[Danny]

A New Year, new forum, new possibilities, new image.. let's see.. why not..

I've always been moved by nature's craftsmanship. Simple things filled with incredible truths. Feeling the universe functioning. This comes to me strongest when out in the open away from urbanisation. Far from the maddening crowds so to speak. Combing this overwhelming input of 'hidden' information with the creation of imagery would seem like a logical conclusion. However looking in the past I've never done all that much landscape painting for some reason. I intend to change that.



This image here is one in a series of many I plan on doing on the subject of the grandness of nature. The inspirations for this piece range from the cropfields of Southern England in the summer, to the music of Chicane.
At a certain stage during the creation of this piece, I realized I didn't like the clean look I had going. It somehow did not match the mood I was after. Decided to rough it up to resemble that old weathered photograph look. While this is just a test, I'm somewhat pleased with how it came out. Looking back at the 'original' clean version it occurs to me how unrealistically polished it really was. Grains, scratches and dirt are nice.
Anyway this image is a mixture of handpainted elements and modelled geometry. More 'embellishments' are to be added later. Something I do often with non commercial work (when there is no deadline to take into account) is to let an image lie around on my HD for longer periods of time. Sort of letting it mature on me for a while. Outputting it to paper, looking at it often without touching it, then coming back to it to finish it off with a fresh mind.

I hope the image looks ok on everyones monitors. I sure don't want to be in the Gamma nightmare certain forum members are in.

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[opticillusion]

...beautiful image.....just grand!

I think your objective was perfectly conveyed. The pic gives a real nice feeling of just the grand eye candy of nature. I think the girl is flawless, and fits very well into the piece. Great pose to her as well. Also the weathered effect is perfect. Sometimes people over-do it and it ends up looking too old and unrealistic. So the subtlety in yours is just right in my eye....excellent work!

[Danny]

oops.. forgot to mention that I would love to hear people's opinion on what I could add into the field. I have some ideas (fences, barnwagons), but wouldn't mind some outside opinions. And no.. don't say Mechs.

Opticillusion, wow.. you're fast. Nice to hear you like it. I was somewhat afraid of overdoing the weathering as this is the first time I stray from my usual polished look.

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[Sumaleth]

Woohoo, we finally get a look at one of the many pics Danny has in progress!

The picture is looking very nice, but I have some comments (and these are purely from a personal point of view);

. I think the girl looks too dark given that it's day time and she's standing in a wheat field (which would be very bright and reflective). Although she sometimes looks right as well, depending on how I look at it.

. I'd say that the mountains look a bit too detailed, or too contrasted, or something. They feel closer than they can really be, although again it's subtle. And perhaps that slight bending of reality is giving the image a slightly more intense feel.

. I tend to think that the coloring of the mountain needs to go down lower into the fogging, which to me feels too strong.

. And finally, I don't really go for the "roughing up" stuff. To me it looks like a rough scan of a painting (which may be what you're after?) rather than a piece of artwork.

Those are just some personal thoughts anyway.

As for what else to put in the field, I think if you're going to add something more then put it in the distance, and don't make it something big.

The feeling of the girl being surrounded by miles of wheat should remain the theme of the image I think, and a big, detailed item in the forground would tend to alter the balance.

So, in the far background maybe something like a tall water-tank would work nicely. I was going to suggest windmill, but I think it work look out of place and it's a little cliche anyway.

Or a big mech! Yeah!

Row.

[assa]

Quite a change from the first peek of this
picture you showed me in 1998 (yes, it's +2
years old hehe). What are those 'white' and
'grey' elements found in the weed?

I also liked the NON "touched by a noise
layer" version of this pic, cuz it's a bit
too grainy for my liking (some details are
lost).

But it's a nice pic indeed, looking forward
to the 'final' version hehe.

Keep up the good work mate!

Assa
-----
pro artist.designer




[This message has been edited by assa (edited January 04, 2001).]

