Daz Studio Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to create a very basic image in Daz Studio. Whatch my other lenses for more in depth tutorials. First, the importance of installing content to the right place so Daz knows where to find it. All your Daz content should be installed to the Daz/Studio/Content folder, as shown. Content you get from Daz will have an installer (some content you purchase from other websites will be zip files). This will show you how to install content from Daz Studio's website.

1. Double click the .exe you downloaded from Daz Studio to start the installer


2. On the screen that comes up, click Next


3. Next screen asks if you want to create an uninstaller (your choice, I usually say no). Click Next


4. Accept the license agreement. Click Next


5. The next screen is the target and it should already have Daz Studio as the target. Click Next


6. Click the radial for Specify An Installation Path. Click Next


7. For the standard installation, it should already say Program File/Daz/Studio/Content. Click Next


8. It will install a new screen pops up telling you about the product you just installed. Click Next


9. Uncheck the "Read Me" box, if you don't want to view the readme. Click Finish

It may sound confusing, but really once you tell it whether or not to create an uninstaller and accept the agreement, it is just a matter of clicking next til it's done.

For this beginning tutorial, you're going to create a very basic image. Launch Daz Studio from the desktop icon.

1. Click your "Content" tab on the left side of the screen. Single click "Figures". To the right a new list will open up, choose "Daz People". You will get thumbnails of all the models in the Daz People folder. Scroll down and double lick Victoria 4.2. This will load the model into the workspace (center area of the screen). There she is...not looking very pretty and mostly naked.

2. Let's make her prettier. I am not sure what skin options you get with the free download, but you will find them by choosing Poses (on the Content tab). This is where you will find all your textures for poses for all models, including skins, clothes, hair, and props. I am going to choose Blaire, which again opens up all the thumbnails available for the Blair pose. First, apply the MAT, Head and Body INJ thumbnails. Double click them and they will magically appear on your model. Now she is naked, but lookin a lil better. Here is also where you will choose a makeup (MU) option. Double click your choice to apply it to the naked model.

3. She is naked. Let's get her dressed and put something on her head. Again, click on Figures and then choose an outfit. I am not sure what the latest free download content is, so I will just choose the V4 Morphing Clothes sub folder and double click the Fantasy Dress. This will put the dress on the model. Now go to the Scene tab, highlight the Fantasy Dress and then click the Parameters tab. In the "Fit To" area, select Victoria 4.2. This will conform the dress to the model, no matter what position she is moved to.

4. She's still bald! Let's give that girl some hair! Go back to the Scene tab and highlight Victoria 4.2. Back on the Contents tab, click Hair and choose a hair for your model from the sub menus. If you were sure to select Victoria 4.2 in the Scene tab, it should automatically conform the hair to the model. Now she looks better.

5. But she is still standing there looking like she is going to take off for flight (arms out). Let's put her in a different pose. In the Scene tab, make sure Victoria 4.2 is selected. On the Content tab, select Poses again. I am going to use Daz's Victoria 4/ General Poses. Double click the pose you want.

6. Oh no! Now her leg is sticking out of her dress! Go to the Scene tab and select the dress. Go to the Parameters tab to adjust it. Play with all the options til you get it how you want it. If you just can't get her leg from sticking through, there is a little trick you can do. Click on the body part showing through the dress and on the left hand side of the Parameters tab, choose Visible/Off...Walah! No more leg problem!

Lastly, we need to set the render settings. We won't worry about lighting and shadows for now. We will cover those later in another tutorial. In the top menu, choose Render/ Render Settings. Under speed, pull it all the way to the right for software render. Choose your dimensions and click "In a New Window". Hit Accept. Now render your image by clicking the black ball on the toolbar that says "Render the scene".

And there you have it, your very first Daz Studio 3d image. It may not be the fanciest, but this was a very basic lesson to introduce you to the most basic features of the software. A note about saving your images and files. To save the scene so you can edit it later again in Daz Studio, choose File - Save As - Scene. This will save an editable version you can revisit later. To save the image to use on a web page or wherever, Choose File - Save Last Render and save it to your hard drive as a .jpg.

It may seem a little daunting at first, but the more you practice, the more it all makes sense. The more you play around with the different settings and create things, the better it gets. Soon you will be cranking our spectacular images in no time. The image you see here I created in about 45 minutes a few years ago and it is still one of my favorites!