PainShop Pro Graphics - Final version, from creepy to concept 'Dukkha'

Author

Final version, from creepy to concept 'Dukkha'

Nightingail

2006-05-18, 4:19 am

underprocessable

Joëlle

2006-05-18, 7:07 am

"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in message news:446c27a5_1@cnews...
>
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something different
> with the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept piece rather than
> 'creepy just for the sake of creepiness', which is how it started out.
> Since I'm in a philosophical mood, I'll mention that this happens to me
> fairly often with my dark themed pics: something that starts out as 'just
> a creepy image' ends up taking on more meaning for me as I continue to
> work on it.
>
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen to my
> philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll explain what it
> means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect anyone else to
> think of it as anything other than a creepy pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't 'work' for
> the concept as originally posted. When you all said the eyes weren't
> right, I went back and tried different things, but still liked the empty
> eye look, though you were right on about them being too bright and
> distracting. So I made them into sightless eyes rather than spooky glowing
> eyes, which fit perfectly into the idea of dukkha. That's a Buddhist
> concept that doesn't translate well into English. It roughly means
> unsatisfactory experience brought about by things like greed and envy (the
> green in the picture), anger (red), and delusion (sightless eyes). The
> ferris wheel represents the cycle of birth-life-death, and the stuff that
> looks sort of like the wire of a cage is lack of freedom experienced when
> one is trapped by negative thoughts.
>
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>
>
> Nightingail's Gallery
> www.nightingail.com
>
Thanks for the explanation with the image.
I much prefer this version, the eyes are bigger, making them less
threatening and conveying what you wanted them to convey. The mouth has
changed for the better.
I like the mesh/cage effect, it draws everything together and acts like a
veil.
You have turned your image into a philisophical characted rather than a
creepy one.
Very excellent work!

:-)
Joëlle

\(Mr.\) Adriaan Barel

2006-05-18, 7:07 pm

"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in message news:446c27a5_1@cnews
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something
> different with the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept piece
> rather than 'creepy just for the sake of creepiness', which is how it
> started out. Since I'm in a philosophical mood, I'll mention that
> this happens to me fairly often with my dark themed pics: something
> that starts out as 'just a creepy image' ends up taking on more
> meaning for me as I continue to work on it.
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen to my
> philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll explain
> what it means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect
> anyone else to think of it as anything other than a creepy pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't 'work'
> for the concept as originally posted. When you all said the eyes
> weren't right, I went back and tried different things, but still
> liked the empty eye look, though you were right on about them being
> too bright and distracting. So I made them into sightless eyes rather
> than spooky glowing eyes, which fit perfectly into the idea of
> dukkha. That's a Buddhist concept that doesn't translate well into
> English. It roughly means unsatisfactory experience brought about by
> things like greed and envy (the green in the picture), anger (red),
> and delusion (sightless eyes). The ferris wheel represents the cycle
> of birth-life-death, and the stuff that looks sort of like the wire
> of a cage is lack of freedom experienced when one is trapped by
> negative thoughts.
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>
>
> Nightingail's Gallery
> www.nightingail.com

I like this one much more; but it' still creepy for me :-), but thats not a
bad thing.
Wish I had your artistic 'bent'.

----oooOOOooo----

Adriaan Barel

Gail

2006-05-18, 7:07 pm

"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in message news:446c27a5_1@cnews...
>
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something different
with
> the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept piece rather than 'creepy
just
> for the sake of creepiness', which is how it started out. Since I'm in a
> philosophical mood, I'll mention that this happens to me fairly often with
> my dark themed pics: something that starts out as 'just a creepy image'
ends
> up taking on more meaning for me as I continue to work on it.
>
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen to my
> philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll explain what it
> means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect anyone else to
think
> of it as anything other than a creepy pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't 'work' for
the
> concept as originally posted. When you all said the eyes weren't right, I
> went back and tried different things, but still liked the empty eye look,
> though you were right on about them being too bright and distracting. So I
> made them into sightless eyes rather than spooky glowing eyes, which fit
> perfectly into the idea of dukkha. That's a Buddhist concept that doesn't
> translate well into English. It roughly means unsatisfactory experience
> brought about by things like greed and envy (the green in the picture),
> anger (red), and delusion (sightless eyes). The ferris wheel represents
the
> cycle of birth-life-death, and the stuff that looks sort of like the wire
of
> a cage is lack of freedom experienced when one is trapped by negative
> thoughts.
>
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>
>
> Nightingail's Gallery
> www.nightingail.com
>
>
> I don't know if I would call it creepy, but quite thought provoking Gail!
Gail2

JoeB

2006-05-18, 7:07 pm

"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in news:446c27a5_1@cnews:

