Maybe we're all fans of the transgender genre?
In the fanart section of misfile there's a picture of several boys-turned-to-girls talking about their origins. I wish Ranma was there somewhere.
As for the pictures:
I use
Poser 5 for the most part. There are literally hundreds of free models floating around internet, and a lot of costumes can be built by piecing together models from various sources. Sometimes I model (using 3ds495, the 1995 version of 3dsmax) my own clothes, hair, and other props. In extreme cases I go buy the model (gloves, for example, are next to impossible to find free), or request it from someone. The base bodies for both pictures, for example, were bought from
daz and
RO.
After I put all of it together in poser, I try to edit the picture in Paint shop pro to make it more anime-like, add shadows, color, background, and whatever smoothing necessary. I also use PSP for creating eyes and textures and other small details.
"So Igor wasn't kidding. Most people just ensure they won't die cold and alone by making friends...I gain superpowers and have mysterious voices tell me I did a good job. My life is a goddamn mess."
-- Minato Arisato, My Life is a Goddamn Mess