Livebyhonor posted at 8:17PM Tue, 21 August 2018 - #4333895

then possibly go to the more advanced poser.

I'm pretty sure some DS users would object to the idea that Poser is "more advanced," esp. since DS comes out with new toys faster (like dForce). What it really boils down to, IMO, is which app you feel most comfortable using.

My goals are similar to yours, to make images for a web-based graphic novel, and after playing with DS and Poser I chose Poser for several reasons, including (a) I prefer the interface (which I've customized to my liking); and (b) I like that I can easily open and edit any Poser file w/ a text editor. I also just "get" how Poser works in a way I never did with DS. But that's about personal preferences, not which app is "better" for a particular purpose.

I was considering MOHO

When I first started thinking about doing a graphic novel, I got Anime Studio Pro (now MOHO) and I spent a lot of time learning it. But after a while I got frustrated with trying to represent 3D space (characters in an environment) using 2D techniques. If my mind worked that way, I'd just draw my comics!

I find it SO much easier to comprehend the 3D environment, where I can position characters, furniture, walls, etc. and point a camera at them the way I would in the physical world.

Also I am considering seeing if i can get someone to help me make some 3d models of my characters that i can use instead of my initial idea of just using stand in models and then re drawing my own characters.

I recommend holding off on the idea of getting someone to help you make original models. Both Poser and DAZ Studio come with human figures you can use as starting points, and most of these can be customized extensively to become a wide variety of characters. Customizing these figures is SIGNIFICANTLY easier than creating and rigging an original human model. And it doesn't have to be expensive, either, as some figures have loads of free content available.

You can try both DS and Poser for free, although obviously you have to purchase a Poser license to use it beyond the trial. But SM occasionally puts Poser on sale for ridiculously low prices, so watch out for those.

If you're a Windows user, another option to consider is Reallusion's iClone. After getting fed up with Anime Studio Pro (now MOHO), I got Reallusion's Crazy Talk Animator 2, and if I were still interested in doing 2D that's the app I would've stuck with. But Reallusion doesn't make iClone for Macs, for whatever reason!

One last thing: if you happen to search Google for info on using 3D apps (or CGI) to make comics, you'll find some useful info, but you'll also find some rather heated opinions on the subject that tend to come down in favor of "traditional" methods. Don't let that deter you. The best method to create your art is the one that lets you create it the way YOU want it to look!

Good luck!

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TOOLS: MacBook Pro; Poser Pro 11; Cheetah3D; Photoshop CC

FIGURES: S-16 (improved V4 by Karina), M4, K4, Mavka, Toons, and Nursoda's people

GOALS: Stylized and non-photorealistic renders in various fantasy styles