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steve-burg — Visible Structures
Published: 2012-03-02 00:07:29 +0000 UTC; Views: 32408; Favourites: 508; Downloads: 937
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Description
At some future time, we may advance to the point where the signs of human civilization are visible even from a very great distance... so to me, this is a very optimistic image
This is a 3D render produced in Modo. A high contrast black & white texture was used for micro-polygonal displacement of a simple sphere, which produced true 3D surface relief.
I composited a NASA image of Saturn's moon Enceladus using an alpha channel (also rendered in Modo) to represent the natural features of the moon (which isn't necessarily the Earth's moon). The source image can be found here: [link]
The birds were done with some "bird brushes" I made some time ago.
This image bears a definite resemblance to a painting done by Syd Mead, who is of course a major inspiration
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Comments: 69
Ecumenpolis type worlds are cool, but I'd never want the Earth to be one. I like beaches and all that other good stuff. Still an impressive image.
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Oh now that's cool. As a technophile and cyberpunk fan I am just loving this.
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what you talkin about man thats the death star
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this reminds me of "Dahak" by David Weber. but it just so mechanical
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Beautifully done Steve, love the way you make big objects look so far away to make their size look more emense. Top artwork!
P.S. I have just finished a series of WIP'S of the Predator cloaked, would LOVE to hear your opinion on them!
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There are so many sci-fi TV shows which should've had the Moon looking like this.
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Here in the UK we have people we call Nimbies, which are people who say "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) about developments that they might think are really worthwhile and should be built, just as long as it's not anywhere near them. Not sure if America has the same phenomenon since there's enough space to build undesirable things far away from communities. Anyway, I don't normally find myself taking that kind of viewpoint, but with the moon I would.
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it looks simple and complex at the same time which makes it so natural - like someone you can see in real life but also can't believe your eyes. Great work!
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The circular landing bases maybe, but why would we have giant circles on the moon?
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**Seem that this moon was turned a high tech place! 
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I really want my own moon now 
I can remember my art teacher talking about extending art forms and materials, well I can see that way in the future we will expand to using planets and celestial structures as our paint and canvas.
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Usually I have something insightful to say.... but in this case words fail me, so you'll have to settle for: "Wooooooooooooowwwwwwwww, NEAT!"
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that is just flippen cool....... just.... damn!
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This looks really cool!! The relief map works and looks great, Superb work bud
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Is that Europa?
*finishes reading*
Oh.
Pretty cool, while I do not find it sad or bad, I would be freaked out to have that above us.
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A good point... although I live in Los Angeles, and sometimes I'm freaked out to have that around me LOL!
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At least LA is not carved out on the surface of a moon right?
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I love the scale of this concept. Reminds me a bit of Asimov's Trantor, or the Dyson Sphere from TNG.
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Excellent details! I couldn't help it, but the very first thing that came to mind when I saw this was The Moon is a harsh Mistress
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Does remind me of one of his Dyson sphere-like illustrations but I am thinking of the same one that was of view from inside? Really cool, just got Modo and it's daunting since my last exp in 3d was Softimage in '03, but great program.
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A couple of ancient stories talk about a metal ball which orbited the earth once. Maybe under the dust that's the real face of the moon.
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When I was in college, I wrote a short story about astronauts discovering that the moon was an immense spaceship. Covered in a thick layer of dust and rock, but underneath that it was a metal structure. It would certainly be a startling discovery!
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this very idea is visited in the anime gurren lagann, in a surprisingly novel way too. i guess its natural for people to ascribe these ideas to the things around us. heaven above us... hades below, and all the varying narratives about the moon. so cool really.
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Oh sweet, you use Modo! Rules! Thanks for the process breakdown, stellar image!
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This is pretty cool mate. I like the simplicity of the piece overall, but that it still has plenty of detail
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I pray to god mankind will keep their dirty hands off other moons/planets.
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Luckily, your kind is a dying breed. We're heading for other star systems in the centuries to come, don't wait up.
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Absolutely - although I pray that we can overcome our dirty hands one day
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That would be the best solution to our problems :3
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I don't think we will reach other planets until we raise the level of our civilization. But I hope that somehow one day we will
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Boy I hope so, heard some hype about moonvertising...projecting logos etc. on our moon! Could you imagine, camping in some isolated serene locale and looking up to seeing a Pepsi logo up there? Becoming a eco-terrorist convert would seem more reasonable after that, corporatism would've gone too far...
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I think projecting advertising onto another planet would be taking things a bit too far... in the wrong direction!
I imagine the practice would be stopped... one way or another. Let them figure out some other less obnoxious way to market soda pop!
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Thanks!
I guess it tells that life has survived into the distant future, and that humans learn that creating is better than destroying
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i would love to see this one day. maybe my offsprings will...
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I hope so, it would mean we've gotten our act together somewhat!
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Reminds me of the Death Egg, Space Colony Ark, and a Borg planet combined.
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