NARRATIVES

The following pages contain detailed instructional explanations of Studio ideas, thoughts, techniques, and processes used in the construction of artwork and media products.
 
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Don Bergland
redjello@shaw.ca


 

 

STUDIO NARRATIVES PROJECT

 
PAINTING - ROAD TO ETERNITY - By Don Bergland
This site provides a detailed presentation of the Studio processes used in the construction of Road To Eternity.
shim ministry
 

This painting was started and completed During the Nayarit Residency 1 in Bucerias Mexico (April/May, 2013). It has been in one International Juried Exhibitions and has won one International Award:

Aug. 2013 - Special Recognition Award -Exhibition - 13th Annual Summer All Media Juried Online International Art Exhibition (Juried), Upstream People Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska, USA - Group Exhibition (Aug. 2013)

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013
 
shim
  PAINTING - 1469-MEATBLIMP
Location - Paintings - 1469-MeatBlimp Last Worked on -
When given a choice between Adjusting elements to a painting near completion or setting off an an entirely new image adventure, I'll always take the latter. This afternoon, I listed some choices. I have lots of work near completion, but there are many Adjustments to be made, and Accessory items to be built. These are not the things that adventure is made of. So, looking at the afternoon here in sunny Bucerias, disappearing so quickly, I chose to begin a new project.
I don't have much in mind for this. All I was thinking about was a boy in a Bumper Car, holding a string with a MeatBlimp attached to it. Gather what you will. I'll start to assemble the items and see what results.
1. I don't know how to start piecing this together. I don't have the BumperCar Boy as a contained model, so I think I have to start by opening a past project where this item is located, then deleting all other models.
2. I launched Poser and opened the main file from - 1464-Exodus.
  meat
3. I started removed objects from the scene.
  meat
4. I got down to BumperBoy, the Cyclorama, and a few wheels. I thought this might have some potential in the future, so I saved it as meat01.
  meat
5. On I went, eliminating things until I got down to the BumperBoy and the Cyclorama..
  meat
 
PASTORAL CYCLORAMA - I wonder if it might not be possible to build my Pastoral Background as a Cyclorama image. This might be easier. In fact, I'm thinking of it for this very image.
6. I'm going to fire open the existing Cyclorama Map in Photoshop.
  meat
  meat
7. Okay. I'm taking an Accessories Sidetrack. I'm going to try and construct a Pastoral Map for the Cyclorama and see how it goes.
8. I skated across the Internet, wings on heels, gathering free sky and grass photographs. I brought them into Photoshop and started working them into an imgage for the Cyclorama.
  meat
  meat
  meat
9. I saved this in Runtime and then installed it using the Materials Editor.
  meat
10. Interesting colors and sense of deep ambience.
  meat
11. The Map needs some kind of horizon of mountains or landforms. I'll go back into Photoshop. I found a landscape, brought it into the .psd file and began cutting and shaping it.
  meat
  meat
  meat
12. I reinstalled this Map on the Cyclorama.
  meat
  meat
  This is a little dark. I like it. It is very silent and calm.
 

AND OF COURSE - 3:00 PM - A whole contingent of workers with ladders start appearing right outside my Casita window. The owner indicated she was going to have all the gutters repaired and rerouted. I guess this is it. We'll see how noisy and disturbing they end up being.

Well, they are certainly noisy and talkative! DAMN. Talkative Mexican workers with drain pipes. Not a good situation. VERY NOISY, and working right outside my door. WTF!!!!!!
13. The image I am working with is a little dark. I should be able to find a Light Set that brightens this a bit.
14. I set Light/Environment/
  meat
  This is a bit better to work with.
15. The color of the Map itself is still a little saturated, but I guess I can always change this later. I now need to move on to setting up the situation for the MeatBlimp.
  I think I'll move the scroll out of the image for now. I was thinking that I might be able to attach this to the back of the Blimp, if required.
  I'm not overly wild about the long electric pole out of the back of the Bumper Car. Unless this could be used at the device towing the MeatBlimp.
 

WORKMEN - 3:23 PM - Okay. Now they are starting with Power Tools. Drilling. Right outside my door. This is garbage. Damn it! Maybe I should think of renting another room for a few days. God, they are noise and TALKATIVE! Talk about trying to maintain discipline here. Absolute crap.
16. I tried turning the Figure/Car and facing the unit toward the right.
  meat
17. I'm going to bring the standard Blimp into the set. I want it following the Bumper Car unit.
  meat
18. Some sizing and arrangement.
  meat
19. Trying different camera angles.
  meat
20. I'm going to change the Texture Map on the Blimp to one I constructed a while ago (for another painting).
  meat
21. I think I like this previous camera orientation better.
  meat
22. Okay. The noise outside my door is getting ridiculous. Also, the shouting of the owner is absurd!
 

WORKMEN - 4:04 PM - So, should I head out now and try to find new accommodations for the last week here? Or, should I see if I can work in the bathroom? It is getting worse. Now, they are on the owner's deck, looking right into my room. Ahhhh. What a damn pain in the neck.
  Oblivious. I might as well not be here.
 

WORKMEN - 4:04 PM - So, should I head out now and try to find new accommodations for the last week here? Or, should I see if I can work in the bathroom? Now, they are on the owner's deck, looking right into my room. Ahhhh. What a damn pain in the neck.
  I'll see what I can do to avoid having to pack up my things and move (and pay more money).
23.

