Can anyone tell me how these pictures were done? I know I've seen this style somewhere before, but it escapes me. Anyone who has some insight into the process, please give input. Thanks in advance.
Very sharp observer! Do these programs require a great deal of artistic talent or does much of it come from knowledge of the software?
Steven Carnahan
There are all kinds of support and products available. Renderosity is a great source for free/fee models, clothes, textures, props, backgrounds and more. They offer tutorials on how to do things as well.
Depending on what all you want to do here is a breakdown of the three products IMHO.
DAZ 3d - least expensive, easiest to work with but has limitations. Doesn't need a real strong system to run.
Poser 3d - somewhat expensive, a little harder to work with but much more capabilities. Pretty high system requirements however I was able to use an older version for several years on a laptop and only found it mildly sluggish especially when rendering a very "busy" project.
Maya 3d - very expensive, much harder to work with but is used for professional work in movies. Also very high system requirements to really do anything with.
Glad I could help. I have used all three programs myself. I like DAZ for quick projects and Poser for more involved. I have been looking at that site a little more and DAZ would work well for something like that without breaking the bank. :)
When you want to get into animation or more complex work then I would suggest looking at Poser.