01/18/22
DB 2.0
Cris and I have been hard at work getting DB 2.0 ready and it's time to let folks use the new site. If you are a Member and you haven't yet migrated your account data over to the DB 2.0 please log in to the old account page here and click the “Migrate Account” link to do so. Once your account is migrated you will be able to download my work from the new site.
- Benefits of the new site??
- Modern login system (works with password managers)
- Modern mobile site
- More ultrawide resolutions
- Lossless master multiscreens (Plus Members and Above)
- Free mobile wallpapers for all (registration required)
Unfortunately migrating your Membership info does NOT migrate whatever payments you have set up with me on DB 1.0! However, if your renewal payment isn't due for a while you don't need to do anything right now.
Eventually all Members (other than the Lifetime ones) will need to set up a new payment plan on the new site. The merchant account I've been using for this old site was created in 1999 and the data cannot be exported to modern systems.
When your payment is set up on the new site I will delete whatever you have set up previously. The new site has more payment options and is much nicer to use so I expect everyone will find it easy to figure out.
I plan on keeping DB 1.0 running for a little while longer but I'm not going to add any more Members there. The mobile apps will keep functioning as well as Display Fusion and MMW Integration for the time being but those will require your old DB login. The one you create when you migrate will only be usable on DB 2.0!.
If are aren't a DB Member yet please feel free to look around and I hope you will consider supporting my work by becoming a DB Member!
01/15/22
Subglacial
Multi-Screen Render
When I originally created the geometry for "Subterrane" in Houdini I was unsure whether I wanted to create my cave out of rock or out of ice. I knew both would look interesting but I chose rock because it would render faster.
I was still curious though about how the ice would look so I tried it. The scene rendered in 19 hours vs 30 minutes but I think it looks pretty cool :-P
Looking to collecting my work as an NFT?? I've created a handy page listing the ones I currently have available on Foundation.
01/10/22
Subterrane
Multi-Screen Render
I took quite a few days off while the family was home during winter break. Mainly I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Ian who is now entering his last semester of high school. Now that everyone is back in school, however, I am back to learning how to use Houdini.
This time I am using it to create rock formations for use in my VUE scenes. Eventually I will just render something like this in Houdini but I like to mix learning with practice. This particular scene is sort of an experiment and I might create a few similar in the near future. I hope you enjoy it!
01/04/22
Happy New Year!!
Thank you all for being patient with me while I sort out this new digital art landscape. A lot has changed in the past year. I did manage to add 45 new renders to the gallery in 2021. That's fewer than in 2020, but that was a crazy unsustainable pace. It’s gratifying that my latest (“Solstice”) is currently the top rated!I'm sorry but I won't have anything new to post for a little while. While Jessie and the boys were having winter break I decided I wasn't going to work on any new art. Ian is 18 and this will likely be his last year living with me. I wanted to be available and present for anything he might be up for and when I have art projects going I tend to give them priority. We watched a lot of anime, played tennis and worked out the gym. I'm really going miss him when he's away at school in the Fall.
I’ve tried not to talk too much about NFTs here but I sold 87 NFTs to 31 different collectors in 2021. I also bought 43 artworks from 38 different artists. Why? I think NFTs are great way to support digital artists and I wouldn’t offer a product that I would not be willing to buy myself. I'm excited to be offering my work on a new site, Makersplace, which feels a bit more artist-centric than Foundation with its memes.
I also gave away about $38,000 worth of ETH to various charities over the past few days. I’ve never had that opportunity before and it feels amazing.
Regarding DB 2.0: The developer who’s working on DB 2.0 was unfortunately in a car accident recently but Cris assures me he’s fine and we are VERY close to the DB 2.0 finish line. All that really remains is a few cosmetics and a handy way for me to add my work to the database.
Once 2.0 is the default site I am looking forward to really knuckling down and learning Houdini, Cinema4D and (possibly) Unreal Engine 5 in 2022. I know each can plug into VUE so I think they will improve my landscape work dramatically. Rochallor can handle anything now with the 3090 installed. I’m very excited for this year!!
On behalf of Jessie, Ian and Jason I thank you for your amazing support this year and every year.
12/20/21
Solstice
Once a month I get up before dawn and drive Jason to school to meet with his classmates. One recent foggy, frosty morning the sunrise was peeking through the trees in our neighborhood and the contrast of the deep red and the cold morning really struck a chord with me. I knew I wanted to recreate it in VUE.
Now that the family is home for Winter Break I plan on spending as much time with them (especially Ian) as possible. By this time next year Ian will be away at college and my life will be very different.
I hope you have enjoyed my work in 2021 and that you all have a safe and happy holiday!
