Years ago (about 10 or so) I would have commented to a woman how nice or pretty she was, but it was not for the same reasons that I found my self doing that today. I was out doing some cold call sales and walked into a hotel lobby this afternoon and behind the counter was a young woman of asian descent. This young lady had the features that you would find prominent in some of the artists renditions of beautiful Asian women here in the galleries, and what I have been trying to capture in a more 'mixed' or Amerasian style. Sorry, back on track for thepost... While I was talking with her I had to tell her how pretty she was, perhaps I should have told her I have been studying faces for artwork or perhaps not, still I stated I had to tell her and hope she was not offended. She smiled and thanked me. :) Next I walked across the street to a Coffee House again to pitch one of my products and behind the counter was a 20 something young lady with red hair and highlights to boot. Mind you even in my younger days I would not have commented about highlights or coloring, but today I just had to say something. Both women where strikingly beautiful in an artistic and 'erotic' manner not 'pervy' ;). More to the point in the past month since I started this artistic journey with Poser and the Renderosity community I have found myself studying peoples faces and body countors more closely. This started subconscioutly (sp?) yet I I am doing this more oftenthan not lately. In one of my careers I meet a lot of different people everyday. Has anyone else found themselves doing this or am I just a weirdo (more so than normal)? THanks and I hope this is not an habitual topic if so please disregard. Platanum

Interesting... I have found myself looking for features on people that I want to use someday in a figure in Poser... I used to use Bryce more than I do now, and during that time, I was looking at almost every scene in the day and almost every texture that I encountered through different eyes... I think that this world helps me see the real world more clearly, and to appreciate it more!

LOL- this comes up evey month or two- wait till your siting there and start wondering what morphs it takes to make that face- what basic base color to make that skin texture. That that breast needs to be adjusted up .025 LOL welcome to the club :) Geo

I have to say I've had mixed reactions from ladies when I've asked to play with their dials. :o).

hmm..and they've always just accused me of leering..;) great excuse, have ta remember that one..;)

I catch myself looking at faces all the time, features and textures... I hope like hell, I do not appear to be a stalker or perv... but I do notice these things.

I own a button which says "Take your clothes off, I'm an artist". When I worked in a cubicle, I'd decorate the wall behind me with several dozen artistically themed buttons... but I could always tell when a visitor's eyes hit that one. :wide evil grin: Carolly

Well, its about time Elvis sightings slowed down. Now we have Vicky sighting! LOL, good to hear that some folks are seeing the detail!

Since I've been primarily a Vue user and before that Bryce, I've found myself looking at sunsets and thinking about how I could recreate it in Vue.....same with any scenery. I have not found myself looking at people and thinking of them in an artistic way.....not yet anyway. However, I have sat in front of my computer and thought about how I could create the faces of people I already know in Poser....sort of the same I guess.

Wait until you start visiting gallaries and museums. Look at the traditional media and learn from the wealth of inspiration that is out there. I have taken to re reading Dante's The Divine Comedy for some more inspiration. Hey he inspired Michelangelo so why not me. Do we need an excuse to watch the ladies? Inspiration can strike at any time and it can leave you at any time as well. Keep looking, if need be get some mirrored sun glasses. You do not have to go to the lengths of seeing how cold it is due to the size of her nipples or anything like that. Do remember that they are people too and they do appreciate comments but I would recommend you do that outside of their boyfriend/girlfriend/husbands earshot. And for the ladies here, who's looking at you ;P

I thought it was just me. I've taken to looking at people's clothing, faces, the way they stand/sit/walk... My wife commented on my intense look whilst watching a film on night. She told me I'd "better not be eyeing up" so and so. I reassured her and replied "actually I was just wondering how I could recreate her outfit in Poser!" I'm sure she thinks I'm getting pervy in my old age! ;-)

I find it amazing that a face only has 2 eyes, nose and mouth and it can make billlions of different combination of faces. I'm baffled by this mystery...there must be a God. While people's features are different and varies, I think it's excellent.

Some people here I've seen in mass transit, be it the metro or the bus have been looking (in the real life) like a crazy modeler's bad temper, like someone fooling around with the dials with the intent of making a person REALLY ugly (like, a guy with almost NO chin...that other one with those really flabby ears...the old man with that massive nose, and topping it, a big purple dimple...) Strange those were all men. Can't resist looking around, and some looks I got signaled me to get my stare back in the proper zone... PH

I think (hope) this is common enough. I've tended to get into particular things - studying how every ear-ring around me moves for a week or two, or fathoming out the varying layer techniques on hair styles, wonderign why that nose looks "ugly" while some other one looks "cute", studying people walking one way or the other. Sadly, with my memory, I forget it all by the time I get home - but that just makes each new day a fresh adventure into "how people work" .

