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How do I pose a DAZ Studio figure and import it for CNC relief carving?

Updated Oct 13, 20264 min readVCarve Pro & Aspire6 stepsVideo in the sources

DAZ Studio is a free 3D figure-posing and rendering application with a large library of poseable human and animal figures. For CNC purposes you use it purely as a posing tool: pose the figure, export it, then import the file as a 3D model. Educator Michael Mezalick popularized this workflow for carving figures, portraits and animals without 3D sculpting software.

The Workflow

1

Install DAZ Studio

Download DAZ Studio from the DAZ 3D website. A base figure is included free, and extra figures, clothing and animals are available (some free, some paid).

2

Load and pose your figure

  • Load a figure and use the Parameters panel to pose it: rotate joints, tilt the head, position the arms and hands.
  • For relief carving, choose a relatively flat, front-facing pose. The more a body part points at the viewer (fingers toward the camera, for example), the more distorted it looks in a flat relief.
  • Treat the figure like a coin: you want depth variation across the front face, not dramatic protrusion.
3

Frame the figure for relief

Look straight at the front of the figure. The front face should be the flattest surface, because it becomes the top of the relief. You can also fix orientation later in the Orientate form during import.

4

Export

Use File > Export and choose OBJ (the software imports OBJ), or STL if your version of DAZ Studio offers it. Match the units to your job or fix the size afterwards with Units and Scale mm/inches on the import form. The mesh does not need simplifying, because the software converts it to a height map.

5

Import

Use File > Import > Import Component/3D Model, pick the file, and use the Orientate form so the front of the figure points up. On the Position & Import page, tick Discard data below zero plane to remove the back half of the figure. Set the size and click Import. The full import steps are in the entry on importing STL and OBJ files from Blender or other 3D software.

6

Combine and finish

  • The figure comes in as one component. Set a suitable Shape Height in Component Properties for your material depth.
  • Combine it with background, border and text components using the combine modes.
  • Run 3D roughing and finishing toolpaths.

Licensing

Check the license of each figure and asset before you sell carvings made from it. Terms vary between items and between free and paid content.

What Works Well for CNC Relief

  • Portrait busts (head and shoulders, front-facing or 3/4 view)
  • Horses and other animals seen in profile
  • Angels and winged figures with wings spread flat relative to the viewer
  • Fantasy figures in dramatic but relatively flat poses

What Works Poorly

  • Hands or feet pointing at the viewer: foreshortening creates odd flat shapes.
  • Clothing with deep folds and undercuts: undercuts are lost when the model becomes a relief.
  • Very thin elements, such as a sword blade pointing at the viewer.

Tips

  • Simple, clear poses read better in carved relief than complex realistic ones.
  • A figure imported as one component is hard to split afterwards, so get the pose right before exporting.
  • In Aspire, the Sculpting tool can soften transitions between the imported model and your background.
  • Profile views (a side view of a horse, an eagle with wings spread) often translate better to relief than 3/4 or front views.

Sources and further reading

Import a Component or 3D Modelthe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)Download Daz 3D Studio Animation Software Freedaz3d.com (opens in a new tab)@Mezalickyoutube.com (opens in a new tab)Import 3D Model into Single or Two Sided Jobthe software maker's documentation (opens in a new tab)
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