Example of Making the Most from the Least ... Another Challenge?

[jclements]

I believe Egg, Gary, Klaus, etc., have expressed in previous postings that the professionals whose art we all admire here and elswhere use their brains. All software can not be all things but the ability recognize how to use the application of even the most basic tools is what makes the difference between a master craftsman and a hobbyist.

The following scan was taken from The Economist magazine, September 22, 2001, A Lingua Franca For The Internet, pg. 14. I am assuming that it was not generated by a computer program.

It is merely a series of different colored, evenly spaced characters. Perhaps this could be the inspiration for Xara X folk ... to take simple shapes or strokes and create a "mosiac" image.

[I am removing the image on John's request.]

[This message was edited by Gary W. Priester on October 03, 2001 at 16:19.]

[jclements]

I believe Egg, Gary, Klaus, etc., have expressed in previous postings that the professionals whose art we all admire here and elswhere use their brains. All software can not be all things but the ability recognize how to use the application of even the most basic tools is what makes the difference between a master craftsman and a hobbyist.

The following scan was taken from The Economist magazine, September 22, 2001, A Lingua Franca For The Internet, pg. 14. I am assuming that it was not generated by a computer program.

It is merely a series of different colored, evenly spaced characters. Perhaps this could be the inspiration for Xara X folk ... to take simple shapes or strokes and create a "mosiac" image.

[I am removing the image on John's request.]

[This message was edited by Gary W. Priester on October 03, 2001 at 16:19.]

[gwpriester]

John

There is at least one, if not more books written on this technique, not quite as it is used here, (you did get permission from that magazine to repoduce that photo, didn't you? :-)

The process is similar to the collages found in the book or books I just mentioned where small photos are collaged to make up a large photographic image.

Reproducing this kind of effect is a matter of making your brain think like a camera rendering the object in a series of light and dark and intermediate images.

If you start with a photograph, the more contrast the better, and then reduce the number of colors to 2 black and white, with no dithering, you will get the basis for this image. The use darker images for the darker areas and lighter images for the lighter areas.

If I get a few free moments, I'll have a go at it.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://home.earthlink.net/~garypriester">
Be it ever so humble...</a>

[Wolfgang]

John,

it's very easy to achieve, if you use this tool.

I can remember in the old days, when a VAX was state of the art and lineprinters were affordable only for data processing centers and universities, there were programs to print "Bugs Bunny" and other figures in 'lifesize' over several sheets of paper. All made of letters and characters of course. And I remember looking at it with open mouth and wishing I could to that too ...

Risto had a go at this once with a face made of 'big pixels' i.e. colored rectangles.

Wolfgang

[jclements]

thanks for the link. Very interesting plugins.

I was thinking that the challange would be an exercise in doing something "manually" with Xara ... no crutches just the "artist's eye" and Xara's built in tools (ie., the blend tool).

It looks like I'm in copyright violation so I've asked Gary to remove the above image. Rats.