Robyn, Sculptris is awesome for detailing but it instantly weighs down your model in polies on import.

i haven't attempted to make clothes yet but I just found a side bar in Mod Tools where it apparently does that too. Although a freeware program specifically focused on tailoring might be cool. =D

Have to give you a big kudos for being able to get use out of Blender. Ten years ago when I originally attempted all this stuff, I was studying with Truespace, 3D Studio Max, Cinema 4D and Blender and Blender was the only one that I could really call my own because there was no way that I could afford the others. Unfortunately, however, I couldn't even begin to figure out how to set up Blender's screen.

The 3D Studio Max Bible and hand on experience all came back to me when I picked this up again recently and it makes a lot more sense now!

As for Silo, I have the trial and it hasn't buggered up on me but then again I really haven't got my hands very dirty with it. I just inspected the menus to see what it could do (like exporting geometry through render into obj files when the trial runs out (mwahahahahaha). I also inspected it to see if I could get along with its interface. I'm sort of fifty, fifty with my opinion of it right now.  I think I can do the same things with freeware modeling apps to be honest so I don't think you're missing out on too much. =)

 Hmm...although not many notice me on Facebook. Ah well, maybe the six degrees of separation will get ya somewheres. =)

 Hey man, you've got a pretty decent site. I don't use those programs myself but I've linked you to my Facebook profile to help get you noticed. =)

Aussie and NZ get charged by the byte downloaded so too many long videos can run us up a big bill. 

I personally like having a static reference I can keep flashing back to on the screen. 

But I'm learning a lot from the video tuts as well. They're good as graphical demonstrations if the written tuts don't sink in. =D

 Thanks, man. I'm currently trying to learn Softimage Mod Tools. Video tuts are great but hope you consider hosting word processed ones as well. =D

 Ah, I see. I'm still pretty new to this so I wasn't sure if the larger texture files were comprised of many layers that made for things like bump and illuminosity  and by just saving the thumb to disk I was missing out on the lower layers.

I guess rethinking it you only need what you can visually see in the texture and in the instance of bump the 3D software, itself, calculates shade opacities for dents and cavities. 

But that's how newby I am. =D

You'd probably like Mod Tools texture painting setup because it still requires heavy dependency on inputting, organizing and aligning texture files.

I can't quite say yet rather I like it that way or the easy peasy way through a 3D paint specific program other than that there appears to be a whole lot more control over practically everything when it comes to old-fashioned texture mapping.

Ah, and mustn't forget the fact that you can go back to any texture layer and tweak at any time where as its all ctrl Z as far as the eye can see with something like Sculptris's paint setup.

 It would be nice if they made a plug for Photoshop and Photoshop clones to import models into it.

Hey, I was wondering, why are those texture files several megs big when you can download a thumbnail and get the same result?

This free texture site has some that are 3 to 10 megs big

 http://www.imageafter.com/category.php?category=fur
[
The only thing I can think is that some were done by amateurs not yet familiar with scaling and resolution?

](http://www.imageafter.com/category.php?category=fur)

 Oh yeah, forgot - airflamer reminded me, been using GIMP for making scaled JPEGs of PrintScrns that I want to show on the interwebs. =D

 Crap, man! That is fantastic!

Sculptris is good stuff - I make cool looking things on accident with it but feel I'm getting a better education doing most of it the hard way in Mod Tools. LOL.

Idealistically, though, since I'm not doing this stuff proffesionally, Sculptris is all I really ever need when it comes right down to it. 

I'm using the other modelers for the challenge of learning something new and also the notion that it could pay off if I were ever employed by a Pre-Press shop or Web Studio.

I'm still faaar away from doing something THAT good yet though. He reminds me a little bit of Ultraman. =D

Here's something I just started on. It was originally going to be the base body for a baby dragon but I'm wondering if just simply leaving it mostly as it is and turning it into a white blobby angel with a Smoo face.

Going to have to Sculptris the wings. Not quite sure how to get a realistic organic detail with a poly modeler just yet. 

 Yeah, Meshlab dumps out on me a lot as well. The 3D paint part of it is cool but the texture cloning feature only works once in awhile. I think it's still an early release though so maybe in the next few releases they'll get it to shine. =D

 I have Accutrans on my system but not sure how to use it properly. Probably the best way to go once I figure out what I'm doing with it. =D

 Hey thanks, man. You've just given me an idea for a thread. It would be cool to see what everyone uses!

 Zikeo, checked your portfolio, you really kick butt with this stuff.

Do you do this for a living?

 Ah well, until the next civilization digs this up from earth's ruins this is pretty much "Crash Art" for now.

 I've gotten rid of it now but I still don't know what this was meant to do other than making primitive shapes and typing at them in frustration and confusion.

Kinda like a chic that needs a graphical demonstration to practice her Dear Jon letters with.