How in the world?
I'm the new girl on the block... and just wondering how you all make your renders look so amazingly real...? Am I even in the right forum? Anywho, I just started learning about textures and things like that but i still can't seem to get them to look 'real'... Help anyone?

Thanks,
Anasta

You're in the right forum. Some use postwork to get the realism, others use some really good textures (that are generally paid items, but there are some good freebie textures out there). Hang out and read the threads from time to time.

Textures and Lighting. one of the best things I learned early in 3d. Take a cube throw it into the scene. Now, make it look real. play around. now make it look real but on a table, or peice of cloth. play with shadows. look at things on your desk and see how light plays off things, what textures look like. things aren't flat and dull (well most of the time they aren't). People don't look like plastic barbie and ken dolls. nothing wrong if ya want them to look like that, but if you want photo realism they need skin that, well, looks like skin. postwork if you know how to paint or draw in a 2d package can add a lot to your renders too. can depend on what your trying to acheive also. Play, and MOST important, really can't stress this enough, have FUN! Welcome to the show, it's a wild ride :)

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/tutorial.ez?Sectionid=7

You don't mention what program you're using. Assuming you use Poser (since you posted in the Poser Forum), there's a lot of general purpose tutorials you can access thru the masthead above, or the tutorials link even further above, or the link I posted in this message is a shortcut to the Poser/Offsite/Tutorials listing. If you come across a picture in the galleries or in one of the postings that you'd like more info on, you can always IM the creator or just post a general question about that specific texture for more info. In addition to textures and lighting, the 3rd key element to realism is Bump mapping, btw - another term to watch for among the tutorials. Good luck with your art, and welcome!

I start by using a "good" texture, say 4000x4000 for Posette. Then use the same texture as a slight bump map and again the same as a reflective map. This way Poser only has to load one texture and by playing with the settings you should get a nice result. Tony

Thanks everyone! I'm gonna take everything you've told me and play around a bit (in Poser) and I'll see what I come up with!! Thanks again :D