obj morph

    - in menu, can change name of morph

    - use property group to change the location of morph from morph loader pro to Actor : FBM

    - Click accept and then Studio confirms that the morph was successful

    cc04 scene tab select g8M and then edit figure morph loader pro.JPG
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    cc05 morph loader pro menu make sure format correct in this case carrrara units.JPG
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    cc06 navigate to saved obj which is in working files FBM diomede G8mVillainFBM directory.JPG
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    cc07 moph loader pro expand menu can highlight and change name of morph this case FBM SnideVillain.JPG
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    cc08 highlight Property roup to change location change to actor FBM.JPG
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    cc09 changed to actor full body location.JPG
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    cc10 click accept and then Studio confirms created FBM successfully.JPG
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    - you can now find the new morph in the parameters tab

    - dial to one to confirm that it works - however, the skeleton is still wrong

    - to fix the skeleton, click the bone editor tool in the top menu.  Can now see that the skeleton does not match the mophed mesh

     

    cc11 find morph in parameters tab full body location.JPG
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    cc12 dial to one to confirm works and notice skeleton changed.JPG
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    cc13 click bone editor tool top menu and then seeskeleton not match as it should.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    The next steps to adjust the skeleton and freeze ERC require some right clicks.  Make sure the bone editor tool is still active in top menu

    - right click in viewport and chose ADJUT RIGGING TO SHAPE

    - a tree-list of the bones should appear.  All will be checked, hich is fine because I changed thescale of all the bones.

    - Click accept and the skeleton will adjust all the bones to scale to the new mesh proportions

    cc14 right click in viewport and choose adjust rigging to shape and that brings up tree with bones.JPG
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    cc15 click accept to rescale all bones to new proportions and then skeleton adjusts.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    The next steps require changing the morph properties itself in the parameters tab.

    - right click on the name of the morph in the parameters tab 

    - choose edit mode

    - right click AGAIN on the morph name and choose ERC freeze

    - another menu appears

    - in this case, accept the defult settings of his ERC freeze menu (click accept)

    - now if adjjust the morph slider, the skeleton will adjust as well.  I did a test at morph at 50%

    - return morph to 1   (100%)

     

    cc16 right click on morph name in parameters tab and choose edit mode.JPG
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    cc17 right click AGAIN on morph name and choose ERC freeze and another menu appears.JPG
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    cc18 the ERC freeze menu at default and click accept.JPG
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    cc19 can adjust morph slider and see skeleton adjust with it here try at 50 percent.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

     

    - File : Save As : Support Asset : Morph Asset  - this will bring up a menu

    - I used Diomede as the vendor name and SnideVillain as the product name

    - Navigate menu tree to put checkmark by corresponding morph for FBM SnideVillain

    - Click Accept to save the morph

    - Started a new scee and confimed that the morph is available as an FBM under actor

    - I then saved as a character preset.  File : Save As : Character   and navigated to my new content directory

    cc20 save so file save as support asset morph asset and brings up save menu.JPG
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    cc21 used Diomede as vendor name and then product name FBM SnideVillain.JPG
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    cc22 use save as tree to go to actor full body and put check by FBM SnideVillain.JPG
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    cc23 click accept.JPG
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    cc24 started new scene loaded g8m and dialed my new morph to one.JPG
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    cc25 save as character preset snidevillain and navigate to custom content people g8m character location.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    and here is the FBM in Daz Studio with Michael 8 shaders and some G8M content

    Test Villain 1.jpg
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    Test Villain 2.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • MarkIsSleepyMarkIsSleepy Posts: 1,496
    edited September 2017
    Diomede said:

    Curious - if you use a camera to help make shaders, not just as a reference for the model, but to actually help in the production of the material preset, which camera do you use?  Any thoughts or tips on cameras?

     

    EDIT - started a new thread on this topic

    Just catching up on this thread. I saw you didn't get much response to your other thread and I think that is because for this purpose, the camera doesn't matter too much.

    Really any relatively modern (the past decade or so) digital camera will work for taking photos to use as textures. You can even use the camera in any recent (the last 5-6 years, possibly more) cell phone if you want. They are all more than sufficient for this purpose. For the specific goal of making textures, technique is more important than tools.

    The important thing is to avoid "baking in" shadows, highlights, reflections, and perspective distortion. Try to take your photos on a generally bright, but slightly overcast, day so the lighting is as even as possible acrosss the surface.

    Take your photo as "flat" as you can so there is minimal distortion. Stand a little further away and use a longer focal length/higher zoom if you have the option and have your camera as close to perpendicular to the surface as possible.

    You are just trying to capture the color/diffuse with the picture and will want to create any other texture maps you need (bump, normal, glossiness/specular/roughness, etc.) separately. 

    Post edited by MarkIsSleepy on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Mark - thank you.  I used your guide to set up my file structure for hopefully creating some Daz Studio freebies.  Slowly starting to get the hang of it.

