August 2025 - DAZ 3D New User Challenge - Open Render Challenge
Elliandra
Posts: 642
New User's Challenge - August 2025
Sponsored by Daz 3D
Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest render challenge!
Back by popular demand (or well because we think it went well LOL), we are breaking down each month into 2 different challenges:
A Beginner Challenge and then also an Intermediate Challenge.
So which "Challenge" should you choose?
Follow the Beginner Challenge if you are:
- New to the New User Challenges
- New to Daz Studio
- Newer to 3D Rendering in General
- Or if you have not participated in the Previous Month's Composition Challenge
Follow the Intermediate Challenge if you have:
- Participated in the New User Challenge for awhile
- Know the basics of Daz Studio and would like to learn more in depth topics
- Been using 3D Rendering Applications for awhile and feel comfortable with learning Intermediate Topics
- Or if you have all ready been spotlighted in the January Composition Challenge
*Please be sure to list in your post which Challenge you are participating in!!*
Check out Daz3D's Free Masterclasses on Daz Studio from Jay Versluis! It's a great series for everyone from the Newest User to the OG's of Studio!!
Closing date for the Open Render Challenges are both Midnight Daz Time on August 31st 2025!
For a list of the current challenge rules, please see this thread: Challenge Rules
They apply for both versions of the challenge!
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"Open Render Challenge"
The Open Render Challenge is also referred to as a "free" month, where you can concentrate on using and combining the skills you learned in the past few challenges.
If you would like to review the previous topics and information you can find the topics/threads here:
- Beginner/Intermediate : Composition/Instancing & Duplication
- Beginner/Intermediate : Lighting/Light Effects
- Beginner/Intermediate : Posing and Puppeteer/PowerPose
- Beginner/Intermediate : Using Props and Push Modifiers/Deformers
- Beginner/Intermediate : Scenes, Landscapes, and Working Modularly
- Beginner/Intermediate : Portrait Rendering and L.I.E.
- Beginner/Intermediate : Depth of Field and Canvases
- Beginner/Intermediate : Atmosphere, Ghosts and Special Effects
- Beginner/Intermediate : Materials and next level Kitbashing
Let the Party Begin!!!
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Comments
I've got my first render for this month rendering as I type this.
Trying to represent what I did with the new Sub-Classing system that was added to Elder Scrolls Online earlier this year with what I have and add a sfi-fi twist to things. Not only did I represent the line that I kept from my character's class Sorcerer (Daedric Summoning), but I was able to find something to represent the lines that I added from the Warden (Animal Companions) and Arcanist (Herald of the Tome).
My character in the render is even the same race as the character in game.
And here we go with my start for the month.
@Shinji Ikari 9th
Great starting render Shinji! I used to play ESO lol the pet classes were really fun. Having a Mecha Raptor as a Daedric is a great idea!!
Couple of notes on the render:
1. The hound is showing as quasi glossy but not quite skin or stone, try adjusting the Glossy Roughness, spreads the gloss out more while blending it and/or Glossy Reflectivity, sharpens the overall gloss like a mirror.
2. The hound's front feet look like they are floating off the floor a little.
3. Magic Beam - I'm going to suggest turning this into a high emissive light source with a geoshell of the same thing over it and using the geoshell opacity setting to control the additional green/yellow light from it so it interacts with the environment and figures.
4. For the Elf maybe add an expression to his face while he's commanding the summons?
I'll have to look at things when I get back from work tonight. I should have been sleeping when I posted the curent version.
Here's version B trying to use some of your feedback.
A little story for you of something that happened to a friend who was playing a sorcerer at the time and I (don't remember what class I was) when we were is Summerset.
We were exploring the island and came across a clearing where we decided to pose for a screenshot as if we were going to have a duel. As we take the screenshot his Clannfear photobombs us in the lower right part of his screen and looking at us as if asking "Really?"
