DS CREATIVE
ISSUE 15 SEPTEMBER 2015
The magazine for DAZ Studio users
The Ripple effect We create water ripples with a deformer
Octane Eyes
Our first ever Octane tutorial
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 •
GIRL WITH TEAR Henrico Visser • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
CONTENTS
Issue 15
FEATURES 16 • Vendor Spotlight If DAZ Studio has a master armourer then it can only be Porismo 34 • Artist Spotlight This months cover artist and artist spotlight is DAZ regular Ginger Lee McKee 46 • Vendor Spotlight DS Creative gets a sprinkling of fairy dust as Enchanted Pixie graces our pages
EDITOR Camilla Drakenborg camilla.dscreative.mag@gmail.com PRODUCTION DESIGNER Phil Thompson phil.dscreative.mag@gmail.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Totte Alm totte.dscreative.mag@gmail.com PROOF READER Jamie Somers
REGULARS 06 • DAZ Gallery We once again demonstrate that if you want great artwork then look no further than our DAZ gallery
THE TEAM Matt Allgood Sanyel Jackson Samir Rouabhi Deleuze
24 • Competition Winners The Gods and Goddesses are among us we pick the winners 42 • Competition Time Our new competition tackles a staple of 3D art; Fantasy 43 • Fave Five Alex Ledante pick five shaders he just can’t live without
TUTORIALS 20 • Water Ripples Daniel Wright deforms a plane to make ripples 30 • Postwork Mark Frost show us his postworking technique for stunning images 38 • LIE Nancy Schultz Takes us into the Layered Image Editor (LIE) 50 • Octane Eyes Jodie Griffiths shares her secrets for eyes in Octane
All images are copyright of their respective owner, no images may be reproduced without express permission of either the original artist or DS Creative magazine DS CREATIVE • September 2015 •
WELCOME TO
ISSUE FIFTEEN OF
DS Creative
It’s been a while since I last wrote something, at least something that wasn’t for Uni, but believe me; the desk is no less messy. Over the past few months we’ve seen some pretty big changes with DAZ Studio starting with the inclusion of Iray into the latest version. Having access to a non-biased, GPU based renderer, right out of the box, you have to agree, is pretty damn impressive. And even if you don’t make use of it now, having it there available to you, should you want it is a nice thing to have in the background. I’ve tinkered with it briefly and what I’ve seen of it is mighty impressive indeed. And speaking of changes, DAZ3D have recently gone live with a new look website as well as an update to their logo, which I’m sure we’ll start to see more and more of. An area where artists of all calibre’s can draw inspiration from is the User Stories section on the new DAZ website, an area where artists and creative’s from a variety of areas explain their use of DAZ Studio. This is a great idea as it starts to take what can be seen as a hobby and begin to give it the legitimacy that we already know it has. What else has been going on in the world of 3D? Well, probably some of the biggest news recently is that Pixar has announced the sequel to Finding Nemo aptly titled Finding Dory, Toy Story 4, Cars 3 and probably the most anticipated, The Incredibles 2. While the movie lover (and big kid) in me looks forward to being entertained by these films over the next couple years, the creative in me is just as excited. With Renderman able to be used by DAZ Studio, and the number of industry creative’s who are adding products like this to their production pipeline, this can only mean good things for us further down the line. I know myself that I use DAZ Studio to be able to mock up a scene or idea quickly so I will know if it’s likely to work or not, before I go full bore into Maya or Unity. It has saved a lot of pain and potentially wasted hours. From our point of view, the release of the Gen3 figures has been pretty important as well. This update to Genesis has improved the base mesh as I understand it, particularly with how it bends and deforms due to reworked rigging. They have also reduced the poly count while maintaining or improving the level of detail and ensuring there are no triangles within the mesh. On the surface this mightn’t seem like much, but it’s important stuff which means lower overheads on your machine when you load the figure. And talking of hardware, nVidia has released their latest offering, the GTX980. This is a monster of a graphics card with power to chuck around like lollipops. But it does come at a price premium, just like all new tech, so if you are in the market for a new GPU and can’t make the budget stretch to the GTX980, it may well be worth taking a look at its predecessor. The GTX970, which while it may not have all the bells and whistles its big brother does, and it’s a reasonable price, at least in my opinion. Well, that’s enough waffling from me this month, so sit back, relax and take a look at what we have in store for you in this, Issue 15, of DS Creative Magazine.
