Get to know.... Issue 3

Get to know.... An Interview with ShellyW

This issues feature interview is with Shellyw. Shelly is a clothing creator and she has been taking the Poser world by storm with her beautiful creations. Shelly creates for almost ALL of the popular Poser figures, and even some of the older ones that were popular way back. Shelly has a style that is as unique as she is, and because of this - you can be sure to get great looking creations from her with every new release.

Tell us a little bit about who you are. Where did you grow up, family, artistic background, job.

I'm Dawn Michele Webb aka Shellyw. I grew up pretty much all over the world. My dad was in the army and was stationed in Germany were I was born. We moved to Georgia, were my sister was born then back to Germany again. After that we went to Texas for a bit. When I was 5 my dad got discharged, he decided he had had enough after 11 years and we moved to Colorado. We stayed there until I was 11 yrs old and the company he was working for was starting to lay people off and the family moved to Eastern Kentucky were both my parent pretty much grew at when they were kids.

I have been here ever since with a few side trips of moving out of state ( Michigan and South Carolina ) when I graduated high school and once when I was married. I got my artistic talent from my dad, he though wasn't actually an artist he could draw a house plan up from scratch with paper and pencil. :+)

How did you get started in Poser?

Actually I was working with graphics using Paint Shop Pro designing linkware graphic sets. One day I was cruising around the internet and I found Bryce 2 and that was when it was from Metacreations. So I did a search and found the program and dabbled a bit in it but the images were lacking something. Finally decided what they needed were people and that is when Poser came in to play and I've been hooked ever since.

How long have you been working as an artist, and how much of that time have you devoted to CG art?

I  have been dabbling in some form of art since I was kid. I used to draw with pencils, pens and the like instead of doing my homework. I took an art class in high school as well. I loved learning how to draw still life, whether it was bowl of fruit or a person.

When I got my first computer I started making art with PSP 5 and I made OE stationary, themes, and other odds and ends. I joined PSP groups and took classes and even won a contest once. :+)

When I started with Poser back in 1999, I think that is the correct year, not 100 % sure. I started modelling because I really wasn't any good at making textures at all. I really hate seams and they don't like me either. I spend most of the time that I'm on the puter on doing something with Poser nowaday. If the computer is on then Poser is loaded up and ready to go as well.

How long have you been interested in 3D Modelling and art? Do you see yourself more as a "modeller" or as a texture artist? Why?

I've been doing Poser art for awhile and I love it and I don't get to do as much as I would like to anymore. I find most of the artwork I do lately is for promo purposes. I'm a modeller by choice because to me it is the easiest part of the process. I can do textures but I don't do them as much as I model. The last year or so I have found that most of my projects I just do the modelling part and I get a collaborator to do the textures.

Do you specialize in any certain type of products, if so, what are those products?

I mostly make clothing, I prefer making clothing over anything else. I can do characters/textures, props- such as jewelry and furniture when the mood strikes me. I've also can make clothing textures but I prefer not to. Making, rigging, and morphing clothing and getting to the final results is what I consider the fun part. What the main thing I would give an arm and a leg for is to know how to make hair. No matter how hard I try I always fail but I'll never give up because one day I will get it! LOL

Where do you get the ideas for the items you create?

My ideas come from everywhere. People ask or request a certain item, I will try and make if I can. I get ideas from the internet, everyday clothing, catalogs or perhaps a picture I saw.

How do you choose the partners/artists you team up with?

Guess the best way I have found partners was to advertise that I wanted to work with. If someone replied I would check out their galleries and stores to see if there work was something I liked and if it was I would bring them into the project.

Would you give us an inside scoop on what is next on your agenda for Poser?

More clothing of course. Right now I'm trying to get some of my available stuff and converting them for the new G2 females as well as for Miki 2 and TY2. I also have some plans on expanding my clothing by trying to get some out for the males as well.

What is the story behind Shelly's Design?

Shelly's Designs is the name I came up with when I was doing linkware graphics. So instead of finding a new name for the 3d stuff I just stuck with the one I had so as not confuse people or myself! LOL

How important is it to be a part of the ContentParadise mass market Poser mall thru your CGO Vendor store?

Truth to tell I really never did like CP until I actually joined CGO and they partner with them. Now I can go to CP and see my stuff there as well I get a little excited. To me the more places I have open to me to sell my stuff the better oportunity it is for my products to be seen.

What software are you currently using to create your products for your store here at CGO?