[waylon]

Hi. Incredible! I see your work so rarely, but I'm always in awe.

For this piece... I really like the simplicity of the composition, so I'd avoid putting any extra features in. (like Sumaleth, this is just my personal opinion.) I really like the way all the grain and the girl's gaze drag you into the mist in the distance. The one thing that seems unfinished to me, though, is that the grain doesn't seem to connect to the mountains. If you extended the plane she's standing on a bit farther towards the mountains, and fuzzed it out with the fog, you could probably call this a finished piece.

Hmm. Looking at it a second time... I like the fact that you dirtied up the picture, but the dirt you used seems to be a bit too much of a cool gray, and it's dulling down the colors in the picture a bit much. I bet if you warmed it up a bit, like gave it a hint of sepia tone, it would look a lot better.

'tis all subjective though. Very nice picture!

[Frost]

Danny, wonderful to see you posting again and sharing your non-final work. I see you have grown in this sense.

I agree that the first impression that came to me was that noisyness didn't work, although I like the darker borders, as though shot through an old film camera... possible remove most of the grain/noise and adding one or two lens stains would be more effective, even darkening the outer rim some more... not sure, it's up to you. Definitely a nice style.

There is something wrong with the values in the pic I think as well as Suma mentioned... or perhaps my monitor is too dark, as the pic seems to be overall.

The wheat field ends abruptly, and the sense of depth is sort of ruined by it, and almost gives a sense of improper perspective with the high mountains. Maybe adding more field slopes in the foggy distance will help give a better distance cue.

In any case, I love the idea of the lone soul amidst nature... both in their beauty and splendor... nice work Dan!

(Hmm, that's a nice piece of...)(nice mesh!=)

[ZenDrag0n]

Wonderful image. I don't mind the graininess myself. I can't wait to see more of this series that you mentioned. Interesting have a lone girl in silk panties and silk haltertop or whatever those spaggheti strap things are called.

Ummm Add Crop circles? Just Kidding. It was the first thing I though of when you said English crop fields.

Seriously, I would go for more of a down angle shot, to bring the horizon up, so that it isn't midlevel. It always gives me a feel of bigger expanse, and I suppose that mostly even horizons just bug me hehe.

[OkkE]

WOW!! That looks GREAT! Almost like a real photo.. hope to see the end result soon.

[Wyatt Turner]

hot! can't say much more than that, or I'll look like a perv.

Nice art, simply put!

Looking for and idea in the field... looking like romance novel cover, a good one at that.
maybe a dude out there.

cool anyhow.
y@

[v1510nAry]

Amazingly wicked image ,
hair looks like you could put your hand in the picture and touch it

but can I just say if the Crop is swaying to 1 side shouldn't her har seem to move to 1 side which is a lillte mabye 1 or 2 or even a few strands of hair coming out the hair.

And the background
mabye A buring house (this would change the whole feeling of the picture) or even 1 of those croping machines oooorrrrr a windmill :P

.: | v1510nAry | :.

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[faustgfx]

excellent.

though your work makes baby faustgfx cry.



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sky high with a heartache of stone you never see me 'cos i'm always alone/ministry
the law of lead now reigns!@#!/earth crisis

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[beekay-]

wow.. i really really like this piece ... like the mood, lighting, etc... i think the mountains are a little to "visible" ... in a sense, as the haze or fog could be a little more dense.. and the old age look is working very nicely... i think if you added some broken down farm equipment in the foreground like out in a distance it would give this piece much more depth especially where the mountains are concerned ... they look very powerful ... the girl looks nice too, pose is good.. nice choice of attire ... only thing i'm lost on.. is, why is she standing out there? love this tho..

bk

[Rinaldo]

s...so much detail....


nothin to add 'sides I like it.

[Lajun]

wow this is beautiful Danny .. you've got some extraordinary piece of artwork here, as always.