     

    Starting Process for Custom Face Texture Map

    Now that I have the custom head shape for my villain, I hope to get to work on a villainous face map.  I plan to use Carrara's 3D paint to identify the major hills and other contour lines of this shape and then get to work on an appropriate texture map in my image editor program.  The most important features to me in this case are the changes in the cheekbones, hollows for the sunken cheeks, change in the width of the nose bridge, and the lowering and more prominent eyebrow line.  To help me keep track of these features in my mage editor, I used Carrara's 3D paint to create 2 grayscale maps.  One uses white to identiy features that stick out or upwards so that would be expected to get sunlight at noon, and uses black to the underside of features.  The second is just an outline of major features.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    - I opened Carrara and loaded Misty's Gensis 8 Male character and applied my custom villainous morph, thin lips and all

    - I then used the3D paint tool in the upper left, as per flower face in previous posts.  I created a new layer by duplicating the background layer and renaming it

    - I chose a mid gray for the base color so that I could paint white for prominence and black for recess on my new layer

    - I saved the layer i psd format to be used in my image editor

    - I repeated the process of new layer, paint, and save for contour lines

    ee02 shows the snidevillain FBM.JPG
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    ee05 mid gray background color and only face map.JPG
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    ee11 face heihtmap painted blocky layer save new name.JPG
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    ee13 face layer 2 lines and contours.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Now, with additional maps for features and contour lines, I can bring the result in my image editor.

    - I opened my image editor and loaded the default genesis 8 maleface map

    - I then added layers for my heightmap and contour lines.

    - I lowered the opacity of my maps so that you can see them superimposed.

     

    Villains texture maps still to come, but this should help me get started.

    ee15 villain face map in photoshop.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Creating Some Skin Tiles for the Color Channel from Procedural Shaders

     

    My next task is to make some tiles for the base skin textures.  I need at least three for the base.  For example, the upward facing areas of prominent features need some more color, and the downward facing features need less.  To make some tiles for the color channel, I inserted a plane in my modeling program.  I then used color gradients and mixers to try to create some tiny randomness to the color variation.  I then created different tiles by varying the amount of red, white, and olive in the radients and subsyrface scattering.  I also used a multiply with the cellular procedural in the shininess channel to try to get addtional tiny variation.

     

    Next - I will to create some tiny micro variations in grayscales for the other texture channels.

    ff01 shader room multichannel mixer.JPG
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    ff04 change subsurface to more red.JPG
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    ff06 shininess cellular multply.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Here are some examples of sample color tiles created from procedural shaders.  And then I've loaded the tiles and the contour maps in my image editor.

     

    Ski Tile 4 good bump higher settings more red.jpg
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    Ski Tile 4 good bump higher settings.jpg
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    Ski Tile 6 much more white.jpg
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    ff08 composite tiles and saved contour maps.JPG
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  • Your villain morph turned out great, and I am finding your texture adventure very interesting. I'm trying to learn to texture models from photographs and started out using photoshop and uv's but am debating switching over to blacksmith 3d, as being able to paint directly over seems would make like so much eaiser. lol 

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    Thanks, deathbycanon

    When I get done, the hyper-realism folks will find my end result horrifying, I am sure.  But that is OK because he is supposed to be a villain anyway.  LOL.  This weekend I will work on some of the other shader elements like highlights, etc.   Obviously, I am not a character artist, but I have to start somewhere.  Photo reference pics are much better, but there is the rights issue if I don't produce them myself.  I do have a few photo references that I can use as a supplement. 

     

    On the topic of painting directly on the model, I highly recommend picking and using whichever program you like that has the feature.  For example, if I wanted to put a tattoo on my villain's left cheek that said "Villain", I could use Carrara 3D paint to put it exactly where I want without guessing.  It is always an estimate in Photoshop or Gimp, and might be distorted.  There ar much, much better 3D paint programs than Carrara so use what you like.  It is better to think of a program like Blacksmith working with Gimp or Photoshop in a joint workflow than as predominantly one or the other.

     

    Also, I have found that by showing my attempts in detail, a few of the really experienced artists sometimes pop in and say, "Yo, forum folks, don't do what Diomede is doing!  OMG, texture creation (or whatever) would be so much simpler and more accurate if you did (whatever) instead..."  blush 

     

     

    stamp villain on face.JPG
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • Thanks for the information Diomede, I'm downloading the trial version of blacksmith 3d so I can check it out. I have gobs of photos of people, and own the copyrights so that part isn't an issue for me. I used facegen and photoshop together to do some texture mapping already but it was just face work and I'm ready to expand to the whole body. The last time I tried to show a texture map it was deleted and I was told I couldn't do it. It was from a photo I owned created in facegen and photoshop. They said unless it was my own I couldn't show it? I thought it was my own, but maybe because it was using the G3 uv's? I don't know, I'm very confused about some of the rules in that regards. 