Matt Allgood • Newsdesk Editor
• September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
SPACE DANCERS
Karisma
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 •
GALLERY
SOO-LIN AND TY Seliah Keller
MY PRECIOUS Marcius Hess Brazil
GREAT BLUE HERON Szark BWC UK
SOO-LIN AND TY • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
MY PRECIOUS
GREAT BLUE HERON DS CREATIVE • September 2015 •
GALLERY
IN THE MARSHES Totte Alm Sweden
BROWN LOTUS Jose Rojas Venezuela
IN THE MARSHES
• September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
BROWN LOTUS DS CREATIVE • September 2015 •
GALLERY
Quetzalcoatl Bowski UK
Waiting
Charlie McDonald USA
It has become quiet Michael Klink
Quetzalcoatl
10 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
WAITING
It has become quiet
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 11
GALLERY
SIREN
LaMuserie France
MOPPING Mithoron USA
SIREN 12 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
MOPPING DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 13
GALLERY
Luminessence Josue Rodriguez
Lake Somerset at Sunset Daniel Wright
UK
BOW WARRIOR Markus Ba Germany
Luminessence
14 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Lake Somerset at Sunset
BOW WARRIOR
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 15
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Porismo
How did you get into 3D texturing and how long have you been executing it? I’ve always liked to draw and paint, although I can’t remember exactly what made me initially get interested in 3D modeling. Anyway, this was around mid to late 90s, about a decade before I actually made my first 3D model! I knew I wanted to learn to model, but it was something I just didn’t “get”. After failing at the first attempt I just decided to forget the whole 3D modeling thing. However, the desire kept popping up every once in a while during the years, but with similar results. I guess the main reasons were just laziness and lack of motivation. Finally, I ran into Daz Studio back in 2007. I actually downloaded it because I thought it would be easy-to-learn modelling software which could teach me to fulfill my long lasting dream! Well, as we all know, that wasn’t the case, but in one way it really did the trick after all as that step gave me the needed motivation and led me to the point where I finally created my first 3D models! The first “models” were just modified DS primitives, but by manipulating them I finally “got” the idea and could take the next step. I think the first models I created in an external modeller were done at the end of 2007, so I have been doing 3D models about seven and a half years. From the beginning every project has been part of the learning process and still is (as I don’t think learning ever ends).
16 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Where do you get your inspiration from? All around! Mostly they come from small details in everyday objects; pictures etc. and take a completely different form in my head. Ideas inspired by movies or games do pop up from time to time, but I try to avoid them (e.g. The Sentry drone does have a couple of features inspired by the film, but there are more coincidences than one would think!). Also, music has a strong effect to me and sometimes ideas come up when I’m listening something suitable for my mood.
“ I create stuff so people can use them to bring their visions to life, and seeing them in use is the greatest reward for me.”
Which program(s) do you create your models in? For modeling I use Wings3D and ZBrush, for UV mapping Wings3D and Headus UV Layout and for texturing & materials Photoshop CS6, Bitmap2Material, 3D Coat. I’m slowly bringing in Substance Painter too. Final materials, possible rigging etc. I make in the latest DAZ Studio and Poser 9 / 10.
Typically how long does it take from initial idea to finished model? It varies a lot, but I’d say an average has been around 2-3 months. The quickest project took 2 weeks while the longest one has taken over a year from the initial idea to the finished product.
What is your favorite subject to model? A sword, I love swords! (Who would have guessed?)
Which 3 are your personal favorites of your own products? Fantasy weapons collection 3 The Sentry Drone Sci-Fi weapons collection.
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 17
Which are your 3 personal favorite Vendors? Since I have to limit it to only three, I’d say Stonemason, Luthbel and Faveral.
If you could add one new feature to daz studio, what would it be? Softbody physics.
What is the biggest challenge for you when creating a new product? Well, I challenge myself with almost every new project, but I guess my biggest issue is the use of time. I use way too much to make things done (I’m a lazy perfectionist).
How does it make you feel when you see peoples artwork made with your products? I love it! I create stuff so people can use them to bring their visions to life, and seeing them in use is the greatest reward for me.
Can you give us a hint of what is to come? Weapons, of course, from the past to the future; some environments... I have also a few ideas for vehicles and “vehicles”, but I’m not going to reveal anything more yet! Hopefully something completely new too...
18 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
http://4eyes.code66.se/dsc/PorsimoSnSFight.zip
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 19
WATER RIPPLES
Step 6- Now select Move, and move the points so that they look like the image below. Click on accept.
Daniel Wright Makes ripples with a plane and a deformer In this tutorial I am going to show you how to create beautiful water drop and ripple image using only DAZ Studio & Reality 4. Step 1- Create a Plane with the following settings - Size 5m 600 Divisions and scale the plane to 200%.
Step 2- On the create menu, select create new D-Former and give it the name ‘Ripples’.
Step 7- Select the D-Former in the scene tab then go to the parameters tab and set the Y translate to 5.
Step 3- Select the D-Former’s Field, then go to Parameters and scale it down to 9000.
Step 8- Create 3 Spheres with the following dimensions: Diameter 10cm, Segments 12, Sides 12. Step 4- Open the D-Form window by going to window/ panes/DForm. Make sure that the D-Formers Field is selected and in the DForm pane click on Edit Spline. Also, make sure Move is selected and move the existing points to the bottom. Now, select Insert and add the points as shown below.
