Renderosity Artist and Vendor, Susan Justice [sveva], recently created a new tutorial for those just getting started with Poser. "Poser for Beginners" goes far beyond a general introduction to Poser, and provides a solid foundation for new users to work successfully with the program. With clear instruction, plenty of supporting imagery, sound advice and helpful tips, new users of Poser will approach the program with confidence.

Letting Susan introduce her new tutorial, what follows is a quick Q&A on her background with Poser and why she felt the need to create this new tutorial targeted for beginners. Be sure to also get to know more about Susan through a recent interview upon her receiving the Vendor of the Month award for March.

How did you get started in Poser? What resources were available to you when you were first learning Poser?

I was curious about Poser after seeing a few artworks on deviantART. At the time, I was doing a lot of painting and also using stock photography in my work, doing paint overs of photos, incorporating photos into my work somehow, but I thought it would be a lot better to eliminate the need for stock photos if I could render the objects or people myself and use them to paint over instead.  As a professional artist, I did not want to rely on the photographer/model to grant permission for me to sell my work. Many times I license my art to larger companies or publishing companies, so I need to make sure I am able to do so without breaking anyone’s stock photo rules in the process, and cutting out the need for stock models was one of my main reasons to really start digging into Poser, not to mention the ability to move cameras around and render from any angle, giving me a lot more possibilities then just a photo.

As for resources that were available, I didn’t find much. It went something like a friend told me clothing had to be conformed, I knew nothing about lighting, that was mainly trial and error and later on a lot more trial and error, not to mention hours of test renders and so forth. I didn’t know anything about keeping folder structure in tact, what you could and couldn’t rename in your “runtimes” – I was clueless – and I learned the hard way. I installed my purchased content wrong, I had no idea where I had put things, I ended up with a lot of “file calls” – it was a mess! I have come a long way since then!

As you have also written other tutorials in the past, what made you decide to do this tutorial strictly for beginners? Did you find available information and beginners resources lacking?

Honestly, I enjoy writing tutorials. I like sharing what I have learned and passing on some of my knowledge. I know how frustrating learning a new program can be, I know all the headaches that can go along with it, and I know what it is like to give up and come back to it. Poser is a really fun program, and yes, I did find beginner resources lacking in the past, and I felt I could explain it in a way that could be easily understood and not make the program seem so scary to some. The more people using Poser and making art, the better. We all need a creative outlet and this is something that just about anyone can learn, a creative imagination is all you need.  Poser allows us all to to be a bit more artistic in our daily lives. Will it create art for you? Of course not, it is just like any other program, it takes time and patience and it takes your artistic vision to bring it all together. Having a nice “how-to” or reference guide along the way just makes it that much easier. I get a lot of people asking me how to do things within Poser, and well, this is how you get started on your way to making beautiful renders with the gorgeous products that are available to us all in the market.

Your "Poser for Beginners" tutorial is outstanding. It is well written, easy-to-follow, and covers all the basics, as well as providing plenty of tips for anyone looking to discover Poser and use it with a clear understanding. Do you plan on following this up with future tutorials?

Thank you. Yes I am always planning out the next tutorial, thinking of what I can share with others and how to help them along. I welcome the input from customers and other artists as well. Feel free to send me a site mail with your suggestions/requests.

What do you love most about Poser?

The versatility. The results you can achieve after setting up a scene and tweaking it, moving things around, adjusting this, adjusting that, add some lights and watch your computer render your image. Poser is like any artistic outlet – after a hard day of work, relax, grab a glass of wine if you like, and just play. Its that simple! Maybe you won’t come up with the next big masterpiece that day, but you probably gained a lot from just playing around within the program, and it can be stress relieving to get artistic. I am a firm believer that art can help heal the soul. In my works people have always told me, especially on certain works, that they can see emotion or they feel something when looking at it, well then, mission accomplished! No matter how talented you are, if your audience can feel something by looking at your work, then you must have done something right. I love Poser because it helps me to achieve my goals as an artist, it helps me to finish my works and it allows me artistic freedom and gives me an outlet.

What other suggestions or resources would you mention for those just getting started with Poser?

I suggest deciding what you wish to do inside Poser and go after that small goal. For instance, today I am going to create a fairy render/image, ok, go after it, don’t give up too quickly, and look at it like any problem you have to solve. You can always save your work and revert back to that save, so go ahead twist it all up and figure out what those dials do, figure out how to move your props around, because aside from the tutorial this is a great way to learn, hands on, which is always encouraged in my tutorials. From cloth painting to lighting, I always encourage you to play, play, play, and get your hands dirty, really get into it and explore your program.  Be active in the Poser community, browse the galleries and get to know other artists. Check out the forums and ask for help when you need it, you might be surprised how many answers you get from people willing to help within the forums. See a prop someone has used and you can’t find it, or see an artwork someone did but you want to know more?  Just ask them.  Most of the time, people are willing to share a bit about their art. Ask nicely and you might get some pointers/tips to help you out, and of course, have fun.

Art should be enjoyable, and if you get stuck just walk away and come back to it with rested eyes and mind, sometimes that is all it takes. What are you waiting for? Get creative!

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