I really like that detail of the wheat. It kinda seemes it'd take forever to draw one straw, that's great. And her hair is "hot"

As for that thing you wanted to draw in the backG, try something like a old barn full of wheat or something. I agree with sumaleth though, it'll work having only her there.


// Lajun
// www.le-gfx.com

[Ampa]

Very nice - but a few thoughts...

The colour choice seems a little odd to me - but then again this is quite an odd picture - girl in a bikini in a field of ripe golden corn, with snowy mountains!

IMHO the girl is too dark, and the shadows are tending towards a murky black. The sky is a little uninteresting - again a bit murky. If the corn is ripe surely we are in late summer so the sky should be brighter, more blue?

Ideas for the field... well why not add a touch of humor and hint that the girl is not alone - perhaps a glimps of an arm / leg in the middle distance.

Just ideas - overall thoug v impressive.

Hugz Ampa

[ceenda]

Danny: Well, much of what I want to say has already been said. It's great to have you posting here again.

The pic has a wonderfully crisp look to it.



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Nicholas Anderson
email: [email protected]
web: Flying Islands
-- affiliates --
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[Jim S]

Hey!

I'm gonna keep it short... I really dig your pic Danny... but... does this look familiar to you?


/Jim

[MaLoRuM]

****BUSTED****

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The Correct Procedure in The Art of the B*tch Slap: *Extend arm* *reel back* *twist torso* *stare opponent in eye* *twist back and release* :) *follow up with something cool to say*

[ceenda]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaactually... it's not a Threnody people.

The pic is a good reference, but it ain't a lift.

[This message has been edited by ceenda (edited January 04, 2001).]

[Visigoth]

Nice try, JimS and Malorum -- Danny would be a fool NOT to use reference. I use just as much if not more photo reference than Danny, and my pics don't turn our near as good. When something is Threnodized, it's obvious; When something's painted, it's even more obvious. Get a life.

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.

[Jim S]

ok... first of all I just sincerely wanted to say I'm sorry... and second of all: If this is what you can do with a reference pic you are a helluvan artist! It's really amazing, I'm astounded!



The rest of the pic is really ace too. I like the mood of it and the old photo look is sweet. I think the transition between the wheat and the haze is a little too sharp though. The mountains are as good as perfect!

/Jim

[above]

Danny! what is wrong with you! stealing a picture of my girlfreind without asking, I'm ashamed of you....tisk tisk

Nice pic, even with the reference.

[mjmcchesney]

Yes, Jim. Dan is one amazing artist.

Clearly you haven't seen his "Lara my love" piece...

[Visigoth]

...Oh my fucking god.

That's all I have to say...Stunning, truly stunning Danny...Keep up the good work. It's good to see you posting again.

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.

[Krazy]

......um....WOW
um...WOW.....um
What can i say, cant perfect something thats already perfect. The detail is masterful and the female...adds a very very nice touch to the picture. I have to say ive seen your works all over the net at different gallerys and always wondered who this danny guy was. and ere he is in the forum i visit all the time wow. i have to say one of my most favorite pics of yours is the angel one holding the pantys...the detail is absolutely amazing in your pieces. How long did it take you to get this far on the Wheat girl pic
WOW....um...WOW oh and whats your homepage

[Guy]

whoa great stuff

something i think would be nice to add is say an old, rotting wooden fence that only partly there. have it sitting on the right side of the pic.. maybe only 2-3 pillers still standing with some peices still barly attached to it. just a suggestion.

[spooge demon]

Danny, forgive me for doing this, I don�t think it will help you at all, but I will post it anyway just in case you find some value that I have missed. BTW my Epson is impressing me daily

My verbal comments, like you need any from me,

1 the fog, if it is being hit by sunlight, is pretty much the same material as the snow, and much closer. I think it should be a higher value to get the feeling of sun.
2 watch the really subtle differences in the radii of the anatomy. Yours seem to have the same very rounded feeling all over. Example, look at the shoulder that is being hit by light. The top of the shoulder blade is a faster radius than the deltoid, which you can really see in the photo. You have kind of generalized that into one shape. If you want to get really fancy, the deltoid is creating a cast shadow onto the shoulder blade. You would see this in a man, but maybe not here. They are the same muscles as in a weightlifter, just subtler. You gotta put em in. I know you are fanatical with the detail to care about such things.