Step 9- Reshape the spheres a position them as shown.
Step 10- Add a camera and position it however you like. Step 11- Go to ‘Reality - Lights & add the SunLight.
20 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Step 12- Launch ‘Reality’ and set the materials as following • Plane (Material settings) - Glass, Standard, IOR - Liquid - Water 20-c, Transmission Color 55,102,177 • Plane (Modifiers) - 1 Level of Subdivision • Spheres (Material settings) - Glass, Standard, IOR - Liquid - Water 20-c, Transmission Color - Pure White Final Step- Render
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 21
Evolve or die II Esapesa
22 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 23
COMPetitio
1
st
Adrian Schmit
24 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
on WINNERS
2
nd
Michael Klink
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 25
3
rd
E.Bru-Bremen
26 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Jennifer Vander Kooi
Christopher Franklin
HONORABLES
Nancy Schultz
Saidge42
Kismet2012
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 27
SHADOWS AND DREAMS Todd Kogutt
28 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
CLASSIC CULT CONTENT We asked you to vote between 6 pieces of content to see which one you reckoned should be called a cult classic, these are your final four. This month Ghoulish Things
DEMONIC
SPOOKY
SCARY
FIERY
Legendary Demon HD RawArt
Haunted Mansion DAZ Originals
Stan Mortem Vetus
Zombie Dragon Mighty Mestophales
Everybody loves a clown... don’t they ? ! They feast on your fear, They will always be here, Haunting us and plotting our diabolical demise.. Living deep within your dreams, their sinister faces creeping thru the dark into view, never knowing what lies beneath the colourful makeup and painted on smiles..
The Zombie Dragon for the Mestophales Dragon is a very detailed add-on texture pack to bring undead fear into your renders.
The darkness has fallen, and a new demon rises to power. Legend speaks of his supernatural evil, which is bent on torturing souls for all eternity.
By day, an exquisite mansion entrance, featuring a grand staircase and candalabras. By night, a creepy setting that holds some dark secrets from the past.
Hand Crafted HD Morphs, Custom Horns and Stunning Textures bring this character to unsurpassed levels of realism.
VIEW
VIEW
VIEW
VIEW DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 29
I imagine the Daz community can be split into two camps; post-work, or no post-work. I admit to falling firmly in the post-work camp. It’s probably because I worked as a graphic designer in various design studios and Photoshop was the go-to application for any graphic work. I always tend to do my renders with half an eye on what kind of post-work I’ll end up performing on it. One of my favourite techniques is the dramatic grunge effect. It is particularly good for sci-fi and fantasy images, bringing out contrast and detail, and is vaguely reminiscent of the painterly style of Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo. 1. The basic render is loaded into Photoshop. It is a 4000px high by 3780px wide image. The background was left transparent so I can add a photographic sky that I shot a while ago.
2. At the render stage, I also did a silhouette of my main character as well. I tend to do this when my character is placed in front of a busy background, as it gives me the chance to use it as a mask separate them from the background if needs be.
PUMP
UP THE IMAGE
Mark Frost show us how to give our renders a boost with some awesome postworking 4. Click on the base layer and go to the top menu bar and select Image > Adjustments > Shadows/Highlights. I usually tweak the Shadows settings to lift all the shadow areas to reveal as much detail as possible.
3. I import the background sky image, and the silhouette mask to give me my basic image ready for processing. The mask can be kept invisible.
5. Above the base image, add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and reduce overall saturation to about -40. This is in preparation for the next stage.
30 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
8. At this point I usually press Shift + Alt + Cmd + E to create a new layer that is a merged version of all the layers below. I want to bring out as much detail as possible from this new merged layer called ’step 1’. I use the Nik Collection plugin, Color Efex Pro 4. Google did a special deal recently where you could get all eight Nik applications for just £90 - an absolute bargain.
9. I open up Color Efex Pro 4 and use the Detail Extractor setting to enhance the image’s detail and midtone contrast. You could go also use the Shadows/Highlights settings and ramp up the midtone contrast values to get a similar effect. Click OK when done. 6. Above the previous Hue/Saturation layer, add a new Photo Filter adjustment. Keep the filter at its default colour of warm orange (85) but make its density 100% and make sure Preserve Luminosity is turned off. Set the Photo Filter 1 layer’s Blend Mode to Overlay. You’ll notice the image will become very dark, so set the layer Opacity to about 20%. The image should now have a warm colour cast.
10. Next, I add a new layer and use a large soft oval brush to paint a yellow halo over my main character. Obviously at this point, the halo is painted directly over the subject.
7. Above Photo Filter 1, add a second Photo Filter 2 with the same settings as previous, but make the colour Deep Emerald. I like to do this as it gives the image a slightly crossproceed look. You can obviously mix the two colours you use on your two Photo Filters.
