Skin Builder Pro
Jason Galterio
Posts: 2,562
Okay, I am trying to figure this thing out, but not following what the tutorial is saying.
"Skin Builder works by blending in different skin maps and combining them... step one, choose your main tone, and then the tone you wish to blend in."
Okay, how do you select the tones? I don't see an interface, selector or button to do the selecting?
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
© 2025 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Okay, hold the phone. I think I am seeing both the answer to my question and the confusion in the advertising.
This package doesn't actually allow you to blend other skins? You can just blend within the tones that the package provides?
I'm looking at purchasing this. Can you tell me if I can use this over a character texture that I apply; the instance, for example, where I would want to give a fair-skinned blonde a slight suntan? Or are textures created from the product itself.
Zev0 got a thread he's very good at answering queries
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/38095/P105/
In the Content Library Pane go to DAZ Studio Formats>Your Directory>People>Genesis 2 Female>Materials>Skin Builder and double click the !Skin Builder.dse icon. This script will launch the Skin Builder interface.
Keep in mind that you have to gave G2F selected when you run the script.
I did that, just under the Genesis area.
And the script does run, but it appears that (despite advertising implying otherwise) the script only works with the textures built in the software.
That is correct. It only blends in the maps from the product. Each map from the product had to be designed to work with each other (eg skin details were alligned). If you randomly mix two character texture packs, the bump mapping, specular and all those details will mismatch and you would get a blurred mess. If you want to blend in your own set, just plug the diffuse map from that set and replace it with one the script is using. It will then use the Shaders bump, normal and spec maps.
The product description really should explain such.
As it is now, it implies that you can use existing textures and are not limited to just the couple within the package.
Please return the product if you felt it implies other than what it is intended to do. I will see what can be done in the description to state so in an obvious manner. Apologies about any confusion.
No apologies necessary. The product images, at least to me, implied that you could insert textures and blend them.
It's something I already do using Photoshop so I thought this would be a vehicle to streamline that process.
You can only use this on G2F, not V5?
To be fair ZevO I thought what Legionair thought. I haven't kept up with your thread about this product but I am presuming all your other skin packages with work ok with this. Like the aging displacement maps and veins?
Just in case it is helpful to anyone, this is what I do...
I created a texture directory where I placed a set of very generically named textures. (Body, face, makeup, etc.)
I applied these generic textures to Genesis and then did a material preset save. I then copied this material save so that it appears as a button in my library.
In Photoshop (but any image editor will work) I do the modifications to the textures that I want. I save these texture files to a sub directory below that original texture directory. I use the exact same file names, but with a directory name that I recognize.
(More on this below...)
When I want to apply a certain custom texture, I go into the sub directory and copy those files. I then paste them into the parent directory, replacing the existing files.
Now when I apply the material command, it applies the textures that I just copied in.
(The below part...)
To mix textures, I copy the two sets of textures to a temporary directory. I then open each corresponding texture (i.e. both Face textures, both Body textures, etc.).
I layer them together and experiment until I get the desired effect. When I have the effect I like, I start over. This time saving each step as part of an action (if possible). I then apply this action to each set of images to make sure that the same changes flow through all of the sections.
This procedure usually avoids mismatching textures and bump maps that seem out of place.
You can only use this on G2F, not V5?
G2F or G1 with the V5 UVs available, as far as I know (and as the description says).
Genesis by default uses the V4 mapping. The product states it is for Genesis and G2F. Since G2F has a default mapping of V5, I assumed that out of the box Genesis would default to V4 mapping and G2F would default to V5 mapping. Silly me.
Yes. Skin builder is compatible with "Skin Overlay for V5 and M5 Skin Sets" product. It's almost like a prequal.
is the tdlmake problem with LIE solved ?
AFAIK it is now fixed in the latest public beta
Yes. Skin builder is compatible with "Skin Overlay for V5 and M5 Skin Sets" product. It's almost like a prequal.Thanks I thought as much considering this is LIE too. But I had to make sure.
would be nice if we got a hotfix for this
Shouldn't the product be for V5 and G2F since Genesis defaults to the V4 mapping? Yes, I know, you can change the Genesis mapping to V5 and the product blurb states that but it doesn't work for Genesis out of the box.
That's why V5 is a required product.
That's why V5 is a required product.
Wouldn't it be simpler to list the product for G2F since it defaults to the V5 mapping?
Wouldn't it be simpler to list the product for G2F since it defaults to the V5 mapping?
Then people wouldn't know it can be used on G1.
Okay, could you clarify this further, Zev0?
Only the textures from your products work with Civilization? Or do diffuse and only diffuse textures from other people/characters work as well?
Also, does this product work in DAZ Studio 4.5.1.6? Because if not, that's a deal breaker for me.
I layer them together and experiment until I get the desired effect. When I have the effect I like, I start over. This time saving each step as part of an action (if possible).
In other words, your technique only works for those of us with enough money for Photoshop CS? (Please don't mention the monthly subscription-- monthly subscriptions for software is a ripoff in my opinion-- after a few months you've already spent more than what the actual product costs, so you're better off just saving up money or saying "to hell with the whole thing") Although I seem to remember a tutorial that allows one to get Actions to work in Elements, it didn't work for Elements 5.0, although I also have Elements 11 now, and I've never tried it with that.
Yes, the specifics to my technique are geared towards Photoshop, since that is what I use.
But I am pretty sure that a lot of other photo editing suites have similar functionality. I am pretty sure that GIMP has the same functionality, for example.
I have purchased CS3, CS4 and CC (with the subscription) and I have no complaints. I have used them constantly, almost on a daily basis, as long as I have had them.
I was also initially skeptical about the CC subscription, but found that the updates have pretty much done away with any need to pay another yearly upgrade fee.
now that is interesting info. You might have changed my mind.
now that is interesting info. You might have changed my mind.
The math just made sense to me at the time. And it still does in practice.
Don't quote me on the exact numbers, since it has been months and my memory is terrible... But I think it went like this:
I have Design Premium CS4. Upgrading this package to CS6 was going to be close to $1,000 I think. But I was really only looking to upgrade Photoshop since the other items are only occasional use (for me). Upgrading to Photoshop CS6 was going to be an outlay of $400 or $500 I think. With a very conceivable additional upgrade two years in the future.
Photoshop CC was $10 a month. It will take at least three years before they equal out.
And CC appears to be a product in continuous development. As opposed to CS6 which was static.
Really nice product.
just put a fresh V5 into the viewport
some freckles on her with skinoverlay
tdlmake is still not stopable
that means optimizing images endless
is the new product working without that issue for everyone ?
The Public Beta has the fix for the tdlmake problem.