Using Poser Software For Illustrations

wraylewis · 01-28-2012, 10:37 AM

I used SmithMicro's Poser to create 16 images for my first Kindle offering.

SmithMicro found out, and did a Poser User Story on how I used their software in conjunction with a number of other free or low cost programs to generate the final images.

You can see that story (as well as many many more Poser User profiles) here:

http://poser.smithmicro.com/stories/wralewis.html

You can see a sample image (too large for posting) here:

https://www.me.com/ro/ray_lewis/Gall...13120453740001

What programs are the rest of you using for illustrations and covers?

Harper Kingsley · 01-28-2012, 04:51 PM

That's kind of cool. So they basically just gave you some free advertising... Nice.

I use GIMP, mostly because I have no idea what I'm doing with all those programs. So many filters and brushes and... Yeah. I like oilify though

VydorScope · 01-28-2012, 09:16 PM

I use photoshop to clean up real paintings. Do you know if Poser has a free trail? I have a need of that kind of software for another project I am working on.. but my skill level is pretty low so I really need to try stuff first.

teh603 · 01-28-2012, 09:54 PM

There's a huge caveat to anything Poser- make sure what you're using is licensed for commercial use! A lot of good stuff, especially freebies, isn't licensed for anything profit-generating.

Also, check out Daz!Studio, if its still being made. It was fun freeware (although it might not be anymore; the beta should be long over), and I've still got a lot of stuff for it that I got years ago- Aiko 3, the original Daz "The Girl," Vickie 3, stuff like that. I experimented with doing some "adult content" renders years ago, but was never much good at it. Daz' refused to make antomically- correct models, and probably still doesn't.

VydorScope · 01-28-2012, 10:56 PM

Grabbing Daz to try now, still a free version... at least it will give me an idea before I clunk any real money down.

wraylewis · 01-29-2012, 05:38 AM

Poser does have a 30 day free trial.

If you want to go photorealistic, you need to do the final render in something like the free render engine LuxRender.

For Poser, there is a free plugin called Pose2Lux to get you there. For Daz, there's Reality, which costs $60. So, Poser entry level $50 plus free Pose2Lux. For Daz, free Daz plus $60 for Reality.

Close to a wash.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-29-2012, 08:50 AM

I create my covers with Photoshop and the occasional image purchased from Veer or other photo services.

I tried using Poser, twice, but never got very far; I couldn't get the hang of the controls for even the simplest facial expressions; then I'd look up, five hours had passed, and I'd have to move on! (I probably need a manual or a "for dummies" book...)

wraylewis · 01-29-2012, 09:29 AM

Most of the figures come with a set of prefab expressions. I usually start with one of those, and then make small tweaks to mouth, eyes, etc. until get what I want.

Of course, more advanced users go into the "Face Room" where you can change ethnicity, age, weight, and even sculpt custom faces. I'm not there yet, but working to learn.

VydorScope · 01-29-2012, 01:28 PM

Well Daz would work for me, but its to much for my aging desktop. I click and wait, click and wait. Plenty of ram, just pegs my CPU cores at 100 and never gives up.

wraylewis · 01-29-2012, 01:40 PM

Yes, there is that!

Once I got into this, I used it as an excuse to get a 27" iMac with 16 gigs ram, a quad core i7 that acts like it has 8 cores, and a killer graphics card.

Should make enough with Amazon to pay for it by 2020!

MicheleA · 01-29-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Well Daz would work for me, but its to much for my aging desktop. I click and wait, click and wait. Plenty of ram, just pegs my CPU cores at 100 and never gives up.

I use DAZ Studio for my cover images, and doing book stuff was the reason I first downloaded it back in 2007. It took me a while to get the hang of it. I also do a lot of postwork in Paint Shop Pro, FilterForge, PostworkShop, BW Styler, and other filter effect plugins, both paid and free.

I like being able to use my own image ideas rather than stock photos that many other people could use. But it can be expensive and time consuming to go this route.

VydorScope · 01-29-2012, 07:38 PM

My work laptop is much more powerful, so I will have to try it out on there to get a better feel for it. But looks like till I have cash to upgrade my personal desktop its not really a worthwhile endeavor.

MicheleA · 01-29-2012, 08:42 PM

You might still look into Poser. The base software for DAZ Studio is free, but to get it truly functional, you'll probably need to add a few utilities that cost extra. Poser initially costs more, but I believe it has more functionality right out of the box than DAZ Studio. From what I can tell, Poser (or at least the earlier versions) play better with lower end systems than DAZ Studio.

No matter which program you decide to go with, it'll cost a sizable chunk of cash to set yourself up. As teh603 mentioned, it's best to only use purchased content for commercial renders, even if some of the freebie makers are okay with commercial use.

G J Lau · 01-30-2012, 05:48 AM

Another decent freeware graphics tool is Paint.net. Based on some of the comments about restrictions on commercial use, I went back and checked the FAQ's at Paint.net, and there are no restrictions on commercial use.

I had to laugh at the one comment about how easy Gimp was to use. I tried it a few years ago and found it utterly baffling. I'm a little more familiar with the concepts now, so maybe I should give it a try, but Paint.net seems to get the job done, especially given my limited skills as a graphic designer.

wraylewis · 01-30-2012, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicheleA

You might still look into Poser. The base software for DAZ Studio is free, but to get it truly functional, you'll probably need to add a few utilities that cost extra. Poser initially costs more, but I believe it has more functionality right out of the box than DAZ Studio. From what I can tell, Poser (or at least the earlier versions) play better with lower end systems than DAZ Studio.