Also the 'hound' is ment to represent the guardian bear ultamite that comes from the warden skill line I'm using in my current build. I'm making use of what I have.
@Shinji Ikari 9th
Yea the Clannfear's are saucy like that roflmao. I can totally see that as the bear ultimate *nods*
The updates are really nice and give more depth to the scene!
Work in Progress
Intermediate
It's been a while since I had a play with Daz. I wanted to do a scene with a ruin sky scape with lot's of shadow. I'm not entirely sure what else I want to do yet, but I like the idea of shadowy areas. I have played with a few ghost lights to add a little light in several places and backlit the smoke but would appreciate other suggestions. Thanks in advance!
@Alias52
Morning! You can try using the HDRI environment settings to add a little overall light to the scene so we can still see the details. Try dropping the Environment Intensity down you can also use the environment Tint to darken it more if you use a greyscale color. Awesome scene overall I really like the lighting you did on the two characters!
People need to be able to see the image well enough to make it worth peering for the details, to me that is currently very dark (and the histogram agrees, though if your monitor is uncalibrated that may not be obvious to you). Also, if you do a straight render (rather than a Beauty Pass Ccanvas) this dark then there will be a limit to how far you can adjust the 8 bits per channel file before posterisation sets in. I would adjust the gamma value for the render, and perhaps burn more of the highlights, or even adjust the tone maping (exposure, or ISO/fStop/shutter speed) to make it lighter or to make better use of the available tones.
Thanks, folks. I will have another play later on. Just working on a completely different idea currently!
@Alias52
I can barely see something in your picture, it is way too dark.
Creating a dramatic scene with dark shadows doesn't mean that a picture has to be dark.
The contrast between bright and dark spots will make it interesting.
You can use for example reflective surfaces to make objects in a dark shadow visible.
Your scene would be perfect for a fire in the foreground which reflects itself in the windows
or a strong moonlight which illuminates the buildings from the side.
You can play around with blue moonlight and orange fire which gives allways a beautiful color contrast
The light from the phone in the face of the girl is a good idea.
If you want more drama you could change her expression.
Perhaps she sees something horrifying at the screen while something with glowing eyes approaches from the darkness.
The sky is also something you could think of.
A cloudy blueish sky with some moonlight would make a perfect contrast with the silhouette of the bourning houses
Hi folks,
Once my other render finished, I had a bit of a play with the dark scene. I tried a few of the great suggestions. I tweaked the environment a little. Changed to a lighter, blue tinge. Increased gamma and burn highlights, which made some difference. Then added a few extra features. A few light sources and some extra ruin clutter joined the scene. It is definitely still not there but it is late evening for me, so I will be having another go tomorrow. I had forgotten about canvas passes, so that may be on tomorrow's list.
Ok, so I watched the first 2 episodes of Alien: Earth and gave it another tweak. Any further suggestions welcome - this is way outside my normal comfort zone!
Barbarian.
Hope you like it.
Awesome! I love the detail on the character and the framing of the greenery. Just a great use of colour.
Thank you Alias52. I might make a couple of changes as I think it is a bit too bright for a night scene.
Opposite problem to mine, then!!!
@Alias52
Wow the lighting makes all the difference! The lighter coloring makes the scene stand out much more. You may want to check out whatever is lighting up the fog on the building on the left it's much brighter than the rest of hte clouds etc in the scene.
@FromAdelaide
Ok he looks really cool! I like the DoF you have going on as well. Is he coming out of the woods or going into them? That might affect your lighting as well, Going out the front would be lighter but if he's going into the woods then the front would be more shadowed with maybe some light coming from the ground fog?
Actually, that's what I spotted straight away! The ghost light, "Moon," needs to be more directed. I will have a go at rendering it to not project onto the smoke.
Just recently started really messing around with DAZ, beginning to really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I have to start it over again, because I forgot to save it.