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 31
11. I can use my invisible character silhouette make a marquee selection that is used to create a layer mask to punch a hole in the halo and reveal the character. I use the halo to create a layer of ‘fog’ that helps separate the character from the background.
12. At the moment the halo is too strong, so I reduce the layer opacity to about 65% and use the Hue/Saturation dialog to make it warmer.
13. Time for Photo Filter 3 which is Sepia set to 100% Density, and Preserve Luminosity is unchecked. Photo Filter 3 Blend Mode is Overlay as before and the Opacity is about 35%.
14. Now we can add dome lighting effects to mimic the sun. Add a new layer called ‘glow’ and using a large soft brush, paint a soft yellow halo where you want the sun to appear.
32 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
15. Set this layer’s Blend Mode to Linear Light and go to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and dial in the Hue and Saturation values to get the sun colour you want, then reduce Lightness to -20 to stop the halo appearing as white.
16. Next we want to add a lens flare over the sunlight. DeviantArt has a huge selection of free Photoshop brushes available. Create a new layer called ‘flare’ and select a large brush of the flare effect you want to use.
17. Make the brush colour a bright orange/yellow and paint the flare in place over the sun glow. Then set the ‘flare’ layer Blend Mode to Overlay to create a cinematic lens flare effect.
18. For added drama we can create a vignette to darken the edges of the image. Add a new Levels Adjustment layer and adjust the Midtone slider to make the image as dark as you want. Try not to go too dark and lose too much image detail. Next take large soft oval brush and paint black into the layer mask over your character. This will create the vignette that is just dark around the edges, and not where you paint black into the mask. You can use a Feather value of about 400px to soften the mask.
19. If you press Shift + Alt + Cmd + E to create a new merged version of your work so far and call it ‘tweak’, you can add a small set of final tweaks. I like to add a level of Unsharp Mask with Amount 25% and Radius 25px values to enhance contrast a little more.
20. Finally, one last Hue/Saturation adjustment to push the Hue slightly more into the red, and you’re done.
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 33
34 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
ARTiST SPOTLIGHT
Ginger Lee McKee
I am 40 years old now and have been using Daz Studio for about 3 years now. I got in to art thanks to my family; both my mom and my dad have an art talent that has been passed down to me by luck. I used to love to draw and work with color pencils. In Middle school I was offered a scholar ship to an art high school, but at that time in my life things were not going good. My parents got divorced and I chose not to go, but I never gave up on my art I just kept at it, took high school art classes and learnt what I could. Once I was out of school I had to learn on my own, so I am a self-taught artist. What I mean by that is; I have not had any further schooling for art. I did go to job corps for some computer training; this was where I first came across Corel Paintshop Pro. I love this program and used it in my first attempt at digital art using a computer; I did some mountain pictures with it, but I was still not seeing my visions come to life. I do still use Paintshop Pro for post work and for signing my images and still love it.
I first found out about DAZ Studio when I was looking for some images to help inspire me in my art. When it came to drawing people I had a lot of trouble getting them to look right. I had to trace the pose I wanted and then add the clothing to that pose. This was not my best work and again I had trouble getting what was in my head to paper. I could draw horse heads and dragon heads ok but could not get the bodies to look right. Daz Studio has helped me create my visions in a way I never could with drawing. When I first started using Daz Studio I had no Idea about lighting or Depth of Field, so my first images with DAZ
“I want to thank all who work on this magazine and all who read it. Without all of you guys us artist would not have a reason to keep creating art.” Studio look ok but did not really stand out. Though I did enjoy what I was seeing. I found the program very easy to use and learn. As time went on I wanted to get better, so I started reading the forums and looking for videos on how to make my pictures look better. I spent hours watching and reading to learn new things and with time and practice I got better and better. I found Dreamlight Training to be very helpful in this. Yes, he can be hard to understand at times but I have learned a lot from him and was able to take
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 35
that knowledge and created my own style based on it. To this day I still watch and read and try new things with my art, it is ever changing and always getting better. I am very grateful to all the vendors out there and I have many I like a lot, but my favorite is Arki. I love the way her outfits have many texture zones and more than one piece to them, making them very useful for my style of art. I like to use bits and pieces from different outfits to get new looks, and I also love to change the textures. I love fantasy art most of all but will play with sci-fi and realism too. I am always pushing myself to do things outside my comfort zone. Doing this helps me understand how things work for different art works. My aim is for my fantasy art to look believable. I want people to look at my work and think that maybe dragons are real. This year has been a real good year for my art. I have placed in an art contest almost every month. At the middle to end of last year I got to the point where I finally thought my art was good enough to enter art contests. At first I wasn’t winning and this made me think that my art was not good enough for anything. Near the start of this year I won 5th place in a contest and then my fav5 was chosen for the magazine and things really started looking up. I want to thank all who work on this magazine and all who read it. Without all of you guys us artist would not have a reason to keep creating art.
