Hey all. I promised that when I got the book, I would give a small review for those wondering. First impressions: The book is beautifully laid out! It's paperback but the pages are gorgeous! A very pretty book in IMHO! The CD: This CD has everything you need to follow along. It was missing some Files but Bill emailed me and they are fixing that ASAP. As always I'm impressed with both Bill's and Daz's customer service! The CD has psd file for those of you with Photoshop and Jpeg file so that you can use a different program if necessary. The Meat: This book is very clear and concise. I've read a bunch of books that use alot of filler to give it more volume. The book is 100 pages of straight on tutorial. and very clear pictures in full color!! The side bars are filled with a plethora of tips and tricks. It was kind of short but Bill did well in covering everything he said he was going to. Again no filler garbage here. Would I recommend this book? Definately it's all about creating your very own handmade texture. It's worth the 30 bucks by all means! It's less expensive than some of the stuff that's out there and a lot more clearly written. Is it for beginners? Sure. It's very easy to understand. Is it for experts? I'm sure there are tips even you can pick up. AR AR

Well, that's all good news, because I already ordered it this morning! Some of Bill's past, um, business practices have gotten him in trouble (just ask Mehndi ;), but there's no question that the guy knows his stuff. I've been waiting for SOMEONE to write this book, and Bill's a good one for it (although I'd liked to have seen one of R'osity's resident geniuses, like Syyd or Catherina, take a shot at it). Now I just have to wait for it to get here... :(

Big question. Would it help someone who doesn't particularly want to make monsters? Regular or faery tex's, for instance. Does it handle the seam problem? Emily

From what I've seen, it should teach you how to make ANY textures. The principles are the same: pores, scars, wrinkles, etc. The only difference would be the colors. And I'm sure it addresses seams.

I also got this book and it is simply the most helpful information I have seen on creating textures in Photoshop or any graphic software. It's not just for monsters ! The procedures would be the same. If you want to create your own textures, you need this book. Very will done and really cheap considering the price of books these days.

Daz published the book themselves believeing in the quality of the content. It is very good. I am sure if it does well, Daz will publish other books on other topics as well.

I'll never model-- the right synapses don't fire. But I would like to learn to texture, even if all I ever do is modify textures to make them mine. Ok, I'm sold, I'll get the book. Emily

This book just gives you the basics :) Bill states that he creates his texturesby hand not photographs. You could apply these ideas to anything at all you'd want to texture. Keep in mind it only covers Frank's head but you could apply everything you learn to body textures as well. AR

I can tell you something, that the textures that Bill create are good for all but not Poser. The all tutorials are a standard textures for 3D studio Max and other programs, Poser4 is to "stupid" to get the effect. all big texturator like Daren Horley ( the texturator of creatures of the film Dances with Dinosaurs create first the textures with the same technique that Bill in 1999. Using PhotoShop he first created the greyscale bump maps for the scaly textures, then coloured them up.He give smaller creatures always bright colours and the larger ones darker. Poser4 don't include the standard setting to get the best from that, all images that I saw from the book are created using not Poser4, the big role play here only the bump maps, so is that also in the real life. I ad to poser textures that what I can't get with the light and the setting, that all is wrong, I wish Poser5 have all the materials setting to get the best effect, and that will the new era of Poser rendering where we can use new technique in our textures like this one from the Bill's book. This image above show render of Poser4 with bump maps. This is all what I got in Poser4,what I missing are the true shine setting in poser to get the really effect of the skin.