121 appreciated, hope all participate

[Kitty]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200401/user_image-1073767919hpk.jpg


Too new to lighting, so could not add the other light to have the water reflect a bit of light back to the dandelion, so that the dandelion was just a tad bit more then a silohette. (? the spelling)

Would also like the good comments too :D

But learn best with all comments, even the unpleasant ones.

Thanks for viewing

Mandy

[Stonecutter]

First Mandy, I think you turned out an interesting image here...

Now a suggestion...
using the same size document, and 'Flat Color' material, import your render as a texture, and fill your canvas...
Now, using ZAdd off, and the 2D brushes, starting with low RGB intensity,
paint whatever light you want into the scene...
And although I've said it before, (and I'm sure some are tired of hearing it), the most important word in the term 'Computer Art' is 'Art', not computer... So study conventional Art first... Get books on Art and study painting, and your computer work will benefit... Don't study software, because that is much less important to a finished piece, than developing general Art skills.
If you learn painting techniques, you will learn:
Light and shadows
Defining forms
composition
color theory...
These are what will make your pieces work, not concentrating on computer software.

(And with the method I suggest above, you can do whatever you want to the image, including adding any details of lighting or form that you want...)

I hope this is useful to you...

:cool:

[zerebrush]

Learning by doing will work with software, too. The only difference: if you (the aspiring artist) want to, you'll have a far bigger audience watching your first steps then doing it the "conservative" way, and that would be
doing one step at a time, and doing the next step only if you mastered the step before.

I have seen ppl fail and/or succeed both ways.

[rtyer]

Bottom part still the place to beat.
The line separating the ground and the water is toooooo straight.
Mother nature couldn't draw that good even
without drugs.
Unstraighten it and rough up the water with smudge or little blur.
Two other things
1.Take the thing and add detail or change it to something else.
2. Not being insulting when I say with little effort the sci fi people would have spit on their shirts.
Show this to someone else and don't tell them what it is.
Ask them what they think it is.
Remember please, I am the banana guy that can't do eyes to save his life.
But in photography and painting the principal is the same.
You create the work and show it to the viewer,if you have to explain it, you didn't do it.
Good parts are the "camera angle", clarity, soothing colors,the feeling of serenity.
P.s. You know your in deep **** when they recommend books!!!!

[Northstarr]

Hi Kitty:
Well, I love the background, the colour blending is beautiful. The whole concept is different and interesting. I agree with Sronecutter regarding painting on the lights you want, he taught me that trick some time ago and it is very helpful, that way you do get it exactly where you want it. Sometimes I have even just used the highlighter brush and decreased the intensity so it was easier to work with. And I also agree with Rtyer regarding the perfectly straight shoreline and the water. I would soften it up a bit with the smudge brush so the line isn't so identifiable.

But overall I really like this one..

Good going!

:D

[Stonecutter]

That's a very good tip about the Highlighter brush, NorthStar! :tu:
Even better for this is the Highlighter2 brush, because you can set a 'Maximum intensity' for it, and if you use a tablet in particular, the pressure sensitivity lets you lighten gradually, knowing that you won't exceed that maximum level... ;)
(Although it works with a mouse, too... )

:cool:

[tjaden]

this is looking good kitty. i don't want to offer advice that might lead you down a path you weren't planning on but ;) ...have you thought about modelling the core of the dust fairy in 3d. just a thought about adding shape to it. also that line that ryter mentioned. it looks like something that happened to me when fiddling around with the lights. are you sure this was a best render? beacuse when i did a best render to the image of mine that this occured in, the line disappeared.

[Kitty]

TJ, I had done many renders with lights and saved each one. On this one, when I did the best render, since you have seen it in the best render, you know why I did not like it. It was way too shiney. Totally unrealistic looking too me.

Stonecutter, I will be trying what you suggest, but I do want to conquer the lighting in ZB, not by hand.

