So... Should *I* Become a PA? Sample Render Included
mwokee
Posts: 1,275
I do commercial and fine art photography and digital art and have been using Daz renders for a variety of concepts. While I have a lot more work to do for a final product, I've learned how to use my photography to create static background scenes which is something other artists have done. I used Hexagon to build the bones of the scene, imported into Daz, and then added Daz products to create a scene. This gives the user a realistic scene (though static) and since I am using my own pictures, there are no copyright issues. I can create a number of scenes using this strategy and I can use Photoshop and real machine parts to create concepts such as steampunk. I'm sure I will need to keep my day job but is this a worthwhile endeavor...?
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Comments
Simple sets, well lit? As long as they can deliver what people want, then it's good. If you have interesting locations? (Where Victoria can be naked in a temple with a sword?) I mean... it's not just a good photo, but also a setting where the story can happen. (Or, at minimum, a place to put a scantily clad Victoria, which is a popular thing to render.)
I know I still use the mutliplane cyclorama and millennium environment. If you can deliver that kind of simple, effective functionality in a more modern package, I think people would want that.
It's hard to say based solely on one image. How exactly is your background set up? Can it be adjusted or modified to suit the artist's needs?
I would suggest posting a few more examples of your product to give people a better idea of what it does/how it works.
Is this like those HDRI with DoF or 360 degree HDRI landscape dome? They seem to sell well considering the vendors keep launching new ones.
I don't see much discussions on the forum. What do people think of those products?
I recommend doing a freebie or two first and see what the feedback is on those first before deciding if it's something you want to pursue. :)
I dont think it's realistic unless you texture the foreground with high res maps and props, like stones, rocks, etc.
It's a nice first step, but I think you need to take a look at how a vendor like Dreamlight works, Dreamlight has a couple of products that give you an idea what buyers might look for.
https://www.daz3d.com/castle-alcoves--photo-scanned-scene
https://www.daz3d.com/dead-tree-desert
https://www.daz3d.com/take-a-swim
These all are different variations on creating renders right out of the box. Some are more versatile, while others are more static.
Just to give you some ideas!
As someone stated, with just one image, it's hard to say.
What in this image are you trying to sell? The car, the outfit, the pyramid? Also, how resource heavy are your products. I've deleted some items off my hard drive because they are TOO resource heavy, so try to balance quality and efficiency.
If you want to start out, let people know about you, offer some free stuff, to see how much people download them and use them. I've seen an explosion of 3D content creators, some of them good, so not so much, and some are like "what on earth is that?".
Based on that image, no.
Forgive me for being frank, but even if Daz accepted a product with such a render, I sure as hell wouldn't buy it.
The vehicle looks great, as does the pyramid, but the rest: absolutely not. If you think that the images are supposed to sell your product, whatever it is, that image wouldn't tempt me to take a closer look.
Based on that example you should create toon backdrops but they need to be really good and really high resolution and much more toon than that.
However, that's my opinion you just contact DAZ directly and if they answer in 4 - 6 weeks proceed according to their advice.
I realise it's a WIP, but that's not an impressive image you've uploaded, to be frank. The background looks pasted in and the lighting of fore- and background don't match.
It's also not clear to me what you're selling based on your description and image. What's a "static background"? Aren't all DAZ backgrounds static?
I may need to clarify for some, I'm just working on background scenes, the vehicle is a Daz product. This image shows the "product." It's a simple scene but some concepts on the drawing board will require WEEKS of Photoshopping and I'm still trying to work out the fundamentals. What you don't see here is some of the current "background" products form a line between the ground plane and background plane. I figured out a way to make it more seamless. All criticisms are valid but I'll say one thing, this is a better product than a few already in the store and for sale. Thanks for all the comments. Just to build a base that integrates with Daz has been a project in itself when you're just starting to learn the software.
If I wanted a character to stand on a really low res jpeg, it could do that without buying anything though...
Not sure what you're looking at. The images are 300 DPI, I dumb them down before uploading here so they're 100k and not 5M.