As an aside - it's great to be a dirty old man >:) No, really - with an artists' eye, you tend to appreciate beautiful folk more readily, and I've found that politely taking in a woman's beauty (ie, look all you want, but don't gawk) is quite a nice experience. It took years to get to that point, but damn it's fun nowadays. At work I won't do it (don't feel like getting sued, and as a teacher it wouldn't be quite appropriate anyway.) Also, out of deference to my missus I won't do it - esp. since I have something even prettier to look at whenever she's around, and it's more fun to point out the less secure men out there trying to steal a peek at her when they think I won't notice (evil grin). All that aside, since I'd gotten back into art, I've realized that there's a whole world of enjoyment I'd have never had the chance to have without the art. I find that the most striking details tend to coalesce into a complete figure and character once I get home... a combination of all the pretty folk I'd seen while I was out. /P

When I took a sequence of courses in photography, I found myself looking at landscapes differently from that time forward. Similarly, working with Poser has changed my ability to see classical art. Side benefits, learning to see. M

You tend to naturally see the world through the eyes of whatever you are currently studying or working with. I spent a couple of years working as a laboratory colour analyst, and found myself then breaking down everything I saw into its component colours, and how I could mix them up in the lab. Now I see things as their textures....constantly wishing I could go and sample this or that to use for my next creation ;)

I think that once you get into this art stuff you begin to look at everything with a different perspective. I find myself admiring everything on the drive into work. The only trouble is when you see something (or someone) that REALLY catches your eye you can almost rear end the person in front of you! I've also noticed that I now have an interest in architecture that I'm sure was never there before! For example, there's this really fantastic gothic style church I passed on a drive through North Wales. I didn't have the time to stop and never managed to visit that place again. It's times like that when I wish I had a bionic camera fitted.

Since I brought this up yesterday I'm working on getting the shades of skin and lighting down for Amerasia. Using the key features of Tina and Sheron yesterday I have modified Amerasia slightly to add their characteristics. I even looked more closely at Bill O'Reilly last night on Fox, goodness he is ugly to look at the shading of the skin under the TV lights. I much preferred the young lady (can't remember her name) that was covering for Sheppard Smith. Now looking more closely even at pictures of Nicole Kidman I'm seeing unique characteristics of her face that I have not noticed before.

Thanks for all the feedback, it's good to know that I'm not the only one. Now if I can take what I have seen and create a descent piece of art I will be satisfied.

I never need an excuse to admire a woman I just need to remember to glance not gawk.

Platanum.

I get off work, walk out the door into the parking lot and BAM,I'm frozen in my steps with the beauty of nature. The sky from east to west, Blue,Purple,Red,Orange, the sun bigand Yellow hanging just over the tree line.I stand there watching it till the colors fade to a dark clear star filled night. Saying to myself this would make a great background. Well at Christmas I got a digital camera.I don't go anywhere without it.I will never again miss that sunset.I find myself taking photos all day long.Things I think would make a great texture, or a woman sitting on a park bench as a referance for a pose.You never know when inspiration will hit you,and with a camera you never have to wory about losing it.

Actually I forgot one thing....hair. I find myself looking at people's hair and comparing "real hair" with that rendered in poser. Real hair is not as "perfect looking" as some of the wonderful transmapped versions used in a lot of our images. In fact, real hair is messy....sticks up in the air....looks like a dust mop on the head....is greasy looking, etc., etc. Only in "portraits" (virtual and photographic) does huamn hair get "tweaked" to perfection. Real hair, walking around on the street, really does look like Poser 5 hair.....some of it even looks like Poser 5 hair with collisions applied!! :)

I won't call myself an artist like you guys. But I just started using poser and 3d. Its so funny nowadays I look everything in so detail and think how I would create this in 3d or create this face in poser. I told my husband when we were driving near the ocean, wow this is looking so 3d..he laughed at me and said ....you are crazy this is actually 3d:-) I guess I am really becoming weird :-) Lax

Ah husbands!! What do they know!! :) We are all becoming a bit weird methinks! :)

My sister in law got a new haircut, first time i saw it my toughts were: "Hey, that's Rei hair.." :)

Any time an artist starts to try to recreate reality, that artist will find themselves fascinated by their object of study. The natural world is a complex and intriguing place full of detail and accidental beauty. An artist can appreciate beauty in a mudpuddle. I feel pity for all those people out there who never take the moment to stop and look at the world aorund them.

Here, Here, Lyrra. Since I got into Poser and art I have seen the world through new eyes. I also have a terrible tendency to 'classify' people's hair - my boss has a real Mike's Morphing Flattop, my mate has the Maya anime flip to a tee and I saw the splitting image of the Koshini ponytail on a girl yesterday. Oh yes, and I am so much happier a person!

Here's something I do every once in a while, when my schedule permits: Go to your local shopping mall (everyplace has one somewhere within a short drive), and head to either the Food Court, or the center elevator/stairs/escalators. Find yourself a bench, chair, or other place reasonably comfortable to sit, and just watch people go by, or stop and do whatever they're doing. If you're feeling really bold, bring a camera. Snap pics of folks that catch your eye. Don't take time to line up the shot...just focus and shoot. I do this with my digital camera, and the reactions are sometimes hilarious. I've had folks ask me why I'm taking their picture many times. Fortunately, I also bring my laptop with me, so I can show them. I've had people insist on having their pic retaken, so they can be properly captured! In any event, heightened awareness of beauty around you, in all its forms, seems natural to me, and most if not all of my artist friends. So go with it, use it, and revel in the fact that you sometimes see what others look dead at and never notice... Then make art out of it! Best of luck, ChromeTiger

Lol!! I do it all the time. Last week I told my friend's girlfriend that she has the most beautiful eyelashes.... :) A couple of monthes back, when I was just starting up with Poser, I saw a man in the street, and I thought to myself (honestly!) "Oh my, he looks so REAL!" Lol! And that's one of MANY examples. :)