Twins, Duality, Alternatives - WIP

The following is a work-in-progress, but, it's in a direction I'm happy with, other than several little details like shadows, highlights, glare, saturation, contrast blending, and a laundry list of other technical bits.
You may notice several bits that need adjustment, or fixing too.

As with all the the 'art' compositions I do, the challenge level on this one was to use shots (of the model) from a photo shoot at least over a year old, and only shots from that shoot. In addition, the challenge required taking a single shot framed from upper rib cage up to near top of head, and expand that out to a full head-to-toe pose through stitching bits and pieces and parts from several shots together to result in a pose that was never posed.

Further, though this piece is not complete, if you're familiar with my work, you may know about the coded messages I embed into every piece, purpose worked and original to each piece.
The code in this one, like the piece itself, is yet complete, but, you can see some of the more obvious elements.

Anyway, enjoy, or not.

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Oh, yes, this is not the full scale version. This is a very small sized version compared to the original. Detail density on original is about 100x greater, as well as file size.


If interested, should you send a U2U, I can give you a link to more of my work. Posting such here would be a violation of T&C, thus, you must U2U.

Hey Nine

I prefer the original
but nice work once again .. colors are amazing
the eyes are something ... so blue
this is real art .. beautiful

sandf

reply to post by Ben81


Thank you. I've been working on it, and other than a few bits that still give me a bother, the following is pretty close to the final result:

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Granted, it's low resolution and pixelated, but, that's due to resizing it for economy of posting online. The full-sized image is much more detailed.

You can see where I've backed way off on the saturation, as well as several aspects between these versions as the piece approaches final.
I've a awful habit of vomiting too much color, so, in the spirit of tempering that habit, you see the result.
Several other things, like fixing a foot, adding an arm and hand, as well as expanding on and detailing the Sol model, plus innumerable OCD bits have been effected.

It's almost done. Still some more details to attend to, add, fix, and meddle with.

reply to post by nineix


I can see you have worked much more on this one
love that you have added the planet with the plant at the right bottom side

What does the green thing means on both arms ?
it look like a federation of planet tag

reply to post by Ben81


You may notice the orbit circles on the ground where if counted, the 3rd rock/sphere/'planet has life.

The green screens on the forearms are meant as representations of data/communications devices. What's on the screens holds part of a message. Since this isn't final yet, the message/code I usually embed isn't finished.
I'm still working on the proper arrangement/alignment of the Sol model that fits best. Attempts at dropping in a light source to represent Sol hasn't worked out.
Marking a glyph on or near each model planet hasn't worked out as planned either.
I also wanted to put a constellation view of Sol system from the Gemini cluster in the sky, or modeled somewhere, but, finding a source that lets me view view Earth or Sol system from other parts of the universe hasn't proved fruitful yet.
There's also still bits of accessory to the design of the space suits to round out.

Bits and pieces. Bits and pieces. It all comes down to OCD with details in the end.

ETA: The following refers to finished (?) piece, or OP's current avatar.

Beautiful! I can't express, atm, how much this speaks to me. Mainly, I must admit, because of how much this reminds me of mine. Its buried, now, and Im still hesitant to bring it back out. I drew it, a while back, when my mind was not my own.

I can pm details, but for now, Im here for feedback!

First, I love the contrast of 'futurstic' armor/suit with a primitive landscape. Their prescence appears to transcend time. On the right, her cocky/abrasive countenance signifies, to me, that they were interrupted performing some personally incarnated sacred geometric dance; she is an adept.

I noticed the devices outright. My eyes followed to the insignia on their elbows, in equal measure, triggering a somewhat militarian vibe. Maybe not of warring origin, but a sisterhood altogether.

Perhaps these youthful deviants were caught red-handed, off away in a secluded field behind the citadel. The viewer's eye catches an elder smirking in authoritave admiration at these two performing forbidden rituals of dimensional bending.

I love the discarded seed of life tossed aside as a minor setback in their fascinating exploration.

This speax on other levels, yet, and I am warmly inspired. Unfortunally, my hourglass is a cracking, empty shell. For now.

Very nice
Love the eyes and the expression of the faces.
You're a very talented artist.

Very beautiful, I resonate with this piece as I am a Gemini so I often think of the twins and the duality associated with being a Gemini. I also appreciate blue eyes, being part of the club Nice work

Thanks guys.

Working on this piece has started another project I'm calling Astrological Astronomical with project goal in mind to do a piece for each of the astrological signs.

I'm a Gemini myself, but, when doing this piece that wasn't a conscious motivator, though on completion, some elements of that will have some appearance.

I'm not a believer in astronomy, or any of the occult/mythologies, but, the symbologies and associations associated with some such are quite fun.

