Main Viewing Gallery
Thank you for visiting. Enjoy my gallery!
All images in the gallery are available via preview (thumbnail) images below. You may scroll (stroll?) through the gallery, selecting images to view. Clicking the thumbnail image will open the full size image in a new window. I truly hope you enjoy these works of mine. If you find you are having any trouble with this page, please return to the Gallery Lobby, where you'll find a text menu, and other viewing tips!
Return visitors will notice some of the older images are being redone. Due to upgrades to my system and software, I've decided to enhance many of the older images while between ideas for new works. In some cases, I may have just rendered the scene again for better effects. In some, I've also added elements, improved lighting effects or the general quality of the result.
If you are returning, and don't see new imagery, or the "redux", try refreshing the page. Depending on your browser setup, you may be viewing the previous cache on your hard drive.
Now, if you'll just follow me, we'll tour the rooms...
The Realism/Nature/Architecture Room
This room presents images of scenes or objects such as we might see in the real world. There are also those which don't or can't actually exist, but appear natural or realistic.
Having done robots, aliens, and disappointed attempts at human-like models, I recently decided to spend the time and effort on a model of a person. Over a period of months, I spent many hours developing the many objects, textures, shaders and such. The model includes individual eyelashes, eyes and eyelids that move, and individual fingernails, just to mention a few details! I created the model so that anatomy could be alternated between the male and female forms.
Note to viewers familiar with "Poser": I do not use it.
These images contain partial nudity, but these folks are decent. My first models are generic, Anglo-type folks. As time permits, I plan to add more human elements to future work, and develop more variation of body types and represent more of our human family. As well, I'll design some clothing for them to wear!
In addition to the human form, I'm also creating some realistic scenes, such as the rooms which include many fine details.
In these works, note the many details such as tissue, and brushes with individual bristles in the bathroom scenes.
This one has swirling clouds of steam surrounding the shower and our subject.
Steamy Shower - (98K) -- 01/28/04
Here, our subject is joined by her spouse.
Bath scene 2 - (102K) -- 01/29/04
Another view of our girl...
Bath scene 3 - (102K) -- 02/04/04
A closeup of a pretty face.
Blue eyes - (60K) -- 01/31/03
Our friends enjoying some quiet time together.
Sharing - (85K) -- 02/02/04
This was my first serious scene, after "playing" and doing some of the images that appear in other pages. I call this "Quiet Corner". This new, enhanced version of my original includes details omitted before. I added a glass of water, and see how the moonlit mountains outside are visible through the window, while the window glass still reflects the interior objects. Note the shadow of the eyeglasses, and the transparency of the lens. This scene involved many objects, some made up of multiple other objects, each constructed individually. For example, the table and lamp are made of lathed extruded cylindrical objects, and other shapes. Note the picture on the wall, by the way. You might notice that a later work is set within this same space.
Quiet Corner - (101K) -- 07/31/03
Here is a detail of the previous scene, approaching the table, to view the spectacles and water glass.
Detail - (54K) -- 07/31/03
This is like Quiet Corner, in that it contains real-life objects. The candle's dripping wax and the flame and reflections were fun to achieve. Note that the following image is the same scene after sunrise, and the candle has melted down.
Home Fire - (97K) -- 08/01/03
The morning after creating the previous scene, the sun was rising, so I opened the window, and noticed the globs of melted wax!
Home Fire 2 - (97K) -- 08/01/03
An outdoor scene, the image of the end of a creek, falling off into the space indicated by the background, which is dominated by a huge sphere, appearing near, but actually very far from the vantage point. The water and the rocks on the shore were a challenge, and I hope that you also enjoy the next project, which is the view of the waterfall from the far side of this scene.
Close to the Edge - (145K) -- 07/11/03
This scene is the view from the far side of the previous scene. The waterfall was the most difficult object to create here, and I hope the ground fog looks as cool through your viewer as it does in the finished image.