Please visit my website Tiger Lee Arts at:
http://tigerleearts.zohosites.com
36 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
QUICK TIP C ustom A ction
One of the things which slows down my workflow is having to hunt back through my content library everytime I need the Uber Base shader which I use a lot, so this tip helps me to speed up the process and it can be applied to any item in your content library that you use a lot like for example the Genesis 3 Base figure. What we are going to do is to add it to the scripts menu by creating a custom action, don’t worry if your workspace doesn’t currently have a scripts menu, DAZ Studio will create one for you Step 1: Find the item you want to add in your content library Step 2: Right click the Item and select “Create Custom Action” from the bottom of the context menu. Step 3: Click OK in the pop-up box Done Now I can quickly add my Iray Uber base shader without hunting through my content library
Note If you wish to remove a custom action from the scripts menu you need to go through the customize options “F3” “Window/workspace/Customize” go to menus in the right hand pane, expand “Main” and then “Scripts” right click the item and Choose “Remove Item” then click “Accept”.
DS Creative Inspiring DAZ Studio artists the world over https://www.facebook.com/DSCreativeMagazine DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 37
LIE Quickstart Nancy “DaWaterRat” Schultz shows us how to add a logo using LIE
While many items (including the Fight Uniform Top) use a single texture map for all surfaces, others use multiple maps (including most human figures). Select the surface that you wish to add the resource to – in this example, defaultMat.
The Layered Image Editor (LIE), in Daz Studio, is a wonderful tool for quickly adding small elements such as; badges or embroidery to an existing material without having to open up a graphics program, such as; Photoshop or GIMP and edit an existing texture. However, it can be hard to find and for such a simple program sometimes feel intimidating to new users. This Quickstart tutorial will walk through adding a logo to the back of the Fighting Uniform for G2F (available at DAZ3D). I’ve already set up my character and added the clothing in question.
Now you need to find the Diffuse Color channel. Where exactly this is located in the list will depend on what shader is being used, but it is usually near the top. Click on the picture beside the color setting.
Once the scene is set up, you need to bring up the Surfaces Tab.
Then, expand the item you wish to add the resource to (in this case Fight Uniform Top) by clicking on the small triangle beside the item’s name.
38 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
A long pop-up menu should appear, giving you a list of all the texture maps that DazStudio currently has loaded, with a check mark next to the map currently assigned to that texture. The fourth option on that list, however, is the one we’re looking for. “Layered Image Editor...” Click on that to open the LIE interface.
L AY ER ED IMA G E EDI T O R
The Layered Image Editor window will open with the current texture map pre-loaded, though it will probably be too large for the LIE’s window to show the whole texture. This is especially true of skin textures. Fortunately, there is a “Zoom to Fit” button. Click on it to see the whole texture at once.
In order to add a resource (in this case our logo), another layer needs to be added to the image. Click on the “+” button, which will bring up a small pop-up menu giving you the option to “Add Layer” or “Add Mask.” This tutorial is only covering the basics, so click “Add Layer”
The new layer loads in solid black, which is fine. There is a button next to the word “Resource” that should currently read “none” Clicking on that brings another small pop-up menu that includes an option to “Browse” which will open a normal file manager.
Navigate to where the image you want to add is located, and open it. The LIE will replace the solid black layer with the image, and the file name will appear on the button.
The new layer may need to be scaled, and will almost certainly need to be moved. While you can click and drag on the image, you can also use the sliders located in the lower right corner of the LIE window
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 39
Tip: All scaling and positioning is from the upper left corner of the image resource, so when positioning it, start by putting the upper left corner in about what you think will be its final location. You may have to adjust further after scaling, but this will start it close to the correct location.
Scaling is best done with the sliders. You can drag them, or by clicking on the number, you can type in a percentage that you think will work best.
Use the sliders or continue typing in the numbers to fine tune both the scale and the position of the image, until it is placed where and how you want. The LIE can rotate the image in 90 degree increments, or flip it horizontally or vertically. It does not, unfortunately, have free rotation. For this tutorial, no adjustments to the orientation of the image were necessary.
Clicking “Accept” will return you to Daz Studio, where you can check to see that the newly added image is indeed where you want. If it is not, simply open the LIE again and reposition it.
And now you’re all set to create your render! Please note that LIE does not actually create a new image file, but creates a reference to the original images and how they are aligned in creating the new layered image.
