Sorry for getting this reply back a bit late guys. I've got several major health issues and wasn't able to reply back because of them and still am feeling very bad.
I've used a couple of different programs to do the art.
The main ones are:
Lightwave 11.6.3, GIMP with G'MIC (I do most of my filtering in it, Adobe Elements 8 (Most of my custom brushes are in it.) and assorted 3D resources.
Lightwave and the 3D models are the most expensive things used. My Lightwave copy is an old one one from several years ago. The 3D assets in each one run from $60 and up if I remember correctly, I think I git some of them on sale about 5 years ago.
Usually I do a render bring render into a graphics editor and apply filters and brush over it and the main image is the render or something based on it and the render is sort of rough guide.
I've used and do have other 3D programs and graphics ones.
If you want to get into doing 3D art based stuff send me a PM as that would be a very long discussion on where to start and what to get and common problems to avoid so renders don't look like plastic people, etc. Also the EULAs for some models can have restrictions and stuff to watch out for.
2 final things before moving on is that you can spend hours just on the render. If you look at the attached image the outpost. That took only about 1 hour-90 minutes to set up for rendering in a 3d program. (One of the guy's on the ProFantasy forum made the sci fi base model that I used.).Rendering it took over 6 hours. I think it was like 12 total. And the final result isn't that great.
The other thing is that you can tweak 3d stuff to do no realistic looking renders but that also is time consuming.
The other attached image is a render of a3D model. No postwork. It took me over an hour to adjust the model and so stuff with the textures and to play with render settings so that when rendered it would look like an animation cell.
Now some other options do exist for doing art that I have used and have recommended to others:
ComiPo! this program lets you do Japanese Manga art and you need no drawing skills as it uses models.
It has several add on packs and one is for Wetern fantasy RPGs.
Layered clip art.
This got brought up and covered in good detail in 2 threads on the ProFantasy forum.
The 1st shows some examples and talks about how this works and shows that you can do several different genres.
http://forum.profantasy.com/comments...cussionID=5796
The 2nd thread has a big list of books in it
http://forum.profantasy.com/comments...cussionID=5448
The EULA in those books does say that you can use the recorded art you make with the PSDs for games, projects, etc. so
I'll do some work on image over the weekend. I have a female half-orc in good sensible armor and a female magic user to finish up.
Removing the grey background won't be a problem.
An effect on the weapon is something I'll mess with when I'm feeling better. I have a set of Photoshop brushes I bought just designed to do spell and magic effects.