3 The overall lighting in this situation is a direct top key light, a diffuse overhead cool light and a strong diffuse bottom warm light. The reference has all kinds of reflectors and fill tricks to it that have obliterated a lot of the anatomy. I screwed up her left shoulder blade, but too lazy to fix the jpeg. Don�t look at that! What I tried (unsuccessfully) to do is break where each major surface is facing. top of shoulders, in shadow of head is lighter and cooler. Vertical surfaces are darker. Downturn surfaces are warmer and brighter. You can really see this in the sphere of the hair. Also her upper right arm is a different plane than her lower arm, which is facing the warm light from the grass. This is the problem with reference like this. Take your own, then you can light it to show you exactly what is going on.

To those who think this is improper to use reference this way, it is not artistically. Artists have used photos this way since their invention. I have a lot of documentation on this if you don�t believe me. Photography has had a huge impact on art, in many, many ways.

If the photographer were to see this used in a commercial way they might not be too pleased. Depends on what Danny has in mind for this.

[Danny]

lotsa replies. Thanks everybody for their comments.
Suma; As I said on IRC, I think the reason for the girl being so dark has for a large part to do with monitor/gamma settings.
Assa; the white and grey elements are flowers/weeds, whatever grows in a abandoned field. It's a bit hard to make out at this small resolution.
Waylon; I'll definately be extending the field further into the distance. There is indeed too much of a harsh transition going on.
Frost; Would you say that the noisyness takes a little time getting used to, or?
ZenDragon; Cropcircles yes.. I thought about that one too, but quickly dropped the idea. Would have been a bit misplaced for this particular image.. I've always wanted to do one in real life!
Beekay; Why is she standing out there? Contemplation perhaps?
Krazy; sorry.. no homepage as off yet. Too lazy to get off my ass and set one up. (An excuse I've been using for too long now.)
Guy; exactly what I was thinking!
Ceenda; Thanks mate.. nice to hear you like it, you being such a wonderfull landscape painter! When will you do some more?
Jim S; hmm.. doesn't really look familiar.. ponder ponder... All kidding aside. I'm known for using reference when painting humans. I don't see all that much wrong with it as long as it isn't abbused in the commercial sense. I think of it as doing portraits without the models being present.
Spooge; well.. what can I say. How can I argue with a man who improves my image by such a factor. I LOVE what you did to the image. Your lighting is so much better. Especially on the woman. This is really an eye-opener. Interesting what you mentioned on the deltoids casting a shadow. I do indeed favour the more round shapes to the more angular (kinda like a Freddy Moore vs. Milt Kahl situation . I guess that can sometimes get a little in the way of the more subtle anatomy. it might also have something to do with how I paint (which is drastically diffirent from how you paint).
You're right about the reference shot and the abbuse of bounce-cards. Doesn't realy create a very realistic picture. I've actually stopped using such reference for this very reason.
Thank you for doing this repaint Spooge! I'll probably repaint the image to something a lot closer to your light setup if that is okay with you. It is so much what I was trying to achieve, almost like you looked into my mind.
As for the Epson.. I bought a 1270 myself back in november. Are you running any special art papers in it? If you're interested let me suggest trying Hahnemuhle's special Digital Art paper collection. It contains some really nice heavy weight matte papers with interesting surfaces.

Thanks all for commenting!

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[This message has been edited by Danny (edited January 05, 2001).]

[assa]

Dan : Post a 100% non zoomed snapshot of the
picture, like you did on the lara poster.
Cuz it's cool to see some non scaled details.



Assa
-----
pro artist.designer