Scott's World of Junk -- Real Junk at Incredibly Low Prices!

wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
edited February 2019 in Art Studio

Here is my first try at a portrait with the pose taken from a photograph.   It's the Tilly G8 character with two different G3 hairs because the bangs needed to be filled in and the other parts of a single hair set didn't look good.

I'd welcome any thoughts and suggestions.

Scott

Pose from picture.png
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Comments

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    Here's the second try.  Everything is the same except the hair.  I used UHT2 to try to make the hair better.   I'm not happy with the flyaway hair, but other than post processing, I see no way around it using the hair I'm using.

    Scott

    Pose from photograph.png
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  • themidgetthemidget Posts: 287

    The flyaway hair looks a little harsh - there might be a way to soften it in Daz but also could be post processed - a little gaussian blur maybe.  I have to say you have done a fantastic job on this render and I particularly like her eyes.

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited May 2018

    Thanks, Brian!  Man, the flyaway stuff really does distract, doesn't it?   I forgot to mention that I had to lower the normal bump map values for the arms and torso.  They rendered with bumps in them.  I learned that from another render I did with a lot of help from a lot of people.

    Here's another try with the hair... still with flyaways.  The hair sets I used are Shena and Avelyn.  Later today, I might try a few dFormers to see if I can get rid of the flyaways.   Still, it would be nice to find a hair like this with great morphs.

    Pose from photograph hair 3.png
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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    I've pretty much given up on getting the hair to be there without flyaways.  So, I guess it's on to other things.  This is a fun hobby, but man when things go sideways, I get too obsessive with getting them right.   I even went to a G2 hair (from another site) to get things better!

    Hair is a big thing.  There are so few hair sets that actually look good when going for realistic renders.  I really like the OOT hair models--the hair blending is great.  UHT2 is great, too.  I do wish there were more morphs and adjustments in even those hair sets that look great.  Often I find myself turning off limits for certain adjustments and morphs in attempt to get the effect or positioning I want.  

    Maybe it's time to go back to the all girl-band scenes I was working on during winter.  :)

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I think she looks great.  Truthfully, while I know that the flyaways are a bit distracting they are actually more realistic than if her was perfect.  Perfect just does not happen in real life.  If you use photoshop or gimp its very easy to get rid of the flyaways with the healing brush.

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited June 2018

    Thank you, Sonja.  I always value your thoughts.  You're a great inspiration, too! 

    I think my problem with the flyaways is that just don't look realistic--too thick, almost matted.   Then again, I was working from a photograph I found online and that photo had zero flyaways--completely straight hair.  

    As much as I would like to be able to do it, I can't see myself making my own hair models.  First, I wouldn't know where to start, manually.  Second, years ago, when I was going for my final degree, I did all hair algorithmically from quality photographs--while they looked great having to port the code and recreate that environment is just too much (I haven't programmed in years).  I'm not a "creator" in the purist sense.  I get more enjoyment out of using what's commercially available, but as I mentioned earlier, it can get frustrating. 

    I have photoshop, but as I mentioned in another thread, I suck at it. :)  I'll give it a shot. 

    Thank you again, Sonja!

    Scott

    Post edited by wsgentry on
  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    Your welcome.  I've heard hair is fairly difficult to model but since I suck at modelling I'm not really the person to ask lol. 

    If you want to take what you have into photoshop, the easiest way to get rid of the flyaways is to use the spot healing brush or the healing brush. 

    Although the easiest way to do it would be to render her once with draw dome off so the background is transparent.  Then render just the background. Then you can just go in photoshop to the portait with no background and erase the flyaways, then add the background back in (just drag and drop or you can control c to copy then control v to paste into the portrait).

  • She's lovely.  I was going to comment on the big black blob of hair in the first image, but you've corrected it nicely. :)  My only other advice (speaking as a professional photographer, certainly not a professional 3D artist lol) would be to drop that shoulder in front, it's terribly distracting in terms of portrait composition.  If you dropped it, not only would you see her face, but it would help pull her towards the camera more if you know what I mean.  Just a thought but nice job otherwise!