SOLUTION - 4:15 PM - I tried rebuilding my Studio in the bedroom. I moved the computer and other gear to the end of the bed, brought in a chair, and set up everything the way it was in the kitchen. I then shut the window and both door in the bedroom. I turned up the music on the iPad.

studiobedroom

This is not very comfortable to sit in this manner, but I suppose the Studio works and it doesn't sound as if all the Mexican workers are right in the room with me. I'll give it a try and see how it goes. I hope it works. It would be better than trying to move to another Casa.

When I plug in at this bedroom outlet, the computer buzzes the way it did in Las Ayala a few years ago.
24. Irritating. Now, where was I?
  meat
  Yes. This is an interesting image. I like the way it is going. I think I want to do the following:
- Boy's shirt to red
- Can I get an Italian Poplar tree or two in here?
- Can I remap the Bumper Car in some way? I should be able to. The product came with Maps.
- Should I put very tiny wheels on the Bumper Car, like the ones on the Roller Coaster car?
- I need to think about a rope from the Electric Pole to the Blimp.
- I should also set all the Lighting at 1024
  I'm not sure about making this a Meat Blimp, unless the meat were just a small part of the front of the Blimp.
25. It would be good to get a RED polka dot shirt for the Boy. Maybe I'll start here.
  The jacket Texture Map is found - Textures/RD/MKBRegency/MKBRegJacketTx.jpg
  meat
26. I'm going to make a red polkadot image in Photoshop to use for the Map.
  meat
27. Okay. I installed the new Shirt Map using the Materials Editor in Poser.
  meat
  meat
28. There now needs to be something trailing the Bumper Car unit on the ground. I'm going to try adding my favorite Wheel from the Figures Library.
  meat
  This is looking interesting. I like the development so far.
  I think I'll leave it at this for now and return to it later.
Later in the Day
 
shim
  PAINTING - 1469-MEATBLIMP
Location - Paintings - 1469-MeatBlimp Last Worked on - Today, April 26, 2013
This particular image is progressing well. I think I'll continue with it this evening.

WORKMEN - 8:30 pm - Earlier this afternoon, I was plagued with workmen doing construction tasks on the Casa. The extent of the work looked as if it would be a large job. But, I met the owner who indicated that all the construction was finished. Amazing. Mexican workers can be very efficient when they need to be.
meat
I need to build up the composition by adding a variety of items as the trailing parade behind the Bumper Car.
29. I started adding a variety of objects - Giraffe, Block Boy, and Circus Platform.
 

NOTE - While this project was in process, I didn't maintain this portion of the Journal structure very well. As a result, all the screenshots and instructions from this are not lost. I'll summarize the process.
30. After a lot of exploration, addition, and modeling, I finally arrived at a decent looking compostion.
  - I changed the Texture on the Bumper Car
- I moved the Boy's Head to integrate better with the Bumper Car pole
- I added wheels to the Bumper Car (made of two rotated Circus Stands)
- I added new Maps to the Bumper Car Wheels
31. I went into Photoshop and created new Maps to the Bumper Car Wheels
  add
  add
32. The largest change made to this composition was the addition of the Meat Slice to the Blimp. This involved adding the Meat Object to the model, and taking several different Renderings to process in Photoshop.
  add
  This is a technique I have been starting to use in a variety of compostions I am working on.
33. And finally, this is what is starting to emerge.
  meat
  This still needs some fixing up. It is interesting to note that the shadow from the Blimp is not showing. This is the bottom part of the Meat Image, which was Rendered without the Blimp. I'll have to compare these and see what one is best. This one, without the shadow, allows the two figures at the rear to emerge a bit more. The tail needs to emerge out of the Bumper Car with a bit more confidence. The second large Platorm needs more graphic structure to the side of it. I was also thinking of placing an Apple on this Platform.
  - Boy's face is too dark
- Platform needs graphics
- Apple on Platform
- Should Blimp shadow fall on ground?
- Tail needs work
- Boy's right hand needs work
  I think I've run out of energy for the day, however.
  I'll put this off until tomorrow morning.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2010
 
shim
  PAINTING - 1469-MEATBLIMP
Location - Paintings - 1469-MeatBlimp Last Worked on - Friday, April 26, 2013
I last worked on this almost a week ago. How the Time does move on.
meat
This is what I determined must be done:
- Boy's face is too dark
- Platform needs graphics
- Apple on Platform
- Should Blimp shadow fall on ground?
- Tail needs work
- Boy's right hand needs work
34. I launched Poser and opened the file. I have to make two Renderings because of the Meat Blimp.
  7:07 pm - Started the first Rendering
35. I finished the Renderings and brought both of them into Photoshop (Master.psd)
  add
  add
36. I eliminated everything from the first Rendering but the piece of Meat.
  add
  I'll cut this out and then add it over the Second Rendering.
37. I also want to lighten the Boy's Face, so I'll cut out a copy and then process it in Photoshop.
  add
  add
38. I put a Black Layer (light opacity) over the whole composition. I'll Eraser out the main figures.
  add
39. The Main Figures have been Erasured. I'll lighten the Black Overlay.
  add
40. And, I think that will do it.
  1469
  I'm going to call this a finished painting.
   
PAINTING - ROAD TO ETERNITY - By Don Bergland


You can explore further Studio Production Instructional Details through Don Bergland's Online Journal


© 2012 Don Bergland