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MililaniMak — A long, dry season
Published: 2011-05-31 08:17:54 +0000 UTC; Views: 1020; Favourites: 30; Downloads: 0
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Description
alright, i know, it's weird . . .
. . . but think about it.Credtis:
for [link] and [link]
for [link]
for [link] photography by Marcus Ranum [link]
The background is my own creation using FF2 & PSE resources.
Mahalos to all!
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Comments: 54
The surrealism has a very great hint of Dali. I like his work as well as yours.
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mahalo, Michael! quite a compliment, brah!!!
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thanks, Arthur! the surreal just sort of wanted to come out of me, i guess, and i'm going with it now.
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mahalo, Marcus! folks really seem to like our little "spider."
p.s. i appreciate this opportunity to thank you, sir, for your what you do for dA folks with your incredible stock. mahalo nui, bruddah Marcus!
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I am a great supporter of all surreal arts!
especially love the woman with the pointy hat and the checkered sphere...
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mahalo, Analytica! that's my little spider . . . glad you like her.
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not only gets your message across - but excellent piece of eye candy as well
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well thank you, bruddah hew san. coming from you, that is a compliment. aloha, Mak
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mahalo, Steve!
'ey, i just realized something . . . don't you have a show on Comedy Central? 
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I wish. I could sure use the amount of money he makes.
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merci, Renard. btw, i took a quick look around your gallery . . . awesome work, Mr. Fox. i simply had no choice but to add you as a watch so i can see what you come up w/next!! 
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I am not very good with surreal brah so your going to have to explain it to me..... visually it is very appealing.
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guess what i was actually doing yesterday evening before you asked me that, brah? i was reading up on surreal, 'cuz it's new to me, too. i've just been mimicking what i've seen. but i'll try: what i was trying to do was represent what's happened to the African environment, in particular (the rhino, which is fast disappearing), as a metaphor to how modern humans mistreat our environment; using the resources of the world as just a commodity and not a resource is a recipe for disaster. (is part of the work i do as a land use regulator, you know.) modern man is trying to "save" things a bit late, perhpas, by attempting to save what's left (the woman), relying on technology and money, etc. (her elegant dress and robotic features) but that may be a failing enterprise because it's artificial and limited, etc. . . . and the "dunce" at the rear . . . a nasty spider (representing the ignorance of the past which caused all this) just kinda hiding within itself . . . the rhino's natural environment is a wet & muddy plain with lots of grass to eat . . . this environment is fast (i mean super fast) disappearing due to lack of rainfall and failure of the savvanah to renew itself . . . essentially, the N African desert is expanding and moving south accross that continent fast . . . thus a barren foreground . . . a long, dry season . . .
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You explained it so well Mak I understand and see it all now. It is a dilemma being played out all over the world and we....the most intelligent of the animals, seem fit to destroy all in our path with dire circumstances approaching. Awesome piece bruddah Mak!!!!
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thanks, brah. mostly, i was just trying to do something i hadn't tried yet and make something cool . . .
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thanks, Skot. stay warm, my friend!
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I'm loving your surrealist manips. The spider is creepy in a... not quite horrific sense, I can't put my finger on it, and I like how well you implement checkerboards.
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thanks, Antonio. ya, that "spider" is kinda weird. wasn't actually part of my original vision for the piece, but just the other day, the "dunce" series of stock by Ranum popped up on dA, and i had an instant attraction to it for the piece. i resisted the impulse to add it, still; and, even after manip'ing the spider kept the original on a layer thinking i wasn't really gonna add it. but after one of my daughters told me it was too weird, i just knew it had to be part of the finished piece. 
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And it's good that you did me thinks. While the piece could go without it, it certainly makes it more interesting and mysterious.
How did you make the sky? Stock, brushes, filter or painting (I like how it looks and usually struggle to produce such effects)?
