Hi all,

So I'm quite new to Daz (and Poser too) but my plan down the road is to make clothing.  I want to make unique items that not everyone has access to for my artwork... anyway.  My understanding at this point is that I'll need to model the clothing in a 3D application (I use/have blender) then tinker back and forth.

That's about all I have at this point.  I'm also sort of aware not understanding completely that there are two types of clothing?

I guess what I'm asking for is sort of a 'dumbed down' step by step process of how this typically goes, and if possible helpful information and or links to get me started in my research.  Oh and other applications or anything I might need to aquire.  Any and all information will be helpful as I said, I'm really quite new, the most I've done is posed my models and moved around dials to create 'new' characters.

Thanks in advance!!

(Oh and if it matters, I'm using Daz3d 4 and Poser 8... New genesis figure, V5 and V4 (and have M4 too))

Quote - Hi all,

So I'm quite new to Daz (and Poser too) but my plan down the road is to make clothing.  I want to make unique items that not everyone has access to for my artwork... anyway.  My understanding at this point is that I'll need to model the clothing in a 3D application (I use/have blender) then tinker back and forth.

You will need three programs:  (1) a modeling program, which you already have; (2) a UV mapping program (highly recommend UV Layout); and (3) a paint program of some sort to create textures.

Quote - That's about all I have at this point.  I'm also sort of aware not understanding completely that there are two types of clothing?

There are indeed two types of clothing:  (1) conforming; and (2) dynamic.

Conforming clothing is actually a "figure" that has joints and so forth just like the figure that "wears" it.  It fits over and moves with the main figure.

Dynamic clothing (in Poser) is an object that is "draped" over the figure in the Cloth Room.  It is much easier to make than conforming clothing; however, it has its own peculiarities, and you need to spend a fair amount of time fiddling with the settings to understand how they work.

In DS, you can't create dynamic clothing, because the DS dynamic clothing feature uses output from Optitex, an extremely expensive, high-end pattern-making program that, last I heard, costs about $10,000.

Quote - I guess what I'm asking for is sort of a 'dumbed down' step by step process of how this typically goes, and if possible helpful information and or links to get me started in my research.  Oh and other applications or anything I might need to aquire.  Any and all information will be helpful as I said, I'm really quite new, the most I've done is posed my models and moved around dials to create 'new' characters.

You won't get a full answer to that in a forum.  One could write an entire book about that-- and in fact, someone has:  B.L. Render's Secrets of Figure Creation with Poser 5.  It is the content creator's "bible" and I highly recommend buying it.  It was written several years ago, but the information is still valid, and it's well worth the money.  You could go through a gazillion online tutorials and such and still not have half the information in this book.

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much for taking time to respond to me!  Very helpful too... as for the book, since it is for Poser 5 and as I said, I have 8, is it still worth it?  Or will things just get more confusing for me?

Second question, you said in Daz you can't do dynamic clothing, and that it must be, conforming... will the Poser book you recommend cover that as well?  I do use both, but for now, I'm kind of using Daz a little more as I'm finding the layout a ltitle easier for me to work with.

Lastly (for now), I see that UV Layout which you recommend is $300 for the pro version... would the hobbyist version do the trick?  Is there any other program that are free or cheap that you (or anyone else) has heard of or could recommend?  And what exactly is the "UV mapping" for?  This is where you apply your designs/textures, do I have that right?

TIA!

Blender has uv mapping tools, so you don't have to buy a separate tool for the job. For rigging you can use Poser, which will let you create clothes for the fourth generation figure, but if you want to make clothes for Genesis and its shapes you will need either DS4 pro or DS4 Advanced and the Content Creation Tools, which are pricey.

Quote - Thank you so much for taking time to respond to me!  Very helpful too... as for the book, since it is for Poser 5 and as I said, I have 8, is it still worth it?  Or will things just get more confusing for me?

Oh, yes, it's very much worth it.  Many things-- such as the basic .cr2, the way props are created, etc., have not changed at all.  In fact, the book's extensive explanation of what all the "stuff" in a .cr2 file is and what it does is worth the price all by itself.  In addition, the book comes with a CD of additional material, including practice pieces that you can work with while studying the book.  Very much worth the money!!

Quote - Second question, you said in Daz you can't do dynamic clothing, and that it must be, conforming... will the Poser book you recommend cover that as well?  I do use both, but for now, I'm kind of using Daz a little more as I'm finding the layout a ltitle easier for me to work with.

If clothing conforms in Poser, then it will also conform in DAZ Studio on the Mil 4 and earlier figures.  For instance, if you make an item of conforming clothing for V4 and it works fine in Poser, then it will also work fine in DS.  The big departure in DS is in DS4 and Genesis and the new technology involved.  However, the Mil 4 and earlier figures work just the same as always.

Quote - Lastly (for now), I see that UV Layout which you recommend is $300 for the pro version... would the hobbyist version do the trick?  Is there any other program that are free or cheap that you (or anyone else) has heard of or could recommend?  And what exactly is the "UV mapping" for?  This is where you apply your designs/textures, do I have that right?

I don't know about the hobbyist version; that would depend on whether the license says you can use it for commercial projects.

UV mapping is basically taking a 3-D object, cutting it up, and flattening out the pieces onto a 2-D "template," which is then used to create the textures.  Once the object is mapped, it is saved out (in .obj format), and the texture template is also saved out, usually in .bmp or .jpg format.  The best way to see how this works is to open up the texture maps for, say, a V4 character in a paint program.

Once created, the texture maps are "wrapped" onto the model within Poser or DS, using the UV coordinates that were created when the UV mapping was done.