>
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something
> different with the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept
piece
> rather than 'creepy just for the sake of creepiness', which is
how it
> started out. Since I'm in a philosophical mood, I'll mention
that this
> happens to me fairly often with my dark themed pics: something
that
> starts out as 'just a creepy image' ends up taking on more
meaning for
> me as I continue to work on it.
>
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen
to my
> philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll
explain what
> it means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect
anyone else
> to think of it as anything other than a creepy pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't
'work'
> for the concept as originally posted. When you all said the
eyes
> weren't right, I went back and tried different things, but
still liked
> the empty eye look, though you were right on about them being
too
> bright and distracting. So I made them into sightless eyes
rather than
> spooky glowing eyes, which fit perfectly into the idea of
dukkha.
> That's a Buddhist concept that doesn't translate well into
English. It
> roughly means unsatisfactory experience brought about by things
like
> greed and envy (the green in the picture), anger (red), and
delusion
> (sightless eyes). The ferris wheel represents the cycle of
> birth-life-death, and the stuff that looks sort of like the
wire of
> a cage is lack of freedom experienced when one is trapped by
negative
> thoughts.
>
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>

This is a great graphic, Gail, but I did like the original
version. I think that this is because, when I first saw it, I
immediately thought how appropriate it might have been for the
cover of Ray Bradbury's dark fantasy "Something Wicked This Way
Comes" (although it is a carousel, not a ferris wheel, that is
the star "attraction" in that novel).

Very good artistic work in any event!

Regards,

JoeB

Michelle

2006-05-18, 7:08 pm

"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:446c27a5_1@cnews...
>
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something
different with
> the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept piece rather than
'creepy just
> for the sake of creepiness', which is how it started out. Since
I'm in a
> philosophical mood, I'll mention that this happens to me fairly
often with
> my dark themed pics: something that starts out as 'just a
creepy image' ends
> up taking on more meaning for me as I continue to work on it.
>
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen
to my
> philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll
explain what it
> means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect anyone
else to think
> of it as anything other than a creepy pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't
'work' for the
> concept as originally posted. When you all said the eyes
weren't right, I
> went back and tried different things, but still liked the empty
eye look,
> though you were right on about them being too bright and
distracting. So I
> made them into sightless eyes rather than spooky glowing eyes,
which fit
> perfectly into the idea of dukkha. That's a Buddhist concept
that doesn't
> translate well into English. It roughly means unsatisfactory
experience
> brought about by things like greed and envy (the green in the
picture),
> anger (red), and delusion (sightless eyes). The ferris wheel
represents the
> cycle of birth-life-death, and the stuff that looks sort of
like the wire of
> a cage is lack of freedom experienced when one is trapped by
negative
> thoughts.
>
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>
>
> Nightingail's Gallery
> www.nightingail.com
>
>

Gail, this really is excellent. It draws me in. IMO, it's still
creepy but that's a good thing. You are a very talented lady!
(yes you are!) :-D

--
Michelle ;-)

Michelle's Paint Shop Pro & More!
http://members.aol.com/Mish234/index.html
Original tubes, links to plugins, tutorials, fonts & more.

Carrie Osmo

2006-05-18, 10:49 pm

This one is really good
like the interest and the colour choices..
well done you must be very happy with this result
carrie
"Nightingail" <gail@nospam.com> wrote in message news:446c27a5_1@cnews...
>
> It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something different with the eyes, it began to take shape as a concept piece
> rather than 'creepy just for the sake of creepiness', which is how it started out. Since I'm in a philosophical mood, I'll mention
> that this happens to me fairly often with my dark themed pics: something that starts out as 'just a creepy image' ends up taking
> on more meaning for me as I continue to work on it.
>
> Ok, now don't read anymore if you aren't in the mood to listen to my philosophy-behind-the-image. I won't be offended ;-) I'll
> explain what it means to me personally, and of course I wouldn't expect anyone else to think of it as anything other than a creepy
> pic *grin*
>
> I had the theme in mind generally for this pic, but it didn't 'work' for the concept as originally posted. When you all said the
> eyes weren't right, I went back and tried different things, but still liked the empty eye look, though you were right on about
> them being too bright and distracting. So I made them into sightless eyes rather than spooky glowing eyes, which fit perfectly
> into the idea of dukkha. That's a Buddhist concept that doesn't translate well into English. It roughly means unsatisfactory
> experience brought about by things like greed and envy (the green in the picture), anger (red), and delusion (sightless eyes). The
> ferris wheel represents the cycle of birth-life-death, and the stuff that looks sort of like the wire of a cage is lack of freedom
> experienced when one is trapped by negative thoughts.
>
> Oh, and I purposely left the brushstrokes rough btw.
>
>
>
> Gail
>
>
> Nightingail's Gallery
> www.nightingail.com
>
>

Lis

2006-05-19, 6:51 am

Nightingail wrote:
: It's still creepy, but when I went back to it to do something
:
: <snip>
: Gail
:
:
: Nightingail's Gallery
: www.nightingail.com

It is rather compelling! Great work ............. Stephen King should be
knocking on your door about now......................

