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GLBOne Makeup Workflow for G8 and G9 (PBR + Uber) - No Texture Swapping
357Thread Activity
Digital Drapery CoWed, Mar 25
Digital Drapery CoMon, Mar 23
Digital Drapery CoFri, Mar 20
Digital Drapery CoWed, Mar 18
Digital Drapery CoTue, Mar 17
Digital Drapery CoSun, Mar 15
For years I had the same problem while rendering portraits:
Every character needed its 'own' makeup materials.
Switch character -> rebuild the face -> rebalance tones -> fix eyeliner -> repeat.
So I started experimenting with a consistent workflow instead of character-specific presets.
This video shows the PBR skin version in Genesis 9, but the interesting part isn't the shader… it's the method.
The same steps translate across:
- Genesis 9 PBR
- Genesis 9 Uber
- Genesis 8 (currently finishing polish)
- Different characters
- Different lighting setups
Nothing is baked into textures.
You adjust the look instead of replacing materials.
Every character needed its 'own' makeup materials.
Switch character -> rebuild the face -> rebalance tones -> fix eyeliner -> repeat.
So I started experimenting with a consistent workflow instead of character-specific presets.
This video shows the PBR skin version in Genesis 9, but the interesting part isn't the shader… it's the method.
The same steps translate across:
- Genesis 9 PBR
- Genesis 9 Uber
- Genesis 8 (currently finishing polish)
- Different characters
- Different lighting setups
Nothing is baked into textures.
You adjust the look instead of replacing materials.
! REPORT
That's a very interesting approach 
I've also been looking into makeup techniques from time to time. But applying makeup directly to maps or LIE isn't flexible enough, because in that case you have to/can only work with one skin.
That's why I find a more flexible approach like yours much more interesting. Thanks for the info
I've also been looking into makeup techniques from time to time. But applying makeup directly to maps or LIE isn't flexible enough, because in that case you have to/can only work with one skin.
That's why I find a more flexible approach like yours much more interesting. Thanks for the info
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Digital Drapery Co
Karma: 21,543
Fri, Feb 13I ran into the exact same wall with LIE
It works great until you change the character, then suddenly the makeup belongs to the texture instead of the face.
That was basically the motivation here.
I wanted the adjustment to behave more like grading a photo than editing the image file itself, so the “decisionsurvives when the skin changes.
Interestingly the hardest part wasn’t the masks, it was keeping tonal balance stable across very different albedo ranges. Some skins react almost like a different lighting environment.
I’m curious, when you experiment with makeup, do you aim for reusable styles or do you design per character personality?
It works great until you change the character, then suddenly the makeup belongs to the texture instead of the face.
That was basically the motivation here.
I wanted the adjustment to behave more like grading a photo than editing the image file itself, so the “decisionsurvives when the skin changes.
Interestingly the hardest part wasn’t the masks, it was keeping tonal balance stable across very different albedo ranges. Some skins react almost like a different lighting environment.
I’m curious, when you experiment with makeup, do you aim for reusable styles or do you design per character personality?
Pushee-Ri
Karma: 52,500
Fri, Feb 13My approach (for G9) is to use and expand the base materials (Starter Essentials). So it's about using the existing installation and texture maps - and improving them. The skin could then be used for all G9 models.
The actual makeup thing is relatively " simple " (well
.... It becomes problematic with freckles or moles, which (in order to appear realistic) require bumps.
Let's see what becomes of this idea...
The actual makeup thing is relatively " simple " (well
.... It becomes problematic with freckles or moles, which (in order to appear realistic) require bumps.Let's see what becomes of this idea...
Digital Drapery Co
Karma: 21,543
Fri, Feb 13Yeah that’s actually a really solid direction
Starter Essentials are nice because they give you a neutral baseline, so you’re modifying behaviour instead of fighting someone else’s baked lighting decisions.
And yep… freckles are where things stop being “just color:D
Once you want them to feel part of the skin instead of painted on, the problem turns into micro surface breakup. If the albedo changes but the specular response doesn’t, the eye reads it as makeup. The moment roughness and tiny height variation join in, it suddenly becomes skin detail.
