Cover Art and Computer Graphics

**Radthorne** · December 19th, 2005, 10:14 PM

Wait, I wasn't done with snowglobes...

Now look at what those naughty elves have gotten up to... Methinks Santa may be a tad late this year...

**Radthorne** · December 22nd, 2005, 11:10 PM

As often happens, I come across something in particular that sparks my imagination, and a picture starts coming together... In this case, it was this neat bridge. As soon as I saw it, this image began forming in my mind.

**Radthorne** · December 24th, 2005, 11:30 PM

Ok, so this image would have been better at Halloween rather than at Christmas, but there you go...

**KatG** · December 30th, 2005, 10:25 PM

I don't really like the spider costume on her, but the face is striking -- very realistic and pretty. But what's really interesting is the woods background -- it's like a photograph with the colors dilated a bit.

**Radthorne** · December 30th, 2005, 10:44 PM

Actually, I think it may very well be a photograph. It came in a set of three free images from someone in France, for use as backdrops for renders like this. I think they're very likely all photos that have been heavily touched up in Photoshop. I found the lighting of the image to match nicely with the girl's skin tones.

The model is a variation of the base Victoria 3 model, with a lot of extra "dials" for controlling the head and face. I played around with one a particular texture set until I got an interesting "look."

And whatcha got against spiders?

**KatG** · December 31st, 2005, 11:52 PM

Absolutely nothing against spiders. Love them, in fact. But it looks a bit like a cheesy Halloween costume. Of course, she could be a sixteen-year-old in a costume, out by herself in the woods on Halloween night. Oh dear...

**Radthorne** · January 1st, 2006, 01:15 AM

That's it! I have a spider model... I just need to enlarge it, add it in the background, and have it sneaking up on her... ("Ah, an evening treat...")

**Radthorne** · January 1st, 2006, 02:11 AM

In honor of Memoirs of a Geisha, which I saw this week, I offer the following, with a character who looks a little bit like Sayuri...

**Radthorne** · January 3rd, 2006, 12:17 AM

This one I decided to call "London Street"

**KatG** · January 3rd, 2006, 09:11 PM

It's Sienna Miller! Seriously, does the wife know you bought the black lace top unit? My favorite of the single women poses I think remains The Airlock one.

**Radthorne** · January 3rd, 2006, 09:45 PM

You should see some of the stuff I create at home...

So what in particular about the Airlock one strikes your fancy? (so that I know what sort of things I should be concentrating on...)

**Radthorne** · January 6th, 2006, 12:13 AM

Another one that I really like...

**KatG** · January 7th, 2006, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Radthorne

You should see some of the stuff I create at home...

So what in particular about the Airlock one strikes your fancy? (so that I know what sort of things I should be concentrating on...)

I had to go back and look, since I saved that image. Basically, it's the play of shadows and lighting -- light and dark contrasts, that the background and the figure and figure's face all fit in terms of detail, level of realism, the pensive look on her face, the way that the fall of her hair follows the line of her body. It's a good composition and it makes you focus in on her face.

**Radthorne** · January 10th, 2006, 10:45 PM

Thank you, that's good stuff to know. Just as with writing, it helps to have feedback on what one is doing right and where it's all going horribly wrong...