Beautiful! I like this one even more than the original classic.

Great work on this one. Absolutely love it.

Since I work most of the day, I am typically using my pc at night. I always enjoy more of the darker themes because they are generally easier on the eyes when you don't have glaring bright colors. I still enjoy many of the day time scenes but I typically use them on my work pc in the office. Keep up the great work Ryan.

While I do still think it's a good piece, I like it with the planets better.

WOW, the planet actually got removed. Thanks for listening to us and keep up your one of a kind work man!

WOW, the planet actually got removed. Thanks for listening to us and keep up your one of a kind work man!

WOW, the planet actually got removed. Thanks for listening to us and keep up your one of a kind work man!

WOW, the planet actually got removed. Thanks for listening to us and keep up your one of a kind work man!

...all the way.



Blows the last version out of the water. And leaves it for so-much interstellar dust.



BTW, out of curiosity, do you have a collection of your re-imagined wallpapers? :)

10/10 now in dual screen please!

I like it, but I do like it with the planets as well, especially after you worked on the shadow on the rings! Great work!

Much better, this is more in line with the original "Singularity", the extra planets just seemed to crowd things up too much.

I really like the idea of members being able to see your work in progress, Ryan. Where will you be putting the link so we can find it in the future?

Stunning.

Perfect.

Considering how much I loved (and still do) the original... yeah. Ticks all my boxes.

Ahh yes! I love this version the best! No other planets, no other foreground. Your space images are the best!

To me, it feels like this version has arrived. I find that I actually see the wonderful colors and patterns in the singularity. There was something awkward or distracting about the composition of the original version. (I hope there is a separate future for the ringed planet, though)

It took me setting this as the background on my Chromebook to really appreciate how gorgeous it is without the planets. I still really like the planet version and am sad it is now the pickle jar version but honestly this is just a terrific image.

I'm a longtime fan of yours and a lifetime member. I love your stuff passionately, so please don't take this criticism too harshly.



I've worked in a planetarium for a long time, and it just looks... off. The accretion disk looks almost more like something oily floating on the surface of water getting sucked down the drain. If the accretion disk was a bit more billowy or gaseous, I think it would fix it. The emission jets are good, as is the central part of the accretion disk.



Anyways, I still have up the St. Patty's picture. :) I love that one!

I like the space version, and the planets are a neat addition but the thing that detracts for me is the way the large planet seems to sit on top of the rings. currently sporting the planet free version on my laptop and awaiting an Iris Nebula addition to the fancy re-imagined collection.

Nice...Very nice. In reading some of the comments below, I'm not sure if there's a difference between a Singularity and a Black Hole. I also agree with someone who related this to that ole Star Trek Soap Opera "Deep Space 9".

Wonderful! I do like this planetless render better, although I like the other as well. I'm always a fan of your spacescapes. Thank you, Ryan! :)



@Robert W. says "Would be a ten if there were dual screen versions..." So, how are you going to change your vote if Ryan renders dual screen versions, as he likely will? You can only vote once.

Perfect... Yes, I know I gave it a nine. The only thing that keeps it from being a ten is the fact that the version from the ground is even better. For what this one is: a space scene, it's perfect. Good work.

Love it!

I love the space wallpapers and this one without planets is amazing :)

can I also beg plead for a multiscreen screen version (soon to be getting 3 x 24" monitors.. your wallpapers have inspired me to do it!

Like this "less crowded" version. Thanks for indulging us.

Would be a ten if there were dual screen versions...

Love it, thanks for rendering one without planets. Can't wait to see the multiscreen of this version.

For a standalone space paper I agree that the planets made it too busy - this looks great!

I finally figured out what's been annoying me about those rings!

I looked at it really close up, and the shadow on the ringed planet "cuts out" the rings, especially the inner rings. *Thats* why I don't like it. :) The shadow's too sharp, the rings aren't, and then the shadow removes them. (They should still be visible in the shadow of the planet...but they're just not there...). Its the back of the planet and the way the shadow interacts with the rings that's the problem.



That said, I love the added glow. Really adds to the atmospherics of the piece. This is definitely going to a #10 piece when its done.

