http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/ paul-francis's gallery of images en-us 120 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/696695

Commercially-bought figure/props (Daz' Major Cache/Stonemason's Tin Can) and Photoshop trickery, custom light set up. Base render produced entirely in Poser 7; three masks were then made to isolate the figure, the cables and the background from each other. Effects then painted in by hand before applying motion blur selectively.

Free Stonemason prop cables.]]> Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:38:26 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/671689

Madrugada Eterna is a soul guardian; she has tattooed her skin with a multi-dimensional map of the journey she must make in order to move on to the next level of existence.

The figure (a commercially-bought model), foreground vegetation, water and rocks were all rendered in Poser 7. A 24-hour render, thanks to the water material, but worth the wait; this is the best water material I've ever created in Poser. Bit puzzled by the little square artefacts, but fed up with looking at it now.

I've done my usual trick of separating out the render into individual layers using object masks, so I could paint between, behind and in front of the different elements, although they were all rendered together initially. The background is a section from an older piece of mine, produced in Vue 6 and Photoshop.

The tattoos were created with some amazing free Photoshop brushes from Deviant arts called Clockworks by Chrissy79.

Hope you like it!

Yes, yes, I do know about refraction; I'm aiming for something more like an illustration than a photograph. Yes, she is a Vicky, but she's not (quite) naked, nor is she in a temple, and she in fact has TWO swords.]]> Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:20:03 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/668786

Well, not sure if this should be classed as 2D or 3D - but given that I spent about 3 times longer with it in Photoshop than Poser, I've plumped for 2D; hope that's OK with everyone.

The base 3D render was produced in Poser using commercially-available products - what a time-saver! I then used masks to seperate out the individual elements into their own layers in order that they could initially be given some atmospheric perspective and some depth of field. This separation then gave me the ability to treat each element individually when it came to Photoshoppping the effects. I tried it with some cracks across the vision of the viewer, but it seemed a bit too much.

Made use of some free brushes by various kind souls. I especially like the "Watch" brushes by Chrissy79 at DeviantArts.
]]> Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:27:38 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/667642

My take on a couple of commercially-available models, including one by CGSociety's very own Stonemason - a real time-saver!

Had to use some ingenuity to get Poser to produce a fake alpha mask so the figures could be separated out from the background in order to be able to paint the FX in the behind them(and in front), but it seems to have worked ok. Also had to manually create the atmospheric perspective, as I couldn't figure out how to get Poser to do it. Used Photoshop for the fairly intensive postwork.]]> Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:46:09 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/608422

Finally nailed this one. I wanted an effect of enamel-like colours and a detailed landscape. Been tyrying for years to come close to this piece.

Background is a Mojoworld render with Photoshop details. Figure is a 3D mesh exported from Poser, created with comercially-available products.
]]> Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:55:23 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/595920

I began with a straightforward Bryce 6.1 render, with 3 separate mask renders to isolate the back, middle and foregrounds. This gave me seven layers to work the effects into, so they appear behind the rear loco, but in front of the background, also between the locos and behind the front one, and behind and in front (in seperate layers) of the chains and pulleys hanging down. IBL lighting was used in the original render, with some atmospheric haze dialled in.

I'd like to point out up front that this picture was made with two commercially-available models with some re-texturing by me; I haven't therefore posted this piece as any kind of discussion point regarding 3D modelling skills, I am solely interested in composition, mood, lighting etc. and prefer to leave 3D modelling to those who are interested in it and far better at it than I will ever be.]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:35:48 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/591209

Trying here to succesfully blend two vastly different CG outputs; the figures rendered in Poser and the background, rendered in Mojoworld. A fair amount of post-render touch-up work in Photoshop to get the look I wanted. I also used this piece to teach myself how to paint an explosion!

The story was inspired by Bladerunner; the old human-falls-in-love-with-android scenario.]]> Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:02:51 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/585380

I was trying to make a procedural copper texture and ended up with pink porcelain - I just had to use it! A commercially-available 3D model customised and rendered in Poser, post-work in Photoshop. Not happy with the artefacts from the ambient occlusion.]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:26:04 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/578244

Trying to go for a wide, but shallow composition, like the effect you might get on a stage, also going for a spot-lit lighting effect for the same reason. Pretty pleased with the Poser render engine's results here, and the way the skin tones have come out nice and rich, like a painting. I like the non-CG look here. Post work in Photoshop.
]]> Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:32:01 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/576126

Or, "Careful with that Axe, Serafine".

