I see that Abalone has tutorial videos but they couldn't have picked a more frustrating format.  Why Flash?  I can't download it.  I don't really like the idea of having my browser open for 60 hours while I go back and forth.  Something wrong with MOV or WMV (well, other than M$...) or MPEG options for offline viewing?

Anybody have other tutorial resources?  Before gettin' down to business with the software, I'd like to be prepared - especially considering what I've read so far.

Thanks,
Robert

Try this one over at Dr. Geep's Poser University

http://drgeep.com/NPU/admin/mainoffice/FaceShop/FaceShop.htm

Aha.  Leave it to the ole' Doctor (who? Geep). ;)

Now I just wish the undo was rational?

Thanks, Acadia.

You're welcome :)

Took a bit of digging to find that because it's not "Poser". I couldn't find it on the new site so I went to the old one. I found it inside in Class Room 1.  It's pretty easy to follow. I managed to get up to the UV Mapper portion before it completely lost me.

Attached Link: http://www.abalonellc.com/watchdemovideo.html

> Quote - I see that Abalone has tutorial videos but they couldn't have picked a more frustrating format.  Why Flash?  I can't download it.  I don't really like the idea of having my browser open for 60 hours while I go back and forth.  Something wrong with MOV or WMV (well, other than M$...) or MPEG options for offline viewing? > > Anybody have other tutorial resources?  Before gettin' down to business with the software, I'd like to be prepared - especially considering what I've read so far. > > Thanks, > Robert

Robert,

some of the videos on abalone are wmf format. (swf plays also fast on all the computers I tried on - maybe your flash needs to be updated?).
http://www.abalonellc.com/watchdemovideo.html
Additional info on abalone includes downloadable manuals as pdf files.
Best,
Laslo

Hi Laslo,

It's not that I can't play them in my browser but I'd rather have them locally to examine at my leisure.  Unfortunately, my time will be intermittent between using FaceShop and doing actual work. :)

The included tutorial PDF was very useful and I've already pulled out le guillotine and cut off some Poser figure heads to receive the morphs and texture maps.

One question if you don't mind:  Is there any way to combine the results of several photos taken from different angles?  I would imagine that the more angles, the more accurate the resulting 'molded' geometry would be.  For instance, I have ImageModeler which uses photogrammetry to create 3D models from multiple-angled photos.  It could actually be used to do similar things as FaceShop (and has) but its downside is that quality conversion requires almost ridiculous numbers of correlated reference points between the set of photos.

Quote - Hi Laslo,

It's not that I can't play them in my browser but I'd rather have them locally to examine at my leisure.  Unfortunately, my time will be intermittent between using FaceShop and doing actual work. :)

The included tutorial PDF was very useful and I've already pulled out le guillotine and cut off some Poser figure heads to receive the morphs and texture maps.

One question if you don't mind:  Is there any way to combine the results of several photos taken from different angles?  I would imagine that the more angles, the more accurate the resulting 'molded' geometry would be.  For instance, I have ImageModeler which uses photogrammetry to create 3D models from multiple-angled photos.  It could actually be used to do similar things as FaceShop (and has) but its downside is that quality conversion requires almost ridiculous numbers of correlated reference points between the set of photos.

Yes, the "Refine" feature allows you to model using front and side images (the texture will be derived from the first image used).
Some people go further: they create several different morphs using several different photos of the same person. They than load all these morphs (in Poser or D/S) and using the dials "dial-in" the differentrmorphs at different dials, almost like a mixer.
Laslo

How far off of 'front' and 'side' can one go with the source images? :)

Quote - How far off of 'front' and 'side' can one go with the source images? :)

With the first (front) you can be 3/4 profile, no problem.
With the side it is best to have a full profile.
Not all photos will work!!!
Laslo

Ok, I'm gonna ask a REALLY stupid question.
When you get to the part where you start to outline the left eyebrow:
After outlining the eyebrow, how the heck do you get the line to release?

Right click finishes the lines (WIN) or double click (Mac).
Laslo

Ahh yes, thanks, I finally figured that out, but what confused me was it says "right click to skip"

Cool. Yes, "righ-click-to skip" also applies at the "dots" to skip points, or on the "curves" screen to skip extra lines.
Laslo