My first ever vehicle illustration

[Big Frank]

OK, I admit it. This post is purely self-congratulatory. I am feeding my ego! I've had Xara since the first release of Webster (in fact I was a beta tester), but I've always used it as an addition to my web creation toolbox, never used it purely to create an illustration for its own sake (too much work, too little time etc.) Now I've spent the last couple of months since buying XaraX looking round here and the XaraXone and have been mightily impressed with some of the artwork. So I decided to spend some time and see what I could come up with - in fact it was Egg Bramhill's Harley that inspired this particular piece of Xarillustration. And I am damn impressed with myself - sorry, I just couldn't find any humility... this will come later when the reviews come in!

This illustration has 17 layers, one bitmap fill (the curtains) and one bitmap (background image). It took me approx 20 hours of solid work and by far the hardest part was keeping focused and not losing concentration.

Let me know what you think...

[Big Frank]

OK, I admit it. This post is purely self-congratulatory. I am feeding my ego! I've had Xara since the first release of Webster (in fact I was a beta tester), but I've always used it as an addition to my web creation toolbox, never used it purely to create an illustration for its own sake (too much work, too little time etc.) Now I've spent the last couple of months since buying XaraX looking round here and the XaraXone and have been mightily impressed with some of the artwork. So I decided to spend some time and see what I could come up with - in fact it was Egg Bramhill's Harley that inspired this particular piece of Xarillustration. And I am damn impressed with myself - sorry, I just couldn't find any humility... this will come later when the reviews come in!

This illustration has 17 layers, one bitmap fill (the curtains) and one bitmap (background image). It took me approx 20 hours of solid work and by far the hardest part was keeping focused and not losing concentration.

Let me know what you think...

[amoore]

Boy, does this one take me back. I learned to drive on a khaki-colored Bus that was about the same model year (or a bit earlier).

When it went to VW heaven, my parents replaced it with a newer one that was blue and white, and had a very peculiar quirk. Usually ran like a trooper, but whenever we drove in sight of a VW dealer sign, the engine would start choking and die. After some minor repair, it'd be fine until the next time we made the mistake of getting too close to a dealer.

Guess it was just homesick. :-)

[gwpriester]

Great image Frank.

I was wondering what you had done to modify the photograph until I realized your image was not a photograph but a photographic rendering [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]

I would ask that in the future, these image be placed in the Xara Gallery however.

I drove one of those VW Busses back in the days when my long dark hair was restrained by a headband.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[Erik Heyninck]

wish my car was as clean as this one... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[caraman1]

I don't think you'll get any bad reviews on this one. Absolutely fantastic! I had to look several times to see that it wasn't a photo.

Dennis

<a href=http://www.inconnect.com/~dennisco>Carillus Design</a>

[joroho]

Great job, Frank. Hope you found using Xara to be Very Worthwhile. ;-)

joroho

[Wolfgang]

This is really NOT a photograph ???

Absolutely incredible work Frank !!!
Both thumbs up for this one ...

A very impressed
Wolfgang

[Big Frank]

I hope you guys inderstand why I'm soooodelighted with it! I actually have a VW bus, but it's a '73 bay-window model and the old split-screen looks much better which is why I used that one as my model.

The hardest thing to get realistic was the headlamp glass, and this is the only thing I'm still not happy with, but you have to know when to stop, so I did! Maybe next time I'll get it right. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]

I'm thinking of drawing a Honda GL1500 Goldwing next 'cos I've had a few Goldwings in my time. I might also do a Harley as they have loads of chrome as well. I found when doing the Samba (the VW) that it helps if you are familiar with the object you are drawing, but hats off to XaraX for creating an app that just makes it so easy. I used to use Illustrator and Corel for vector graphics but whan Xara Studio came along it blew both of them away... which is why Corel bought Xara! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Anyway, glad you guys like it and, Gary, you're right: I should have submitted it to the XaraXone gallery, but I suspect this forum gets many more regular hits (it certainly does from me) and since I still haven't found that humility I was looking for... this was the place! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[jens g.r. benthien]

Big Frank,

extremely well performed - hyperrealism at it's best.

Keep the good ol' times rollin!

jens