I quite like this version, but with all the versions I feel there's something not quite right about the ringed planet. Possibly it would be more visually pleasing if it appeared to be in the background, smaller and with fewer rings.

Muuuuuch better than v.1



I still don't like the rings on the planet, or the planets for that matter. I look forward to a pickle jar version without them.

I also think it would look better without the planets. The scale looks unrealistic with planets in the foreground.

I like the added glow, especially the color it brings out in the rings of the planet. If there's a multimonitor version I'll be using it as a wallpaper.

I prefer the more muted tones (on my monitor at least) of the original.

Oh yea this will tide me over! The gasses seem to be more realistic. The glow I kind of like - I can imagine a star exploding on the event horizon! Wish we can observe in real life!

Not that I think V.1 is great, but I think the singularity looks better without the extra glow. As for the planets, I think the image would be much better off without the ringed planet.

I like the added disk/ring glow. The back of the planet still looks wrong to me, though.

It keeps getting better but I'd really love one with only the singularity. If you're not interested in doing a singularity only version I understand but how about doing a multiscreen of this version?

I think the space view looks better on this one. Everything seems to close on the planet side view.

Please make a multiscreen version without planets for the pickle jar. I much prefer the color and look of this from space and would really like to see it on my dual screen setup.

Personally I really like the rings. I also prefer this version to the 'from the ground' version.



The thing I like about the rings is the colour. The Universe has so many amazing objects made up of so many colours, why can't planetary rings do that? Perhaps ice crystals in the rings refract light in a similar way to water droplets causing a rainbow.



At the end of the day, this is Ryan's imagination. In many cases I think that is better than reality!

I really like this one. Love the colors and I gravitate towards darker renders since it works better with my desktop.

For those people who think the black hole is too bright, that's actually how they appear in reality when they have an accretion disk around them. The light comes from the material falling into the black hole. Black holes are incredibly small. The supermassive one at the center of the Milky Way (which is the mass of 4 MILLION Suns) only has a radius of about 0.08 AU (AU=distance between Earth and Sun). That's how small they are. The light from the accretion disk completely obscures the black hole because it's so tiny.

Others have said what I have to say, but I thought I would just throw my 2 cents in.



1. It's too colorful! Those rings have too many...rings! Way too colorful for a space scene. And the rings look like a oily puddle of water, not quite like something you'd see in space.

2. The light coming out of the center. That's not a singularity! Get rid of the light and replace it with a completely BLACK void and it will look MUCH better!

3. Get rid of the planets. At least the ones in the top-left of the scene. As for the one with the rings, maybe you could change it somehow (distort or break it apart) so that it looks like the singularity is consuming it!

I adored the original Singularity, but I can't say I love this one; I barely even like it. I would really like it a great deal more without the planets. They just make the update... busy, where as with the original, the Singularity was the focus.

Mostly, I'm disturbed by the rings.

The angles of the planetary shadow on the rings says it is close to the light source, presumably the singularity. But the rings aren't nearly intact enough to be that close.



I could see it improved either by changing the lighting (so the singularity isn't causing the shadows, or they're angled differently) or by making the planet and rings look like they are being pulled in.

Well on the way, though I have to agree with some that it seems a little busy with color encompassing so much of the screen. Being able to see a bit more of the space around it (maybe in the multiple screens?) would make me feel like I am seeing the space view.



I really enjoy the light play off the planets and moons.

Would absolutely love it if that Saturn like planet wasn't there. I personally think its a little to distracting for my tastes. Perhaps 3 small moons surrounding the black hole would be less distracting without being to little.

Holy Moly I love this. The original Singularity is a long-time favourite and while this is very different, it is tremendously beautiful. I particularly love the gas and dust effects, and the way the planet's rings are shadowed by it. Scientifically speaking one could nitpick, but since you're an artist and I'm not an astrophysicist I think we're good.

Love it Ryan. Anything cosmic you hit out of the park. Keep it going man.

Absolutely amazing ...!



