I use Xara Designer Pro, a vector drawing program like Illustrator, though it's lite version Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 365 ($49) can do this too - that's what I use to create the interior deck plans, and Hvergelmir as well. I otherwise use Wings 3D, a subdivisional surface modeler to create the models, exported as Wavefront OBJ format, imported the Poser 11 for rendering, only because it's fast. Then finish everything in Xara.

Here's an illustration, also done in Wings 3D, Poser 11, then finished in Xara, as a monster encounter in the adventure module - a Star Eater, this thing eats stellar plasma, but has a hankerin' for purfied starship plasma. The plasma it eats it can beam from it's mouth like a laser weapon and propel itself through space. It is found in a particularly empty of stars region of space, presumably this thing is eating those stars. There are also two massive black holes, also believed to have been created by this creature.

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