hi max!
it IS a steep learning curve, I admit, but it's also a heck of a lot of fun! I'm a newbie to DAZ Studio also, (as well being a newbie to the whole 3d thing) and so far, it's the best fun I've ever had. The more you do it, the more you look at other people's work, the more you read tuts and read advice...the more you learn. I remember the very first render I ever did in D|S - I was so proud of myself, thinking it was fantastic. 'Course, I look at that pic now and want to scream in horror. heh. the stuff i do now is NOWHERE near as good as so many other artists, but it's certainly a lot better than the first one i did. LOL. Just remember....you're not saving the world, just have fun!