Hi folks and a Happy Xmas to all.
Thought I'd throw my hat into the Poser ring, having seen a few brave souls try it here lately.
Here, I was deliberately trying to mimic the appearance of a diorama, or the box art for a non-existent model figurine, rather than a full-blown Frazetta-style painting. I used Photoshop for the finishing work and compositing of the two renders, which apart from being created in Poser were also rendered there too. I was going to put some box-art text over the image but couldn't get the right look, so I've left it off altogether.
I'm not a modeller, and have no interest in being one, despite being a real-world SFX modeller (on Red Dwarf). I am interested in aesthetics, composition and colour - I've read all the arguments for and against the use of Poser, but it has done exactly what I wanted for this image, and for me, the finished image is all important, not how you get there.
]]> Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:05:55 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/537736

Another go at a more graphical approach than I usually use. Trying to make the most of composition, balance and empty space.

Thanks for taking a look.]]> Sat, 08 Sep 2007 08:31:23 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/537728

Re-learning about graphic design, layout and lettering - trying to make some practical use out of Poser and Photoshop CS2.

Thans for taking the time to view/critique.]]> Sat, 08 Sep 2007 08:10:42 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/525771

I tried to make it as a Bryce-only image, including the light rays. However, apart from then having to create some new volumetric materials, I ended up with a scene file of over 120 megs....too much, I fear, it's 101 megs as it is. I also tried putting some human figures into the light beams, but it didn't work. So, I settled on Bryce rendering the scene (with soft shadows) and added the light rays in Photoshop. The floor texture comes from a model bought from Stonemason - why re-invent the wheel; it's exactly what I wanted.

I also had to come up with a work-around for the soft shadows...having them as well as all those reflective surfaces would have taken at least 72 hours to render, so I did two versions, one with soft shadows, but none of the shiny bubbles, and one with the bubbles, but with normal shadows. The shadows were then blended in from one version to the other. Neat, huh?

I can't explain the slightly blurry highlights on the bubbles at the right edge, but I love 'em!

]]> Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:52:39 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/493156

Trying to go for a 'painted' look with chiaroscuro. Post effects added in Photoshop; this is the first picture I've produced with my new full-size graphics tablet. Previously I've struggled with a toy one and can't believe the difference.

]]> Sat, 05 May 2007 16:51:57 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/461299

I wanted to learn how to create post FX on top of a plain render, so I've been on a steep learning curve regarding layers, masks and the wonders of Photoshop brushes, which I'd never previously heard of, let alone used. I finally gave up on 3D Poser hair and decided that the time had come to learn how to paint it by hand (with the help of some Photoshop brushes by Tammysue at Deviant Art). Also began to learn how to paint steam FX. Went a bit mad with the light rays though. Models by Stefan Morrell; figure props and morphs by AerySoul. Photoshop brush for the hair courtesy of TammySue; it still looks like a plate of spaghetti, but I think I'm getting there.]]> Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:27:02 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/457681


I wish I'd chosen a better base composition, but this only started out as a learning piece anyway, and kind of took over; the camera is tilted and it kind of makes the perspective look wrong in the foreground. I started this piece to teach myself a bit about post-production effects and compositing layers. One thing I definitely learned is how quickly layers can get out of hand and develop a mind of their own, plus, I'm sure they breed at night.
I only realised at midnight last night that I'd forgotten to switch the shadows on one of the main lights on, so had to re-do it. Then Bryce decided to crash 6 times, which is why I got no sleep....then I comped it before realising the Poser section had no shadows, had to re-do it etc etc.
Anyway, apart from the shadows, I've also learned the art of restraint and have redone the glowing red lights, I think they look better now.
The steam I wanted to add and found that I had a Photoshop filter (Eye Candy 4000) to do it on my PC all along; it looks ok on a picture this size, but doesn't scale up very well on the full-sized version, though, so I'm going to have to learn tp paint the steam by hand after all.
Technical stuff. The background, sky and buildings to the right are all one Bryce render. The building to the left with the figure were rendered in Poser along with the car, and then everything was composited in Paintshop Pro and Photoshop 7, which was used for most of the post work.
The original is 3000 pixels wide, so a lot of detail can't really be seen here, but like I said, I can't get the steam FX to look right at that size hence this small version.

Anyway, the credits - models by Stonemason (Stefan Morrell)and Moebius, figure morphs by AerySoul. I am no modeller, I don't pretend to be, I'm a painter, photographer and ex-SFX technician. I have nothing but respect for people who can model, but I just don't have the time to learn.
]]> Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:44:29 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/390689

"Ishtar, the smilling assassin."
A commercially-available Poser figure rendered in Bryce 5.5. ]]> Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:04:37 +0000 http://paul-francis.cgsociety.org/gallery/297211

Thought I'd post this; a scanned pencil sketch, coloured in Photoshop, which although it looks rough, I think is finished. I just got Painter, but having tried it, prefer Photoshop, which I've had for years, but never used. Basically, I've been playing around with 3D packages for years, but having seen some of the jaw-dropping stuff on here, realised that I should have been working in 2D all along. Anyway, just got a Wacom pad and tried it out. I've got a lot to learn, I know!
]]> Sat, 26 Nov 2005 21:51:24 +0000