Rtyer, I thought the same thing, but I just wanted a source to reflect back some light. In the photo I was using as a reference, it is a silouhette. It was when I was very completely done that I wanted a tad bit more then just a silouhette to get rid of the flat look.

Rtyer, are you not reaching a BIT when you say it looks like an alien instead of a dandelion?

Later all

Mandy

[rtyer]

Did not mean to convey "alien"
There is a program called "mojoworld"
that basically creates alien worlds ( terrains,plant life etc.)
What I had in mind, in case of frustration was to:
Redo the plant to something else such as a tower, building,alien plant etc.
Put detail in the plant that would make it something totally foreign.
I have showed this to two people that had no preconceived idea of what they were looking at.
One said "Weird kind of tree"
Other asked if it was related to the Mars expedition.
You basically told me what it was before I looked at it, so I tried to view it in that manner.
Without another form of reference you need more detail in the main object.

[Frenchy Pilou]

About "Mojo" take a look at my link of animation from "Mojo" (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=5&t=001470) :)
Pilou

[Frenchy Pilou]

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200401/user_image-1073833751zvq.jpg http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200401/user_image-1073839080mgr.jpg

Hi Kitty
Forgive me for the "Rip off" :)
It's for show that just a "resize" (here 50%) erase the little jaggies :)
I also just adjust the colors for the simulation of the sun some times after yours :)
Hope that don't worry you :)
Have happy Zbrushing!
Pilou
Ps Don't hesitate to play with colors
There is always someone who make crazzy effect for a same picture :)

[Kitty]

I will NOT change it to something completely different Richie, NO WAY JOSE!!

You have seen what I have done, and yes, I am not completely reproducing the photo, as it is here, so you have a point of reference. This photo was a the 2nd runner up in photography.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200401/user_image-1073833448tsy.jpg


As for what I think needs to be done, and I am constructive of myself, is that the seedlings closer to the bulb do need to be darkened up, and to get less sharper as it goes out.

And in all reality, that cannot be a lake since that is a dandelion gone to seed. So it is more a puddle. What I did real wrong was to make it rough to begin with because that gave it the illusion of being a lake with waves and all that. But you are right about it should not be a straight line. But seeing as it is a dandelion gone to seed, we are talking about at most a 4 inch area. If you see what I mean.

But I am re-working it, and I have shown this to many people, and not one of them thought it was an alien, or outer space sci fi thingy. But a lot of work does need to go into it. But I will not redo the whole concept Richie. It will stay a dandelion gone to seed. I will not turn it into a building just because it did not turn out as good as I wanted it to.

But I thank you friend for your thoughts, and sorry about the "water" misleading you all, that is my fault.

Hey, this is suppose to be a 121, and I asked for it, and appreciate all the help. I need all the help I can get to get better :D

Rtyer, you know you are good at banannas :D

Later all

Mandy

[Frenchy Pilou]

Reply are crossing :)
I don't know why but your paint recall me the ambiance of "L'empire des lumières" by "Magritte" (http://images.google.fr/images?q=empire+des+lumieres&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=fr&btnG=Recherche+Google) (maybe the tittle ("empire of lights")
Pilou
This one animated :) (http://www.magritte.com/) A sacrilege ? :D
Clic on "museum" for all paintings ! Cool site
:cool:

[rtyer]

As an experiment I showed the photograph off the screen with the name cropped off.
People said it "look's a little better."
If you did not tell me what is was I would not have known, I would not have known from the photo either for that matter.
I would have said about the photo what I said about what you have done,serene,beautiful color etc.
If that is the effect you are after, all is well.
If you or the photographer for that matter were saying :"like my dandelion" reply would have to be "oh that's what it is".
There were some images posted in this forum a couple of weeks ago that dealt with microphotography, they were beautiful images basically in black and white, but the artists did not say ask"Like my germ?".
The most important thing in work such as this is self satisfaction, you have to like it.
The second is viewer reponse, even extreme hatred is a form of success, you provoked a reaction.
The point is, with this image, what are you trying to accomplish.
If it is an exact reproduction of the photo,fine.
If it is to convey an emotion or feeling,that is something else.

