Valley Analysis

Structurally, I tried to balance the piece by creating a composite along the horizon using the sides of the valley, the bridge and the sun. The sun represents the main focal point and emphasis of the piece. The hanging board is in the position it is for this exact reason. Furthermore, one may say the scale of the sun is disproportionate to the rest of the scene. This too is intentional since its size, from a technical standpoint, evenly lights the scene without giving glaring highlights or lowlights, and a structural standpoint to become the main focus, unify the piece.

As for the developmental devices of the scene, there's a flow of lines pointing back the sun and bridge, where the main content of the piece lies. Moreover, the water reflection draws one's eye back the center of the scene. I worked hard to make the texture as life-like as possible. From a technical perspective, the cliffs are a collection of specular maps, normal maps, bump maps, texture maps, displacement modifiers, and hand sculpting to give a realistic and tangible feel. Fortunately, space is a breeze to composite in a 3D application since objects can be arranged how they would be outside of the computer. Lastly, the color choices came from inspiration and reference images to attempt to make the most realistic scene possible, still keeping a unique and hyperreal conception.

Cliffs

This week, I'm working on a tutorial piece using cliff faces in Blender. The tutorial implements many concepts new to me which in synthesis, produced a beautiful result. This is still a work in progress and I plan on making something entirely different, using the same techniques and materials. I'm using just a plane for now to make perhaps an auxiliary piece or something supplemental for a larger project.

Artist Emulation Piece 1

Using a synthesis of both 3D rendering software and photoshop, I was able to create this image. The pillars were done in Cycles with a normal map and Diffuse BSDF material to create a concrete-like texture. I then placed in the tattered flag, sky, and lighting effects using Photoshop. Most of this could have been done entirely in Blender but that would have taken far too much time, which I was at a lack of to begin with.

Artist Review: Adam Martinakis

For Adam's piece titled "Roots of Fire", and many of his other works is the synthesis of sharp cutaway lines with the smooth and subtle engraved lines throughout the main focus. I particularly enjoy the material he chose for the "skin". It's a concrete-like material with a wonderful looking bump map and slight gloss and specular. The composition of this piece even follows a gentle curve as does the details.

In his next piece, "Fatal", we see the subtle etching again accept this time with a slight bevel or smoothing to them. Personally, I enjoy this style more but it convey a different impression than the former piece; almost as if the face and hands were composed of many of thousands of planes skewed in both size and curvature. Lastly, his use of depth of field helps to add a strong sense of reality and hyperrealism.

Somewhat similar to the first piece listed, "Baptized By Fire" conveys a powerful feeling especially since the giant man at the left looks to have inflicted this blaze upon himself. The detail of the vines and the complexity of the background make for a stunning synthesis and adds a certain sense of depth to the scene.

Continuing with the theme of fragmentation, "truEnd" uses a stunning element of motion blur to convey an action of shattering. This is by far the most active and kinetic work of the other 3 listed.

Lastly, "The Dark Matter" is composed in a completely different style than the other 4. While being similar to a wireframe, what truly amazes me is the randomness of line occurrence and density throughout the piece. Looking closely, the material almost has an extruded and paint look giving it a large amount of tangibility and realism.