Chapter Summary
This chapter explained how to work with figures in the Pose Room including moving figures within the scene, and changing figure parameters and properties. You can use several menu commands in the Figure menu to alter a figure’s height and style. You also learned how to select body parts in the Document Window and in the Hierarchy Editor. This chapter also showed you how figures can be edited and posed within the Pose Room using the Editing tools, the parameter dials, and several menu commands in the Figure menu, including Symmetry, Set Limits, and Auto Balance. Inverse Kinematics was also explained briefly and demonstrated.

What You Have Learned
In this chapter, you:
• Selected and moved figures about the scene and aligned the current figure to the floor.

• Saved a specific pose using the Pose Dots.

• Changed a figure’s properties, including its name and visibility.

• Altered the figure’s height and style using menu commands.

• Selected various body parts using the Actor list in the Document Window.

• Moved, rotated, twisted, scaled, and tapered figure body parts using the Editing tools.

• Changed body colors using the Color tool.

• Used the View Magnifier tool to zoom in on an area in the Document Window.

• Changed a figure’s body part using the parameter dials.

• Used the Symmetry, Use Limits, and Auto Balance Figure menu commands to control a figure while being posed.

• Learned how Inverse Kinematics can be used to position parent objects by moving their children.

• Used the Chain Break tool to prevent movement beyond a specific joint.

• Used the Hierarchy Editor to select, hide, rename, and re-parent scene elements.

Key Terms from This Chapter

• Actor list. A list at the top of the Document Window that lets you select a specific body part.

• Body part. The defined pieces that make up a figure.

• Child. The following object in a hierarchy chain. Child objects can move independently of the parent object.

• Editing tools. A selection of tools used to manipulate and transform scene elements.

• Element. Any scene object that can be selected, including body parts, props, cameras, and lights.

• Figure. A character loaded into Poser that can be posed using the various interface controls.

• Figure Circle control. A circle that surrounds the figure and enables the entire figure to be moved as one unit.

• Genitalia. Male and female sex organs that can be visible or hidden.

• Hierarchy. A linked chain of objects connected from parent to child.

• Inverse kinematics. A unique method of calculating the motion of linked objects that enables child objects to control the position and orientation of their parent object.

• Library. A collection of data that can be loaded into the scene.

• Origin. A point in the scene where the X, Y, and Z coordinate values are all 0.

• Parent. The controlling object in a hierarchy chain. Child objects also move along with the parent object.

• Pose Dots. An interface control used to remember and recall a specific figure pose.

• Rotation. The process of spinning and reorienting an object within the scene.

• Scaling. The process of changing the size of an object within the scene.

• Symmetry. A property that occurs when one half of an object is identical to the opposite side.

• Tapering. A scaling operation that changes the size of only one end of an object.

• Translation. The process of moving an object within the scene.

• Z-Buffer. A portion of memory whereby each of the element’s distance from the camera view is stored.

Kelly L. Murdock has more than 15 years experience in the computer graphics arena, especially in the area of 3D graphics. Included in the experience is a variety of tasks from high-end CAD product design and architectural pre-visualization to virtual reality and games. Kelly is best known for his international best-selling books on graphics including the 3ds max Bible, Illustrator Bible and Naked Maya. He also is the author of Poser 6 Revealed and Poser 7 Revealed as well as Edgeloop Character Modeling for 3D Professionals. Kelly currently works as a freelance designer for Logical Paradox Design, a company that he founded with his brother.