Since I am new and learning my way around poser and vue I am wondering if some things I am doing are bad for me.

I have noticed that sometimes, when I put some objects that don't belong together in poser they look good but really don't fit visual from some angles no matter how much tweaking you do.(like a shield on somebodies back that looks cool from the from the front angle but from behind its digging into their skin and if you move it or scale it, it doesn't look as good from the front) The when you import it into a scene, their pose just does not match up with the scenerly and if you go back into poser and try to make it fit the land sometimes changes too much.

So what I end up doing sometimes is use the scenery to hide some flaws like a rock or a bush infront of a foot, or branch that extends over a something that just doesn't look right.

What I am wondering about doing this, am I cheating the scene and myself in the long run by doing this? Or since we are working in a 3d medium but making 2D results it is just something that is what you do because it is the final look of the image that matters in the end, no matter how you get to it.

Just wondering if it is something everybody does, or just the shortcuts you take when you are new but should be curbed as you go on. :)

Sometimes I think it is both, I know that sometimes when it does look good in Poser, import into Vue and it now looks a little different, I will try to hide or fix it in Vue, or go back to Poser and fix it there, may need to fix it in PhotoPaint, or might be able to fix it in Vue. I try my hardest not to pull it into any program to fix but sometimes a mixture of software will enhance the pic. Depends, but I certainly don't think it is cheating. If I render it in Vue, I post to the forum Vue, if I render it in Poser, I post to the Poser forum, if I render it finally in PhotoPaint, I just look at it and go ahhhhhh. But don't post. That is just me. Don't feel like you are cheating yourself, you are being creative, getting the best possible pic. Sharen PS: although you sure do learn alot, if you figure out the problem and fix it.

Shhhh! You're letting out all the secrets! The end result is what matters. My view is that if the "cheating" doesn't detract from the scene, then why not? However, there will come a time when you won't be able to hide the defect, and learning how to avoid the defect will be beneficial.

Cheat? All the time! I usually have a fair idea what I'm gonna do in Vue when I'm planning on having some Poser in there, so if I need something specific, like, say, a foot on a rock, I'll model a rock object and import it into Poser and it'll just be a part of the PZ3 file when imported into Vue. But, If things change, and maybe I don't want the rock, but rather a terrian, but my Poser person is still standing there with his foot up in the air, then I might add the terrain and get it as close as possible, but cover up any flaws with a bush or some grass. Most of my "cheating" though is in postwork, such as blending two or more scenes together which have different lighting and atmospheres, etc.

Back in the old "pre-computer" days, I was involed in a form of illustration called, "mixed media". The basic idea was that you used whatever worked to get the particular effect you wanted, and purists be damned! If you needed to mix art marker, white chalk, blush makeup and little glued sprinkles...you did. Anything, as long as it worked! So why can't we feel that way about electronic media? Where is it written that you can't mix 2D and 3D, or even mix individual 3D programs? Most everything I do has input from at least Truespace, Poser, Vue, and Photopaint. Sometimes several other programs as well. -SMT

Or since we are working in a 3d medium but making 2D results it is just something that is what you do because it is the final look of the image that matters in the end, no matter how you get to it. Exactly! What you are describing amounts to doing what needs doing to create the best image you can (as close to your mental image as possible) utilizing whatever tools are available to you. If you were working on a 3D animation/fly-through and the shield is sticking through a guy's arm, you could make sure your selected camera angles just never view the through-the-arm part, or you'd need to adjust and re-adjust until it's no longer through the arm. Hollywood stage sets show full house interiors that aren't really full and complete. The front wall is gone, the stairs lead upward to nothing, the side door open onto nowhere, etc. It's all part of the art of illusion. :)

:) Thanks for the responses all. I have be doing these little 'cheats' all along and I don't know why, but this morning I just started thinking about it. Was I being lazy or doing what I needed for the image.

I don't know why I was thinking about this in a different terms. Like the movie set example, which was perfect, nobody else sees the background. I think this all is because this is the first time I have actually seen my flaws. In normal or 'classic' 2D works if you don't see it, it doesn't exist. Being new to this 3D world stuff this is the first time I have actually seen the flaws in the background. Sure nobody else can see it and I can see now that is the point. :)

So I will just keeping one doing what I am doing. Try to fix it up the best I can first, but if not able to do so, I won't worry myself. Thank you all again for your responses. It is good to know that this is something that is partly of how things are done, even if it is just to a small extent. :)

I had the same problem with an imported character from Poser into Vue. The character feets are showing thru the boots in Vue. I fixed this by moving the boots a little bit up. Seravajan

Well bud as a long time poser user all that i can tell you is that you will always have items that just don't work right from different angles. so the real trick to it is to make the viewer see it as you want them too. in other words if the shield does not look good from the back then only grant them the view that looks best after you have moved it to where you want. Believe it or not but alot of the great art seen ont this site is created that way. Most if you were to change the view you would see things like gloves that do not really cover the hand or perhaps a dress that just does not sit well on the figure. Well I am glade to see that you are trying to learn and if you need any help then please let me know via the mail thing. i hope this helps you out.

heyas; in my family, we don't call it 'cheating.' we call it 'creative problem solving.' ;)

I know in poser you can sometimes select body parts and make them invisible. (hide, or make them not visible) I'm not sure if that's always helpful but it's a good way of hiding flaws (Agh! his toes are sticking through his shoe!) I have a personal peeve about making things whole. I think it dates back to when I was a kid and I hated to get toys that weren't complete. There's nothing worse than half of a doll (with the other half sewn to a purse or something). Or those silly crocheted toilet-paper cover dolls that old ladies make where the top half is a doll and the bottom half is just a skirt that goes over a roll of toilet paper. I have gone off down a tangent though. When it comes to making a picture, I'm happy if the image I'm trying to create is whole, the rest of it can be full of holes as long as I can't see them.