NEW! Novica & Invited Guest Contributors Tips & Product Reviews Pt 6

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Comments

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Barbult, I used that product on your Green Backyard Garden- can I show you and the folks what it does? I took it to High Definition.

  • TJohnTJohn Posts: 11,107
    edited September 2015

    Invited Guest Contributor

    I was working with Sasha a bit myself. smiley

    Sasha for Victoria 7

    http://www.daz3d.com/sasha-for-victoria-7

    Sienna Hair for Genesis 3 Female(s) and Genesis 2 Female(s)

    http://www.daz3d.com/sienna-hair-for-genesis-3-female-s-and-genesis-2-female-s

    DM's Sensual Grace (pose)

    http://www.daz3d.com/dm-s-sensual-grace

    iRadiance - HDRI Variety Pack One (lighting/background)

    http://www.daz3d.com/iradiance-hdri-variety-pack-one

    Mec4D Summer Dress (no longer available freebie)

     

    John

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    Post edited by TJohn on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Tjohn, first of all, who is that adorable avatar???? Gooche-gooche-goo! (Although not having a stellar day apparently)

    Your Sasha is stunning. I haven't seen Sienna Hair that I can recall, and the lighting makes it look beautiful. It suits that character. Thanks for sharing! 

  • barbult said:

    I want to share an image I rendered last night. You mentioned Green Backyard Garden in your message above. This is Comfort Living Room and Green Backyard Garden. I didn't have to tweak any surface settings at all. It rendered this beautifully in Iray, just out of the box. All I did was move the garden behind the window and hide a garden wall. Then I added a sun node camera to direct the sun where I wanted it to shine. It is rendered with Sun Sky Only. The backdrop is just a recent photo with a nice calm sky.

    (The Forum will not accept my image because the file is over 2MB. I had to resave at lower quality in Photoshop to make the forum accept it. I can't really tell a difference, though.)

    Room with a Garden View

    Wow.....! laugh

  • Looks great, Tjohn!

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    If I'm understanding this correctly, V4 Pose Converter for Genesis and Genesis 2 Females makes V4 poses usable on the Genesis and Genesis 2 female figures. So if I buy the Pose Builder (for V4 and M4) I can mix and match my V4 poses (unlimited options) and then using the Converter,  have them for Genesis and Genesis 2 Females. The Pose Builder puts them in duf format. (There's also a batch converter which puts them in duf, but Pose Builder does that and I'll be tweaking one pose at a time and doing duf that way anyway.) 

    Was there a V4 Pose Converter for the dudes? Because Pose Builder does V4/M4. 

    If I'm thinking about this correctly, you folks might want to look at Pose Builder and the Pose Converter as they are featured and discounted. Anyone use them?

    Post edited by Novica on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    Barbult scooted off- so I'll go ahead and post what the product does and if she doesn't want it tinkered with, I'll happily remove it. It's her beautiful art (that's why I wanted to borrow it) and this is only to show what an HD product can do. (Mentioned it a few posts back.) 

    Barbult's was the beautiful, soft muted look and the HD look is going to go crisper. First, a few dimensions/ settings.

    Her original was 72dpi and 2000 x 1500.

    Once the product was done, it was 4000 x 3000, 300 dpi, and 34 MB. A small problem for posting in the forum, eh?  But that's what this product does, is enlarge AND go HD.

     I took the HD version and got it below 2MB. That turned out to be 140 dpi and then lowering the image size to 965 x 724.

    So one drawback is the large file size. I haven't putzed with the product to see if it can be enlarged less than 300 dpi with the HD option.

    If you want it less saturated, you can do that.

    So I upped Barbult's to 300 dpi, then reduced it to the same size as mine (to compare a 300 dpi with a 300 dpi and same size.) (Correct me if I'm wrong- that kept the level of detail, correct? By doing it with adding pixels per inch, and reducing the size? I've looked at the big one and the reduced one side by side and they seemed to have the same level of detail, but I've always wondered about what is the best option for sequencing reduction and adding pixels for dpi)

    One thing to note is the increased detail in the pillow cushions but the overhead light and light cast on the wall are muted. Look at the fountain- you can see the water better, love that! And the grain in the floor wood. 

    EDIT: SEE POST BELOW, I put them in the post there.

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    barbultHighHD140dpiAndShrunk.jpg
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    Post edited by Novica on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    This darned forum, I posted to a draft! So here they are in a post, instead of the one above.

    Post edited by Novica on
  • Serene NightSerene Night Posts: 17,651
    edited September 2015
    Novica said:

    Was there a V4 Pose Converter for the dudes? Because Pose Builder does V4/M4. 

    If I'm thinking about this correctly, you folks might want to look at Pose Builder and the Pose Converter as they are featured and discounted. Anyone use them?

