Slag

[Flycatcher]

An idealised view of a mining slag heap undergoing recolonisation. A little self-challenge to create something out of an unpromising subject from my childhood days in a Yorkshire coal mining town. The truth however is there was little regeneration at that time, as it was long before the collapse of the British coal industry and the ugly black heaps were still growing - serving perhaps as a fitting testament to the grim working lives of the colliers whose skin temporarily and, as time would often later tell, lungs permanently took on the same sombre colour, here lightened somewhat for aesthetic reasons.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1030887052ypq.jpg

More practice with 1.5 brushes. The clouds done with the simple brush and spray stroke; all vegetation done with a mixture of the latter and the fibre brush. Only the default ZBrush alphas used, no custom brushes. 100% Z.

[robotalk]

Good idea--Finely accomplished!! :tu: :tu: :tu:

[DeeVee]

Thanks for the background FC. I think the prose which accompanies these images add so much more to the overall appreciation of the image. Well done :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:

[Northstarr]

I agree with DeeVee, the story does enhance the appreciation of the art. Very well done. I admire your skill with the brushes.
:) :tu: :tu: :tu:

[Slosh]

Wow, the grass and flowers (especially the light blue ones in foreground) are just wonderful. 1.5 definitely helps with the landscaping, doesn't it? I mean, 1.23 did killer landscapes (DeeVee is living proof of that), but the ease with which fine details can be added is incredible.

[Tag]

Very pretty FC. I agree with everyone; the stories really add appreciation to the image. Your vegation is beautiful and keeps getting better, if that's possible :tu:

[Stonecutter]

Very nice F/C...I like the fact that the damaged landscape and the reclamation work so well together, as if it really happened... :)

:) :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu: :)

[wenna]

absolutely fantastic! Love those flowers!

[DM]

Nicely done and meaningful image. :tu: :tu: :tu:
Dave

[Flycatcher]

Thanks everyone - and I'm glad you enjoyed the snippet of story behind the picture. Taking a lead from DeeVee, I try to include a few such words to give context to any image I paint at least partly from memory rather than pure imagination.

Slosh: The biggest advantage for me in this type of picture is that the spray stroke speeds things up considerably. It is similar to what I was doing in 1.23B, but there i had to constantly switch between alphas to avoid repeating patterns. There is a slight loss of control, but Ctrl-Z and a bit of the old method easily overcome that.

[juandel]

another outstanding vista, Flycather!!! great atmosphere and the vegetation: topnotch!!! :tu: :tu: :tu: :tu:

- juandel