DAL: I see. Tell us about the other software you
use to make a picture, please, and how it all
gets melded into a viable workflow?
CD: I actually start with a doodle, or a sketch of
an idea for an image. I refine composition that
way, with paper and pencil, making notes about
colour, lighting and texture if I have particular
ideas. Then I create or assemble the models for
the scene, and move to compositing.
Once I have a loose composite image set up, I
focus on lighting. Lighting takes a while. I
always use custom light, and I tend to prefer
intricate, global lighting setups with high detail
skies and clouds, multiple fill and spot lights in
addition to one or more sun sources, ensuring I
will have maddeningly slow mid-stream renders
for the duration of the project. I laugh about this
now, but I do it to myself every time.
I also spend a great deal of time texturing. Most
of my textures are image based, and I use a
number of programs, most notably Photoshop
and Filter Forge, to edit or create textures. After
the final render, (usually around 10,000 pixels
on the longest side or larger), I use a tablet and
a custom clone brush with Corel Painter to hand
work over the image. I use a tiny brush size to
keep the overall detail of the render, but
introduce an organic texture to the work. I can
also fix clipping issues or other visual glitches at
this time if any are present, and hand paint in
additional details. Personally, I find 3D renders
can have a cold sort of perfection to them. Too
many straight lines and clean edges. I go and
mess that up on purpose.
DAL: Your “Bridge under the Bridge” is a superb
picture, quite simple yet full of detail and lovely
light. Tell us about how you went about making
this, please?
CD: On that picture I was directly inspired by a
drawing of a similar bridge from another artist. I
couldn't get the image out of my head, and I
wrote them and asked for permission to create a
3D version of their image. The artist granted me
permission, and I ran with it. The inspiration
work was more fantasy based, I chose to make a
version that could be set in a more modern era.
A person living in an unconventional way in a
surprisingly beautiful location. This image had an
enormous polygon count when I rendered it, and
then I painted and layered even more plant life
in. That's the thing about trying to recreate
nature. If you think you have enough layers of
dirt and plants and rocks, triple it. You have to
build in the richness, the time, the variety, and
the growth of many years. That was the biggest
challenge with this image. I learned a lot, and
I'm grateful to the artist who let me use their
idea.DAL: What tips would you give to someone
starting out with a Poser > Vue > Photoshopworkflow?
CD: Be patient, be willing to watch some
tutorials and use those to create your own
workflow based on your artistic goals and your
equipment. Don't be in a rush to finish an image
just so you can start on the next one. The work
will suffer. Better one great image every few
months than seven mediocre ones. Take
advantage of all the free resources available to
digital artists, and be sure to buy from content
creators whose work you appreciate. Give back
when you can by sharing your own experience
and resources.
DAL: Have you been tempted into pure digital
painting at all, now that “paint on the screen”Picture: “Still Water”.