Okay....Poser is the only program i have found what actually POSES figures. this is way cool. we could be like van gogh, or michaelanglo, and use poser to portray our own pieces of history. i don't live in a temple. nope...small condo in florida. i don't wear armour to deal with my normal days...nope, mostly clothestime stuff. i don't have a spear, or a sword, or a gun. i do have palm trees, an ocean, sand...and, an assorted cast of charactors in my life. but, my world is interesting to me. it might even be interesting to some of the rest of you. i have storms, creatures, etc. now, to the issue. why in the gallery do i see so many renders of people we can never be, places we will never see....and, clothing that would more likely than frowned upon in our daily workplace? i make pictures because i want to show folks a part of my "inner self". i want to "explain" with graphics, where i am coming from. i make pictures because i want to share who i am. does your inner self live in a temple? just some thoughts...this will prolly be moved to the OT forum. Keep good, Poppi

Actually my Inner Self does live in a Temple, now that you ask. But it doesn't usually come fully armed with semi-automatic weapons. That's the fun part. I was discussing this very thing with some friends the other day-- how my lack of mobility is keeping me from the travel that I love so much but with Poser, I can go to the stars. Hmmm. . ."people we will never be, places we will never see, clothing that. . .would be frowned on" All that sounds really good to me, but then I am the people, I see the places when I create the pictures-- if not before-- and having made them, they are now a part of my world, for better or worse. I have shaped them into my vision. To the best of my as yet limited ability. Why would you assume that any piece of art wouldn't be a door -- a wide open door-- into that artists head? [understanding when I say art, I include good art, bad art and cr*p art] You get me, you get my world. Emily

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=165766

What dreams may come come but by "The Hand of the User".

I have to agree with Emily, I live in a really nice place...no dragons, no impractical armour...lol I like doing stuffage that reflects me in both worlds. People visit my gardens and say stuff like...oooh hobbitville! But I still have no dragons hence...Poser. 8^) Marque

Poser to me is all that I can never be, either born too late, or far too soon. Poser is my way to let the things I think about out. Sometimes they are things that are important to the world, but most times not. Where AD&D, and a ton of other role playing games allowed me to study facets of who I am, or experiment with the mix of things that make me who I am and see how I might be if things were different. Poser allows me to bring these characters I played for 27 years out of my head and on to a place where others can see close duplicates of the way I saw characters. Poser allows me to excersise the one thing the rest rest of the world would rather I didn't, my imaginatation. I can create what I want, the way I think the would should, or could be if things were different. a place where everything and everyone regardless of rank or station, or money, or gender, or race , or faith, or whatever, all have the same value. and that value is priceless.

I see you point, poppi...but --!! My life and surroundings are pretty much average and to me the arts, [here I include movies, comics, Poser, literature, etc.], are the escape routes away from the humdrum of everyday life. I don't necessarily identify with what I view/read/create...just 'get away' for awhile with them. Of course, I do believe in Unicorns and Fairies and that helps a lot!!

Art isn't just who you are, it's also who you wish to be, or what you wish to possess in any sense of that word. It's also a message of any sort - about the outside world and what needs to change, about your inner life and how your struggles can help others, and so on. I think the majority of Poser art right now is of "things we wish to possess". Most guys want a gorgeous chick who is also a bit of a badass. Thus, all the "Vicky in a Temple with Sword" pics.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=144613&Start=61&Artist=CryptoPooka&ByArtist=Yes

Yeah. That pretty much covers it.

Ya gotta live in a temple and wield a sword to be qualified to render the damn image? I guess based on where I live, I'm stuck with pine trees, rivers and wildlife. :)

Jeez, it's whatever's in your head and to hell with what anyone else thinks.

My inner self lives in a dreamworld where beer(or ale) flows freely at night and you fight with a sword all day between sexual and culinary feasts. Temple? yeah I guess. My inner self will die with a sword in my hand shouting Odin. But is that my real self? doubtfully, I reread the Phadrus by Plato and realize that the dicotomy that is my life is better summed up by not that which is familiar but ratheer that which is strange and indeed pecular - knowing that rattlesnakes can't hear talking one out of biting me, or not being able to shoot an enemy because he reminds you of your younger brother, or getting within 5 feet of a bear and seeing the expression of fear in his face before he runs away or jumping 30 feet off a cliff knowing it will be ok. Knowing above all else that I am no more than a cosmic hick-up if that, and God if he does exist does not exist in a form that I would understand - and knowing that "Vile's Telescope" probably won't work in poser. You really didn't want to know all that, did you ?!

