Lovely Ladies Series

Being a digital artist, I have found that the quality of my work is not only influenced by my level of technical expertise with the software I am using, but also with the quality of the digital models available.

When DAZ started out, their basic male and female models were Michael and Victoria.  When I got started in 3D art, Michael 3 and Victoria 3 were the models of choice.

I get a chuckle out of looking at my really early work because the models were still pretty basic and my own proficiency levels with the software were lacking. 

DAZ just released Michael 7 and Victoria 7, but actually I prefer the previous iteration -- Michael 6, and a female model named Olympia 6.

Below are a few portraits I have done recently, using Olympia 6 as my model, which I have come to think of as my "Lovely Ladies" series.

Vintage Photo Studio

Available on canvas and prints here.
(this piece recently earned an Award of Special Merit at the Light, Space & Time Open Art Competition. The competition received 734 entries! Woo hoo!!!)

Pretty in Pink

Available on canvas and prints here.

 I wanted to do something different with this one. I tried several different Photoshop actions on the final render, but the one I liked most of all was this black and white version.

 Summer Breeze
Available on canvas and prints here.

I'm still working on this last one.  It's the first render I have done using DAZ's new NVIDEA "iRay" render engine.  (I would explain that, but I'm not actually sure about it myself!)

Untitled

Iray rendering takes lighting to a whole new level and allow use of physically based environments so that with the correct tools and setups we can replicate real world lighting. (that's the theory, anyway!)

Yesterday I purchased a new add-on for DAZ, the Ultra Genesis Studio 1 light set from Traveler and Syyd at Runtime DNA.com and thankfully, the creators provided a handy .pdf file of instructions on how to use the lights, the cameras and the environments.

I'm looking forward to playing with it some more and getting more proficient with it.

It's like having my own personal modeling agency and photography studio!

Watch this space for more!

Mockingbird Studio - Rearranged

It's been a while since I blogged and I've decided to get back to the swing of it again.

I'm starting off by showing you how I re-arranged my office/studio this weekend.  (I'll spare you the photos of the disaster area mid-move and go straight to the finished product :-)

It's located in the original formal dining room of our house and when we first moved in, I had a smaller computer, and a little desk looking out over the half wall into the living room.

When I got my new computer, it didn't fit on the desk, so I moved it over to the craft table, where I had a nice view of the wall and not much else. 

I lived with it for a couple of years but eventually decided I wanted a change. I was cleaning litter boxes one day when the answer came to me... I was in my studio and as I stood up after cleaning a litter box, I realized that spot had a good view out over the living room and into the garden.

So we moved the craft table from one corner to the other, and now I can sit at my computer, and with a slight turn of my head I can see outside.

My old computer desk, currently holding my old computer that I no longer use, will be my art desk and I'll put my pastels and paper over there.

The computer will be given to the Salvation Army.
 


I love how the studio looks now.  I just have to rearrange the artwork and photos on the wall.