I use Hexagon to do my modelling in. It's so much easier, alot more fun creating in it than any other program I have ever used or tried. It's user friendly and has lots of little handy tools in the program itself. I haven't learned them but any new program you purchase takes time, patience and lots of practice to learn.

What is your workflow in the development of content? How long does it take from beginning to end?

Workflow starts with the idea of something I want to make. Sometimes that comes easy and others I'm banging my head against the wall trying to think what to do next. When I get the idea I open up hexagon and start figuring out the best plan to get it to come into shape.

When it's all done, I bring it into uvmapper pro and map it out. Sometimes I do all the mapping then and other times I have to work at it later. To me the mapping take a bit longer cause I want the mapping to look good. Without a good template the product ain't gonna be worth nothing if no one can make textures for it ya know.

I use AGE (Auto Group Editor ) to group my objects and occasionally I will have to manually fix a few areas here and there because AGE is not perfect. After that is when I will start making my cr2's , getting it all rigged up and making sure all the necessary part work. Sometimes I will have play with jp's and stuff and since I have played with them enough I'm getting faster at fixing them. The last thing I do though is the morphs, they do not go in until the mesh is solid, the mapping is done and the cr2 is final.

Then once I have looking good in poser then I can start textures on them. Lately though I have slacked down on doing them since I don't like making them that much. I can get an outfit done in a few days or two weeks depending on who it for, how many pieces are in it and how easy or simple the project is. This only counting my time, it doesn't count in the testing time or time if I have to do any fixes to do.

Do you have any favorite artists, or other vendors in this area of creation that have inspired you?

Alot of artists and vendor inspire me, I can't name just a few but if I started listing the names I would fill up a couple of pages. I can say though that my becoming a vendor goes to a few wonderful people over at RDNA who beta tested my first ever modeled outfit for LaRoo. That was in December 2003 and as you can say the rest is history. :+)

Now, for the ten million dollar question that we have ALL been asked from time to time...... Did you ever think that you would be selling your creations in an online store for others to use in their own Poser or DAZ Software?

not in a million years but I'm glad that other people can find the little things I make for my enjoyment, and put them to good use. :+)

How do you come up with your images, and what programs do you use in the creation process?

The images I do tend to be made with stuff I have just picked up in the store and I wanna play with my new toys. I render them in poser and then I either take them into psp or ps to do a little postwork on them and to add my watermark.

Which is your favorite genre?

My favorite genre is anything sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal. I love otherworldy stuff and it's the type of things you can not find in the real world. I get enough of that so I like to let my mind and imagination float away from it.

What are your artistic goals?

Right now besides making content for poser I read alot of books and have recently found a new outlet for that, Ebooks. Course the ones I read aren't for those 18 and under. Some of the online ebook publisher use poser artists for making ebook covers. I'm currently trying to break into that area and expand my portfolio.

How long does an average piece take you?

An image can take me all day or up to a couple of days depending on the image itself.

How would you describe your "style" of art?

I don't think I really have a style yet. I just do what I feel like doing at the moment and go from there.

What characters/figures, or other Poser or DAZ related items are your favorites to work with?

My favorite character to work with so far to date is the Aiko 3, There is just something about that girl I just adore. She can be so versatile. She is not only to be used as an anime, for which she was designed, but I think she does realistic pretty good as well.

What kind of education did it take to get you where you are today?

Everything I know about computers, poser and the artwork I do I learn on my own and just by trial and error

Which 3D software do you prefer to use? Which would you recommend to a beginner?

I prefer my hexagon and poser software or anything I have installed on the computer. They are the ones that get the most workout outta everything I own.

I use Poser 5 for most of my work but I do have P6 and P7. If someone is gonna want to try 3d there is Daz Studio which can be found for free at Daz but if they are wanting to be content creator for 3d their best bet is to start with Poser. D/S is good from what I hear from other users but having been a die hard poser user all these years I still prefer it over D/S.

Can we find you in print or on the web?

Can't find me in print that I am aware of but I do have a few personal websites that I have designed to show off my interests. I also have a store at PP, 3D Commune, Renderosity, and CGO.

shellysdesigns.biz/

3ddigitals.shellysdesigns.biz/

coverart.shellysdesigns.biz/

Any Last words?

As long as I continue to have fun doing what I do I will continue doing it. So lets hope I never get bored with it! LOL

Thank you Shelly for taking the time to answer the questions and for sharing your talent with CGO! We wish you many more years of success in the Poser Universe.