I forgot to mention, there are some small differences between how a conforming item works in Poser and how it works in DS, but these have to do with minor changes to the code inside the item's .cr2 file.  Until you are more familiar with .cr2 files and how they work, trying to explain these would be more confusing than enlightening.

OK thought of 2 more!

1.  When I open up V4 either in Daz or Poser... she has purple underwear, this can sometimes stick out from clothing... is there a way to make her nude?  I'm a girl, so it's OK I ask that.  :)

2a.  I opened the texture mat in PS... which brought up a question sort of unrelated... are these how people change the makeup for their characters?  If the answer to that is yes, I can alter these mats, save them and apply them to (in my case) V4?

2b.  The texture maps are sort of blurry, is there anyway to fix that?  Or is that just how it is when you zoom in to play around with them?

Thanks again for the help!

Oh and I will definitely check out the book.  I do feel a little weird about getting an older book but it sounds like it is a must read for what I hope to do.  :)  (Eeps just looked $50!)

Yeah, the default texture that V4 loads with has that purple "bikini"-- but look in your Pose library under "DAZ's Victoria 4" and under that, look in "Materials Sample-Res" and you'll see a MAT Pose called "!All_Natural_NG." Double-click on that, and it will get rid of the purple bikini.

As to the texture maps, you may be looking at the low-res maps that came with V4.  The low-res maps have "Simpl" in the file name.  I believe there is a set of higher-res textures that came with V4. 

Yes, you can change the texture maps to change the make-up-- just remember that you can't redistribute (free or commercially) any texture maps that you change in this manner.  Also, saved your changed maps out under a new name so that you keep both the original and your new version.

Sorry another question in the makeup/texture maps area... so if I morph a new face/body, do I need to get a new texture map (using one of those UV Map applications) or do the original maps adjust to the new morph 'magically'?

Wow I'm really getting off on a tangent here, so easy that when you ask a question about 50 others arise. 

No need for a new texture map; it morphs right along with the figure.

OK so I'm confused again... about the texture maps.  It was said above that texture maps couldn't be given away or sold, yet when I look around at various sites that sell characters, they sell the morphed character, skin textures, eye colors/shadows, lip glosses, etc.  If you can't use the texture map for V4 for anything but personal use, how is that possible?

You can't give away or sell a modified version of another person's work. You can create a new texture from scratch (using photos you took, or painting directly if you aren't after realism or using photos, or even prepared textures, that are licensed for use in creating new products - a "Merchant resource" - subject to the licence terms).

So for those who make characters that are for say, V4, are just doing a new morph and UV Map for her face/body and painting and texturing it up in Photoshop (or whichever application)?  

Just curious because tons of people sell or have for free their creations that are for V4.

Quote - So for those who make characters that are for say, V4, are just doing a new morph and UV Map for her face/body and painting and texturing it up in Photoshop (or whichever application)?   Just curious because tons of people sell or have for free their creations that are for V4.

I think I wasn't clear on what a UV Map is.  A UV map is just a 2-D, flattened-out representation of the model, which serves as a "template" for making textures for that model.  For instance, go here:

http://www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/-/victoria-4-2?item=4783

and look on the right-hand side, near the bottom, under "Resources and Information"-- you'll see "texture template download."  Download those templatse and look at them in a paint program.  These are UV maps.

Those templates are used to create the texture maps for the model-- the diffuse (color) map, the bump and/or displacement map, the transparency map, etc.  So, in creating a new texture map for a model, you do not need a new UV map; you need to create a new texture map from the existing template.

Take a look at the templates, and then take a look at the texture maps for V4, and you'll see what I mean.

OK, so you can use the templates to create your own textures and stuff and then those you can include with your character.... but you can't alter one of the maps that you get with V4 (like the Hi Res).  Now do I understand?  :)

I ordered the book that was recommended, so I'll be annoying everyone a little less in 4-14 days!  ;)

Quote - OK, so you can use the templates to create your own textures and stuff and then those you can include with your character.... but you can't alter one of the maps that you get with V4 (like the Hi Res).  Now do I understand?  :)

Yep-- you got that exactly right.   Now, you CAN alter the maps for your own use-- you just can't distribute them.  If you want to distribute maps, like with a character you create, you have to make your own.

Quote -   If you want to distribute maps, like with a character you create, you have to make your own.

Using the templates from the Daz site?

Quote - > Quote - If you want to distribute maps, like with a character you create, you have to make your own.

Using the templates from the Daz site?

Yes.

Yay!  I get it!!  :)

Now maybe I should start asking some questions about hair!  ;)

Quote - Yay!  I get it!!  :) Now maybe I should start asking some questions about hair!  ;)

Oh, dear god, don't EVEN go there!!!  Even people who've been doing this stuff for years are reluctant to tackle hair.

Start off with something simple, go through the book, work your way up.  It's just like an infant learning to walk... first he has to learn to crawl, then he has to learn to toddle, then he has to learn to walk.  Or like a child in school-- before he starts reading Shakespeare, he first has to learn his A-B-Cs.

Quote - > Quote - Yay!  I get it!!  :) Now maybe I should start asking some questions about hair!  ;)

Oh, dear god, don't EVEN go there!!!  Even people who've been doing this stuff for years are reluctant to tackle hair.

Start off with something simple, go through the book, work your way up.  It's just like an infant learning to walk... first he has to learn to crawl, then he has to learn to toddle, then he has to learn to walk.  Or like a child in school-- before he starts reading Shakespeare, he first has to learn his A-B-Cs.

Yes, one step at a time.  It takes time to learn and master them.  The major obstacle is the thing you want to make is already in the market even for free, there is no value to spend days/months to make it yourself.  Just like you will not learn programming for just making something like Blender.  Think of what you want to achieve first.