Over the Edge - (141K) -- 07/11/03
After doing the Cspyber in the Sci-Fi room, I decided to do my all-time favorite insect in a real-life scene. So, I created the leaves and branches, enhanced and corrected a Mantis model already in my object library (also adding the new transparent wings), and the result is this scene.
Mantis - (115K) -- 07/29/03
This one is also inspired by M.C. Escher. His work entitled "High and Low" (1947) is an incredibly well done illusion which also illustrates his talent in architecture. Although it's impossible to re-create the illusion in 3-D (Escher's work can only be reproduced in 2-D), I just had to produce half the illustration here, and the time I spent on this one was so enjoyable. If you know Escher's work, you'll recognize this scene.
Up and Down - (96K) -- 07/03/03
I'm enjoying inventing my own flowering plants! I created the flowering plants in these images petal-by-petal, stamen-by-stamen, and God knows I had a wonderful time doing this! The greenhouse will never be the same!
This was my first, set against a backdrop photo of my actual greenhouse.
My first flower - (83K) -- 09/12/03
Here is a bunch of cut roses, in a comfortable room setting.
Cut Roses - (106K) -- 09/12/03
This orchid was a great deal of fun to create. The setting is a natural forest under a full moon. I have three views for detail.
Orchid 1 - (118K) -- 09/10/03
A closer view from a different angle.
Orchid 2 - (126K) -- 09/10/03
A closeup of the fully open bloom detail.
Orchid 3 - (111K) -- 09/10/03
A beach house. Open french doors.. A palm swaying outside in a breeze blowing through the house, and thin, light drapes waving with the breeze. ..My wife's idea for a scene, which I thought would be a really good exercise as well!
Breeze - (115K) -- 07/03/03
More of my own plant creations here. I also worked to create an illusion of pure, clear spring waters in a scene hard to find on our planet anymore. And hey! Even if you tried, you can never throw a beer can into this pond!
Lily Pond - (120K) -- 08/07/03
The St. Louis Gateway Arch is a monument to Westward Expansion and Thomas Jefferson. In its simple elegant design, the architect did a beautiful thing here. I wanted to have a 3-D model for my portfolio, and to use in other imagery, such as logo design for clients in the St. Louis area, so I set out to create one.
The first two images are scenes like others here, with natural looking lighting, backdrops, and surrounding objects. As for the other images, I'd like to show you how I created the model, as this is an excellent example of how this is seldom as easy as it may seem! While researching the real thing for exact dimensions, etc., I found some interesting facts, such as the mathematical equation used to plot the catenary curve for the Arch design. Visit the official St. Louis Arch website yourself! If you're in St. Louis, please visit the Arch, learn about its construction and ride to the top!
This view is as seen in many photos. I got one such image, then removed the Arch, in order to have downtown St. Louis in the background.
Arch 1 - (60K) -- 08/25/03
This view is as if you're in the park looking up at the Arch.
Arch 2 - (52K) -- 08/25/03
To create my model, I first created this object of half the Arch. The Arch is 630 feet tall, and as wide at its base. Each leg is the shape of an equilateral triangle, 54 feet across at the base, and 17 feet at the top. Of course, in my 3-D studio, I worked in relative measurements and coordinates. I drew a triangle, then extruded a path, plotting points to create the curve, ending at an adjacent plane in a triangle 1/4 the size of the base. This was the hard part, as the quality of the curve here is everything!
Arch Model: 1 - (9K)
Next, I created a bitmap file to use as a texture map of the stainless steel plating, and applied it to the half Arch, tiling it to simulate the real thing. This was then applied properties for shininess, etc. so that it renders as seen in the images above. That's how the Arch appears photorealistic in the right lighting.
Model: 2 - (6K)
Half the Arch, ready to go! Next, I duplicated the object, and arranged the two to form the Arch.
Model: 3 - (5K)
Next, I added windows at the top. These are each simple rectangle objects, sized and positioned at the same angle as the triangle face, and placed onto the Arch object. I also placed a "tiny" light on the top (you can't see it here) in case I want to use it later in a night scene.