Thanks guys....I posted this last night after cruising the gallery. We were just on the edge of and awesome thunderstorm...Looking out, I realized that this plain old real world, on occasion can be pretty impressive, too. I guess I've been too busy to dream, lately.

Poppi, this was a great question to pose. Reading the responses, and realising how many people use Poser to externalize their interior landscape (just as I do) made me feel a lot closer to our community at large. These are dark days in our world. We need to hold on to the ability to dream. hugs Kimberly

I don't use Poser to express any hidden fantasies about naked badass chicks with swords, or to fantasize myself as a warrior. To be honest, my REAL LIFE has been WAY more twisted than Poser could possibly create. I've spent time in jails and foxholes. I've done some wild and dangerous things with weirdos, psychos, criminals, cultists, bikers and soldiers, and have had my way with more women than I could ever count. Some of those gals were weirdos, psychos, criminals, cultists, bikers and soldiers, too ;) And I should have been killed at least a dozen times, yet I usually walked away unscathed. So I really don't need a fantasy life. However, my real life experiences HAVE affected the way I perceive my world. My perceptions (as if you haven't noticed) are somewhat skewed, to say the least. Inside my head, there are whores and devils, angels and armadillos, evil clowns and dancing cheeseburgers, all in a perpetual pie fight. Poser (as well as every other graphics app I own)lets me unleash my mental pie fights on an unsuspecting world. As for my life right now, I'm a married suburbanite with a red Sears lawnmower and a collection of dusty guns that have been hanging on the wall, unfired for years. And that's the funniest thing of all.

I don't think anyone would be interested in seeing renders of a figure posed in my small cluttered house, or in my back yard, or even in our sleepy little Maine town. However, I am working on a concept of showing simpler renders of people expressing emotions. That's the concept of this render. It's the beginnings of my Michael Clown figure. I still need to figure how to create the makeup textures.

Ron: Your clown reminds me a lot of Emmet Kelly. Maybe you should do the textures like Emmet's Hobo Clown character...

Yes, that is exactly what I was trying to accomplish. I must have done a good job so far! I tried doing the makeup texture, but frankly got lost due to my own lack of skill with the basic PhotoShop maneuvers required. I may get back to it later. To tell you the truth I may just back away entirely from Poser, and "active community involvement" long enough to "really learn PhotoShop," after having owned the program for 6-7 years. Ron

I'm not a big fan of mainstream movies. The same goes for digital art. I always say that if I want to see "true to life", I'll look out a window. But I do some "real world" rendering, along with the fantasy stuff because it's really all about what's in my head at the time of creation. There's a Photography Gallery here, if you're into reality. Creativity takes many forms, all of them valid. Try all of them, then go with what you really enjoy. And that might be a little of everything.

. Creativity takes many forms, all of them valid. I'll salute that. Now, guys, how would you like a "writers" gallery, as well? I think I am going to suggest one at the community ideas forum. So...take a pop, over, and voice your opinion. sometimes, i feel more like creativing with words...other days, the reverse. thanks, Pop...Pop...Poppi!!!

Starwars will probably always outsell Igmar Bergman but it's great food for thought. Maybe a contest might encourage people to think about some images in the inner self vein. Expect at least one wag to come up with a portrait of their liver though.

Well, I am seeing that alot of folks share the SAME inner self. I'd love to see a gallery full of slices of "real" life. Maybe, like Seinfeld...a gallery about nothing. Or, no, wait...Stephen King (who I actually spent some quality time with...eat ya hearts out!!!)...and his "small details". I'd love to see folks make what they see out of their windows, portrayed in gallery. I love to see what their little part of the planet looks like through their mind's eye. I'd love to see their poser version of the cast of charactors who make up our lives. I'd love to see their "take" on their workplace. What I see are lots, and, lots of temples. I guess that'd be okay...but, my office is in an arcade of the "big" hotel in town....you got it....hotel decked out to be a cheesy 3rd rate temple of sorts. Now, don't ya get me started on the "ladies" who hang out in their latest attire, come dark. nope, don't go there. well, i best shut up, while i am ahead...IF i'm ahead. for all the fairy folk...hey, now....those i can relate to...there is a tree in the back that would make an awesome world for fairies. i just need to settle down and RENDER, for a change, instead of trying to learn everything all at once in my little free time. well, enjoy your poser. that's what it all boils down to as important in the long and short of things. Pop...Pop...Poppi!!!