Hello and thank you for looking at my post and I apreciate any help or thoughts you may have about my idea. Im asking because i know there are so many options out there on ways I can do this and dont want to make the wrong purchases and such.

I have wanted to make a comic (like a webtoon) for some time now and want to do it from one of the many stories in my head. Even though I feel myself to be a good artist i have never been good at getting whats in my head on paper to well. So im considering something like Poser or a draw anime like program using 2d looking 3d renders using a form of cell shading (think RWBY or the CG appleseed movie). I think I can make my characters and use them directly, or use stand in characters to simply get the poses I can then draw from. But at that point it may be best to use my 3d made characters and ust do the comic in that form.

Like I said at the start Im looking for ideas on how I should go about this. What program or programs might I need to achieve this look and are 3d characters and such from program A compatable with program B. (something from Daz 3d working with poser and such). I hope I asked my question clearly enough and I am sure similar questions have been asked before (and I am looking at the forums here for this sort of topic), but I wanted to get this ball rolling so I can possibly take my proect to the next level soon.

Again thank you for looking and helping me with suggestions and such.

I suggest giving Daz Studio a try since it is free. They also provide enough free models/assets to get a good feel for the program. Do a search on the Daz3d website for "toon shaders" and it will give you the results for a few products that can produce 2D style renders. I have the Sketchy toon shader product, and it works good for me. The OSO toon shader also looks interesting, although I have yet to try it. ( Toon/comic renders, especially 2D style, aren't really my thing.)

I can't really help you much regarding Poser. The last time I used it was over 15 years ago, and only for an hour or two.

I would suggest you start with freeware art programs and just start creating. There is no reason to spend hundreds of dollars to get started. Later down the road as you learn what you like, and which direction you want to go, then you might want to invest in something. But, not really necessary. Just start creating and post it, don't over-think the process. There are plenty of free programs like: Gimp, Inkscape, PaintTool SAI, and best of all Autodesk has made Sketchbook free now.

So.... create something, a single panel, something simple, and plunge into the pool. As your skill grows, so will the complexity of your work.

I really like the previous suggestions ... but I've been using CG (2d and 3d) apps for 20 years or more (over 30 for 2d) and this is what I use: Poser (11 has great comic book rendering features!) and Clip Studio Paint. Primarily. I also use Photoshop (Gimp is a good free alternative) and sometimes Adobe Illustrator. Now DAZ is good for 3d figure work and as mentioned free. I just wanted to let you know an oldster was using. Have fun. That is the most important.

Thank you all for the replies and i think i may as suggested play around with Daz for a bit to get a feel for how 3d models work and move and possibly start some more advanced story-boarding from my super washed down art, then possibly go to the more advanced poser. I was considering MOHO by the same creators of poser but its even more expensive and seems so much more based around animation abilities and that's just not what i'm going for in a comic thing. As for other programs I already have been using Photoshop for a few years for simple things, and as of recently tinkering with more in depth options.

Also I am considering seeing if i can get someone to help me make some 3d models of my characters that i can use instead of my initial idea of just using stand in models and then re drawing my own characters. After all its easier to just use your own characters right off the bat instead of creating it 2 times separately.

I only hope that if I get this idea out of my head i dont get it pulled for being a Zelda fan fic. I know the Nes gods tend to get angry at their stuff. Im doing this story in my head to get used to things before i attempt to move on to my other ideas.

Again thank you for your replies and feel free to keep them coming.

Livebyhonor posted at 8:17PM Tue, 21 August 2018 - #4333895

then possibly go to the more advanced poser.

I'm pretty sure some DS users would object to the idea that Poser is "more advanced," esp. since DS comes out with new toys faster (like dForce). What it really boils down to, IMO, is which app you feel most comfortable using.

My goals are similar to yours, to make images for a web-based graphic novel, and after playing with DS and Poser I chose Poser for several reasons, including (a) I prefer the interface (which I've customized to my liking); and (b) I like that I can easily open and edit any Poser file w/ a text editor. I also just "get" how Poser works in a way I never did with DS. But that's about personal preferences, not which app is "better" for a particular purpose.

I was considering MOHO

When I first started thinking about doing a graphic novel, I got Anime Studio Pro (now MOHO) and I spent a lot of time learning it. But after a while I got frustrated with trying to represent 3D space (characters in an environment) using 2D techniques. If my mind worked that way, I'd just draw my comics!

I find it SO much easier to comprehend the 3D environment, where I can position characters, furniture, walls, etc. and point a camera at them the way I would in the physical world.

Also I am considering seeing if i can get someone to help me make some 3d models of my characters that i can use instead of my initial idea of just using stand in models and then re drawing my own characters.

I recommend holding off on the idea of getting someone to help you make original models. Both Poser and DAZ Studio come with human figures you can use as starting points, and most of these can be customized extensively to become a wide variety of characters. Customizing these figures is SIGNIFICANTLY easier than creating and rigging an original human model. And it doesn't have to be expensive, either, as some figures have loads of free content available.

You can try both DS and Poser for free, although obviously you have to purchase a Poser license to use it beyond the trial. But SM occasionally puts Poser on sale for ridiculously low prices, so watch out for those.

If you're a Windows user, another option to consider is Reallusion's iClone. After getting fed up with Anime Studio Pro (now MOHO), I got Reallusion's Crazy Talk Animator 2, and if I were still interested in doing 2D that's the app I would've stuck with. But Reallusion doesn't make iClone for Macs, for whatever reason!

One last thing: if you happen to search Google for info on using 3D apps (or CGI) to make comics, you'll find some useful info, but you'll also find some rather heated opinions on the subject that tend to come down in favor of "traditional" methods. Don't let that deter you. The best method to create your art is the one that lets you create it the way YOU want it to look!

Good luck!