40 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
ONE LAST KISS
Phil Thompson
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 41
Classic Fantasy
he Genre of Fantasy when it comes to the world of the 3D artist is a vast and varied landscape populated by a diverse range of creatures from elves, fairies and mermaids to dragons, goblins, orcs and trolls. The landscapes are vast places filled with tall castles, dark caves, deep mines and mystical forests where only the bravest of souls venture. Magic fills the air, from the gentlest of wishes to the cruelest of curses So take on a journey to place full of magic and wonder, take us to your classic fantasy All competition submissions are to be sent to:
contest.dscreative.mag@gmail.com All submissions must be new artwork and must not have been displayed online before Images can be either portrait or landscape Deadline is 23:59 UTC on the 22nd of September-15 For full prize Information and for full term’s and conditions visit our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dazcreative/ 42 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 43
Cover Artist If there is a premium spot in a copy of DS Creative to have your artwork displayed, then it has to be the cover; but there is more to getting on the cover than just sending us a great image. So let me break it down and explain the process. What’s Involved Getting your artwork on the cover is part of the Artist spotlight feature so we will need the following 3 items: • A cover Image • A bio piece about you • A collection of other artworks So let’s look at them one at a time: The Cover Artwork The cover artwork must be an original piece and must not have been displayed on-line before or until the magazine is published. The cover must be “Portrait” not “Landscape” Size
üû
The magazine is produced at 1240 X 1754 pixels at 150dpi now if you want to render at a larger size you can by using the image ratio of 620:877. Safe Area
44 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
As a magazine, we have our titles on the cover but being an art magazine we try to keep the cover fairly text free. So, please be aware not to place really important details right where the titles go. You can download the safe area template here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dazcreative/300866266704186/
The Bio This is the hardest part for most people, as it means you are writing about yourself, the piece needs to be between 600 900 words. When you are staring at a blank page that amount seems huge, but plan it out and don’t rush it. Also, when you have finished writing it, ask someone who knows you to read it they may well tell you that you have missed something out, it can be really helpful. Spelling and Grammar We all make mistakes, because of that we have a team of people who go through all the text looking to correct those mistakes that we all make. Artwork Collection These images are used within the artist spotlight feature; they may have been displayed on-line before so we need you to send us 5-6 images. They can be either portrait or landscape with a minimum pixel size of 1000pixels. Submission Process All we need to consider someone is the artwork, so the cover artwork and say 1-2 other images. You can work on the text once you get selected, just send them to: articles.dscreative.mag@gmail.com Title the email Artist Spotlight. We go through the submissions every couple of weeks, so please be patient, we will let you know with either a yes or no and include feedback where appropriate.
FAVOURITE FIVE Five runtime must haves 01 AoA Subsurface Shader Base
Alex Ledante
http://www.daz3d.com/subsurface-shader-base
It may boost the hell out of your render time but when you see the final piece, you know where all those extra cycles went!
02 Ultimate Shader Pack
http://www.sharecg.com/v/27568/Material-and-Shader/UltimateShader-Pack-for-DAZ-Studio
Just like the title says, this is the ultimate Shader pack. It does a little of everything.
I rarely use the textures provided in any given set right out of the box. They usually need a bit of tweaking before I’m happy with the look; it could be something simple like creating a normal map to replace the bumpmap, or I might have to completely generate a new texture from scratch. Most often, I’ll just substitute part or all of the zones with presets or surfaces I have in my runtime.
03 REC Satin Shaders
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/?item_id=72055 These are some really nice satin Shaders, and it comes with a wide variety of colors.
04 DLD Stone Shaders
http://www.daz3d.com/dld-stone-shaders-for-daz-studio I don’t always use stone in my scenes but when I do, these are the Shaders I use. Three types of stone in fourteen colors each equal a lot of chances to wow your scene!
05 Eclipsys 7 Studio Shaders
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/?item_id=75436 A recent addition to my runtime, I haven’t had a chance to use them yet but with 62 different kinds of unique surfaces, I feel like I’m going to be using the hell out of this pack.
YOUR
FAVORITE
TELL FIVE US
If you would like to submit your favourite five just follow the format above, 5 items with links plus your reasons they are must haves, also include a short bio and a piece of your artwork and send it to:
articles.dscreative.mag@gmail.com DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 45
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Enchanted Pixie
How did you get into 3D texturing and how long have you been executing it? I got into 3D Modeling totally by accident about 12 years ago. I was searching the web for a fairy picture for my desktop and I stumbled upon a beautiful image done in a program called Poser. Being a pencil and ink artist I was amazed at what 3D could do and so I bought Poser. I joined a community called “Faerietop” and met some of the best people I have had the privilege to know and learn from. They took me under their wing and taught me the ins and outs of character creation and I have been hooked ever since. A big thanks is extended to those friends who are no longer with us, Gavangar and Juliewintersong. They were my teachers and my friends as well as a big part of my heart.
Where do you get your inspiration from? I draw my inspiration from within. I have had a vivid imagination since childhood and have liked the fantasy genre. I love fairies and that is something that has driven me as a vendor and artist. My motto I suppose is that we get enough reality in life, facing everyday issues and the world around us. It is nice to step out of that, fire up my Zbrush and Daz and create the dream. I want to color the artist’s world with the magical and whimsical, give them in my work a little escape if you will. 46 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Which program(s) do you create your models in?
