I am starting a Studio Improvisation session. I have no idea where it is going, but I need the right music to get me on my way. Lately, I've been using iTunes Podcast as a way to access music. |
STUDIO MUSIC - iTunes - Podcast - repose podcast. #5 - Sustained Sounds. Music to concentrate by. |
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Yesterday, I downloaded some interesting models which might provide some direction |
Extreme Pies & Cakes |
Props/Exnem/Cakes & Pose/Exnem & Textures/Exnem |
Monument |
Props/JoesFantasy/Monument |
Monument with Arches |
Props/JoesFantasy/Arkadente |
Mousetrap - |
Figures/BionicRooster/MouseTrap |
Play Blocks - |
Props/ChildeofFrye/COF-PlayBlocks |
Renaissance Lute - |
Props/Ghostman?GM Renaissance Lute |
Skull - |
Props/Human Skull |
Decorated Eggs - |
Props/AAProps/Decorated Egg |
Painted Teapot - |
Props/ThePeanutGallery/PG Teapot |
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There are other objects that are memorable, but that I've never used before. |
Swan Boat - Props/DarkCarnival/SwanBoat. |
There are also some sets worth exploring. I'm wanting to work inside Victorian environment. So far, I've found some good ones. |
But the best sets are simple floors, leaving the background able to be constructed through other types of imagery. |
I really like the visual quality of the Play Blocks and Painted Teapot. The two Monuments were quite impressive, and the Skulls offer some interesting contrasts.I'll keep these in mind as I work. |
REPOSITORY RESOURCE PILE - Would it be good to develop some sort of structure (bucket) to inhabit the start of a Project Structure. In this repository, I could place all the ideas, resources, themes, that are currently in mind, or I've encountered lately. This becomes a Repository Resource Pile, sitting there, waiting to be exploited, used, or ignored. This is much like I've done above. Listing a number of things that should be considered before and durng the exploration process in an Improvisation. |
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So now, as I come down to start this Project, I have a number of things in my mind:
- Swan Boat
- Play Blocks
- Painted Teapot
- Skulls
- Monuments
- Empty Clothing
- Simple Floor Sets |
And from this morning - The Individualist, Two Unequal People, Takes Offense at Everything, A Rich Capitalist, |
Note - It would be good to schematize this using the iPad Mini. |
1. |
Before even starting, I have this image of the Capitalist in mind. This would be a satire on the rather biased icon developed by anti-Capitalists. The icon that has floated into culture is of the corpulent piggish, greedy and cigar-puffing evil porkfest of a human being. An image that is instantly recognizable and instantly hated. The Socialists have done an excellent job in creating this mythical icon. The Capitalists have fallen down in offering a counter view or an iconic view of the Socialist. Where are all the artists who are advocates of Free Enterprise? Why haven't they created equally powerful visual icons? |
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Anyway, I ramble. And, if I want to pursue the theme of the Capitalist, I should make this a focused Painting Project, not part of an Improvisation, like this one is supposed to be. I need to get to work. |
2. |
I'm going to launch Poser and save the file in the Project folder as Impro26-13-01. I'm going to place a simple floor in the set and leave it untextured for the moment. |
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3. |
I installed IdeoGirl03 from the Figures Libary (CustomFigures). I have this initial thought of removing the Girl from the clothing. Just having an empty set of clothing sitting in the set. I guess I want to see what this looks like. |
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Unfortunately, I don't think the separate sets of clothing will function as a unit on their own, so the best thing to do might be to keep the Figure of the Girl as the central Parent to the Clothes, but just hide her visual features. |
4. |
I went to Parameters and used the Visible function to hide all the Girl's features. |
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5. |
I ended up with an empty set of clothing and hair. |
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Hmmm. I don't know if I'm impressed with this image. But, while I have it in its present state, I should save it to the Library as IdeoGirlEmpty01. |
6. |
I set the Figure in a new Pose, and Rendered it |
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7. |
I then brought the Render into Photoshop. I want to try a Victorian background in this and see how it works. |
8. |
I looked around for one of the Public Domain Victorian paintings I collected a while ago. All I am looking for is some kind of Victorian ambience to see if this Figure is worth pursuing. I found a painting which had some natural background, brought it into the Photoshop file and scaled it. |
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Okay. This works to provide a sense of where the image should progress. |
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I wonder if there is something I can place inside the head/neck area of emptiness? |
9. |
I have the folowing:
- Monument,
- Lute,
- Swan Boat
- Play Blocks
- Painted Teapot
- Skulls
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I also have the decorated egg. I wonder what this would look like if placed inside the empty zone? |
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STUDIO MUSIC - iTunes - Podcast - Dark Ambient 2.0 - #9 - Box of Shadows |
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10. |
I saved the files as Impro26-13-02-teapot. I placed the Painted Teapot in the set and arranged it into the empty space. |
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11. |
I Rendered a trial to Photshop and slipped in the background. |
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Not as successful as the first. I'm not sure I like the teapot, although I think it has potential. It is reflecting too much light at the moment. The shape is nice, but I think it conflicts with the overall shape of the hair. |
12. |
I'm going to resave the next iteration as Impro26-13-02a, and try some adjustments to the hair and also some changes to the surface of the teapot. |
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I think the hair is a little more integrated in this one, but there is something about the teapot that bothers me. The color and textures are not good, and the shiny spot is too intense. |
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I think I'll give one last shot at this concept. I'm going to change the Texture Map for the pot. |
13. |
I need to find the Texture Map and open it in Photoshop - Textures/AllenArt/PGTeapot/PG22_TeapotWht.jpg |
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There is the White Texture (left) and a Black one (Middle). In Phtoshop I quickly constructed an all Blue one (right). |
14. |
I'm going to install the Black Texture first. In the Materials Editor, I changed the Texture Map to the Black one offered in the resources. |
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I didn't like this. |
15. |
I opened the Texture Map in Photoshop and created a quick Blue Map. I first changed the entire light set (deleted lights and added one Spotlight). I installed the Blue Texture Map. |
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Not liking this either. I think it may be time to move on to another trial iteration. The teapot has had its day. |
16. |
I think I have the Figure set up for the installation of something in this empty spot. I also think I have a good background image. But what should I place in this empty spot? |
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I have two items which might be interesting. Lute and Skull. |
17. |
I'm resaving the files as Impro26-13-03. I'm going to add - Props/Human Skull. |
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The skull came in quite large. I reduced it to 12%. In order to fit the skull properly in the space where the head would have been, I'm going to turn the head back on (visibility), and scale and shape the skull around the head. |
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18. |
I'll turn off the head again, revealing only the skull. |
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Hmmm. Interesting, but a bit formidable and stark. This is certainly a contrast to the face which existed here a minute ago. The space between the skull and the torso needs some kind of joining mechanism. |
19. |
I inserted the MeatPole I designed some time ago (Figures/...). I scaled this object to fit comfortably in the space. |
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I don't like the ochre-like texture of the skull. |
20. |
I changed the skull to a more white color by finding the Texture Map and adjusting it in Photoshop (mainly Levels and Hue & Saturation). |
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I applied this in the Materials Editor. |
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21. |
I'm going to try a few renditions through Photoshop using the following procedure:
1. Render and Export as .png
2. Bring the .png into Photoshop
3. Install trial background
4. Install trial Black Overpaint
Note - I should think of a name for this technique, i.e., the technique of proceeding through a composition running off a number of these (whatever they might be called). |
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The RenderTrial - This will be the name of the Photoshop/Render/Trial technique for now. |
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This image sets itself up for a variety of interprestive domains.
- fossilization of a culture
- rigid youthful mindset
- death of youth
Maybe the background is wrong for this. Maybe it should be more bureaucratic, more industrial, more apocalyptic and desolate urban. Of course, the Studio format I am using at this point is perfectly flexible to try an number of these ideas with not much effort. |
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But then again, there is a fairly dramatic contrast being offered here. I wonder what this would look like if some of the Public Domain Victorian paintings featuring ancient architecture were installed. Hmmm. I really should give this a try, especially with this image. |
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I set the camera in a different position. |
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As I am constructing this, I have the image of a rat, climbing in and out of the skull/spine structure, maybe its nose pushing out one of the eye-holes. |
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The name - Ministry of Truth, Historical Imperative, Ideological Deceit, Doctrine, Indoctrination. All these concepts work, and all of them offer the viewer a slightly different angle on the essence. |