No matter which program you decide to go with, it'll cost a sizable chunk of cash to set yourself up. As teh603 mentioned, it's best to only use purchased content for commercial renders, even if some of the freebie makers are okay with commercial use.

Michael is right. However, if you keep your eyes open, a lot of great commercial work is regularly available on sale. Also, for a small monthly charge, some of the sites give you access to a large catalog of assets for very low prices (like $1.99 each).
Once you load up, you can cancel, then come back six months or so later to see what's new.

01-28-2012, 10:37 AM	#1
wraylewis Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 689100 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakton, VA Device: Ipad and Kindle	Using Poser Software For Illustrations I used SmithMicro's Poser to create 16 images for my first Kindle offering. SmithMicro found out, and did a Poser User Story on how I used their software in conjunction with a number of other free or low cost programs to generate the final images. You can see that story (as well as many many more Poser User profiles) here: http://poser.smithmicro.com/stories/wralewis.html You can see a sample image (too large for posting) here: https://www.me.com/ro/ray_lewis/Gall...13120453740001 What programs are the rest of you using for illustrations and covers?

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01-28-2012, 04:51 PM	#2
Harper Kingsley Clone Trooper Posts: 212 Karma: 4566103 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Washington Device: kindle	That's kind of cool. So they basically just gave you some free advertising... Nice. I use GIMP, mostly because I have no idea what I'm doing with all those programs. So many filters and brushes and... Yeah. I like oilify though

01-28-2012, 09:16 PM	#3
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	I use photoshop to clean up real paintings. Do you know if Poser has a free trail? I have a need of that kind of software for another project I am working on.. but my skill level is pretty low so I really need to try stuff first.

01-28-2012, 09:54 PM	#4
teh603 Autism Spectrum Disorder Posts: 1,212 Karma: 6244877 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Coastal Texas Device: Android Phone	There's a huge caveat to anything Poser- make sure what you're using is licensed for commercial use! A lot of good stuff, especially freebies, isn't licensed for anything profit-generating. Also, check out Daz!Studio, if its still being made. It was fun freeware (although it might not be anymore; the beta should be long over), and I've still got a lot of stuff for it that I got years ago- Aiko 3, the original Daz "The Girl," Vickie 3, stuff like that. I experimented with doing some "adult content" renders years ago, but was never much good at it. Daz' refused to make antomically- correct models, and probably still doesn't.

01-28-2012, 10:56 PM	#5
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Grabbing Daz to try now, still a free version... at least it will give me an idea before I clunk any real money down.

01-29-2012, 05:38 AM	#6
wraylewis Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 689100 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakton, VA Device: Ipad and Kindle	Poser does have a 30 day free trial. If you want to go photorealistic, you need to do the final render in something like the free render engine LuxRender. For Poser, there is a free plugin called Pose2Lux to get you there. For Daz, there's Reality, which costs $60. So, Poser entry level $50 plus free Pose2Lux. For Daz, free Daz plus $60 for Reality. Close to a wash.

01-29-2012, 08:50 AM	#7
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I create my covers with Photoshop and the occasional image purchased from Veer or other photo services. I tried using Poser, twice, but never got very far; I couldn't get the hang of the controls for even the simplest facial expressions; then I'd look up, five hours had passed, and I'd have to move on! (I probably need a manual or a "for dummies" book...)

01-29-2012, 09:29 AM	#8
wraylewis Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 689100 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakton, VA Device: Ipad and Kindle	Most of the figures come with a set of prefab expressions. I usually start with one of those, and then make small tweaks to mouth, eyes, etc. until get what I want. Of course, more advanced users go into the "Face Room" where you can change ethnicity, age, weight, and even sculpt custom faces. I'm not there yet, but working to learn.

01-29-2012, 01:28 PM	#9
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Well Daz would work for me, but its to much for my aging desktop. I click and wait, click and wait. Plenty of ram, just pegs my CPU cores at 100 and never gives up.

01-29-2012, 01:40 PM	#10
wraylewis Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 689100 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Oakton, VA Device: Ipad and Kindle	Yes, there is that! Once I got into this, I used it as an excuse to get a 27" iMac with 16 gigs ram, a quad core i7 that acts like it has 8 cores, and a killer graphics card. Should make enough with Amazon to pay for it by 2020!

01-29-2012, 07:38 PM	#12
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	My work laptop is much more powerful, so I will have to try it out on there to get a better feel for it. But looks like till I have cash to upgrade my personal desktop its not really a worthwhile endeavor.

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01-29-2012, 08:42 PM	#13
MicheleA Member Posts: 12 Karma: 124474 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wisconsin Device: JetBook Lite, iPad	You might still look into Poser. The base software for DAZ Studio is free, but to get it truly functional, you'll probably need to add a few utilities that cost extra. Poser initially costs more, but I believe it has more functionality right out of the box than DAZ Studio. From what I can tell, Poser (or at least the earlier versions) play better with lower end systems than DAZ Studio. No matter which program you decide to go with, it'll cost a sizable chunk of cash to set yourself up. As teh603 mentioned, it's best to only use purchased content for commercial renders, even if some of the freebie makers are okay with commercial use.

01-30-2012, 05:48 AM	#14
G J Lau Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 415116 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Frederick MD Device: Nook	Another decent freeware graphics tool is Paint.net. Based on some of the comments about restrictions on commercial use, I went back and checked the FAQ's at Paint.net, and there are no restrictions on commercial use. I had to laugh at the one comment about how easy Gimp was to use. I tried it a few years ago and found it utterly baffling. I'm a little more familiar with the concepts now, so maybe I should give it a try, but Paint.net seems to get the job done, especially given my limited skills as a graphic designer.