So What'sHe Been Up To For The Past Six Weeks Then?

Another six weeks gone by without any post here - how time flies when you're having fun!

About 5 weeks ago I finished and released the DAZ Studio version of the Smart+ stuff - to be honest I think was getting a bit fed up with some of the problems I was having - there's a few stupid mistakes in the release (More on that in a bit...).

I then started looking at doing the promised update to the Poser version. But I wasn't really in the right frame of mind, and decided to put that on hold till inspiration struck again. (More on that in a bit too...)

What to do when the creative forces aredrying up? I do the opposite of most people - I start make another picture!

In my usual fashion I just started up the software, loaded a figure and started rummaging through my library loading props, poses, clothing, etc, deleting and undoing things hither and thither too, until something interesting started to emerge. As often happens the picture took over and told me what to do (metaphorically speaking - don't worry, I'm not stark raving mad!) The result was my 'Warrior Girl' [WARNING for the faint-hearted: Mild nudity and lots of blood!] posted at Renderosity, DeviantArt and ShareCG. Because ShareCG lets you upload several images on the same page I included a second image there to remind me of the way the picture developed).

Then I discovered that Reality was on sale, sufficiently discounted for even a cheapskate like me to give it a whirl. So I picked up both the the DAZ Studio and Poser versions - my first 3D hobby related purchase since Poser 9 I think? I'd used LuxRender before via the Pose2Lux freebie a few years ago, but didn't really have a clue what I was doing and gave up, so time to give it another shot. I'm occasionally getting rather impressive (to me) results - but more often than not the lighting's not working as I want (and that's not the software, it's me not knowing what I'm doing - despite having printed out and read the manuals, something I never do!) I'm slowly getting the hang of it and hope to post my first Reality/Luxrender image... sometime... maybe this year, maybe next.

Then I went back to the Smart+ stuff and got the two major fixes I wanted to do working. I also found loads of stupid mistakes in the DAZ Studio version - Poser code that I'd copied as comments and started converting to DAZ Script, but hadn't quite finished, the DAZ Studio props referencing completely the wrong materials, etc. I made a list and started working through them - that went well. But then ran into problems trying to include support for Anime Girl Kristen - nothing major, but just enough for me to think "Enough! Give me a break!"

So I decided it was time for another picture! One of the comments for my 'Warrior Girl' picture made me want to try an action scene with two figures locked in combat. I started with two guys in boots and combat trousers fighting with Asian swords. It was coming along nicely... and then I deleted the scene AND the backups!

When I started again the picture changed into a heavily tattooed guy in boots, combat trousers, cowboy hat, and automatic rifle, skulking in the foliage with ghostly figures around him. At least that's what it's like in my head - there's a long way to go on that one!

Anyway...

...I decided that I really did want to get this 'two figures locked in combat' scene started - and I wanted a warrior girl, a different one probably, leaping on her male opponent to deliver the final blow. So I loaded V4 and M4 into Poser 9, found a couple of great textures from my library and started playing with poses. I'd left the figures nude because I wanted to get the poses and camera set up right before deciding what armour and clothing to give them. But as so often happens, the scene took over and turned into something completely different - a Gothic horror, the stuff of nightmares - my 'Dreamgirl'...

...she's currently in the Renderosity 'Critique' gallery as a work-in-progress.
The other recent Gothic horror type picture, 'Le Cauchemar', which I've posted at ShareCG,DeviantArt and Renderosity, was just a quick aside I did (if you can call 2 days 'quick'!) when I came across photos of the sculpture of that name.

Anyway, that's where I am at present - trapped in a wonderful, shadowy, world of creeping darkness... unable to escape!

Sweet dreams!
Pete