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    Thanks, rionoirble! 

    I actually had the shoulder down, but then I looked at the original picture and the shoulder was up.   Down does bring out the face a lot!. 

    I haven't really had much time to work on this lately--my real job and life gets in the way, but I'll be back at it soon.  I still want to correct the flyaway hair and try the healing brush.  There are just not enough hours in the day, lately. 

    Thank you again!

    Scott

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    Here's the final render.  I'm very happy with everything about this--especially the hair.  The hair is Bang Bob Hair.  It's awesome.  The only post stuff in this is a very nice person in the 3D Female Art Club told me exactly how to get rid of some scalp in Photoshop.   What do you all think?  I'm eager to know.

    Scott

    Pose from photograph with dForce Bob Hair Post.png
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  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    Real life does tend to get in the way some times that's for sure lol.

    Your final render looks really really good.  If I wasn't so familiar with what our models look like I might easily mistake her for a real person.  Great job!

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited July 2018

    Thank you, Sonja!  Real life does seem to pop in from time to time.  Boooo!!!    The figure is Tilly.  It was fun.   Interesting you mentioned real person--that was my goal with this.  I think the only distraction in that regard is the hair, but I'm happy with it. 

    Scott

    Post edited by wsgentry on
  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    Here's the latest.   I'm playing with a lot of new things here.  Tanned skin texture, dForce long hair, etc.  Initially, I wasn't happy with the shine of the dForce hair, but as if someone was reading my mind, Colorwerks Hair Shader system came out.  It's great!   Still, there is much to learn about dForce hair.

     

    girl on a wall dforce hair.png
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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited July 2018

    Here's about as close to final as I'm going to get with it.   Lots of changes and fixes.  Thanks to Val Cameron Belwon!

    I'm loving the 3D Female Art Club.  Lot's of very good information in there.   Val critiqued my first attempt and while I'm not really Photoshop friendly, I did incorporate the changes he suggested!  Thanks again, Val!

    I'm starting to get the hang of using dForce hair. 

    Scott

     

    girl on a wall with fixes.png
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  • KnittingmommyKnittingmommy Posts: 8,191

    I like the changes you made in the second portrait. Nice work.

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    I like the changes you made in the second portrait. Nice work.

    Thank you, Knittingmommy!  :) 

    Scott

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I agree with KM, they both look good but the changes you made enhance the image

  • ToborTobor Posts: 2,300
    wsgentry said:

    Here's the final render.  I'm very happy with everything about this--especially the hair.  The hair is Bang Bob Hair.  It's awesome.  The only post stuff in this is a very nice person in the 3D Female Art Club told me exactly how to get rid of some scalp in Photoshop.   What do you all think?  I'm eager to know.

    Very nice! This hair is an improvement. Thanks for letting us all know the name of it.

    About the only thing I think I'd add is some separation between the subject and background. That can be with a hairlight (a bit tricky depending on its transmap) or by throwing a very direct spotlight behind her.  You've got the right look once she no longer looks like she's pasted over the backdrop.

    The catchlight in her eyes looks pretty good. I don't think I'd change that. Is that baked into the iris texture , or is from your lighting?

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    The light's in the eyes is designed.  It's from an eye light.  Thanks for the compliments.  I apologize for the late reply. 

    I tried a hair light, but it didn't look right (varying intensities, colors, and positions) so I stuck with this.  :)  This render, even though it appears simple was quite difficult to get right.  The hair was a big problem until Bang Bob Hair for dForce was released.   I'm really liking dForce hair.  Once you get the hang of it, it's relatively easy to get exactly what you want out of it.  I wish there were more styles, but I think that will be coming--it can't be easy to make hair that works with dForce.  Now that there are add-on's for dForce hair in terms of color, blending, etc., it makes the hair much more useable--at a reasonable cost, too.

    Thank you, again!

    Scott

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    I agree with KM, they both look good but the changes you made enhance the image

    Thank you, Sonja! Val from the club made the suggestion regarding the wall.  I tried graffiti, but I'm just not good enough with Photoshop to do that, so I just changed the texture. 