But I'm missing 640x960 for my iPhone 4 ...? Well, sh*+ happens, I guess ... ;)

I like this, nice colours and "clouds". I do think something is off about the planets but mostly I think it currently looks a bit cluttered. I know its not always possible or agreed with but I would quite like pickle jar versions without any planets (and I know this makes it closer to the old version) and most interested in a version with the two "planets" shrunk down (perhaps to the scale of the planet & rings fitting with the current planetary circumference.

Your space renders are always AMAZING!

A quick comment for those of you referring to the size of the planet, being too close to the singularity... think about cosmic distances, and perspective. We (the viewer) could be really close to the planet (relatively speaking), but the singularity could be so big that it still looks "close" to us and the planets.



Also, this piece is a remake of "Singularity." The original looked more like a black hole, but in the sci-fi community, or even the scientific one, a wormhole is very similar to a black hole, but could look different. Maybe this one is a wormhole... they're both singularities, as a wormhole is theoretically the connection between a black hole and white hole, or 2 black holes.



Just food for thought.

There are number of little things bothering me about this that all add up. Firstly the rings arounnd the planet - that close to a blck hole they would be torn to shreds or at the very least being pulled into the hole, not still forming perfect circles. To my eye the angle that the rings lay on is slightly different to the angle of the accertion disc, it feels slightly out of alignment (not that it needs to be but it just looks wierd imho). Also i don't think the very centre of the singulaity should be glowing - the jets streamers yes but the whole point of being called a black hole is that light doesn't escape :)



I realise my issues are based upon looking at this through a cold hard scientific lens rather than the piece of art that it is, but that's just how my brain works, sorry! On the plus side tho, the painterly feel to the accertion disc is actually pretty damn good :)

love this one. your space renders are always beautiful.

love it, and love the title

Wow! You've out done yourself with this one! You're space images are perhaps my favorite, and this one doesn't disappoint. The clarity and detail are spot on. Especially towards the center of what I'm guessing is a black hole or something similar. Overall excellent image though.

Ryan,

How `bout an extra planet, or two, on the multi screen. Just like you would get if you pulled back from the scene (black hole). Just a thought :)

Cheers!

P.S. Really cool pic. Score: 9

If you have a closer look, that's not (technically) light that's 'escaping'. I think those 'streams' are actually jets of matter being ejected as other matter is destroyed. It happens sometimes, especially at the center of supernovas. :) (Geek)

Awesome. My jaw dropped.

Hands down better than the previous singularity, which was always one of my favs. For the singularity itself.

The ringed planet is kinda...out of place. (if its that close, it should be, uh, showing the effects of being sucked in like...instead of being so crisp and clear)

Other than that... Total awesomeness.

I don't like the current state of this one. I think with some work it will be excellent but there are some things that bother me. I don't think the ringed planet suits the picture. It competes with the singularity as a focal point. I think the space surrounding it is too crisp... almost organic. It seems too busy as well. Sorry I don't have a lot of good stuff to say about this one.

this totally reminds me of Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Looks more like a wormhole to me than a black hole. :)

I'm liking this piece a lot. It's not completely "realistic" but I love the colors. I think the accretion disk around the center of the black hole / wormhole / etc. could use some smoothing out in gradient... seems too blocky in color, as does the surrounding space; more like a watercolor painting than a ship's window view. A combination of your original singularity's fluidity of gradient, and the coloration and perspective of this one, and you're golden in my book :)



Oh, the rings in the shadow of the planet could use a bit of boosting, so you can kind of see them, vs completely dark.



Great start so far!

I love your original Singularity piece; it's been in my top 3 ever since I discovered your website ~11 years ago. So, I'm really looking forward to a re-imagining of it.



That said, I echo some of the feelings before. The accretion disk seems to have a watery-oily texture to it, particularly as you get toward the outer edge. If they were to appear more gaseous, that would look better. The planet with the rings does look a bit off, but I think that could be fixed by making the rings more opaque (the translucency is creating the "off" feeling, I think).



All that said, I love your "space ship" view scenes and personally far prefer them to the ground ones. I think it needs a little more work, but don't leave this one alone purely in favor of the ground view.