Model: 4 - (8K)
We now have a completed scale model of the Arch. All the objects are grouped into one object, which can be moved, rotated and used in scenes or other imagery, such as logos!
Model: 5 - (7K)
Model: 6 - (7K)
Model: 7 - (6K)
I then referenced some arial photos to create a model of the Arch grounds, and placed the Arch model in a scene with that, and rendered the first two images above.
A small desert town in the still of the night. A street scene outside the entrance to the gallery!
Streetnight - (94K) -- 05/15/04
You'd never know that I love the work of M.C. Escher. Here, I created a scene including a detailed 3-D reproduction of his lithograph, "Ascending and Descending". If you don't know his work, just study this one for awhile. Impossible?
Klimmen en Dalen - (133K) -- 06/14/04
The Dream/Spatial/Scientific Room
This room presents images of scenes or objects which may be of dreams, and studies in geometry and spatial relationship, or sci-tech inventions of my imagination.
When I did the original for this, I was really thrilled with the transparent glass effect on the globe. That's now no big deal, but the backlighting of the star nova is a joy to achieve with new effects.
Rings - (71K) -- 07/29/03
This was a serious effort. There are many objects here in different planes, plus the effects of transparency, light from within an object, and various surface textures. This idea was originally a mural I painted on a wall in 1975.
Planes - (42K) -- 07/29/03
Roosl's Mandala. You'll find this image elsewhere at Roosl's site - as a spinning animation!
Mandala - (42K) -- 07/29/03
This one was inspired by an M.C. Escher work entitled "Cubic Space Division" (1952). I wanted to go on infinitely with this, but this version took over 2 hours to render (do you know why?), so I thought I'd leave it at that. The original scene does expand well beyond what's visible here...
Network - (153K) -- 07/21/03
This image has been sold to ScienceDev. ScienceDev holds the copyright and any use of this image requires their express permission and authorization.
Here's one for God, whom I thank daily for everything, such as the opportunity, imagination and abililty to do what I'm doing here. Of course, the image is from ideas based on what I've been taught or exposed to. We all have our own images in mind, and whether or not the cross is meaningful is up to interpretation, as is the image of creation, nearness and love, and the origin of the universe as we see it.
Omega - (76K) -- 08/07/03
If you're familiar with M.C. Escher's work, you'll recognize "Gravitation". In this one, I substituted the reptiles with mannequins. This one was such a pain, that I offered myself the next two also, out of the same toil. There are 12 star planes here, and 12 copies of the mannequin. Each had to be precisely placed individually. The precision object modeling and placement to construct the scene took an entire weekend. Don't ask me how many times I said the F word during those 2 days.
Gravitation - (75K) -- 07/21/03
Because of the work involved in the previous image, I couldn't put my mouse to bed until I got something else out of the effort. These are the same mannequins with the star removed.
Gravitation 2 - (67K) -- 07/21/03
Please see the previous two works. These are the same mannequins inside a glass sphere with altered lighting effects.
Gravitation 5 - (63K) -- 07/21/03
Inspired by an old poster from the 60's, now in my home office.
Rock - (110K) -- 08/02/03
The user guide for the software I used to create these works has an image on the cover of a metallic, chrome mouse - Really cool, and inspiration for this image. I created a cat, which is posed just like that mouse, and is pouncing on the book's cover. I had hoped Fractal Design took notice of this one.
Puddy Tat - (111K) -- 07/21/03
Here is a helluva exercise in reflection, refraction, transparency and spatial relationship (and, yeah, a little more of that Escher influence). Here we have two mirrors, a glass window, and transparent and mirrored spheres playing around. I spent a number of root beers and smokes on this one, too, as I was (as my wife says) "in the matrix".
Sphere Play - (72K) -- 06/24/03
Here is another cubic[le] space division, or perhaps a take on "the matrix" of the workplace. Maybe this is the H.R. department?
The Office - (100K) -- 06/18/03
A closer look at the individual in the foreground of the previous image. Hey, man, get to work!
