I downloaded and used the Virtual Fashion demo, but with its ridiculously short timeout, I didn't get the chance to play properly with it.  I liked it very much, but definitely not the price tag!  I'd love to be able to make clothing - maybe even dynamic clothing - but can anyone recommend a program that won't bankrupt me and is virtually idiot proof?

Sheila

I like using Wings3D.  That's the cheapest one I have found and it is relatively easy
to use.  I have made several nice items of clothes with it and modified lots of
conforming clothes into dynamic clothes with it too.  PhilC has a program
a lot of people like too, but it costs more money than Wings3D.
Depends on how much work you want to put into it I guess.

Attached Link: http://poserpros.daz3d.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52016

But my advice is to tell you to try every modeling app, Free or Demo, till you find one that works for you. Everyone will tell you that the app they use is the best. Don't believe them. Only you can decide which modeling app is for you. It's a very personal thing. What one person tells you is easy, you end up pulling your hair out.

Try some of the free ones first and see if you even like modeling. Not everyone does. Then try some of the demos of other brands.

Free - Wings3d, anim8tor, blender.

edit to say. If you try Wings, take a look at my tutorial at PoserPro's. it show how to set up your figure and how to model basic pants. The tutorial is for hexagon but it has a link for the Wings version of the figure setup and the pants tut will give you an ideal of basic block modeling as a reference.

Virtual Fashion has a very reasonable price for what you get eventho it does only make dynamic clothing.

If you want something with a cheaper pricetag then youre "stuck" with freeware modelers from which Wings3D is far out the best but not by a long shot competitive with the commercial modelers and not very easy to grasp.

Low priced and ..as you call it...idiot proof would be Virtual Fashion....unfortunatly maybe.

the problem with making anything idiot-proof is idiots are so ingenious..;)

The question is, is how much work you want to put into it. Wings can make characters (Quinlor and Dann-o are 2 of the champs at this), and clothes (I'm still stuck at armor, can make a good helmet, but the rest of the body is more challenging..;) If you're not at all sure, then a free program makes sense. If you outgrow it (heresy!..;), you can always upgrade. If you decide it's not for you, then you're out...what?..;)

thanks for the ideas everyone - I'll have a scout around and play with the free apps to get a feel of working with them.  Though what the results will be is anyone's guess lol

Sheila