Typically how long does it take from initial idea to finished model?
I am a proud Daz Studio user and Zbrush addict. I started out in Poser and still have the latest version and use it for art work at times, but Daz is definitely my go to program. I like the interface and the ease of use with other platforms such as Modo and Zbrush as well as Photoshop. Daz Studio is a comprehensive 3D program and an invaluable tool in my work as a vendor and artist. Zbrush offers me the freedom to create the faces my imagination brings to life and sculpt them into reality which is a passion of mine.
That’s a good question. I would say it really depends on the product and how much is involved in creating the character and any extras such as; earring props or other jewelry that may go with them. A rough estimate would be about 2 weeks, perhaps longer if props are involved. I try to work on a project from start to finish and give it my full attention, so I can finish it in a timely manner and move on to the next item on my list. I am a bit of a morph hoarder, I have created over 40 character morphs waiting for their day in the sun so I don’t often run out of things to do.
“I get carried away so easily, my packs tend to get very big, I just cannot help myself, my creativity goes into overdrive.”
What is your favorite subject to model? Faeries, without a doubt. The genre is very versatile and it gives me a lot of creative freedom with makeup’s and character features. There are so many ways to depict a fairy and so many things in nature to draw inspiration from for them. I like to take a walk in the woods and look at nature and then think about how I can apply that to my next creation. I have a fondness for ethnic characters as well. I don’t think they are well represented in the 3D Community and there is so much beauty in working with and creating their varied and beautiful features.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone starting out creating for Daz Studio? Find a good mentor. That’s number one. There are so many artists and vendors in this community willing to teach and share what they know. Experience is an invaluable asset when you’re learning the ropes of Daz Studio and in this community it isn’t hard to find someone to look to for advice. I think that is one of the things I love the most about the Daz community, the people. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t had a lot of encouragement and advice from some very special people , you know who are !
Which 3 are your personal favorites of your own products? I would have to say to date my favorite products have been Nabila for Victoria 6, she is an ethnic beauty and she has look about her I adore. KiKi Mai for Aiko 6 makes the list. She is a beautiful and a petite Asian character with a lot of versatility. To round out the three I would have to say Wildfire for Giselle. She is a wild butterfly fairy with gorgeous face paints and a precious face. I really enjoyed all three very much during the creation process and I hope they have inspired some of the communities artist’s to create beautiful art work.
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 47
Which are your 3 personal favorite Vendors?
How does it make you feel when you see peoples artwork made with your products?
ForbiddenWhispers, she has not only been my partner but she has been a guide and a dear friend. Her work is simply outstanding. DraagonStorm, the products created by this vendor are an absolute must to add variety to your characters in Daz and they are always top notch. Last but not least I would have to say Slosh , his work is fantastic from clothing to UV’s to allow textures to work on various other figures and if you have a question he is always super helpful , an example of a great vendor, I have to say I’m a fan.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing my products in someone’s artwork. To see what they see in my work is almost magical and tickles me pink every time. There is something special about putting something out into the world and watching it evolve into someone else’s dream. It truly is a beautiful thing.
If you could add one new feature to daz studio, what would it be? I would add Dynamic Cloth. I love that feature in Poser of getting that realistic cloth movement. It brings images to life in a sense. I think it would be a fine addition to Daz Studio and one that would push it even farther ahead of its competitors.
What is the biggest challenge for you when creating a new product? I would have to say learning what I want to present in a product and learning to meld that with what the customers are buying and looking for at the time. I lean towards fantasy but realism is also a big draw so I have had to learn to temper my wild imagination and pay attention to what customers are looking for right now so that I can continue to offer products that are desirable in the marketplace. I am learning to embrace realism while still doing some fantasy and that has been a challenge.
48 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Can you give us a hint of what is to come? Hmm a hint of what is to come. I think you will be seeing characters with varied ethnicities and backgrounds. This earth is filled with beautiful people and I don’t see any reason why all of them shouldn’t be represented in the 3D Community. I want to create unique characters that don’t have to be model perfect but show the beauties around the world in all their varied charms. Variety after all is the spice of life.
Where can we find you content to buy? You can find me at Daz 3D, my vendor name is Enchanted Pixie. I am also a vendor at Renderosity under Oonathewild and am beginning to create for RDNA as well under the store name OTW Designs. I have the pleasure of working with many great vendors and stores and I love my job!
Enchanted Pixie
Presents
Kerenza Belle6
http://4eyes.code66.se/dsc/OD_Kerenza-Belle6.zip
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 49
OCTANE EYES Jodie Griffiths shares her secrets on how to get great eyes in Octane
Like most new comers, I found myself incredibly daunted by Octane. It has taken months of experimentation to figure out a few tricks, here and there to get the results I want. Today, I’m going to share my basic eye set up with you! In this tutorial I’m using the OLYMPIA skin tone with a basic HDRI studio scene. Step 1: Time to get started! Load up all your materials as you normally would, and then search for the selection of water materials in the material database. I find using “ Water 20c” gives me the best results. Once you have found this material, drag and drop it onto your eye reflection material on the opposite side.