    Lighting is sunlight only. 

    I'm working on another but I'm out of town at an RC Helicopter event so I have limited time--I thought I'd have a lot of time, but I'm finding when I get back to the motor home, make dinner, wash dishes, and just general stuff, I'm beat.;)

    Scott

  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited August 2018

    This started out as an entry in a contest in the 3D Female Art Club.  I quickly realized I wanted something else.  Here's the final.  I didn't enter it.

     

     

     

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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited August 2018

    A variation of the above... new set, new pose, new expression.  I really like dForce hair!  Lighting is sun only.

     

    Fashion challenge Smile 4.png
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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572

    And the completed render from the previous post above, below.

    Scott

    Girl standing near wall trees added..png
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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited September 2018

    Another WiP.  Erin at a bar.

    This started off as the Ela G8 character from the other site.  While I thought that was a good choice at the time, it wasn't.  But!  I stuck with the character and learned how to use the morphing tools I had.  The face is WAY different.  I morphed the jaw, nose, eyes, mouth, lips, teeth,and other things.   The dress is a D-Force Frill dress.  I changed the color of the frill.  The boots are G8 Platform Boots.  I changed the texture to black suede--even the studs in front.  The hair is "Bang Bob" d-Force hair.  I'm really into d-Force hair.   The scene is "Night Bar".   

    I wanted to use a D-Former on the bar stool the figure is sitting on but the cushion has no mesh!  To compensate I squished the butt a little and lowered the character.   The pose is essentially original.  I started off with a purchased pose, but about the only thing that I didn't change is the fingers of the characters right hand. 

    I hope this isn't too risque for this forum.

    Scott

     

     

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    Post edited by wsgentry on
  • Here's an updated version of the above.  I axed the boots. 

    Erin sitting at a bar adjusted pose with heels.png
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  • wsgentrywsgentry Posts: 572
    edited September 2018

    Here's the final with Erin in a bar.

     

    Erin in bar final 2.jpg
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  • The final version looks really good.  The angle helps hide the fact that the cushion doesn't squish. 

  • WinterMoonWinterMoon Posts: 1,957
    edited September 2018

    Ooooh, I like it. Very sexy, but classy still. I love the lighting here!

    Post edited by WinterMoon on
  • Syrus_DanteSyrus_Dante Posts: 983
    edited September 2018

    Hi Scott, nice renders very talented but where is the girly 80's rocker band you started with?wink

    The final version looks really good.  The angle helps hide the fact that the cushion doesn't squish.

    The calf muscle should squish too unless she is currently in the motion for a leg rollover.

    I can imagine a combination of DFormers and the Smoothing Modifier applied to the cushion, colliding with the figure could archive this squish. If the cushion dosn't have enougth geometry to deform you can add the SubD Modifier and turn the resolution levels up until it is subdivided enougth Edit > Object / Figure > Geometry > Convert To SubD / Add Smoothing Modifier.

    For the calf muscle I would apply the Smoothing Modifier to the genesis figure itself, let it collide with a cylinder in the shape of the other thigh and get a DFormer in this area to scale it up a bit to maintain the volume. Then export an OBJ that can get imported with MorphLoaderPro and Attenuated by a DFormer WeightMap Influence to apply the smoothing modifier squish only at the desired area. Before loading the posed figure morph with MorphLoaderPro turn off smoothing and the DFormers and use the Reverse Deformation. Now you should get only the calf muscle squish morph without any pose or character shape.

    Post edited by Syrus_Dante on
  • The final version looks really good.  The angle helps hide the fact that the cushion doesn't squish. 

    Hi!  Thank you so much!   Actually, the cushion can't squish and I can't use a DFormer on it, either--it has no mesh. :)  Believe me, I even thought about doing some geometry stuff on a complex plane and overlaying it on the stool so I could d-Force the thing, but yeah. :) 

     

    Thank you again, Sonja!

    Scott

     

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