Does anyone know if there are certain Tarot cards more strongly associated with or representative of each sign in astrology? It'd be fun to bring that into play as well as drawing correlations between other similar or closely associated symbols/beliefs/superstitions/mythologies.
For instance, Bull worship has been trendy throughout history, whether the golden calf of biblical telling, Marduk of Babylon, the bull leaping sport of ancient Greece/Mesopotamia, even Spanish bull-fighting, there's parallels that could be pulled into use for a representation of Taurus.

Eh. Ideas Ideas.

reply to post by nineix


I started to believe in astrology ever since I bought this birthday book and it basically described my behaviors and behaviors of people I know fairly accurately, so something has to be there....

Each sign is ruled by a planet. So Gemini's are ruled by mercury and each day a different celestial body and number. The tarot cards change on a daily basis as well.

reply to post by rootzgemini


Thanks for the info!

It's got me considering an alteration since this piece is still in-progress, where I take the arm/hand on the gold/blue 'twin', and replace it with another arm/hand combination reaching out towards, pointing to, or about to pick up the Mercury stone closest in the foreground at bottom, off center right.

I say 'twin' earlier since this is a multi-composite shot of an individual personality and I forget whether I've mentioned that already or not.

Cheers!

reply to post by nineix


If you wanted to personalize it a little you could tell me your birthday and you could incorporate Mercury with the corresponding celestial body and/or the number associated with your day and/or your tarot card.... but that might be a little too much. Also, If you were going to do the zodiac could save the gemini twins for another piece since they are male and female twins (duality) and incorporate the signs. Just making astrological based suggestions, not trying to be intrusive. I wish I had to ability to create like you do. I like the path you are going on with this piece, I thought the flower coming out of Mother Earth was a pretty cool idea. Just tryin to be helpful

Please forgive my ignorance, did you make this on the computer or did you draw/paint this?

reply to post by rootzgemini


Thank you again.

The personalizing of the piece, since the project may be slated for an eventual calendar, may be a little much in the sense that I'm hoping to keep the compositions vague enough such for pretty much anyone to relate.

I do, however, appreciate the ideas. I'll take any input offered from anyone into consideration.

As to how I put compositions like this together; the short answer is: original photos shot by me, then lots of Photoshop.

I start with a photo shoot working with either myself, a model, or a client as a subject.
Typically this is a client, and due to legal contractual obligations, most client photo shoots remain personal and private with the client and I can't show the work. In some cases, however, a model is contracted, or agrees on contract as a client (for discounted rates) to allow usage of work essentially how I please.
If i'm my own model, then, well, I can do whatever.
This second is a benefit as the model will continue to get derivatives, composites, and revision work sometimes over the course of years as new ideas get applied to old work.

This particular piece is a multi-composite derived from several original photos.
I can point you to a link for a better idea, but, you'd have to U2U me for the link since posting it would be a violation of T&C due to nudity.
Most photo shoots I do, the subject is nude. Nothing kinky there, or pornographic. Nudity is beautiful, plus, it's much easier to dress up a model with clothes/outfits I create, than to erase, or work around clothing already on a model.

Originally this was shot leaning against a mirror. It was framed upper chest to near top of head.
Two separate frames where then put together to get the back to back twin with both twins looking out to the observer-perspective.
For awhile, that was it, a composite of two frames.
Eventually I wanted to expand on that image, so taking many other photos that were shot at the same time, I stitched together roughly a dozen different shots to get a full body setting both sides.
It was an okay image, but, the new composite with full view wasn't the equal of the original close cropped composite.
From there, It was a matter of creating outfits by 'painting' over the bodies, adding background and other elements, and lots and lots and lots of adjustments, one which can be seen from the OP image, compared to the next updated image.

This was all done using Adobe Photoshop.

Setting challenge levels to do composites where I Frankenstein stitch many different photos together to get a whole new pose and look that was never shot originally, where one of the rules is that no new shots can be used (only ones used during that shoot session) and then dressing it all up for something original is more of the 'Art' side really than the end result.
Client work is rarely ever so involved as a piece like this can take a few weeks or more to be completed. Some of that time is spent NOT working on the piece on purpose because spending too much time at one stretch one can lose objectivity.

Anyway, yeah, short answer: original photos shot by me, then lots of Photoshop.

Right now, i'm working on a different piece to give me some distance from this one before working on this more. While not working on this I make a list of ideas and thoughts, and then on revisit, I start making those things happen, or play with them enough to see if they'll 'work'.