    There is no converter for the dudes to gen/gen2 but you don't need it. The converter works fine. =-)

    You can also convert to gen 2 and then convert to gen 3 female  using the pose converter for that.

     

    Post edited by Serene Night on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    Interesting from the Commercial thread- getting Iray optimized materials for the Generation 4 characters. Keep that in mind during the PA sale, and pick up some discounted V4 if you need them for background crowds, or main characters. I love quite a few of the V4/ M4 skins, and this allows you to keep the maps. 

    I am running into a problem with Kathy. I've done several renders, and they don't seem to finish, but they are finished. I have the time (in seconds, this is Iray) set to 12 hours, the iterations are up high (at least I think they are- what do you folks use btw? 10,725 was what I put this on, to ensure it didn't run into THAT problem) and most of them seem grainy, even with quite a bit of light. (Not shown, is a render with the linear point light almost right on top of her, and parts still looked grainy even after 6 hours.)  See between the breasts, it looks grainy to me.

    Anyway, wanted to mention I really like the Enchanted Glade, which I've featured as a 3DL render, for DOF backgrounds. I have a tree out front (a weeping myrtle type tree) and it has branches like this. It makes a wonderful background.  If ARTCollaborations comes up in the sale, snag that fun set! It's whimsical but you can also use the tree without the glowing orbs. You get a mushroom and flowers too. 

    This is Dragonfly Hair  (Genesis 3, Genesis 2, V4) and wow, morphs, morphs, morphs. Look how nicely it curves over the breasts. You can move each and every section of it. I normally shy away from long hair because it can be a pain, but this one is a great one to have. (I'm not sure if that one strand is going into the chest or is a short strand, but whichever, it's not due to lack of morphs to fix it)

    Notice Kathy  (Genesis 3)  has a bit more sheen to her than some of the others. (I do out of the box for you.)  She has very pretty skin materials.

    There is a linear point light on your left, and it's at 86.4%, sitting in front of her and even with the shoulder on OUR left. It's a light blue. I used Sunset from the DAZ Studio Iray HDR Outdoor Environments product.

    Also attaching an "out of the box" Photoshop Render using the CS3-CC2015 product I listed a day or so ago. Wonderful cartoons with one click!

     

    enchanted glade KATHYGen3B.jpg
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    enchanted glade KATHYGen3CS3CC2015.2.jpg
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    Post edited by Novica on
  • Very nice. =-) She looks very pretty and I like her hair.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    Josie 7, didn't have much time to tweak the lighting (started it then got some sleep) so there's nothing overly dramatic. She'll be a good addition to the gene pool. I love what they put in the Pro Bundle, very family friendly of course. I'll do some other renders later with better contrasted lighting.  EDIT: ADDED HER.

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    Josie 7 B.jpg
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    Post edited by Novica on
  • You did a great job to this.  I'm really liking the Oil Painting f/x.  I think I'm going to pickup that photoshop action.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Josie 7, didn't have much time to tweak the lighting (started it then got some sleep) so there's nothing overly dramatic. She'll be a good addition to the gene pool. I love what they put in the Pro Bundle, very family friendly of course.

    You did a great job to this.  I'm really liking the Oil Painting f/x.  I think I'm going to pickup that photoshop action.

    If you do, try oil painting 1, 2, and 7 first.. wink  The blending mode on some of these are pretty clearcut (which ones to avoid, aka, make it milky white and can't see anything) so I made little charts for each step on what not to bother with. I bought 20 different actions and in the photoshop thread I started (where you can see more of these) if I get time, I'll post the notes there. I would love to see what you do with them because your art has such nice contrast that they should be really cool. Is there one of yours I can try it on / show you?

  • luci45luci45 Posts: 2,762

    Novica, or anyone else who bought Josie, what are the makeup options like? All they showed in promos is without and way-too-much-for-a-teen. Are there any "lighter weight" ones?

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited September 2015

    I'll check. Back in a few and will post here. These aren't renders, they are screenshots of in the studio when I hovered over the thumbnail.

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    Post edited by Novica on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,248
    luci45 said:

    Novica, or anyone else who bought Josie, what are the makeup options like? All they showed in promos is without and way-too-much-for-a-teen. Are there any "lighter weight" ones?

    There is a no makeup option, but the rest seem to have garish eyeliner.

  • Those makeups look pretty mature for a teenage character.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Okay, I posted screenshots, scroll back before Barbults. It really doesn't make sense, the makeups other than the natural are really, really bold for a teen.

  • luci45luci45 Posts: 2,762
    barbult said:
    luci45 said:

    Novica, or anyone else who bought Josie, what are the makeup options like? All they showed in promos is without and way-too-much-for-a-teen. Are there any "lighter weight" ones?

    There is a no makeup option, but the rest seem to have garish eyeliner.