Yea a little rough looking but I like it. Just one question how is the light escaping? lol thanks!

Interesting looking piece. The way the nebula is drawn gives it kind of a comic look to it. Maybe downsize the planets though, because they dominate the picture.

The link to the old favorite "Singularity" takes us to "Phraxis Moon." Did you mean the link to go to http://digitalblasphemy.com/preview.shtml?i=singularity? At any rate, I agree this needs some polish but overall I like the render. I'm eagerly looking forward to the update. I love your space images, Ryan!

I agree with the previous poster about the rings. The shadowing looks odd. It crosses different rings at different places. Now that I look at the stuff surrounding the singularity, some of it looks a bit oily near the outer edges, sort of like oil on water. I think it could use some work to make it look more gaseous.



That said, I'm really happy to see another space rendering. They're my favorites!

I'm usually a huge fan of your space scenes, but this one definitely seems rushed. People have already pointed out the fact that the planetary rings look really off, and I think the effect it has on the overall image is that it looks too unreal. The prismatic nebula surrounding the already surreal bright singularity makes it look a bit cartoonish to begin with and the rings really push that over the top. Your work is usually much more "real" looking in space scenes. That said I really like the image's feeling and I think you could make it quite awesome, so I'll give it a "good work thus far"!

If anything, the rings are brighter than they would be in reality - when you look at actual rings, they might as well not exist in the shadow. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/gallery/True_Saturn.jpg



That said, the ambient light in this one is higher, so there being some visibility to them is plausible. The backside of the planet having a dark circle that's less than half the size of the planet just looks wrong to me, though.

I have to agree with Brian.. the rings are off.. something about the unseen parts of the ring don't sit right with me.. I can see it's supposed to be the un-illuminated side, but it doesn't look quite right.. I AM, however, looking forward to the view from the ground that you're working on..

The rings around the planet are totally off. They look like they are orbiting the south pole.

I like you space scapes greatly. On this one though, there's something about the ringed planet in the foreground that doesn't look right... maybe it's proximity to the white hole/black hole/super nova combined with the perspective that throws it off...

The rings are pretty cool, they could be raised a little bit perhaps? As for the perspective of how close these planets are to the singularity, we have to recall the distances here are planetary, they could be several million miles from the singularity.

I always groan when I see the comment "it's not photo-realistic". That's not a valid critizism because it's art. I've never heard Ryan state he's dedicated to making sure every piece looks like a photo.



That said, the rings seem out of place and I would also love to see gravity pulling and ripping these heavenly bodies to shreds! :)

lose the ringed planet, it's overkill and it looks like it's sitting on a bowl of rings instead of them actually being around the planet. Otherwise I like it a lot.

Remove the ringed planet and make the other one look like its being pulled into the singularity, perhaps make it appear to be breaking apart. That would make it a 10.

Remove the other planetary objects and this will be awesosme!

I can't accept the rings. Otherwise, I like it.

You shouldn't be able to see stars through the shadowed portion of the rings. The shadow cast by the planet should also have sharper lines. You can see this in pictures of Saturn's rings. As for the black hole, the colors and textures around it make it look like a painting. Not a bad thing but certainly not photo-realistic.

Portals*

I don't mean to sound harsh or anything. I really like your work but this one looks very fake and unfinished, in kind of the same way as Magnetar. Whereas wallpapers like Elegy and potals look a lot smoother and more "real" to me.

I had a problem looking at the rings as well. I'm not so much bothered by the edge where the shadow falls, but by the fact that the stars shine through that area as if there were nothing there. Seems like there should be some dimming or obscuring, even if the rings are supposed to be shadowed from full view.



Not to say I don't like the piece! It's great work overall.

I like the look, but I agree with the rings, though I do understand the part about the shadow. What makes it more look like chopped rings to me are the stars that are clearly visible where the rings (or the shadow on the rings) should be.

I assume it is just a case of the planet shadow falling over them, but it ends up looking like the bottom right corner of the rings are just completely chopped out - lines that straight kind of interrupt the flow of the piece for me. Other than that I like it. :)