Beginners Challenge
Program Used: DAZ STUDIO
Photo Title: Pagan Priestess Druid Queen Iseult
Figure Used: Female Centaur and Violaine, White Tiger - Regular Tiger for DAZ Big Cat 2, Siren of Snakes Arm Bands, Moonfeather Shaman Outfit Top, Shadow Moon Bottoms, Black Magic Queen Wand, DM's Memorial and the background was a Night Photo from online.
Hi! This is my creation! I called it "The Lady and The Tree".
It's the first time that I participate to the New User Contest, so I present it for the biginner challenge. For this creation, I was foccused on posing and expression, because it's one of the domains for which I have most difficulties. I tried to create an expression of communion between the lady and its tree, a bit like if she was a part of it. However, I'm not sure if the pose are the best... For the first render, I past a while trying to pose the hand and the fingers, but I feel like it could be better... For the second render, I was especilly foccuesed on the expression of the lady; I wanted to give her a peaceful expression, but I'm not sure to have succeeded... And maybe the pose could be improve too...
I have difficulties to identify the problems when someting looks wrong, so don't hesitate to tell me if you think that something should be improve!
I hope you'll enjoy it!
(I wasn't sure how different the two images might be to be presented to the same contest; I hope it will be ok)...
Never entered anything I've created into something like this. Apologies if I do this wrong. I've been creating things for a few years with everything learned from online videos and forums. Lighting has consistently been my biggest problem (especially interiors) so it has also been the thing I've focused mostly improving on. Anyhow I wanted to finally do an image of my favorite mythological creature; the harpy. Would love feedback!
I've attached 2 images with the first being the primary and the second just wanted to show a goofy and funny angle of the same image from a different perspective.
----Image Title: Breakfast with a snack
----Software Used: DAZ3D (Daz Studio 4.24), GIMP (for postwork)
----Entering: Intermediate Challenge
I hadn't worked with Genesis 9 yet so I took this opportunity to do so. I primarily work with Genesis 8 and 3. In putting this together over 2-3 days (including post work) I was able to try out creating my own surface group which I used to hide the characters crown feathers so they wouldn't be seen clipping through the skull headdress which was both fun and a bit tedious. But hey, more knowledge gained.
For post work (using GIMP) I slightly adjusted the color to make things more vibrant and then added a small blur effect as things are in motion. In the second image an extra effect was used to warp the image- like a weak fisheye lense.
----And in case anyone is curious to what assets were used as they are all beautiful and excellent quality:
planet of the apes
intermediate, DazStudio, Gimp
I've made a little fantasy scene.
Making the parachutes reacting in a nice way with the tree and the ground using dforce was much more work than the actual modelling in blender.
Great to see more people having a go this month - particularly people trying for the first time. Whilst I have been out of the creative loop, this forum was great for giving me ideas when I first started.
@Sunkissed Papayas
I like the assets you are using. A good try with the composition. However, it looks to me like the right hand pair of lying tigers might be clipping - it may just be the angle. Likewise, the standing one seems to have front paws in the ground. To my (not at all expert) eye, the female character is looking slightly odd in front of the ruin. Perhaps a tweak of the Depth of Field, as my eye is really drawn to that very focused ivy behind her at the moment,
@yuyu.atem
I really like that dress. The texture and colour is great. I like the pose with the first one. Can I ask? Is it a HDRI background? There seems to be just a little disconnect with the hand and the tree. It is hard to create that look of actually, "touching" a background item without some tweaking of DoF or use of a physical tree model.
@ee_hee269
That's a great character shot. I really love the pose and the POV on this. The light/colour on the clouds is also really effective. I feel your pain with working on surface groups to make headdresses work. I have had SO many frustrations with headgear. I also like the really quirky alternate angle shot!
@Aki3d
Gosh! My computer cried out in pain when it saw all the elements of the parachute. I really must try to get better at using D-Force in things. I like the DoF on the foreground character - great sense of looking over the shoulder there. What was your focal point in the end? It seemed to me that the ape on the capsule really jumps out and draws the eye away from the characters by the tree.
