Pose Software Recommendations?

[pixelsnplay]

Hi all! I've been on the hunt for software (preferably for pc) to create poses for my characters for referencing when drawing. So far I've found Design Doll and Daz. Both have great entry prices (FREE :D) but the learning curve on both is a bit high. I seem to spend forever getting the models on there to do simple things like sit and look up with arms folded. Does anyone else have any software suggestions? Or tips on how to be a better user of either software?
Thanks in advance!

[joannekwan]

While you can't type in a pose and have the model reflect it, there are a bunch of poses on posemaniacs that should have most of your bases covered.

[SethJH]

I tried designdoll once but it was kinda weird. Personally, I use blender but that's got an even higher learning curve. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting out pose tool, but if you want to learn more about 3D rendering and characters, it's a good start. The upside is that it's 100% free, works on PC/Mac/Linux. The downside is that it's a full-fledged 3D modeling package which requires a good deal of learning and experimenting to get fluent at using it for pose reference. You would also have to either model your own character (which can take days), or find a free basic character rig online. I use it not only to get pose reference for my characters, but also lighting and material reference too.

I suppose this isn't that good of a suggestion, but using 3D for reference is my thing so I thought I'd say something.

there are a bunch of poses on posemaniacs that should have most of your bases covered.

I used to use this site too. It's pretty good, but I always felt limited by the camera angles and sometimes they wouldn't have the exact pose I needed. All around though it was a good help.

[pixelsnplay]

Thanks for both! Yes- I completely forgot about lighting help too. That would be very useful. I don't mind going thru the manual and a tut but man is it annoying to push or pull too much and then an arm is inside out or suddenly twisted into some very strange and unnatural position. Probably there is a non-exorcism setting to stop that backwards head stuff but I haven't found it yet XD

[zoonland]

Hmmm... do you really need a software?
Probably you could use photo reference (even taking pictures of yourself, or find the pose on internet -there are TONS of website with posed models), or buy an Hot-Toys Truetype model like these ones. They have a lot of points of articulation (usually 38) and are very useful for artists (there are a lot of different models with differently shaped bodies). My brother uses them quite frequently and never needed a 3D program.
Then, you save time because you don't have to learn how to use a 3D program, pose the model, apply the lighting etc. .

[ErithEl]

I'm curious to hear what people use as well...I've only worked with Daz and, you know, taking pictures of myself.

@zoonland You definitely don't NEED it, but sometimes it does really help. I guess it depends on the type of comic, perhaps? For example, I once needed a pose reference to an overhead shot of someone carrying someone else over his shoulder...I definitely would not have been able to do that by taking a picture of myself and I couldn't find the right pose by just trying to look it up.

Daz does have a bit of a learning curve, but once I got a general idea of how it works, it's become super helpful, especially when trying to get poses at different angles.

[scythe]

I'm fond of Poser. It's far from free but it's really easy to pick up and and pretty intuitive. And it also has lighting features.

However, I always recommend this program with this caveat: posing refs are just another tool. If you don't already have a firm grasp on figure drawing (gesture, proportion, perspective etc) then relying too heavily on them might actually end up either harming your artistic development and /or slowing you down.

[SethJH]

relying too heavily on them might actually end up either harming your artistic development and /or slowing you down.

I agree. I used to make frequent use of tracing 3D/photo references for things and it got to the point where if I was caught without 3D reference for a character I couldn't draw it for anything. Once I picked up my sketchbook and learned to take a more gestural and analytical approach to figure drawing, I was able to start making sense of how things should be shaped without the 3D help.

It's true I still use 3D reference frequently, but not to the point of "tracing". I consider it more as taking a reference photograph but of something that doesn't exist.

I suppose the point is then, that you should learn your perspective and anatomy well. Use posers/3d reference for sticky situations, or to help visualize something that "doesn't exist".

[zoonland]

I suggested photo reference and the Truetype model because pixelsnplay found difficult and complicated to learn and use a 3D program. Otherwise, I would have suggested Poser, or ZBrush

[pixelsnplay]

I don't think I need it and I am worried it could become a crutch but @ErithEl explained it better than I could. Some poses that require two people interacting are waaaay beyond my skillset at the moment. So hoping once I finish chapter 1 to take a week or 2 really focusing on anatomy and posing. Then maybe the 3d renders could help with more dynamic poses. ^^
So so far:
Poser
Daz
Blender
Design Doll
Zbrush
*Posemaniacs
* Truetype models
(Those Truetypes look pretty amazing - I saw a grey demo one before online and couldn't find it anywhere except as the base for superhero models. hehe I didn't want to pay the markup for the action hero stuff when all I wanted was the body )
Thanks all~!

[scythe]

I would love to be able to forego references more, and if I was a pro comic dude I'm sure I would, because, ultimately, they do slow you down in the end. And yes, they can easily become a crutch. But the reality is, I have a very limited amount of time in which to work on my comic, so whatever I can do to speed up the process, I do. Even if that involves tracing a quick and dirty outline to get me started. Basically, I'm looking for whatever way I can find to eliminate steps from my process. As it stands, if the pose is really dynamic, or the perspective is weird, it takes me less time to whip up a 3D reference and base my work off that then to start from scratch.

But hey, I'm probably in a bit of a different position than a lot of others on here since I first started learning how to draw figures correctly way back in the early 90s, which means I'm coming at this on the back of decades of drawing.

[SethJH]

Even if that involves tracing a quick and dirty outline to get me started.

Yeah I'll do that on crunch time too. Especially if the perspective is really wacky and I don't have time to map it all out lol. Any more, I feel guilty if I trace 3D. It feels like cheating. I suppose all that matters though is the quality of the finished result.

[scythe]

I understand that sense of "cheating", but I have to remind myself, I'm trying to make a professional quality publication in my spare time. And I REALLY want to finish it before I die. So some things just have to give. And it's not like I couldn't do it without the references. I know I can.

To me, what separates the pros from the rest of us isn't that they draw so much better than us, it's that they can draw at least as well as us (most often better), but they can do it much, much faster, and can maintain consistency at that speed. The other difference is, it's their day job. They have hours to do nothing but draw draw draw.

I have a full time job, an Etsy shop, other art streams I need to maintain, a young family, plus a seemingly endless number of things pulling me away from the the meagre time I get to spend on my comic. So yeah, if using 3D references is cheating, I guess I'm cheating. But at least I'm making the comic I want to make. That's how I look at it at least.

Also, the quick and dirty traces I do are usually done in a matter of seconds and are made up of a single line, hastily drawn. When I think of the amount of sketching, inking, colouring and effects that go over that line... well, lets just say, I sleep fine at night.

[SethJH]

I fully agree with you there, especially the sentiment that "I want to finish this before I die". I would say the past two months while working on my comic have involved more digital illustration from me than I've ever done before.

While professional art isn't my career just yet, I am a senior in college, preparing to make it my career. However, I'm aiming for the games and 3D film industry, not the comic industry. My comic, and other digital illustrations I do for my own personal gain. Even then- if you consider using 3D reference as cheating, then many professional concept artists would be in big trouble. I've watched speed-paint videos where they take photographs of things and "bash" it up to make something new instead of starting from scratch.