I noticed moles especially need a softer edge in height than in color, otherwise they look stamped. Real skin tends to scatter light around them rather than form a hard bump.
Curious how you’re planning to handle variation across very pale vs very dark skins? That’s where most of my earlier attempts started falling apart.
Starter Essentials are nice because they give you a neutral baseline, so you’re modifying behaviour instead of fighting someone else’s baked lighting decisions.
And yep… freckles are where things stop being “just color:D
Once you want them to feel part of the skin instead of painted on, the problem turns into micro surface breakup. If the albedo changes but the specular response doesn’t, the eye reads it as makeup. The moment roughness and tiny height variation join in, it suddenly becomes skin detail.
I noticed moles especially need a softer edge in height than in color, otherwise they look stamped. Real skin tends to scatter light around them rather than form a hard bump.
Curious how you’re planning to handle variation across very pale vs very dark skins? That’s where most of my earlier attempts started falling apart.
Pushee-Ri
Karma: 52,500
Fri, Feb 13If I ever tackle this project, I plan to develop individual products with skin tones, e.g., very light skin, medium skin, and dark skin. But whether I'll ever do all that is written in the stars 
OK, I'm calling it a day.
OK, I'm calling it a day.
Digital Drapery Co
Karma: 21,543
Fri, Feb 13That sounds like the classic “I’ll just make one skin setproject that slowly turns into a trilogy
Honestly separating by tone range makes sense, every time I tried forcing one setup to behave across extremes it started acting like a different shader entirely.
If you ever do start it, I’d love to see how you approach the transition zones. Those are always where realism hides.
Have a good rest, and thanks for the thoughtful input!
Honestly separating by tone range makes sense, every time I tried forcing one setup to behave across extremes it started acting like a different shader entirely.
If you ever do start it, I’d love to see how you approach the transition zones. Those are always where realism hides.
Have a good rest, and thanks for the thoughtful input!
DD Makeup Editor Realtime Makeup Control for Genesis 8 Female
During the process of building characters in DAZ Studio I kept encountering the same limitation.
Makeup presets rarely work across multiple skins.
A preset designed for one character often destroys the realism of another.
Different pores, different skin tones, different shader responses.
So instead of making another preset pack I explored a different direction.
A shader-based makeup system.
The DD Makeup Editor allows lipstick, eyeliner, blush and foundation to be adjusted directly through shader parameters while preserving the original skin textures.
This keeps the character's skin detail intact while giving artists full control over the look.
The goal was simple:
Less time fighting presets.
More time creating characters.
#DAZStudio #DAZ3D #Genesis8 #3DCharacter #IrayRender #3DArtists #DigitalHuman #CGI
During the process of building characters in DAZ Studio I kept encountering the same limitation.
Makeup presets rarely work across multiple skins.
A preset designed for one character often destroys the realism of another.
Different pores, different skin tones, different shader responses.
So instead of making another preset pack I explored a different direction.
A shader-based makeup system.
The DD Makeup Editor allows lipstick, eyeliner, blush and foundation to be adjusted directly through shader parameters while preserving the original skin textures.
This keeps the character's skin detail intact while giving artists full control over the look.
The goal was simple:
Less time fighting presets.
More time creating characters.
#DAZStudio #DAZ3D #Genesis8 #3DCharacter #IrayRender #3DArtists #DigitalHuman #CGI
REPLY
! REPORT
Bought and approved.
Very well done and usefull.
Very well done and usefull.
REPLY
! REPORT
Digital Drapery Co
Karma: 21,543
Sat, Mar 14Thank you Pawngame, I really appreciate the support and the kind words.
It means a lot coming from a fellow creator in the community. I’m glad you found the tool useful, and I also appreciate you sharing the version behavior earlier.
I’m currently working on an expanded “ultimateversion of the editor that will allow the makeup system to work on almost any skin setup while keeping everything fully non-destructive.
Thanks again for the encouragement!
It means a lot coming from a fellow creator in the community. I’m glad you found the tool useful, and I also appreciate you sharing the version behavior earlier.
I’m currently working on an expanded “ultimateversion of the editor that will allow the makeup system to work on almost any skin setup while keeping everything fully non-destructive.
Thanks again for the encouragement!
