DAZ Studio 101: Recent Episodes
Jay Versluis
Join me in this foundation course on how to use DAZ Studio. It covers everything from 3D concepts, installation, updates, how to use DAZ content, and takes you on your first steps to creating stunning photorealistic images. Think of this as a “3D for Humans” course, both for beginners and medium casuals alike. For more advanced concepts, check out Jay’s 3D Podcast.
In this episode I’ll tell you much of what I know about the Environment Lighting in DAZ Studio. This technique is also known as Global Illumination. I’ll explain the meanings of such cryptic abbreviations as IBL and HDRI, and how all these pieces fall together to make your scenes look handsome. This is a continuation ... Read more
In this episode I’ll explain the basics of using Mesh Lights. Those are surface properties that can make any object emit light. I’ll show you how to set this up, how to adjust it and how to make it invisible so you can shoot through it. I’ll also throw in some random anecdotes about surface ... Read more
In this episode I’ll give you an introduction to the various parametric light objects we can create from the menu, how to use them and how to tweak their respective parameters as they apply to the Iray render engine. Here’s the link about Colour Temperature I’ve mentioned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_temperature Here’s the one about Luminous Flux: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_flux
In the following episodes I’ll tell you everything I know about lighting in DAZ Studio. It’s so much that I’ve decided to split this section into multiple smaller parts. In this part I’ll explain the different types of lighting we have at our disposal, touch on surface properties as they apply to Iray and 3Delight, ... Read more
In this episode I’ll tell you many interesting things about how to use cameras in DAZ Studio. It’s a rather complex topic, which is why this episode is a little longer than usual. We’ll create a simple scene together from the latest Platinum Club Freebie product, frame up a shot, and create a couple of ... Read more
In this episode I’ll explain the differences between the Content Library Tab and the Smart Content Tab. I’ll also show how to bring content into your scenes, and touch on the different types of content (for example, a shirt fits on a figure, but a material preset fits on a specific shirt).
In this episode I’ll show you how to install 3D Content with Install Manager into another directory of your choice. By default, Install Manager will use a folder called “My DAZ 3D Library”, but sometimes you may need a second directory to install content in. For example, to keep pre-release files separate from “release versions”, ... Read more
In this episode I’ll show you how parent objects to one another, and how to create groups, and the implications either of these actions has on your scene. I’ll also explain the Null object and when/how to use it. Understanding these concepts means you’ll be able to build scenes more efficiently: hierarchies let you move ... Read more
In this episode I’ll show you how to change the location of the Pivot Point in DAZ Studio. It’s the point at which the 3D manipulator gizmo shows up and from where objects are translated and rotated. Blender calls this the “origin point”. DAZ Studio uses the Joint Editor to manipulate this point. While I’m ... Read more
In this episode I’ll show you how to manipulate objects in the viewport using numeric values and the Parameters Tab. This can be useful to make precise adjustments to the alignment and placement of your objects.
In this episode I’ll show you how to manipulate objects in the viewport using four tools: the translate, scale, rotate and universal manipulator tools. I’ll also explain the concept of world vs local/object coordinates and touch on screen coordinates. These are tough concepts to grasp, but with a bit of practice, you’ll be flying around ... Read more
In this episode I’ll talk you through the various Viewport Drawing Styles. The default we usually see is “texture shaded”, which is a nice compromise between displaying a good looking “live” picture, while keeping your computer responsive for navigating and posing. However, with larger scenes your system may become slower and less responsive. We can ... Read more
In this episode I’ll show you how to navigate your 3D world within the viewport. I’ll explain several ways to do this, and I’ll also show you how to customise the modifier keys for faster navigation using your mouse and keyboard. In addition, there’s also a fully immersive way to “walk” through your scene using ... Read more
In this episode I’l explain how we can utilise Install Manager to update both DAZ Studio as well as content if and when updates are available. I will also show you how to update Install Manager itself. This happened to me today and was not a planned part of the series, but I found it ... Read more
In this episode I’ll show you how you can customise the interface in DAZ Studio. I have previously shown you how to select Workspaces and Styles, and now we’ll see how to make the interface your own by changing the colours of the interface. In addition, I’ll elaborate more on the macOS intricacies on moving ... Read more
In this episode we’re launching DAZ Studio for the first time after a fresh installation, we’ll fix the database manager, and we’ll learn how to customise the interface. I will also show you where those important context sensitive menus are hiding.
In this episode I’ll show you how to get started with DAZ Studio, namely by installing it. To be able to install both DAZ Studio as well as content, and update both those things going forward, the easiest thing to do is use a helper application called Install Manager. I’ll show you how to get ... Read more
In this course I’ll explain how to use DAZ Studio, a free 3D content manipulation and rendering app. It’s aimed at beginners and medium casuals alike, it explains the foundations of how the software works, and also illustrates how 3D software works in general (sort of a “3D for Humans” approach). This episode is a ... Read more