Linda

Linda Nieuwenstein

2006-05-19, 7:08 pm

underprocessable

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Joëlle wrote:
> Thanks for the explanation with the image.
> I much prefer this version, the eyes are bigger, making them less
> threatening and conveying what you wanted them to convey. The mouth
> has changed for the better.
> I like the mesh/cage effect, it draws everything together and acts
> like a veil.
> You have turned your image into a philisophical characted rather than
> a creepy one.
> Very excellent work!
>
> :-)
> Joëlle

Thanks, Joëlle! The cage effect came from using image arithmetic on the
original graphic with a photo I had taken of a pigeon standing on a piece of
wire mesh. Then I took that result, put it on a layer over the graphic and
erased 'to taste'.

Gail
--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

(Mr.) Adriaan Barel wrote:
>
> ----oooOOOooo----
>
> Adriaan Barel

Thanks, Adriaan! I'm glad you don't think creepy is a bad thing ;-)

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Gail wrote:[color=darkred]

Thanks, Gail2! That's exactly the reaction I hope people have when they look
at something like this ;-)

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

JoeB wrote:
>
> This is a great graphic, Gail, but I did like the original
> version. I think that this is because, when I first saw it, I
> immediately thought how appropriate it might have been for the
> cover of Ray Bradbury's dark fantasy "Something Wicked This Way
> Comes" (although it is a carousel, not a ferris wheel, that is
> the star "attraction" in that novel).
>
> Very good artistic work in any event!
>
> Regards,
>
> JoeB

Thanks for the great compliment, Joe! My hubby liked the first one, too.

Gail
--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Michelle wrote:
>
> Gail, this really is excellent. It draws me in. IMO, it's still
> creepy but that's a good thing. You are a very talented lady!
> (yes you are!) :-D
>
> --
> Michelle ;-)
>
> Michelle's Paint Shop Pro & More!
> http://members.aol.com/Mish234/index.html
> Original tubes, links to plugins, tutorials, fonts & more.

Thanks, Michelle *blushing* ;-) I was hoping that it would have that kind of
effect on viewers (i.e. drawing them in). I think the sightless eyes do that
more so than the glowing ones, and I have you and Joelle to thank for your
honest critiques of the first version.

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Carrie Osmo wrote:
> This one is really good
> like the interest and the colour choices..
> well done you must be very happy with this result
> carrie

Thanks, Carrie! Yes, I'm happy with this one ;-) The vast majority of my
stuff goes straight into the recycle bin ;-0!

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Lis wrote:
> It is rather compelling! Great work ............. Stephen King should
> be knocking on your door about now......................
>
> Linda

Thanks, Linda! From your mouth to Stephen King's ears.. ;-))

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Nightingail

2006-05-20, 4:31 am

Linda Nieuwenstein wrote:
> Did you happen to notice the hidden faces in the background? Think of
> an eagle or hawl type bird (head/beak only) eating (biting the top of
> the head off) a skeleton type creature.
>
> Look at the attachment for the outline of both creatures, but then
> look at the original image in the same spot and you'll see a much
> more scary, detailed version of what I'm trying to point out (bird
> head and beak in red, skeleton type creature being eaten in red).
>
> That by the way is what many have argued makes a true artist...when
> ones subconscious mind creates hidden art that is related to the real
> scene/subject of the image the conscious mind created...or something
> like that. Some people intentionally put hidden images in, while the
> genuine artist doesn't realize they've done it.
>
> Take care,
> Linda

No, I hadn't noticed it, Linda! I did see some vague figures of some sort in
that area after I was all done with the pic, but not the bird-skeleton that
you point out. I hadn't heard that about artists, but I have heard that both
artists and crazy people see specific patterns/pictures where other people
might not. I figure I have more in common with the crazy than the artistic
*grin*!

Gail

--
Nightingail's Gallery
www.nightingail.com

Linda Nieuwenstein

2006-05-21, 7:05 pm

>"Nightingail" wrote
> No, I hadn't noticed it, Linda! I did see some vague figures of some sort
> in that area after I was all done with the pic, but not the bird-skeleton
> that you point out. I hadn't heard that about artists, but I have heard
> that both artists and crazy people see specific patterns/pictures where
> other people might not. I figure I have more in common with the crazy than
> the artistic *grin*!
>

If you are crazy it is crazy in a good way! I think you are more artistic
than you give yourself credit for. You certainly appreciate art, especially
that of a darker nature :-)

Take care,
linda