Just thought I'd ask all the postwork guru's here, what applications do you use for your postwork, and why? What is the function you "could not live without" in your favourite application, on a scale of 1 - 10 how easy is it to use? Would you recommend it to a beginner? If you use several different applications which do you use most? and if you do use several applications on a regular basis what do you use each for? i.e one is best for hair painting, one for cloth painting etc. As you can probably tell, I am looking to expand my postworking and currently use Photoshop 7 with AutoFX plugins (amongst others) and I also have Jasc Paint shop Pro 8. I want to (hopefully) expand as far as making my own textures eventually. So feel free, plug your fave application. Angela.

Attached Link: Opaque3D

It's been a while since I last showed up here... Anywayz. For POST I use combustion, mostly. As for the "function I could not live without". That would be the blur commands. Everything I do on 3D so there's no other for "painting" (some people add hair on POST). For making textures I use photopaint... <---signature---> Free your Maya

I use Paint Shop Pro, myself, because I have better things to do with my money than send it all to Adobe.

The function I could not live without? I doubt I could narrow it down to just one. The clone and smudge tools, blur commands, and various plugin filters (both freeware and commercial) are all essential to my work.

I highly recommend Alien Skin's Eye Candy plugin, which includes a number of very useful filters (HSB noise, fire, smoke, fur, jiggle, gradient glow, etc.). Their Xenofex plugin looks quite helpful, also, although I haven't bought it yet.

And I use the free MuRa filters extensively.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=534563&Start=1&Artist=FishNose&ByArtist=Yes

NOTE: Nudity at gallery image link above I use Photoshop - have done for 12 years now. I spend a LOT of time doing post - about 15 hours (!) on my most recent image - and hopefully none of it is visible, since I don't paint new things on. Don't lke that. I improve on the render, fix the Poser mistakes and funny joints, add shadows where Poser couldn't, smoothen out edges, composite sometimes as many as 8 renders in layers as I add or subtract elements in the render or fix stuff that didn't work out. Look at my most recent gallery image at link above, see if you can see any post - the 15 hours of it lol - (NUDITY) My post can be anything from 30 mins to 20 hours depending on how complex the render is. Absolute favorite tool: Clone Stamp Tool. Indispensable. I don't have the slightest problem sending Adobe my money, since they make great software. And I have to use industry standard apps since I work in these apps professionally - Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects, In Design. Trying to use alternatives would make life really difficult - exchanging files with others in a project etc.. :] Fish

Personally I use Photoshop.. why? cause that's what I started using back when I studied journalism.. as for something I could not live without it would either be the layers or the selective color adjustments.. Photoshop might be a bit massive for somebody that isn't used to it.. but I belive you'd get a basic grasp of it before too long.. I'd stay away from most ad on plug-ins though.. they tend to give a very "plug-in look".. there are some exceptions though.. as to what I do in postwork it varies very much from image to image.. but I always do clean up of joints, hair and color adjustments as a minimum..

Attached Link: http://www.hauksdottir.com

PhotoShop. Layers are essential, and so are layer effects. The logo on my website has a frame built entirely in PhotoShop. The text was warped in PhotoShop. The anti-aliasing around each feather was cleaned up in PhotoShop. Effects and filters are fun stuff, but a bit frustrating when they don't quite work as planned. Sometimes there are happy accidents, though. The trick then is to recognize it and get it saved to the side for further messing around with later. Carolly

PSP7 and PSP8(just getting used to)

Thanks to the folks that answered so far. Seems like I already have the basics then - I just need to learn how to use 'em to their full advantage!! I must say I am surprised that so many of you use photoshop, I was always under the impression though there was some other sooper dooper thing out there, that everyone but me was using, and that I was missing out on, as some of the post work I have seen is sooooo fantastic. ;-) FishNose - I checked "Unique Collector's Item" It is indeed a gorgeous picture (and I love the story too) and.... NO, I could not spot any postwork!! Excellent.

Photoshop7 and Painter8 Painter is all about the brushes...things you still can't do with Photoshop. It sucks at everthing else... Photoshop is all about everything else. SWAMP

hmmmm I usually go for psp. it is more user friendly to me probably because I started on it for seriouse work. though I like photoshop better for the blur tool and layer styles. as for the function I couldnt live with out...... layers and brushes.{sorry I am massivly in love with those ravnhearts hair brushes and wing brushes}in psp I have tones of brushes I have made to ease things I do regularly. I agree with saying a new person should get eyecandy. as well as flaming pears plugins. that and the suggestion of "playing" with your pictures....just sit and experiment with layers and blending options ....and opacities of layers you can get some great effects that way. ~nods abit~

PSP, for pretty much the same reasons as Fishnose. Brush Tools and Layer modes are my #1 picks as I also work with layers of renders. I don't paint on anything either, just improve on what's there. Although I've recently gotten Ravnheart's PSP Hair Brushes so I can add additional hair effects. Eye Candy 4000 and Flaming Pear, definitely must haves.

PSP8 and eyecandy plugins! Just starting to love the new brushes, especially the warp brush!

Photoshop 6 - I don't see much reason to upgrade to 7. The blur tool is the most used by far; paint, clone and blur will fix most problems.

Photoshop 7, Paint Shop Pro 7, Painter Classic, Corel Draw 5 and occaisionally Photoshop Elements. Why so many? They all do certain things the others can't! Or else I am just awkward. I also use Terragen, World Builder and Bryce for creating backgrounds and loads of little progs like 'A Smaller Image' and 'Morphman'