Every program has its learning curve. And unlike word processing applications, 3-D graphics programs all seem to work so differently from each other. I down loaded DAZ Studio last week. The program seems managable, but I am already familiar with other software like RayDream, Bryce, Vue D'Sprit, and my favorice Cinema 4D. DS seems like a reasonable free product. Not nearly as powerful as Blender (which I think has a terrible interface) but somewhat intuitive with its dail system. Download the manual and work through it. The manual might not be for exactly the current version but about 80% of it still applies. If you are new to 3-D it just takes some getting used to. Start small if you need. Even if you resort to making spheres and planes to play with materials and lightin. I still do that to this day with Cinema 4D when I am trying to figure out something about it that I have not dealt with before. Then work from what you know, to what you want to know in small steps. And, this is importaint. Repeat stuff several times until you can do it with minimal reference to the instructions/tutorial. Do the simple stuff over and over. Stack cubes, give them different materials, etc. Its hard to do something complex when you have too many new things happening at once.

Henry