I was trying to find a nice way to say what you just said. I do think, given some of the things I see in the DAZ store, it seems like anything goes. If nothing else they might make it part of a Pro Bundle or a free item of the week.
That being said, I don't understand the words of the original post. Does "static background" just mean the background stays in one place while you move the DAZ figures? And you said something about using Hexagon to build the bones. Does a pyramid even have bones? Is it a "rigged" pyramid? Does it have moving parts?
I think you might succeed though.
having confidence in yourself is probably half the battle
I see stuff in the store I shake my head at and wonder how anyone could sell it
yet I know 3D modelers who create awesome stuff who do not consider themselves good enough to sell their stuff
personally if I was taking quality photographs I would be creating texture sets for existing products that do this that many people already own such as the multiplane cyclorama or the woodland playset
https://www.daz3d.com/millennium-environment
https://www.daz3d.com/multiplane-cyclorama
https://www.daz3d.com/woodland-realm-playset-one
https://www.daz3d.com/woodland-realm-playset-two
and more importantly
adding iray presets
@mwokee
Yiou invited comments then immediately got defensive. "I'll say one thing, this is a better product than a few already in the store and for sale" is a pretty low bar.
Always your choice but it sounds like you are likely to compete with HRDI Haven. I don't see that as a win for you given the quality and free nature of the HDRI Haven products. He also offers free background plate withthe HDRIs.
Even with your clarification, I don't don't see the characteristic that you say sets this apart.
I certainly would not buy your standalone plane set
but
I regularly buy textures for the sets I listed above but only if on sale
Laurie S has done some truly beautiful ones so you would have your work cut out trying to impress me
I would expect matching transmapped foliage and foreground textures too
This is a good idea!
I think this is a good suggestion too.
Look at the critiques and suggestions that people have offered. You asked for opinions, after all. That's all these forum replies are - opinions. Take them for what they are worth to you. They could help you improve the product.
For the ground plane - try using a tiling texture across it. With something like sand, it can look fine. The problem with a large plane, even with a 4096x4096 texture, is that only a small part of that map is near the camera - it'll look stretched/blurry no matter how good it is. Ideally, you'd have a ground plane with morphs (like the Millenium environment mentioned above) so there'd be some variation (but then why not do as Wendy suggested and adapt your textures for that?).
It at least needs some tiling and a bump/normal map to go with it.
The other half of the battle is self critique though.
I have to agree. To me it looks like a composite of three different images/pngs all shot with different lighting and pasted together. The sand doesn’t even look real to me. It’s completely flat, no depth, and the pyramid looks like a png just plopped on it. I think many of us are confused what this could really be used for because HDRIs at least give great lighting effects as well as a background. If you’re a photographer, maybe you should try creating HDRIs instead. I think you’d do much better selling those.
Here's another test. I know I'm on the right track and I know some of you can use stuff like this. This is a render in Daz, not a figure dropped into a photograph. The criticisms, even the harsh ones are helpful, if they are given in the right way.
I just image search on a search engine high res CC0 or similar pictures. I think Wendy's suggestion is good or doing non-natural artistic backgroups like art deco or celtic knots or other types of artistic backgrounds would be nice. More for portraits though. Those involve a lot of research and fastidious labeling and creation of them though.
All products are valid for certain people. I generally need realism and have been frustrated with what's available which is why I'm going in this direction. If this is what I need then surely there are others who need the same. Some of the products I've purchased that utilize photographs have dust specs and other artifacts that need to be edited out so I have issues with the quality of what others produce. You just throw up your hands and decide to try to make your own stuff. If I'm going to do it myself then, well, I should look into helping other artists.
At least you're getting a taste of the PA experience wrt feedback. ;)
I prefer HDRI's or Photogrammetry assets for realism.
There are many photogrammetry environments of heritage sites for free on Sketchfab, and free HDRIs on HDRI Haven.
I would pay good money for high quality photogrammetry environments. But not for 2D backplates/ground plates with no environmental lighting & that are subject to perspective artifacts.