Using the pwToon Add-On for DAZ Studio

August 7th, 2011 | by CC Rogers

The pwToon add-on for DAZ Studio lets you create cartoons and illustrations with no postwork. Here is a realistic render and then the same scene using variations of pwToon settings. (Click images for larger versions).

Again, all of these images are DAZ Studio renders with no postwork! Here are a few tips for using pwToon effectively:

  1. pwToon is a shader, so in order to apply it you have to select both the object(s) in the Scene tree and the surface(s) on the Surfaces tab.
  2. For objects with lots of interior edges (e.g. hair), make sure you turn off interior lines or you’ll render gray blobs!
  3. Try simple lighting. Unlike realistic renders, where you need lots of light sources for good effect, pwToon often does best with only one or two lights.
  4. If your objects turn black when you apply the shader, make sure you have the latest versions of DAZ Studio and pwToon.
  5. Check out the documentation that comes with pwToon to learn more about the settings you can vary, e.g. diffuse shading, rim shading, specular sharpness and outlines.

Do you have other tips to share or questions about pwToon? Please leave a comment!

Products used in demo image: