HOME | DD
ArthurBlue β The Last Three
Published: 2013-08-15 21:37:59 +0000 UTC; Views: 15754; Favourites: 554; Downloads: 678
Redirect to original
Description
Rendered in Vue.The other two in this series:
Related content
Comments: 76
I have been pondering on which of this series I should write my critique, but I have finally decided, that this one most interests me from science-fiction and mysticism point of view.
First of all, the entire series is incredible. No doubt. You have a great vision and it is not only a great tribute to lighting, scale and colors, but it also fires the imagination on a grand scale. I guess as an artist, you have to have a certain amount of imagination and creativity, but the amount of possible stories, explanations and ideas behind these (relatively few visual elements overall) is pretty much limitless.
In actual fact, I would place the potential story behind these giants on the same level than those told in the "Lord of the Rings" stories, "Stargate", "Contact", "A Space Odyssey", or other tales that are built around artifacts of fantastic or alien origin. In fact, if those were covers of novels, it would peak my interest purely by looking at the covers.
As far as you vision goes, there is nothing I can suggest. It's definitely grand. It doesn't happen often that I am this fascinated by visual imagery. So, why only the 4 stars on 'technique'? I was arguing with myself on this one, because your technique is great. You know your lights and shadows, you know atmosphere and colors certainly well.
Let me also say that I love that you have added some kind of known size element, be it a person, a balloon or animals/trees, to drive home the sheer scale of those monuments.
The only few suggestions on your pieces I can make are as follows:
The First Three: I would have added a small Earth type half-moon in the background. Small-ish, but the sky is a little empty. Maybe a blend into a star field would have been great.
The Three of Deep Red: The overall image is great. It works in its simplicity, but the star field is too vivid. A nebula as light source would have been great, but it's a little too much for my taste. I would have also added the ship at a different angle.
The Three of Cassiopeia: Really love the glow/glossiness and the heat can almost be felt. The two planets are a little to faint, or the quantity too much. I would have added one big world instead, maybe with a little more opacity (+25% or so?).
The Three of the Three Million Islands: Great idea, and I like that one of the giants has not stood the test of time. Great detail with the people on its head. Once again, my only gripe is the planets. I would have just blended them a little towards the bottom, and maybe a faded star field towards the top, given their size.
Those are all very minor points though, and I know I'm a perfectionist to a fault at times, and all the points I raised are merely nit picking. Either way, it's only my opinion, and overall this series has to be easily in my all-time-favorite top ten! Thank you for sharing!
π: 0 β©: 1
Many thanks for the insightful critique and for sharing your thoughts. It was very interesting to read. In many ways, it met my expectations of how I hope people perceive this series.
I agree with several of your suggestions. Some comments:
The First Three: yes, good ideas.
The Three of Deep Red: the vividness of the light and color of the starfield was on purpose. I really wanted a strong visual impact. This is one of those things that it's a matter of personal taste. As for the ship, I did try it in a diagonal but it made the image look too... dynamic. Dynamism is something I don't want in this series.
The Three of Cassiopeia: yes, I agree, a bit too faint. And now that I think about it, also too close to the border.
The Three of the Three Million Islands: yes, I agree, the planets should have been more blended with the sky. As for being more to the bottom, I'm not so sure. That would mean an overlap with the clouds, possibly creating a bit of a visual confusion. In these images I seek some minimalism, pure shapes and so I think that a visual separation between clouds and planets works best.
For example, speaking of minimalism, I debated with myself about the islands for a long time. I wanted them minimalistic but visually interesting at the same time. I also wanted similar but different from my other image "Lingering in the golden gleam". After many different alternatives, I opted for simple shapes for them (simpler than the other image) but with some vegetation, albeit simple. It was the best compromise I could find between simplicity, visual interest and not repeating previous ideas.
Thanks again!
π: 0 β©: 1
"(...) As for being more to the bottom, I'm not so sure. That would mean an overlap with the clouds, possibly creating a bit of a visual confusion. In these images I seek some minimalism, pure shapes and so I think that a visual separation between clouds and planets works best."
No, I meant have the bottom of the planets faded into the atmosphere a little more. Don't move the actual planets. Sorry, if that was a little too vague on my part.
I absolutely understand that some of the elements were wanted the way you designed/composed them. That's absolutely fine; it's your vision after all. I completely understand and again, I absolutely love the series! And you're most welcome!
π: 0 β©: 0
I don't usually talk about my thoughts or motivation behind each image or concept. I choose this path to let a completely free path for the viewers. This is one of those cases.
π: 0 β©: 1
There was an author (Margaret MacGraw) who wrote a short story about this very same image. It doesn't explain who "the three" are but it kind of opens a new window into this universe.
Here's the link: margaretsmcgraw.blogspot.pt/20β¦
π: 0 β©: 1
This actually reminds me of a series that I started but never finished, in that it implies some kind of epic adventure/mystery spanning multiple worlds, but portrayed in the most minimalist terms. Very cool.
π: 0 β©: 0
Beautiful work. I like your sci-fi stuff really much!
π: 0 β©: 0
This is like something out of a dream....
ArthurBlue you really work magic in your pieces.... you really do.
π: 0 β©: 0
This evokes such magnificent wonder in me, i'm so curious to know who or what The Three are. Great work.
π: 0 β©: 0
You got some really cool digital art here! I add you as a friend, if you don't mind.
"The Last Three" have some "thought similarity" with my michaelvance-art.deviantart.coβ¦
π: 0 β©: 0
Hi Artur, this image is currently featuring as the 'cover' image on the IndieGuild Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/indieguild
Thanks as always for enriching the IndieGuild project with your artwork!
π: 0 β©: 1
Thanks, that's an honor.
π: 0 β©: 0
High Lights Of DA-Creativity >Β August2013 da-creativity.deviantart.com/gβ¦
π: 0 β©: 1
wow O_o nice perspective! the light is so mystic and that foggy atmosphere (?) looks very cool! the only weird thing I see is that the moon shines... a bit too much?
well done anyway^^
π: 0 β©: 1
Thanks! But why do you say that's the moon? 
π: 0 β©: 1
oh well, I just took for granted that it was the moon because there weren't any stars around it^^" and I didn't find the atmosphere bright enough to be daylight...Β
I think it's a very good work, but logic tells me that star is still too shiny XDΒ
sorry, that's just the way I work, I love this anyway^^
π: 0 β©: 1
You thought it was the moon because there were no stars around it? But there are no stars around the sun either.
Regarding not being bright enough for daylight, if it were on Earth you would be right. But that depends which sun it is (how luminous it is) and what kind of atmosphere it is (very thin atmospheres will not be bright - just look at the photos that the astronauts took on the moon, for example). In my mind, this doesn't take place in our planet. So, realism can be whatever we want because it depends on the local conditions.
But anyway, realism for me is second priority - I wasn't aiming at realism in this image, I was purely after a certain mood.
I'm glad you like it.
π: 0 β©: 1
It all comes to the artists way to work after all^^ whenever I think abuot an OC, a city or a machine my mind tells me to do it hypothetically possible inside the story I'm creating, so that habit of mine slipped when I posted the comment XD
I'm glad you didn't get mad at me >.< thank you^^
π: 0 β©: 1
I would never get mad because of an opinion about one of my images. I've been posting my images online since 2007 and I already heard all kinds of comments, believe me.
I fully understand your way of thinking and I also do the same on many of my sci-fi images.
But once in a while I like to step away from reality and just dive into surreality. No limits. It's fun as well.
But anyway, given the vast number of planets and solar systems out there, it's not impossible that something like in this image actually exists. Even in our planet, it can almost exist: look at this photo taken during the day, inside a dust storm.Β www.reuters.com/article/2011/0β¦
Yes, that's the sun on the top. It's orange because of the particles in the air, but if the particles were of other kind, in another planet, why not blue? Reality can be stranger than fiction.
π: 0 β©: 1
O_o
right XD maybe I should try doing the same once in a while...
keep up the good work, and see you around
π: 0 β©: 0
There is a lot of art in the world, many we cannot like because of our tastes, some we love, more we try to emulate, and some have a special place.
Then there is the kind of art that stops you dead and leaves you speechless.
Like this.
There are many words that can come close, but none do it justice
π: 0 β©: 0
added to Finished Pieces in Sci-fi Archives Β sci-fi-archives.deviantart.comβ¦
π: 0 β©: 0
Reminds me of The Old Ones in one of H.P. Lovecrafts' stories. Good work!!!
π: 0 β©: 0
Yes, I am.
π: 0 β©: 1
I don't know his works by memory but there is a resemblance in the style and clarity between the two of you.
π: 0 β©: 0
this is really pretty cool! i would love to know the story behind it
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you!
It's interesting that another viewer (msmcoin) asked me to use this image as a story prompt. He said he would link back here, so stay tuned.
π: 0 β©: 0
I love it... for some reason it reminds me of Journey, the game.
π: 0 β©: 2
Thanks!
Yes, now that you mention it, I see why you say that. I never played the game but saw recently a long video. Very original. I love the aesthetics of their concepts.
π: 0 β©: 0
Awesome. Just got me more excited about landscape rendering software.
π: 0 β©: 1
Thanks! Go for it, then.
π: 0 β©: 0
| Next =>