Hey guys, for anyone interested in the new features of Poser 5, check out curioslabs.com . I was surfing a little today and found out according to journeyed.com that it should be shipping on the 15th Sept. And if you own P4 you can buy it for like $179 bucks.
I had not realised a new version of Poser was coming out, thanks for the info. There are some pretty exciting new features, number 1 on my list would be stranded hair and the ability to style it. I see that you can also model the face morph’s by what they call morph putty in Poser itself. Then the feature to use photo textures in Poser it looks good.
I must admit I am becoming torn between creating most of my own figures in ZBrush, as I have done until recently for the forum and doing more with Poser. I have to consider who really cares, not many I think if you look around the digital art world generaly. If I don’t create quicker work then the regular Poser users will leave me behind eventually.
I hope the new Zspheres can help me create complete high quality human figures, with the comparative ease that it can be done in conventional sculpting. I am generally disenchanted with the piecemeal assembly of hand’s etc when Poser has ready made ones.
Dave
Well, all the best art takes time. A manipulated poser figure will never ever look as good as a well crafted figure from scratch.
There will always be customers who are willing pay for quality work.
And if it’s for ones own satisfaction then it would be far greater to do it on your own.
It all depends on what you’re looking for. I suppose a Seiko digital watch tells the time as well as a Vacheron Constantine.
I would have to disagree with Han’s statement “A manipulated poser figure will never ever look as good as a well crafted figure from scratch.” There are a number of artists using Poser as the basis for their work and I daresay their work is beyond reproach. Software is a tool. Nothing more. It is not a quick fix and can not be depended on to take an average user and turn him/her into a modern day Michelangelo. In the right hands any digital art application can be used to produce the most amazing work. Out of the box Poser can help a user make “average” or “good” looking art. If the user wants to take it farther it is up to him/her, not the software. The same is true of ZBrush. The software can only take one so far. Skill comes from insight, vision, and the fortitude to sit down and force oneself to learn and push the envelope. DM, use whatever you need to get the job done and get it done the way YOU want. Opinions on how well one app is able to make better figures than another is purely subjective and ultimately relies upon the ability of the user to take it farther. Do not mistake this comment as favoritism of one application over another. It is not. I view all software as tools. They get me where I want to go. What I object to is when someone discounts one app over another purely on subjective reasoning. Use the software. Make it do what you want it to do. Put some work into it. The talent lies in you…the software is the vessel.
I think you misunderstood me Mentat. That is why I gave the watch example. If you require the correct time then either will give the same result.
I was not actually advocating software as such I was more on about the hand crafted quality and the sense of greater satisfaction and achievement one gets from building a person from scratch. It was more of an esoteric comment rather than a software thing. 
I’m just one of those old fashioned sort of people who lament the passing of hand crafted workmanship. Whether it be software or a watch.
Similar to the way christos works if you will. He tends to use photoshop to paint and he makes very heavy going of it, but the final results have a very warm and human quality. here
I think your point “a well-crafted figure” only applies to conventional art, Hanuman. There was a time when I might have believed that it made a difference even in digital art, but the evidence does not back it up.
I think Caliban was a prime example on the Z forum, although admittedly he was not acknowledging it was Poser. He was doing the most basic conversions from the standard Poser figure, that I proved to myself were possible to knock up in 20 to 30 minutes, he frequently received greater responses than people that spent hours on their work. His were obvious Poser conversions, they often didn’t even come into the conversion category, yet I seem to remember you actually commenting that you liked to see his work.
I think I have come to the point of asking what am I achieving spending considerable time producing everything in Z, is it beneficial to me, not particularly, do people care when requiring an image, no because often to them digital art is considered a cheat anyway. Are Pixologic concerned, apparently not; they used a Poser figure image for their first UK advert out of all the huge choice of Z only images that were available.
There are many images on the web that even the most observant viewer would not know were Poser and it is only the creators honesty that makes it known. I have never had a problem with people using Poser, as many people seem to think I have, my problems were with total dishonesty, using it, then trying to claim total self-creation of the image. Skating around the use of it, until pushed into an acknowledgement that, yes they had used Poser. On merit of course, a totally self created image has more, compared to one with Poser content, but many would also correctly say that digital art does not have the same merit that conventional art does. Why, because textures, material surfaces, fibre brush effects, lighting etc, are all easily created in computer graphics program’s, it is probably true that when Pastels came in, painters no doubt said it is cheating using these dried paint sticks.
The point you have to decide on in the end is, have you got endless amounts of money to take the longer way round to get results or do you have to try to make your work pay. Artists that are on state benefit’s as some artist’s I have known are and intend to stay that way, they can fiddle around forever not caring if they finish anything, because the rest of us have to pay into the system to keep them that way. We can pontificate forever about integrity of the work; integrity to me is honesty about how you produced your image so you are not fooling others new to the production methods that you have done more than you have in reality.
Dave
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> I seem to remember you actually commenting that you liked to see his work.
I think I have come to the point of asking what am I achieving spending considerable time producing everything in Z, <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, I thought Caliban’s images had a fresh approach. Remember the baby in the bath. That was hilarious. Shame he got booted out. This is a separate point. As for choosing your applications for ease of work. No argument there. Everyone should choose whatever they wish. I certainly am not demanding everyone become computer journeymen.
However I don’t know if you remember a piece by picsas some time ago it was a full length elderly nude. Done in the style of a traditional bronze. It was probably the best thing I’ve ever seen on the forum. Maybe not the most technically difficult but it had a humanity that was undeniable.
I’m not saying everyone should or must do this I was only pointing out that this option is there for those who may be tempted. After all someone has to carry on the craft. When you see a work like that from picsas it makes you think twice about the possibilities. Especially when a finished piece can now be “cast” in 3D by a computer. Similarly to a wax cast being used to make a bronze.
If I could produce images like Picky or ToxicAngel (two of my all time favorite poser artists) I’d feel very satisfied with myself ~s~ Not going to happen.
)(Edit) removed - slimy juvenile pathetic comment. ))
Thanks for the info Sirquadalot. I’ve been waiting. I think even with all the new toys that come with it, the thing I’m looking forward to most is the file system. My poser directories are a mess. I can never find anything.
If you own pro pack it’s 129. US. I think I can almost make that. Still around 200 Canadian.
Well it is a good point Hanuman that somebody must carry on the craft, using quicker methods in computer art does not stop me doing conventional sculpting when time allows, or if somebody wants something produced. I don’t suddenly forget how to do it; it is a case of developing the possibilities in faster methods, to endeavour to produce what unfortunately we all depend on, money.
When I win the top national lottery prize tonight, I shall be able create exactly what I want with not a care in the world if anybody likes it or would buy it. So watch out Tate Modern, I have loads of un-saleable art ideas ready to fill your galleries with. 
Dave
haha DM good one… 