Step 3: Repeat step 1 but with the Cornea Material, and with some minor adjustments to lighting, you should have naturally glossy and realistic eyes that do not look too fake. Helpful tip: Sometimes I find that if I’m using a HDRI lit scene, the scene can leave odd looking reflections in the eyes. To adjust this, I simply edit the HDRI scene by rotating it a little or turning the brightness up or down.
Step 2: Now it’s time to look at the settings! Adjust the settings I have highlighted in red to match the settings in the image. You must remember to turn Fake Shadows on or you’ll be left with glossy black eyes.
50 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
CLASSIC CULT CONTENT We asked you to vote for a classic cult item, this month was Ghoulish Things
The Winner Legendary Demon HD By RawArt http://www.daz3d.com/legendary-demon-hd
Next months category is classic couture, if you want to cast a vote check out our facebook group from the 5th of August onwards https://www.facebook.com/groups/dazcreative/ DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 51
SMALL-TALK
“I would like to thank you all here at the magazine you all have inspired me to take a huge step outside of my comfort zone. i have learnt so much and now i am going to try and make a tutorial for you all. thank you for making me feel like i can do anything.” “Ginger Lee Price”
Add your Voice to the smalltalk wall “I Started with 3D artwork roughly the same time as when DS Creative Magazine started. Haven’t looked back since then. Must say, I have grown a lot because of DS Creative Magazine and the people behind it. Thank you all” “Henrico Visser”
“I have now read all the issues after I found your magazine when I was searching for some how-to articles about DAZ Studio, I started with some of the newest issues and with each magazine I learned new things about DAZ Studio.” “Gran22”
Do you have something to say about DS Creative or the world of DAZ Studio in general it can be good or bad, well Small-Talk will give you a maximum of 50 words to say what you think. No personal or offensive comments will be accepted. Send your small-talk to: articles.dscreative.mag@gmail.com with the title smalltalk
52 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
PORTRAIT IN A GALLERY SkyDaddyD
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 53
GALLERY
WHITE SNAKES Rian Bergwerff Netherlands
FREEDOM
Sandra Bauser USA
WHITE SNAKES
54 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
FREEDOM
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 55
GALLERY
PORTRAIT Hexekati Germany
DRAGONFLYER 2 Janet Williams USA
Playfull vampire Gran22
PORTRAIT
56 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
DRAGONFLYER 2
Playfull vampire DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 57
GALLERY
YOSHIKO Sister of Darkness UK In Search Of Penelope Chaput USA
Angel Of Termination Mario Heyer Germany
Angel
58 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
In Search Of
Angel Of Termination DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 59
GALLERY
Eva Min
Laura hancock UK
Gear Gun and Drone R.P. Callahan USA
Flashdance Bellatryx Italy
Eva Min 60 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Gear Gun and Drone
Flashdance DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 61
GALLERY
Angel Got The Blues Debbie Gorecke USA
She’ll see you in court witch James Lynch USA
Palenque
Mary VanAssche USA
Angel Got The Blues
62 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
She’ll see you in court witch
Palenque DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 63
CONTRIBUTORS Every to to
DS Creative needs a small army of people help make it happen, so to those people who helped make issue 15, A very big Thank You. month
The DS Creative Team
64 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Tutorial CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Wright Mark Frost Nancy Sc hultz Phil Thompson Jodie Griffiths
Free Gift CONTRIBUTORS Porismo Enc hanted Pixie
THE TEAM Camilla Drakenborg Phil Thompson Totte Alm Matt Allgood Sanyel Jackson Jamie Somers Bobbie Brundon Jeffrey Samir Rouabhi Deleuze
IMAGE CONTRIBUTORS Bellatryx Bowski Camilla Drakenborg Charlie McDonald Daniel Wright Debbie Gorecke Esapesa Gran22 Henrico Visser Hexekati James Lynch Janet Williams Jose Rojas Josue Rodriguez Karisma LaMuserie Laura Hancock Marcius Hess Mario Heyer Markus Ba Mary VanAssche Michael Klink Mithoron Penelope Chaput Phil Thompson R.P. Hancock Rian Bergwerff Sandra Bauser Seliah Keller Sister of Darkness SkyDaddyD Szark BWC Todd Kogutt Totte Alm
DS CREATIVE • September 2015 • 65
F REEZE! Look I’m only popping out to get a copy of DS Creative, The prison shop doesn’t stock It. I will be back in 20 minutes HONEST...
DS Creative Issue 16 • 1st October 2015
66 • September 2015 • DS CREATIVE
Artwork by Phil Thompson