Well, I have my latest version of my render complete - I will just have a look in Gimp before posting it. It has been fun to play with, as it is not the kind of thing I normally do. Please do offer critique and advice when I post it tomorrow. It is so helpful. Likewise, my potential second effort is very different, whereas the other piece I am working on is more in my comfort zone!
@alias52
Thanks for the feedback. I'll go in and try that and repost the corrected ones.
@Alias52
Thank you very much!
In fact, no, I didn't used a HDRI background, I used the Tanglewood - Storybook Fairy Dell for Daz Studio (https://www.daz3d.com/tanglewood--storybook-fairy-dell-for-daz-studio). But I didn't manage to make the hand touching correctly the tree while keeping the pose that I wanted, I had difficulties to completely control the arm and hand's position... So, I tried to create an "illusion" of touching, but it's clearly not the best way...
Life Goes On
Intermediate
Ok, had a few extra tweaks involving lighting. I definitely have to practise more with night style scenes. Will definitely look to try some canvases next time but real life intervened.
@yuyu.atem
Ah, I see. I always find hands to be tricky myself. I was actually curious about it and, hope you don't mind, but was in the mood to play. As I already owned the set, I loaded it up. Boy, was it a bit of a hog! So, I ended up loading the base and a couple of trees. Then I chucked a character in, found a (different) dress and used a random pose set to get something. Then chucked in a quick sky from Skies of Gaia 2. The longest bit was definitely hand related! I moved the character in and then rotated to get close. A tweak of lower arm, wrist and each finger joint was needed. Then, I just ran a couple of 5 minute 200 ish iteration renders, trying out a slightly different light angle and Depth of Field. The first one included the whole character in the focus and the 2nd focused on the face, leaving a little more blur on the hand. I'm not sure either one is particularly better, but I think with the way that your character - and particulalry the dress - is such a highlight, a little tweaking and use of DoF might make it pop even more. Again, this is all my personal opinion. I am more at home with single figure shots but, hopefully, others will have more (and better!) ideas to help you. Good luck with whatever you do.
Not entries:
@Sunkissed Papayas
Great Images! On the White tiger, he is floating off the ground a little bit. I whipped up a quick adjustment to the base pose you used to correct for the Tiger shape being applied! It's attached below.
For the adult Tiger on the right the front left paw is clipping into the ground so you can just bend the paw up a little to take care of that ;)
I do agree with @Alias52 on the Ivy in the background on the building fighting with the figure for the main POI in the scene. I think it's because her hair is the same shade as the shadows and branches on the Ivy.
I will take it a step farther and say that the lighting in the scene is not matching up to your backdrop though and that may be another part of it. The main lighting is a sunny day feel so maybe change the main front lighting to a blue color tone with less brightness and then do a bright rim light to simulate the moon shining down on the figures.
@yuyu.atem
Image 01- Lovely posing on the figure. I saw you had trouble getting the hand to touch the tree bark. Have you tried rotating the tree? There are also some tricks to getting fake shadows that might help with your issue. Check out Jay's video on the Iray Matte. For this to work you will need to render a .png or .tiff without the background just the main figure and the Iray Matte, then render the background separateand then overlay the 1st image over the background in a 2D program like Photoshop, Gimp or Krita.
Image 02- Really nice one here too. If I might suggest adding some more grass to hide where the figure is going through the ground plane?
@ee_hee269
Image 01- Great image I love the lighting on it!!
Image 02- Ok this is great! I love the different view you grabbed!
@Aki3d
Seconded on the Parachute straps here! Great job with the DoF as well!
@Alias52
Your image isn't showing up for me.
Thanks, @Elliandra. I am not sure what happened there. Hopefully, it has attached properly now!
@Alias52 Oh yea it's there now and it looks fantastic!