    I hate that eyeliner. I guess I'll stick with Belle and the old Josie and save some $$. Thanks. smiley

  • luci45luci45 Posts: 2,762
    Novica said:

    Okay, I posted screenshots, scroll back before Barbults. It really doesn't make sense, the makeups other than the natural are really, really bold for a teen.

    The ones in the bottom row are OK, at least no eye liner. The shadow is pretty strong though. I also don't like the thick plastic looking lipstick. Yikes!

    Thanks for posting those. She is cute but the materials are half of the package. At least the clothes aren't trashy this time. 

  • Looks like they are expecting to use the characters skins for adult figures. Yes, there are goth teens and others who pile on the makeup, but they aren't the norm, and big makeup isnt' really in right now outside of the hollywood circuit. Thus I think they are expecting users those skins for adults. I just don't see that as a typical teen look.

    Well, at least she beats Scott 6 whose textures were nearly non-existant, but Morticia Adams makeup seems a weird choice..

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,248
    edited September 2015

    You might like the textures in FWSA Kimmy better. They seem to be more subtle, but still too much for a teen it seems to me. Each makeup option comes in two versions - one with light eyebrows and one with darker (kind of reddish) eyebrows. The lip color can be selected separately, and there are also nail colors. There is also a no makeup version. I'll post a render when it finishes in a few minutes. The model is modified from Kimmy, but the skin, lips, nails and makeup textures are hers. I think it is a very nice texture.

    FWSA Kimmy

    Kimmy 200 Plus smaller eyes makeup.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,248
    edited September 2015

    Here's one without makeup. I masked the eyebrows in the translucency channel so they wouldn't be so red.no makwup

    Kimmy 200 Plus smaller eyes no makeup Eyebrow mask.jpg
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    Post edited by barbult on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Hey Barbult, sorry didn't reply for so long. Believe it or not, I was out doing yardwork (midnight to 3:30am) as it was so cool outside with a good breeze. It's still pretty humid here (heat index going down into the lower 90's, lol) so I got back in a few minutes ago. I really like Kimmie. Mind if I ask what you mean by masking eyebrows in the translucency channel? Lost me. (Not hard to do.) I love those eyebrows!  I think Kimmie would be a great little girl too- the eyebrows are very natural looking. She really looks different than the promo.

    Luci- no problem. Happy to help. (And yeah, how about that Goth!) 

  • luci45luci45 Posts: 2,762

    LOL. I bought the Josie 7 Pro Bundle - it was "such a deal" for $35 I couldn't resist. Barbult, the renders of Kimmy look great. I usually don't like FWSA because they are too airbrushed looking. Some clothes for my G3F finally and some more poses. Teen poses are so entertaining.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,248
    Novica said:

    ... Mind if I ask what you mean by masking eyebrows in the translucency channel?...

    I edited the translucency color texture in Photoshop to make the eyebrow area black, so it wouldn't have translucency. I think it is OK to post this texture screenshot, because I cropped and annotated it to show you what I did, without posting an actual useable product asset.

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  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,248
    luci45 said:

    LOL. I bought the Josie 7 Pro Bundle - it was "such a deal" for $35 I couldn't resist. Barbult, the renders of Kimmy look great. I usually don't like FWSA because they are too airbrushed looking. Some clothes for my G3F finally and some more poses. Teen poses are so entertaining.

    I agree on the FWSA textures, but I think this is one of their best that I own. They are usually very very heavy handed on the makeup, too, but this is a bit better in that regard also. They do make interesting characters, and they often come with interesting extras, so in general, I like them.

  • luci45luci45 Posts: 2,762
    barbult said:
    luci45 said:

    LOL. I bought the Josie 7 Pro Bundle - it was "such a deal" for $35 I couldn't resist. Barbult, the renders of Kimmy look great. I usually don't like FWSA because they are too airbrushed looking. Some clothes for my G3F finally and some more poses. Teen poses are so entertaining.

    I agree on the FWSA textures, but I think this is one of their best that I own. They are usually very very heavy handed on the makeup, too, but this is a bit better in that regard also. They do make interesting characters, and they often come with interesting extras, so in general, I like them.

    I love Joanie, one of my all-time favorite characters. 

    Great idea getting rid of the translucency on eyebrows. I couldn't figure out why they were always red - they share the skin's tranlucency color. Duh. Too bad there isn't a way to have separate eyebrows that look good. 

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    I saw a Genesis eyebrow product in the discounted items section, but most products are smarter than I am.

    BTW, I am having trouble posting images- it says NO FILE UPLOADED. I'm stuck over in my photoshop thread (in Art Studio) as I was posting ten different actions in one product (the CS3 to CC15 one) and it took on the first image, then started messing up. So if I don't post images for a bit, the forum is doing whacky things. Someone else said (in the new forum thread sticky) that they had image problems too.

This discussion has been closed.