Poser Figure Artist Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased Poser Artist after first downloading the demo offered at e-frontier website. Here's a review of some of the features. The program is loaded with LOTS of goodies too many to really get into so consider this an overview of the most outstanding items.
After startup, the program is like an open book on the screen. There is a figure, `James' on the left hand side, which is the default that can be changed to something else. Below the figure are the controls for lighting, movement of the figure and camera. On the right hand side are tabs and choices for different figures, poses, clothes, props, etc. Even at the basic level you pick a figure, pick a pose, render the scene and start drawing. The figure `renders' in a beautiful photographic style. The rendered scene even on my laptop looks very realistic. I was amazed the first time I rendered a scene at the amount of detail and shading seemed life-like. I usually save the render to a jpg and open it up with the pc's photo viewer. I can then zoom in or out and see all the details.
There are several figures that come with the program, James, the male, Jessie, the female, a young girl and a young boy. James and Jessie both come with different ages, 30, 50, 75 as well as a `heroic' James and a thin Jessie. Also, which I like a lot are the skeleton and `stick figures'. I still do stick figure drawings to see the basic body movement, even after 30 years of sketching. There are various props included for the figures to stand on or by. As well as clothes and clothing items. As for the figures be all the same color, I don't find that to be that to be limiting since I know what other races look like I can easily change a skin tone or specific race feature.
I like the way multiple figures can be added to a scene. And the figures are in perspective. With the moveable camera angles and lengths you can setup scenes to show foreshortening and correct perspective. The figures can be placed so that they look like there is interaction between them. You can place figures in conversations, walking past or with each other. There is a movable horizon line and perspective lines which you can turn on or off.
One of the great features is the Poses. Several types are included from the classic poses, to common activities as brushing teeth. There are even comic book action hero poses which I found to be really fun to work with. It's an easy thing to freeze to figures in the middle of a fist fight and then sketch out the action. You have the ability to change a pose to suit what you're looking for. All the figures are easily moveable and move in a realistic manner. They have a center of gravity, if you move a leg, the hip moves to balance it self as real person would. This makes for much more realistic looking drawing. You can rotate the figure, move in or out. Move the camera around to various angles just like on a movie set.
There is tool where you can change body form. All the include figures are in excellent condition. With the `Magnet' tool you can make a figure add on the weight. This does take some practice to understand how it works, but I've created figures and saved them for later use. The poses will work with self created figures, but you have to adjust the pose for the new figure. All poses and figures can be saved for later. There an online manual and tutorials. I read the manual after working with the program some to learn more about how to do something. But basically once I started the program I found it easy to use.
The software has replaced my mannequins and photo references I've collected over the years. I can even print out a pose, but I usually just work from the screen since I can zoom in and get a better view. It's saved me money on finding a model or joining a class. I don't have to worry about finishing a drawing before time runs out. I can set down and do a quick sketches or a finished painting at my leisure.


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Poser Figure Artist software provides virtual 3D models allowing artists and graphic designers to draw, learn and explore the human figure and poses of the human body in 3D. Poser Figure Artist includes models with hundreds of poses and facial expressions, hair, clothing and lighting, plus is integrated with an instructional figure drawing guide to provide a powerful learning environment, with all the tools artists need to draw right out of the box.

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