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made the original image for the sky for another piece, i think, with a filter. (after rendering an image, i try and remember to save it as a separate jpeg or png.) i use Filter Forge 2 (basic). you can download it for free here [link] . . . i think the freebie is only a 30-day trial. i was lucky enough to purchase the license when it was offered at 70% off (just $44 US). you might not want to purchase right now, however, since an upgrade is due anytime soon. but, you can download the trial and render as many sky images as you want in the month it's active . . . the nice thing about FF2 is that the filter library (about 8,100+ filters, now) is online and constantly growing; nearly every day there's new ones available. there's filters to generate patterns, textures, distortions, there's photo filters, etc. e.g., all of the spheres in my pieces were rendered using FF2 filters, as are many of my backgrounds, foregrounds, textures, etc. and i can't think of a piece i have on dA where i haven't used photo filters, too. on this piece, everything except for the figures were generated using FF2. but, i don't just generate an image . . . i usually manipulate them further, either w/FF2 or standard PS filters. in this piece, i also used layering and blending to achieve the final sky effect. i'd be happy to send you the original of this sky image if you'd like. (send me a note w/your email)
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I just checked it out, and boy is it pricey... But it's awesome, I can't believe I never heard of it before (or if I did how it slipped me). I've been expending default Photoshop filters to death, I can imagine what's it like having thousands at your disposal. Thank you for this awesome piece of information
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how much is it right now? make sure you note that there are 3 kinds of licenses: the professional allows you to create your own filters and costs a lot! you don't need that, unless you want to write program language to create or modify the filter program itself. (you also need that license to generate maps or use the filters on images greater than 3,000x3,000 pixels.) i don't use that. sometimes the limited file size is humbug, but i just adjust down the larger images . . . can always adjust them back up later if need too. since i don't publish my work, that's not an issue for me. the mid-level license offers a bit more than the basic in terms of futting around with the filter-writing aspects, but i don't need to do that either. i just like to use the filters that folks create and upload into the library. i'm plenty happy with that . . . i leave all that tech stuff to the pros.
the basic edition is usually offered for a discount . . . i've seen it anywhere from 20-70% off. so, wait to purchase. besides, like i said, they are already beta testing the version 3. if you purchase the v2.x which is currently offered, the price won't include the upgrade to v3. so wait to purchase, Antonio. (i purchased a lifetime license the other month, so i'll be able to get all future upgrades free of any additional purchase.) remember, you can download the basic edition for free; albeit, it's limited to just 30 days. the risk there is that you'll learn to love it so much you won't be able to live without it and you'll have to buy it! otherwise, you can render the hell out of the filters over the month. for me, but, i don't just want to be able to render images, i use the filters routinely to enhance and manipulate my images, too.
btw, they also offer 4 (may be 6 now?) limited freebie packs which don't have any limiting times on them, including a pack of filters for making frames, one with some photo effects, one with some distortion filters, and one which generates metallic effects. these are available on the FF2 website somewhere. (note, however, that if you have the basic ed. loaded on your PC, then these packs won't work anymore . . . those filters are availabe via the basic ed. anyway) good luck!!
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Right now all versions are on a 40% discount... which seems like a fine deal in getting the pro version. (While I won't be making my own filters, I could use the ability to make my own bump, specular, etc maps for 3D work, something only the pro version offers).
I will most certainly try the trial version before any purchaces... I'm just a bit unsure wether I should get the pro version now while it's discounted or wait for the new version when it might not be discounted :S
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yep, if you're gonna use it on 3D renderings, you'll want to get the pro version. i'm tempted to tell you to wait for the new version, as you know, but you have a point, Antonio . . . there's no guarantee that they'll be offering a discount right off the start once the ver. 3 is out . . . i really don't know.
btw, as i think i mentioned, after i had purchased the basic edition, they offered me a lifetime license at a discounted price . . . ?
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I'll dwell on it some more 
You have been of huge help, thank you!
Yes, you mentioned they offered you a lifetime license.
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agree, but be forewarned, too . . . whenever they upgrade, you cannot get into the filter gallery unless you're running the "current" version of the software. a way around that problem is to purchase a CD w/the full library of filters on it . . . i think that was around $15 (don't remember exactly, since i didn't purchase it)
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I see, thanks, I'll keep that in mind!
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now we both get one rhino in our galleries, bro! (i like mine, but still like your's better.)
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yours looks more dangerous, somehow...
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mahalo, Beyza! you know, i've been looking at your work a lot lately; it's not only terrific, but for me it's an education, too. 
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thank you,..
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Oh yes! that about says it all! I think this is awesome
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mahalo, B!! hey, like my spider?
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