How the time has flown..

In reality it’s not that momentous as it first appears, I’ve sold through, and worked with DAZ for the last 7 years (maybe more) but what has changed is the fact that I am creating content solely on my own.

In the past, the workflow as such that I would send models off to be textured, and in the interim would give me some decompression time to clear the decks and prepare/start the next model.  Like a buffer I guess, where all the odd jobs could be sorted in this time and that gave a seamless flow of products coming out of the Redhouse towers.

Now it’s a lot more intense.  The project doesn’t end until it’s being uploaded to the DAZ servers, and even then I have one eye on what’s coming up next.  So the time to decompress is pretty non-existent now and at this juncture I think I am still getting my head around the change of workflow.

It’s not a case of better or worse, but just a change in mental attitude.

To see the fruits of my hard labour, head over to DAZ3d – I think there’s been some really good stuff done (I mean I would say that wouldn’t I?), my particular favourites has been the Alice in Wonderland inspired sets (Curious Retreat, Curious Passage)

When I have more time I will post up some of the promo artwork I created for some of the products – but in the meantime, here’s to the next 6 months!

Since then however, you might have noticed there have been several Platinum Club products released by ‘Jack Tomalin’ – well, that’s me.  There are lot’s of exciting plans for the future but I can’t say any more at this time.  Just keep checking the the DAZ3D site.

Thanks for your support – this isn’t the end, just a new beginning.

Atonement available at DAZ3D

Marrakesh Souks available at DAZ3D

Jewel of the South available at DAZ3D

Celebrations for Baroque Grandeur at DAZ3D

Baroque Grandeur at DAZ3D

With the arrival of our first proper ‘computer’ – the superb Amiga 500, I was introduced to the world of digital art  – and began to learn programs like Deluxe Paint.  I use the term loosely, it was more low-resolution scribblings of obscenities aimed at my sister, but it was an important turning point in my journey through the world of art .

I then began to play around with 3D modelling.  I dabbled with Imagine 2.0 on my Amiga 500 first, but the learning curve, especially to a 12 year old, was pretty insane. The process would generally involve making a primitive, then sitting intently watching the machine take (literally) hours to render it.  The end result I would then deem ‘rubbish’ and so the process would start all over again.  I guess you could call it ‘iterative self-tuition’

I was then very lucky enough to be given an A4000/030, which at the time, was a beast of a machine (Only beaten by the Amiga 4000/040 and then then 060 upgrade card).  The waiting times were significantly less between renders, and I started to grasp the basic terms of points and polygons and slowly the ball began to roll.

It was at this time I began to get into the Babylon 5 TV series. B5, for those that don’t know, was a TV series running during the 90′s (also, the only series which I have ever watched from start to finish..to date, at least.) Not only was the plot rather intriguing, it was the special effects – the spaceships, the explosions, the sheer scale of it all – that really set the spark off in my brain.

In the wider context – the B5 series single-handedly introduced CGI as a viable option to smaller production houses.. prior to that it was reserved for only the biggest of movie blockbuster budgets, scooping an Emmy for the effects for Foundation Imaging, the company behind it. The key to this was the relatively low-cost techology utilisted by F.I to create the effects – and that was Newtek’s Video Toaster, and a 3D package called Lightwave.

The very same Lightwave that was lurking in the deepest depths of the 100mb hard-drive of my Amiga.

So it then dawned on me.  I had the inspiration and also the very same tools.. it was just a matter of putting the two together. Hampered by the lack of manuals, learning materials, etc (and of course no existance of the Internet as we know it) that was a pretty frustrating time too.  But, very slowly, I went from making spheres and boxs to tanks and helicoptors. It was all pretty basic stuff,but gradually grew into more complex models, better textures, lighting, composition etc. to then deciding to have a stab at the Starfury from B5 – one of the most iconic designs in sci-fi.

Again, it was all trial and error, an iterative process of making a first version, then a second, third.. up to about fourteen versions of the Starfury until, even looking at it 10 years on, a pretty damn good clone – far better than most that were released at the time on the Internet.

Looking back now, I can see that while I was purely intending to make a perfect replica of the ship, I was actually learning a lot of valuble modelling skills, self descipline, and a very keen eye for detail.  At the time, I was so critical of the smallest error, that I would often scrap large chunks of work and start over.

And so, the perfectionist in me was born.

A.M.S RT-05 at DAZ3D