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    I have an older version of Blacksmith.  yes

    I have some full reference photos.  Most are from 3dsk.  For anyone interested, that site does have some free reference photos in addition to their purchase ones.

     

    EDIT: Here is a test render of just changing the default shape and default color map of G8M head.  All other settings for shaders and lights are at default.

    test base skin shader.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Here is a video tutorial on converting reference photos to diffuse maps

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    Hair - the receding hairline of evil!    - will be asking for help

     

    I own Look at My Hair (LAMH) but don't know how to use it.  I want to create the following hair style for use with Daz Studio.  The following uses Carrara dynamic hair.  Ignore the skin, eye, lips, and other shaders.  Is there a good written or screenshot tutorial for the LAMH product?

     

    mm01 villainous barber shop.jpg
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    mm02 barber front viw.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Few Extra Details - Morph - Skin

    - Decided to make another base G3M face morph, this time to add a few villainous details.  I decided he needs baggy eyes and a slight age wrinkle from the nostril to base of cheek

    - Also, I happen to own one of Forbidden Whisper's merchant skin resources, so will mention that.  I can use it under the layers of my skin tiles as a reference.

    ll02 morph for baggy eyes and line nostril cheek.jpg
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    ll01 forbidden whispr merchant resource.JPG
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  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    Using a procedural shader to render a grayscale map for use as the base for a bump or a micro-shininess map.  I combined cellular and marble to drive the color mixer.

    pp02 skin shininess procedural render.JPG
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Taking a break from the villain to do a pull for the next RRRR.  The theme is They are Back

    https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/198056/rrrr-the-re-ba-ack-render-contest#latest

    To participate, select 4 random items from your content list (more if you've played before and have been winning).  Then use those four items (and any others you want) to render and finish an image fitting the theme.  Not all month's have themes.  There are two categories, Best and Funniest.  To get my product list, I opened DIM and went to my installed column.  I checked them all by clicking the box next to "Product" at the top of the column.  I then right-clicked next to the word Product.  I used the pop menu to export the selected items to a CSV file.  You can limit your items to be pulled by sorting your DIM list and only checking hat yo want eligible, bu I included everything.  I then copied the list to a spreadsheet so the rows are numbered.  I used athe website random.org for random number generators to get my four.

     

    I have to remember that the closing date is October 29, not October 31!!!!!  Last time I screwed up theclosing date and did not get mine in.  Here is my first pull.  It appears that I will have to have a car bursting through a wall, but maybe I can think of an alternative to that cliche (happy to use another cliche).

     

    RRRR They Are Back Pull #1  Sept/Oct 2017


    2073  Eloquent Venues The Restaurant Props DS   

    2500  Futucar   

    1406  Dark Heart for Genesis 2 Female(s)   

    3347  K Warrior for Genesis 2 Male(s)    

    rr02 futucar.JPG
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    rr03 dark heart.JPG
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    rr04 k warrior.JPG
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    rr05 eloquent props.JPG
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  • There is a manual for LAMH, I *think* its on his website but it may be in the manual download of the product.  I can't remember where I found it, its been awhile.  I know I printed the whole thing off for ease of access.  Which, of course, I can't remember what I did with it lol.  I can't look at the moment I'm at work.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    Thanks.

     

    I found a thread that leads to important information on the LAMH plugin.  Not only the manual, but also some installation issues and other info from Alessandro.

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/viewreply/747972/

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026
    edited September 2017

    Snow White and the 7 Line Dancers

    Just feeling silly and saw that the Platinum Club theme is 7 this month.

     

    Snow 9 composite.jpg
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    Post edited by Diomede on
  • Diomede said:

    Hair - the receding hairline of evil!    - will be asking for help

     

    I own Look at My Hair (LAMH) but don't know how to use it.  I want to create the following hair style for use with Daz Studio.  The following uses Carrara dynamic hair.  Ignore the skin, eye, lips, and other shaders.  Is there a good written or screenshot tutorial for the LAMH product?

     

    Not really.  I have never found any step by step tutorials for creating a hair from start to finish.  There is the little bit I did with my Sadie character.  And, that's just a sort of follow me as I fumble through it type of thing, not a real tutorial.  The lack of really good tutorials is one of the reasons I posted everything I did with that new hair.  It was the first time I had created a hair from scratch.  I started working on a tutorial in LAMH to create a hair and a beard and mustache set.  Unfortunately, I can only do it in Windows because LAMH stopped working in Linux.  Since I hardly ever go into the Windows partition unless I'm actually working on a tutorial, it keeps getting put off.  Once things settle down, I hope to get back to the LAMH tutorials.

    Most of the information I did have for LAMH came from AM's YouTube channel.  He does have several good videos for using LAMH and they are worth checking out.  

    Your RRR pull actually looks like a decent pull.  Good luck.  :)

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