I know you mentioned you wanted to try doing it without postwork, but it will probably take less time to do it that way. V3 has a lot of material zones that you'd have to change, whereas the quickest solution might be to render her normally, and save the render as a TIF file. You can then load the TIF file into a new layer in an image program (Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Painter, etc) and use the alpha channel in the render to hide or delete the solid background of the render.

Thanks Vilian, that's the sort of effect I'm wanting - I was aiming at the figure "Cathy" being wraith like etc. Will play around with the settings I've got. Wasn't sure I could do it within Poser 6 but hey - live and learn. I'll just have to get some big safety pins for her robe to stay on her shoulders ;-)

Ooops, forgot to answer the dynamic clothing question ...

Select a small number of the verticies on her shoulders (one row in the middle of the shoulder will do, but you'll have to experiment with what will make the best selection). Assign those verticies to a "Constrained" group (you'll see the Edit Constrained Group button in the bottom left section of the Cloth Room). Then you'll have virtual safety pins. 8-)

Message edited on: 09/18/2005 09:50

thanks Deecey, suspected I'd have to do something like that but wasn't sure - can't have the poor girl getting cold, even if she's a ghost

Attached Link: Fallen Angels, Restless Wraiths

The product's description reads:
"This package allows you to add special effects to your characters so that with a couple of clicks of your mouse you can create shining angels, barely seen ghosts, or just a set of shiny clothes..... All the effects are developed and tested with Poser 4, 5 and 6, so they can be used by everyone. A complete set of textures suitable for the application of effects is supplied for the supported figures, but if you have a texture already in your library that you want to make see through, glowing, or just add a bit of sparkle you can do that too! The MAT poses are structured in stages, so you can load a texture from anywhere in your library and then just skip past the texture load straight to the special effects. Each figure also has a set of six tone settings, so you can add a colour cast to your figure (the settings for the hair, wings and clothes and people all match). The effects change with your lighting and the scenery behind."

Maybe this will help you achieve the look you are after? It looks pretty cool!
Hope this helps!

~arry

Great tip, ariannah!!

Thanks Deecey! I only saw it yesterday as it just came out. I added it to my wishlist right away as it might help create the effects I'm after for a render I have in mind. Since I haven't yet purchased it, I can't say for sure how well it creates these effects, but it seems to do what barrowlass was asking so I thought it worth mentioning. ;)

I would follow the transparency advice but also take the textures and desaturate the colors to taste in your photo app then, of course, save to a new file/files. Then you wouldn't have to do the postwork, it would render straight away.

Message edited on: 09/18/2005 11:26

thanx every1 - will take all advice on board - that program certainly sounds time saving - as well as effective - (must sweet talk hubby ;-) )

hey, that's neat! Will I have to export it as an object, then reimport it as object? I know I imported some bryce terrains and made props with them some time ago.

have just created the prop - here I go!!!!

Attached Link: http://www.3dcommune.com/3d/store/display.mv?new+vs_cyll_ptexs#cyll_spirits

Attached Link: http://www.untamedaggression.iofm.net/ghostwatch_01.jpg

Attached Link: http://www.untamedaggression.iofm.net/ghostwatch_05.jpg

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=799207

Attached Link: The Hunted

Way cool effect, Elle. Man - there are some great ideas present in this thread.

Message edited on: 09/18/2005 16:20

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=689810

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1093356

thanks Raven, that's exactly the sort of effect I was wanting. Will go off and have a play now, tho' it's getting late here!

Raven - many thanks from me as well. Whenever I can, I try to create what I'm after from within the application so your technique (I have both Bryce and Vue) should be alot of fun to experiment with. The result looks er cool and since that particles application doesn't come in the Mac variety, your technique offers me another option.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1679791

I don't know if it can be done in Poser5/6. The main characteristic of a ghost, other than some transpareny, is that the borders of the figure are not well defined, are vapourous! You can make a ghost with 1) backculling (not render back faces, don't look good for a ghost). 2) Inverse transparency (min 100% max 0% fallout 10) 3) Transparency index modulated by turbulence. With Poser4 you cannot use transparency maps, inverse transparency doesn't work with the map, I don't know if with Poser5/6 is the same. The most difficult part of a ghost is the hair.

Easy trick: convert the textures of the character to grayscale and set transparency in Poser to 0.50 Scary: grayscale the textures, invert them (negative) and equal transparency and Happy Helloween ;)

Set every material to ambient Blue/Green. -Then Max the transparencies and slide falloff way up to maximum -Delete all lights. -Import background pic and render.

thanks so much for all the advice! Truly mind boggling ;-). However, I've tried Anton's tip to change tex colour, transparencies etc, and this is what I came up with (see attached pic). I actually used a prop made from a figure - and I'd just like to know if there's anyway of making the teeth and gums invisible - they're set to 100% transparency anyway but still show up.

I've not used a background in this example but used 1 blue point light to use on the "ghost" - got to say this is very much as I wanted (except for teeth and gums)

Just use regular transparency. Apollo's teeth and Tongue are parts so I can just click those invisible, but with all other figures you have to tweak the materials invisible completely. Min 0 Max 100 Falloff 0 Do the same for the eyeballs(leave the Iris and pupil. Increase the falloff on the dress a but more to make it show better and you should be good to go.

Make ambient color black on the teeth and stuff you don't want to show. Best of luck. have fin with it. Sppoky stuff is always fun.

Another example, although this one used a bit of postwork to make the edges of the ghost figure glow: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=1029649 When doing this light placement is critical.

Attached Link: http://www.blauheit.de/elke/index.htm

Message edited on: 09/20/2005 23:20

The only thing I'd add is try to make the lighting sources in your background image match the ones you're using in Poser. Your ghost looks like she's well lite from two different sides and the shadow in the background is coming from a completely different direction.

Attached Link: http://www.shadowwindmanor.com/tutorials.html

http://www.shadowwindmanor.com/tutorials.html