[Ron Harris]

Mandy!! Sorry it's taken a little bit to get back withyou on this. My 1 2 1 ...

1. I knew exactly what it was at first glance. Excellant work on the dandelion (sp?)

2. If it were mine and sticking to your original concept and reference pic, I would crop out all the water (though I am partial to water images). I normally see these growing in yards and fields, but honestly don't recall any by water. Might be because they need something else in their enviroment to grow..I dunno...or my memory may be slipping which is probably the case. But all in all to me, cropping the bottom two inches off would make it look better to me.

3. Siloquetted against a skyline obviously looks good or else the original photographer wouldn't have been so well received. I like the subject of this you have chosen.

4. This is also a matter of your own taste too. As you said I believe, you weren't really after photo realism, so that really gives you alot of play room with the image. You seemed to be making it "your own" with your own taste and flare in the work.

5. You put alot of work and thought into this piece and it shows. It obviously wasn't somethign accomplished in the blink of an eye. My hats off to you for that.

6. Does it need work? Probably so or else you wouldn't have asked for the 121, but a fresh set of eyes is always helpful in improving your stuff. You did the hard part and asked. What work does it need? Just better familiarization with the tools on z ...a little blur here and there, and minor stuff like that. You probably already knew that.


7. You are still very new to this program, and if you are doing work at this level of your learning then just image several months from now how much better your work will be, after you have learned more about Z. :)

8. You may try going back to this piece later on and trying it again....You might be suprised :) (I won't be suprised though coz I know what you are capable of and am looking forward to it.)

huggles... ;) ;)

Ron :tu:

[rtyer]

All the New York kids apologize for not recognizing the object in question.
As was pointed out here;
We usually mow them.
None of us are young enough to get to the
viewing angle.
Luck with the work.

[Kitty]

I want to thank all of you for participating in my 121 :)

For now, since I have been working on this one a long time, and as Ron Harris says, I do need a break from it so I can see it with different eyes.

My eyes will see better tomorrow :D

Besides I have a Wacom here that I have not even opened the box to yet, and it has been here since Thursday.

So, I want to get that plugged in (as I see someone says it is that easy :D) and start to get used to it.

I also will be returning to my modeling for a bit, as that is very soothing to me.

For those that may remember, I only went into painting to learn basics, no more then basics because I discovered I enjoy it very much, but to also learn how I can apply this to my models so that I can produce realistic models.

All of your comments, and suggestions have been greatly appreciated.

I do apologize for taking something a bit too personally, as it was not meant viciously. And besides, I love the work I did and I appreciate the work I did, and it is my best work in terms of the amount of detail that went into it. All purposefully. So I am very very very pleased with my work.

Stonecutter, when I can see things better after a break, I will be retrying what you suggestted.

And I want to say this, since a lot of my friends are viewing this thread (but cannot participate) I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WILL BE COMING TO OUR PRIVATE ROOM SOON. I HAVE BEEN GRACED BY ALL OF YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO GET AWAY WITH BEING GONE FOR SO LONG IN ORDER FOR ME TO LEARN ZBRUSH. AND REMEMBER, THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT THE LINK, JUST EMAIL, I HAVE IT.

LIN, I LOVE YA, LORI, I LOVE YA, JODY I LOVE YA, DON I LOVE YA, KEN, I LOVE YA, BESS, I LOVE YA, TOM, I LOVE YA, DANNY, I LOVE YA, DIANE, I LOVE YA, JEANNE I LOVE YA....OH BOY, YOU ALL KNOW I LOVE YA, AND WILL BE IN THE ROOM TOMORROW :D

And I will also be in the forum and in ZB, I am an addict :D

Thank you all ZBrusher of the World, I love you all :)

Many Blessings

Mandy

[aminuts]

hi kitty

no learning curve with the wacom, open it plug it in and throw away the squeaker cuz you'll never use it again.

it is a might weird at first cuz your hand is used to the squeaker but a few hours and you'll wonder why you ever used one in the first place.

may your pen be blessed with zgreatness and remember you can adjust the ambient and diffuse lighting of materials too so you can lighten up materials without backlighting etc as well.

have fun

[Gettarobox]

so did you do anymore to it?

