Computer Art

[alison]

Porn pics? Is this how you're spending your time these days, Kevin?!! And I thought this was a family site! GRRM notwithstanding. I guess I should visit more often. (I've been trying to write. It's proving difficult. As usual).

It doesn't look like a porn pic to me, just quietly, but a little perversity doesn't necessarily go astray...

[Radthorne]

Porn pics? Is this how you're spending your time these days, Kevin?!! And I thought this was a family site! GRRM notwithstanding. I guess I should visit more often. (I've been trying to write. It's proving difficult. As usual).

It doesn't look like a porn pic to me, just quietly, but a little perversity doesn't necessarily go astray...

Hey, there! Long time no see (er, hear... uh, read...). I understand the need to keep head-down and keys-to-keyboard. I have to get myself on a roll with the writing, and if anything knocks me off my stride for too long it's a royal pain to try get back up to speed. (Is that enough cliches for one sentence?) I used your name not-at-all-in-vain this weekend at Norwescon, as an example during a critique I was giving to a prospective YA writer. He was a little out of step with modern youth, and I cited your books as an excellent example of what young people are eating up in droves. He very carefully wrote down your name.

And, thank you for the little voice of support. Just to show that this thread does indeed go in for perversity in a big way, I offer up the following image. This was a special request from my wife Lise, which she decribed to me as we drove home from the convention this afternoon. As one can see, her mind is as twisted as my own...

[alison]

I hope the young man in question spelt my name right, or he'll end up finding one of my doppelgangers... But thanks for the mention, Mr Rad.

That's some pirate. In fact, I really really like that picture. I'm not sure if the monkey is too Pirates of the Caribbean - how about some other animal? - but I love the dragon captain.

[vicki_girl]

Ha-Ha! I love it!

I never have been keen on your monkeys though (sorry). They always seem a little too....plastic? And stand out from the rest of the picture.

[Radthorne]

I really wanted a parrot, but the only one available costs $17.95, which seemed a bit steep. So I settled for the monkey, since I already had him in the stable, so to speak...

[Hereford Eye]

It are 'mazin' how ya manages to incorp'rate yer favor-ite bell inna so many scenes! [That's pirate talk, you see.]
Interrogative, por favor: what is the roll across the bridge of said pirate's snout?



BTW, was surfing today and came across a lady, Judith Baratz, who does digital art as well as oils. Perusing her work, came across this one which reminds me of some of your work but especially of GW's avatar:
http://www.judithbarathart.com/input...Woodness_M.jpg
I admit the work's title fascinates me almost as much as the art.

[Radthorne]

Interrogative, por favor: what is the roll across the bridge of said pirate's snout?

Uhh, I be not sure, matey, of what ye speak...

While we all wait for the gimpy First Mate to elucidate... Here's an update to an earlier pic, with a new fairy and touch ups to lighting, etc.

[Hereford Eye]

Updated forest picture looks good.

As for the pirate, chalk up it up to an old man's eyes compounded by a corollary lack of concentration. What threw me was the bling over the eye patch strap. Was working under the delusion that the bling was the left eye which made the actual occipital ridge unintelligible. This morning I brilliantly interpreted the shadow above the ridge as the strap for the eye patch. See, there's hope for me yet.

[KatG]

Love the pirate dragon -- it's much better with a monkey.

[Radthorne]

There's nothing like curling up for an afternoon read with a good book and a little friend...

[Hereford Eye]

Damn, Radthorne, you managed to use your bell again even if meant having a knick-knack on the table with a doll figure walking off to nowhere.
Nice pic - like the picture on the wall as the picture on the wall.

[vicki_girl]

I really like this one.

Looking at the cat though, I see the same problem as with the monkey. They both seem to stick out from the rest of the pic and look a little plastic.

I pondered on this for a couple minutes, though. I think maybe that they don't look fluffy enough, like the fur is plastered down to the body. Is there a way to...uhmmm...."soften" the edges? I hope you understand what I'm talking about.

*sigh* I feel like all I do is criticise. Really, I like all your pics alot. I just live for nits....and the pursuit of improvement.

[Radthorne]

I really like this one.

Looking at the cat though, I see the same problem as with the monkey. They both seem to stick out from the rest of the pic and look a little plastic.

I pondered on this for a couple minutes, though. I think maybe that they don't look fluffy enough, like the fur is plastered down to the body. Is there a way to...uhmmm...."soften" the edges? I hope you understand what I'm talking about.

*sigh* I feel like all I do is criticise. Really, I like all your pics alot. I just live for nits....and the pursuit of improvement.

LOL! You've been going to the "HE School of Art Nits." But you're correct about the cat. The reason is that the fur is not "hair" like the hair on the woman is. Her hair is an actual model in and of itself, with the various curls being physical things to which a texture has been applied. The cat, though, is just a plain flat skin, like the woman's skin, to which a texture has been applied. Hence the flat effect you are seeing. It's why it's hard to replicate older people with the humans, since you can't "create" folds in the skin to replicate wrinkles; they have to be "painted" on the texture. As a result they also don't trap shadows from the light, reducing their reality quotient. But - I may be able to play around with at least the 'edges' of the cat in Photoshop. Let me try that and I'll let you know the results.

[KatG]

Love that one. In fact, it would make an excellent poster.

[Radthorne]

Love that one. In fact, it would make an excellent poster.

Thank you.

I've re-touched the cat a bit to soften the edges and give it a bit more or a "furry" aspect, and reposted it above. (Re-load your page or clear your cache if it doesn't change. Although the alteration was fairly subtle...)