"Mueen Nawaz" <m.n### [at] ieeeorg> wrote in message
news:42a3d0a2@news.povray.org...
> Hi,
>
> I've used POV-Ray off and on for 10 years, but only got a bit serious
> in the last two (serious=trying something 2-3 times a year).
>
> Right now I'm just trying to create shapes accurately and model their
> texture well for practice - not with any artistic goal in mind, but just
> to learn how to use POV-Ray to get stuff done creatively.
>
> My real question is, "Should I learn how to use any external software
> like JPatch to assist me in drawing my objects?". I've always assumed
> that this was a bad idea for beginners, but is it really?
>
> Just want the opinions of those who learned POV-Ray well - did they put
> off using such utilities till they felt they were good enough with the
SDL?
>
> Thanks.
>

I don't think it's bad. Whatever gets results that keeps your interest is
good. For some people, that is seeing what you are designing. For others
it's the elegance of a programming construct in POV's scene description
language (SDL) that creates something visual.

I started off with Moray, and tinkered in POV's SDL at the same time. Some
parts of Moray are great, but I got annoyed with making CSG shapes in it.
But the things I learned by using Moray helped make the transition to pure
SDL a little easier.

Now however, I'm going back to using visual tools like Blender for some
things. A lot of people use Wings3d. The use of external programs makes
POV-Ray sort of a collage program. In a collage you take elements created
elsewhere and integrate them all on the same canvas. But then sometimes you
paint directly on the canvas of a collage as well. I guess POV is both the
paint and the glue in that analogy.

I don't think there is any harm in using external tools. In the end, it's
all about doing what makes you happy.

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