[Kitty]

Yes Gettarobox, I had done more to it, and I had posted it, but I editted it out. Rule number one (FOR ME) is never do work when you are not in the mood to work on the piece. :D

Some just did not realize that this was basically a surrealistic piece of art. If you were an ant and looking up at the dandelion, that was what I was trying to capture. Our brain "reorganizes" the way we see things so that there is no distortion of this kind (or we just do not recognize it, but our brain has something to do with how we see it). For instance, when someone has their finger pointed at your face, and it is close, that finger is in actuality very large compared to the body as a whole. But the brain puts it in perspective. Camaras do not :D

One person has gotten the idea that I am leaving the forum, and I did NOT MEAN to give off that impression (and I think I also said I will be back in the forum tomorrow and also in ZB, but I also will be returning to visit the private room too). Our private room has been very very good with me in that I have been allowed lee way to have time to learn ZB. So I have not been there since Ocotber, and it is another place that is very fun, as I know these people very well and their families. Our next reunion should be in August or September.

Rtyer: in answer to your question below, if it is a question?

copy and paste follows
_____________________________________________


I am never brief, but some things deserve a little more time.
Many years ago, I became interested in photography.
At that time, the company I was working for was busy and we
were putting in about 16 hours a day.
On Saturday, I would get up at about 5:00 in the morning and
go out and make photographs.
I am not sadistic, the light is the best 2 hours after sunup and 2 hours
before sunset.Like the image your using for reference.
I would take the photos all day, come home at night and develop the film
The next day, Sunday, I would get up about 6:00 and print until about 7:00 pm
This went on for a long period.
On Monday, I would bring in what I though was the best of the
litter and ask for opinions.
There were about 15 people in the immediate area and I would show them the work.
There were no professional photographers, only "man in the street"
Now please remember that I had spent the entire weekend, dawn to dusk, on these "masterpieces"
Keep in mind also that I was trying to get opinions from people who were equally tired and
had problems of their own.
After a number of weeks certain things became obvious.
1. The absolutely worst people ,were the "nice" or "that's great" they didn't mean it (mostly)
and I learned nothing.
2. The second worst was the "come back later"
3. My best group were the ones that looked at them said "They suck" and threw them at me.
This became my target audience.I really didn't mind picking them up.
I learned the most from the sucks.
I was also asked a few questions that penetrated the psychic.
What do you want me to see?
Why did you take it to begin with.
What's the point.
I learned a lot from these people,later on when I was reviewed for real and was trashed I could take it (most of the time)
Where is this going?
I saw your image and said wow based on the complete image the way it hit me.
I did not say that is the best picture of a adolphus delhous I had ever seen.
Now for the most important part.
You believe in the image, you worked for it.You asked for a 121.
Your feelings are slightly hurt, as they should be.
A 121 is not a request to tell you that you have walked on water.
The tone of your last post speaks of "I am taking my marbles and going home."
I implore you not to.
Quitting when your believe you should not or because you are tired is not good
for the creative soul
Look at it, assess it through your eyes.
Correct it, be proud of it, quit it because you have done all you can.

____________________________________________

And for those interested, please visit www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ulitimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000031 (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ulitimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000031)

Many Blessings all

Mandy

[Kitty]

DAh, sorry, misspelled link
www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000031 (http://www.pixolator.com/zbc-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000031)

[rtyer]

Apologies if anything I sent or wrote was in
any way upsetting or misunderstood.
It will not happen again.

[Kitty]

The contrary Rtyer, I wanted the forum to know that you did not completely trash me. At around 1am I found out that your first response to my drawing was a wow.

Many Blessings

Mandy