E-frontier's Poser Software (Looking for info)

[MarkHarchar]

I would presume that some people have a similar issue as I do, that being limited access to live models in which to draw or paint from. I was reading Artist Magazine yesterday and they were touting this software from E-frontier called Poser (Figure Artist).

http://www.e-frontier.com/article/articleview/1885/1/786?sbss=786

Has anyone had any experience with this app? I understand that whenever possible, it would be best to use a live model, however, when you can't get what you want or need, would something like this be a benefit. It seems like you can position a figure and light it as you wish, but I am wondering if you get the same flatting of the figure that you get from working from photo reference.

Thoughts?

[Flake]

Has anyone had any experience with this app?

Yup, it has it's uses for rapidly populating an arch-vis render etc but it usually seems to end up used for horrific cg pinup art (I heard it described as "The cg app of choice for deviants"..)
Don't get me wrong, I've seen it used well at least twice.

In theory it'll be better than a mannequin/action figure and a spotlight, in practice you'll still get weird deformations at the joints, them creepy Poser eyes going on and the lighting will have a cg quality to it.

Better than nothing I suppose, just don't post obviously poser based work on cgtalk or they'll be after you with the pitchforks and flaming torches.

I suppose I'm saying that whether you can use it well will be more up to you and your skill levls (2d and 3d) than any inherent limitations of the program itself and if you have no real experience in 3d , cg lighting etc it might just be another distraction/challenge rather than a real help.

Your call really. Find a trial version and see if it'll be any use to you.

/2p worth

[egerie]

Oh, no.. No... NO... NO !!! :an: :ao: :ao: :ao: :ao: :ao: :a!: :a!: :a!:

It's a waste of time to spend time badly posing a character in poser. It's much more efficient to grab your camera with timer, strike a pose and BAM reference with good posing, natural "rigging" and weight. The only time you might want to use a 3d app for ref would be if you need to do a crazy ass pose that would be impossible (not difficult, IMPOSSIBLE) to do in real life. Even perspective should be resolved either from a live model or from a picture of a live model (you, a friend, whoever).

But please, pleaaaaaaase.. I beg of you.. stay away from these, unless you're an animator extraordinaire that can pose characters like a God. And even then...

I have experience with it and quickly learned it was a waste of time and generaly a bad idea, like interbreeding with a bull or something.

(so it's them who bought the Poser software line...)

[Bowlin]

a mannequin/action figure and a spotlight,


Crap. You caught me.

[Elwell]

Better than nothing I suppose,
That's debatable.

[Flake]

Yeah, I'd go with the mannequin / action man and spotlight myself.

[Shamagim]

Better is nothing..I mean no manequin, no poser, just the old looong hours, weeks, months and years of life drawing.


And some reference pics now and then :).

[DSillustration]

i use it all the time.

its not ideal, nor is the anatomy accurate.
but it is good reference....certainly better than an artist's mannequin, imo.
the trouble lies in thinking that the picture is life like enough to just copy.
its not.
you still need to know your anatomy, and use your imagination.

you can keep the figure in a simple block-type mode and light it quite accurately.
its wonderful for things like jumping, especially from really odd vantage points.

its certainly better than an artist's mannequin, imo.
in fact, there is an "artist's mannequin" model in the program, as well as a skeleton.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/DSillustration/poser.jpg

the program isnt cheap,
but i think i heard somewhere that you might be able to download it for free on limewire.
too bad thats illegal and all.

[Elwell]

I think Poser can be an excellent tool, but not for learning figure drawing. Once one knows how the body actually works I think using it like Dan describes is no problem, but Poser figures simply don't look and move like real human beings. No one expects a wooden mannekin or an action figure to behave exactly like a real person, but the extra degree of superficial realism in Poser can be misleading to someone without much of a life drawing background. The product hylandr2 links to a new, stripped down version that is being marketed specifically as a life drawing aid/substitute, and I think it's a bad idea. You'd be better off with good photos.

[dollhaus]

I have had experience with this application...I work only with traditional art methods (oils, acryllics, collage, clay, etc.) using live models. Also, I am barely computer literate! I used Poser 6 to build a model in a pose I liked and then did an oil painting; I actually thought it would be like working from a photo (where the image is already flattened), but I was wrong. The 3d aspects of Poser made the work come out like it would have with a live model and then I abstract what I want to from there. Also the lighting was easy to learn and I used the cameras to get the angle/view I wanted and then crop my composition. I liked it and I have done a couple more paintings this way now...no one has been able to tell they weren't done from live models!

[lavhoes]

I agree with you guys; nothing beats real life, but when it's downright impossible to use real life then tools like these (Poser, FaceGen, etc.) do have their uses, provided you have enough experience drawing from life to be able to map your knowledge over what is being shown.

When you're drawing from life, it's often best to at first strip away everything you know and capture the essence of what you see, in order to be faithful to whatever it is you're drawing. When you're using stuff like Poser you have to do the opposite, bringing in all your knowledge and using the program to fill in any gaps and bolster your imagination. If you approach it like you would a still life or a figure drawing session, you're going to end up with wonky results.

But yes, stuff like this certainly has a place in my toolset, I've just made sure to define exactly what it's there for to avoid getting mired in their nuances and relying on them too much when my own personal knowledge and experience are far better.

[TheGnoll]

i've tried cloudstars software, with female, male, hand, expression 3d models, and i found it quite useful actually.I don't use it for lightning tho, just to study anatomy.I'ts very useful imho if you need quick reference.IMHO it certainly doesn't harm anyone...i mean, its just a tool like any other, it depends on how you use it...

ciao

[Zaknafain]

NEVER use a poser model as anatomy reference. Just looks wrong.
It can help you though with proportions and perspective. It is also great learning tool because there is a skeleton model in there and it can be a lot better than learning the bones from a book.