Hi

Once the dust has settled after the stampede for Poser 5, I'm hoping to (successfully!) download this, and one thing I would really like to try at some point is making clothes. Can anyone point me in the right direction to some tutorials (free or otherwise) about this. It's difiicult to know where to start, and I'm sure it's not that easy.

Many thanks in advance for any responses

First thing you need is a modelling app and quite a skill in modelling. If you have no idea on modelling, then it's a long long way of finding the program which suits you the most and learning to use it. At this step you need Poser only for exporting your modelling dummy (the figure clothing is meant for). After the clothing is done, can stop here and import the cloth as dynamic clothing, or go further and rig it to turn it into a conformer.

Since now searching forums is quite easy, you should be able to find dozens of threads starting with same plea as yours, and usually with a bunch of more useful links and/or info than my very basic basics ;)

Or if you don't want to go through all that work you could check out Clothing Creator
or his new Clothing Desinger over at http://www.philc.net.

Hi IO4!

Check out Doc Geep's tutorials at Dr Geep Studios ( www.drgeep.com).

Cheers!
patorak

Doc Greep's site looks amazing - so many tutorials, just what I was looking for. I would have never found this patorak, so thanks for the link (he's never shown up under any web searches I've done).

Hi IO4!

You're welcome!  Glad to be of assistance.  Now,  while you are going through the good Doc's tuts, start building a reference library of the clothes you would like to model.  You will need these references for two reasons;    One as a modelling guide,  and two as a proof of source ( copyright issues and all ).  Also,  while you are at it, start collecting textures too.  Merchant resource kits, hand painted,  and or digital camera work just fine ( again copyright issues ).

By the way, if you don't mind me asking, have you had any modelling experience and what modelling program are you using. 

Cheers!
patorak

I've done someof Cinema 4d (demo), and I've been learning Blender, so I have some knowledge of  modelling (beginner really). I have UV mapper on my computer but I've yet to learn it. I've just got Poser 5 (I've been using Daz Studio for a while)  Modelling clothes seems a bit confusing - I think I'd like to try making conforming (like the ones you can buy here or at Daz that work with morphs etc - or is it dynamic) clothes. Finding the correct starting point isn't quite clear to me yet, so hopefully Dr Greep's site will point me in the right direction. I'm surprised how little information there is out there about this subject.  I can't really seem to find any other  tutorials that give you an idea step by step of what to do.

Hi IO4!

Try modelling both dynamic and conforming clothes.  As for the definition of the different types,  let's see if I can give it a go.  Dynamic clothes are props that drape over a figure,  utilizing the cloth room.  Conforming clothes are rigged figures that move in unison with the base figure,  utilizing the pose room.  Though,  I'm sure the manual has a better explanation than the one i've just given. 

Like you, I've had trouble finding tutorials ( a lot of the ones I had bookmarked are gone. ).  Though,  I did manage to find one site that looks promising,  here is the link    mystic-nights.com

As for 3d modelling,  I usually experiment first with the different techniques ( i.e.  box modelling,   sub-patch,  poly by poly,  or spline ) then,  I choose a technique best suited to the particular look I want. 

I have to admit my knowledge of Blender is nil.  I'm a Lightwave user   Although,  here is another link that may help in that aspect.     www.cgtalk.com
Also, check out the Blender forum here.

One more thing before I go,  If you get the chance,  buy the book " Secrets of Figure Creation with Poser 5"  by BLRender.  I highly recommend it.

If you have anymore questions feel free to drop me a line at    chieftanoclan7@sbcglobal.net

Cheers!
patorak

Thanks for your links Patorak

You may want to check out Virtual Fashion Basic for Poser (http://www.e-frontier.com/go/poser/addons).

This is by far the easiest way to create garments for Poser figures.

Not bad definitions, patorak. I find the mental models created by Poser's usage sometimes lead users astray, so I tend to describe the two forms of clothing thus; "Conforming" clothing is an empty set of clothes. When it takes the same pose as a figure, and is in the same place, it looks like the figure is wearing the clothes. "Dynamic" clothing is a simulated cloth. The simulation must be run every time the figure is moved, and if it functions correctly will drape the cloth over whatever it is you chose to drape it over.

Hi nomuse!

Thank you,  but I find your definitions serve the purpose much better than mine.

Hi IO4!

You're welcome.  I'm glad to be of assistance.

Cheers!
patorak

good ta know. I'm maybe a half-step ahead (I do hats, maybe shoes, some armor pieces...sux, but I'm just startin'..;)  any good modeler will do (I use Wings 3d). The reason for hats, shoes, etc., is they don't have to bend.

Here's a sample way to do it- don't try to model the whole thing, try to model a basic part (say a head, chest, shoulder, etc). Export that to your modeler, then work on creating a piece of clothing to fit (it's harder than it looks..;). One thing Poser does is use a scale different from the rest of the world (Importing a part from Poser to a modeler will give you an eentsy, itty bitty, tiny little item).

Then, once you get the clothing item to fit on the body part, it needs to be textured (UVMapped..hoo boy, there's another 2-3 pages of text).  Then it could be exported into Poser (have to keep track of your textures, there's guidelines for where they get put as well...just remember not to begin your texture directory with a !..;) Then you can use it like other clothes

Ok, this is very confusing and complicated, but this is the basics of how clothes can be made.  I left out about 10 pages of details. Yes, it's complicated at first, and yes, it takes a lot of work. After about 2 years, I'm still doin' baby steps. But it is possible, and it is rewarding (get good enough, and it can be financially rewarding as well...well, some, anyways..;)

There's tutorials for every step of the way, so don't lose heart. Download some freebie modelers (say Wings 3d, Blender, Anim8tor, etc) and just fool around. If you feel like it's something you want to try, you can always upgrade to a more complicated or spendy program (Lightwave, Maya, Silo, Rhino, etc).  It can be done. Everyone gets to the point soon after getting Poser where they want to do their own clothes.

All of the above sites are good for tutorials. And someone better fire Doc's publicist..can't believe he doesn't show up..;)  I'm just trying to break it down to basic steps. But even doing that, everyone develops their own style, so feel free to give this a raspberry if'n it don't work for you..;)
Trekkiegrrrl (Ernyoka1) used to have a long list of Poser tutorials on her site, they might be there still..