The Office - (45K) -- 06/18/03
The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Room
This room presents images of scenes or objects of fantasy and the science fiction genre.
What began as an excercise in working with clear glass (such as containing ice water), became a couple of Gin and Tonics (yeah, I used to drink, too!), with a Rod Serling influence. Notice the point of view. You can look down at the bar in front of you, and up at your companion. Man, was that a happy hour of rendering...
Happy Hour - (121K) -- 08/28/03
I finally re-engineered a female robot I had done years ago, into "Cybher". Fine details here include each joint (including each toe and finger) having the ability to move just like ours, and the wires and braces at the shoulders, knees, and ankles, each also move. This work makes this model truly poseable. The next two images have her in a small adventure!
Cybher - Muscle and Metal - (126K) -- 07/31/03
Ah, she's encountered the dangerous cpyber!
- (133K) -- 07/31/03
Hey, Lara Croft's got nothing on this babe...
- (107K) -- 07/31/03
A moonlit night - I still like these two views of the cybher's predecessor with wings and interesting lighting.
- (62K) -- 02/14/97
- (65K) -- 02/14/97
It can crawl at frustratingly slow speed. It can skitter along at a frightening pace. The internet machine - the bug in the server. The domain of the world wide web is that of The Cspyber. Well, anyway.. I applied some new lessons to the transparent giant sphere in the background, and the modeling, finish and lighting of the spider took care of the rest of this project - for now. Should I do more of this thing?
Cspyber - (80K) -- 07/29/03
As much fun as I have doing unreal chrome spiders and such, I still crave realism, although this is fantasy. I got the idea for a sunrise one morning driving to work (yes, I headed east). The final work employed this castle model, some trees, and a bridge. My Scotch-Irish wife suggested the title. I spent a week (of evenings) on this one, and the original version (1997) took almost 2 hours to render. I believe it'll make a nice wallpaper for your windows!
Highland Sunrise - (105K) -- 07/07/03
An experiment with spirals developed into this staircase. The influences of Sci-Fi and the old "Heaven and Hell" thing combined to create this image. Are the ascenders foolish lemmings? Or would we regret not joining in the acceptance of this Invitation?
Invitation - (146K) -- 07/31/03
A fantasy image. The dragon must be having a fantasy of his own!
Dragon's Fantasy - (78K) -- 01/27/04
This is my first image specifically done for a music CD for a guy I used to know. Check out his website!
Keyboards & Guitars: Volume I - (90K) -- 06/09/03
This is the flipside of Andy's CD cover (in the previous image).
Keyboards & Guitars: Volume I (back) - (85K) -- 06/09/03
Okay, boys and girls. If you like sci-fi, special effects and space stuff, you'll like these! This is a series of four images. I decided on the "Voyage" theme as I found myself involved in more than one scene with these starships and planets. I actually did the 3rd image first, then I imagined the space port and alien home I created for the 1st two.
In the first two, we see the voyagers at their home space port.
Voyage A - (113K) -- 07/16/03
Voyage B - (136K) -- 07/16/03
The third is a nice view from one of Jupiter's moons as the starships pass by.
Voyage 2 - (53K) -- 07/16/03
Finally, the voyage ends here! Now that isn't a nice thing to do to planet Earth! Ah, well, since you're seeing it from here, at least you're not there!
Voyage 3 - (93K) -- 07/16/03
So, what was piloting those ships? The inspiration for this creature came from H.R. Giger's creation for the movie "Alien", and others such as "Predator". This creation is a combination of bio-mechanical, organic and insectile features. Details offer views of the inner bio-mechanics and weird skin effects. I must say that I really enjoyed this work, too!
Aliens - (147K) -- 08/12/03
Worth a closeup.. Check out the transparent chest wall effect!
Closeup - (81K) -- 08/12/03
Here is a face only a mother could spawn.
Head - (76K) -- 08/12/03
Watch that formidable, scorpion-like tail!
Tail - (85K) -- 08/12/03
... more to come ...
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