As part of the Gemini aspect on this, I wanted to put some stars in the sky, but not Gemini. Instead, I thought it'd be fun to put a view of Earth, or Sol system with neighboring stars FROM the Gemini area.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a program that lets me zip around the universe to get different views of Earth from different places.
There might be a program out there, but, i just haven't found it. Eh.

Ah, enough of my babbling.

reply to post by nineix


WOW, impressive. I wish I knew someone that can work photoshop like you, I love to learn. I always have ideas, but I probably wouldnt have enough focus and time to work on something like this. I dont know what U2U is.... The concept of looking from Gemini star system towards our solar system is very interesting and shows how your mind works in such abstract way. Good for you man, nice work

Beautiful.
But...maybe I read too many gossip mags, but they look alot like the Olsen twins.
And I don't want to hurt your feelings, or anything. But the crotch hand kinda freaks me out, and I am not sure what the spider on the way too perky boobs represents.

Hope your not offended, this is just one persons perspective.

Originally posted by rootzgemini
reply to post by nineix

 

WOW, impressive. I wish I knew someone that can work photoshop like you, I love to learn. I always have ideas, but I probably wouldnt have enough focus and time to work on something like this. I dont know what U2U is.... The concept of looking from Gemini star system towards our solar system is very interesting and shows how your mind works in such abstract way. Good for you man, nice work

U2U is User To User message, or Private message here on ATS.
To send a U2U, click on the little expansion inverted triangle where my Avatar is next to each post, where it says 'MEMBER', and then choose 'SEND MESSAGE'.

There's a number of 'Learn Photoshop in 24 hours' tutorials online and free to use if you Google it.
It's really all about using Layers, lots of filters use, lots of transforms, tons of masking, and most of all; patience.

Nothing worth having should ever be expected to come easy, or quick. thus, I'm happy it takes quite a bit of time for some pieces as, well, it gives me something to do.

Originally posted by MissPoovey
reply to nineix

 

Beautiful.
But...maybe I read too many gossip mags, but they look alot like the Olsen twins.
And I don't want to hurt your feelings, or anything. But the crotch hand kinda freaks me out, and I am not sure what the spider on the way too perky boobs represents.

Hope your not offended, this is just one persons perspective.

1. Nope, not the Olsen twins. Just one person, 'twinned' through Photoshop. You're welcome to guess WHO that person is too, but ... ;P

2. Please be assured that the crotch is not located halfway between the knees and the, um, crotch.

3. The outfits worn are representative of a space suit, and the silver bug-like thing is representative of a part of a breathing aparatus for when one can't breathe in, well, space. It all goes together with future retro fishbowl helmet, boots and gloves (not shown).

4. The way too perky boobs are naturally way too perky all the time, and that's just fine, and actually perfectly perky enough.

No worries about your perspective. Whether you're trolling or not, if you were, it wouldn't be the first, or the last time.
Haters gonna hate.

I just love it when trolls get all uppity and start writing stuff in their personal online blogs to their little troll followers that find their antics amusing. I've gotten 'referrals' though such means because peeps saw my work and the horrible things said about, thought for themselves that they liked it, and either purchased some work, or contacted me for the service of getting some work commissioned for/of them.

Regardless of whether anyone likes my work, or if it's good, or not, it really doesn't matter. It could be the worse most horribly awful stinky poop on the planet, and so long as I'm happy with the doing of it, my personal enjoyment of my personal work in pursuing a personal activity is really all that matters.
It is, however, nice that people do indeed like my work, pay $ for it, and/or pay $ to get work done of/for themselves.

Cheers!

Not a troll. I actually make logos for companies. Using Paint.net more than photoshop.
I was not trying to be rude or overly critical. I was just giving my perspective. I thought that is what you put the art here for. Others' perspective.
Sorry to have offended, I will keep further thoughts to myself.

Originally posted by MissPoovey
Not a troll. I actually make logos for companies. Using Paint.net more than photoshop.
I was not trying to be rude or overly critical. I was just giving my perspective. I thought that is what you put the art here for. Others' perspective.
Sorry to have offended, I will keep further thoughts to myself.

No worries at all, and no offense taken. I wasn't implying any offense. Critique away.
I was just stating 'IF you were a troll ... '.

Bombs away on the thoughts as you will. If I don't agree with the thoughts, or have something to reply in regard, then, I'll answer with explanation, or my own thoughts, regardless of whether the person giving thoughts, criticisms, or even insults is or is not a troll.

reply to post by nineix


I really like this a lot....I can relate to it because it reminds me of so many things that I like, for instance:-
Barbie Spectra dolls, Rikku from the FF games, Space 1999 and Other Wordly stuffs.

I like how their eyes are almost vacant, yet knowing.
The colouring is great
I want to see more of your Art!

I love it.
You have a talent I can only envy.