Attached Link: my fantasy novel for sale if anyone's into that sort of thing.

As a basilisk-like character appears in my novel, I'd like to add a 2nd vote for it!! (i.e., so I can more easily do an illustration based on that scene)

What do you mean? The term 'best poser art site' could mean different things ... best in terms of what? In any case, maybe you just mean what I take to be the obvious meaning, so I'm going to assume the following definition: Best Poser Art Site: A site on the www that shows the highest quality works of art rendered with Poser, et al. If that's right (or even if it's wrong), first let me say I'm very much a newbie. I just recently upgraded to Poser 5 after a long hiatus (i.e., I had used Poser 2 some a looong time ago). I tell you that because I know I'm no expert. Nevertheless, I've been hopping around some of the sites lately, looking at the galleries. In my opinion, based on this admittedly limited experience, you're already at one of the best 'poser art' sites around. Another one I really liked was daz3d.com, but you'll find many of the same works there represented here. If the above definiton was not what you meant, sorry.

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Not exactly wasted really. That was just my first thought, and I have since realized it was somewhat off the mark. Obviously, posing is a bit of an art in and of itself, requiring some understanding of how the human body works, etc., etc. Instead of lamenting, I probably need to review ... ;*) Thanks for listening.

Just one more thing. If someone can tell me where I can download a Trial or Demo version of Bryce 5 I would really appreciate it. At first glance, it appears that it is no longer available at Corel. Thanks again.

Image-wise, it seems to me that some get incredible results with Bryce and others get incredible results with Vue ... and vice versa, i.e., some don't get such good results with this or that. So I guess some significant part of it, as usual, comes down to how well you know your stuff. I will probably go for Vue simply because I downloaded the demo and do like the interface a lot. But I also think there's a good probability I'll eventually upgrade Bryce as well. Anyway, loads of thanks to everyone for the comments.

Thanks everyone for the comments, even those of you who were amused or a little put off by my naivete and my question. I will probably go for Vue, and I may even upgrade Bryce as well, but I am too strapped for money to do it now ... ;*( Thanks again!

Sorry to miss the Cool & Groovy ... Thank you.

Well ... thanks. I guess I felt the figures are sorta comic-bookish and that it would be better for sales if they were more photo-realistic. It's a truism in the publishing industry that lots of folks really do judge a book, especially fiction, by its cover, whether they think they're too sophisticated to do that, or not. Also, though it's hard to see at this resolution, the figures are not very finished. They're pretty rough in fact. The man's left hand is transparent (almost nonexistent), and both figures' feet and legs are not very well rendered. I also feel I got a little heavy on the red channel. Of course, my excuse is that I needed to go to press, I felt I was running out of time, and I thought it was more important to get the book out than it was to get everything perfect. However, now I'm not so sure. I've had several critical remarks about the cover, mostly about the figures, and, ergo, figured if the cover were better, sales might be better -- which haven't been anything to brag about. Finally, the cover might not be entirely appropriate for the book. Although it is fantasy in the S&S vein, it is of a more serious nature than most novels in this genre. I won't go so far as to say it is more literary, though it may be, but parts of it are fairly serious in philosophy and tone, at least a little more than most. A cover that reflected that might have been better. Maybe. I don't think my readers have been getting exactly the book they thought they were getting, and, partly because of the cover, I think more serious readers are overlooking it who, perhaps, shouldn't be. Anyway ... I very much appreciate your vote of confidence all the same. I may even stop dissing myself about it for a while ... ;*)

Attached Link: The cover art sucks, but please check out my book.

Yeah. Okay. I see it. It's not really there, but I see it. The 'art student' line cracks me up. Actually, I met, once (circa late 70's or early 80's), a very well known advertising industry illustrator who did a lot of figure work who put one or two circles in most all his work, in apparently random places, for no apparent reason. It was kind of like his trademark. Can't think of his name now ... Anyway, believe it or not, it's actually just an illusion of how things were rendered; there really is no circle there. But I do see it now. Thanks.

Thanks for the kind and helpful comments. I know the reflection needs a lot of work. It used to match a little better but I changed the figure (and her hair) since then and this not being based on 3d modeling, I still have to get the reflection back in sync. The GF suggestion is a very good one, as soon as I get one who can deal with the fact that I have virtually no money and spend nearly all of what little I do have, as well as nearly all my time and energy, on the computer ... (I know the ex-wife didn't care for these tendencies too much.) ;*( Anyway, I hope, when I get Poser, I'll be able to set something up and get a little better feel for the reflection. I didn't quite get the last comment about the 'circle' though. The lower back and especially the buttocks are not fully rendered yet. Maybe that's what you caught? Or do you actually see a circle? Anyway, maybe I'm on the right track. Hope so. Thanks again for your comments.

Okay. Here's what i'm working on at the moment. I call it 'The Next Frontier' -- that's my 'working title' anyway. This was all done in PhotoShop. No Poser. It has been an unbelievable amount of work, but that's just because I have to try to make up for a lack of talent. The original is very much larger. And, obviously, it's not finished yet -- (her hair needs work, her reflection needs work, her right leg needs work, etc., etc.) -- though I hope I'm getting close. Anyway, I've toyed with the idea of a series, and, thus, am hoping Poser might be of some use. This is, of course, Copyright (c) 2002 by Richard D. Farley, All Rights Reserved. (Thought I should say that since I read in this forum that some thieves from other sites think the artist has to say that.) Oh, and I usually lose perspective and think what I'm working on currently is the best I've ever done, so be reasonably gentle ... ha! Thanks for any *constructive* criticism in advance.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Wow. Some response! And in just a few short hours. Much more than I expected, and much more helpful and informative than I had any right to expect. I appreciate all the advice so far. It looks like I'm going to have to save the web page to my hard drive just so I can be sure I don't ever lose it. This is very helpful. You all make it sound very exciting, fun, etc. I'm looking forward to the learning curve, which I'm sure it will be since I have limited time to mess with things these days. Think I should I post something? If so, can I do it here as a preview? I don't feel quite ready for the gallery thing. Too big a step I guess. But I've got a thing or two in progress -- not quite finished, and definitely not done with Poser -- but would give all a sense of what I'm about. And I could definitely use some advice. What I feel I really need (beyond, in the near future, lots more Poser advice, I'm sure) is lots of feedback on design and composition. I have never really felt like I understand that stuff very well. And thanks again to one and all!!