Caroline

No wings on this one but lots of petals. This is an illustration of a Clematis flower from my garden. It is a mixed Xara vector and raster graphic.

You don't by any chance make violins from matchsticks do you?

Stunning work gray...

.....yes very stunning!
Sven-Ingvar

that is just magnificent Gray - wonderful use of the best of both worlds - who needs expensive software....... :)

Beautiful image Gray. It has me curious and that's a good thing. Did its creation eliminate or simplify unwanted detail from the original photo? The image looks so photographic I wonder what the vector shapes are doing.

I can understand how the various shapes, each with bitmap fills corresponding to the photo, could allow each part of the photo to be processed differently with live effects. Is that what you are doing?

Why is this thread titled "Caroline"?

Regards, Ross

Beautiful image, Gray.
As Steve (Sledger) suggests, you must have the patience of a saint.:)
Saludos,
Bob.

Beautiful.

This is incredible. At first I thought you posted the wireframe and the photo that you used as a reference. I was wondering where the render was.

Awesome work.

Brilliant! You´ve got the touch no matter what you draw/paint.

Looks great to me Gray... 5 stars and a couple bouquets to boot...:)

Stunning! That's not just life-like, it is alive :)

John

Thanks all for your very, very kind comments.

Hi Ross, I don't use bit map fills or live effects. I use the Xara vectors for laying out the colour gradients and blocks I want to use in the work. I then use raster graphics to paint the details in. You can add as much or as little detail as you wish. I'm a bit obsessed by detail, just my personality. Xara gives me much better control over the colours than the hokey little paint program I use. Here's the flower colour blocks layed out in vector that I wanted to use for this work. Caroline is the name of an aunt of mine.

Hi Gray - I really like the non-bitmap 'enhanced' version. "Pure" is the way I'd describe it. Best wishes to Caroline!

Regards, Ross

Incredible and incredibly beautiful.

Gray, it's about time you entered a few photographic competitions. Make up some lens and exposure settings and watch the prizes roll in... ..but remember to resist the temptation to discuss your technique when invited to any photography clubs or exhibitions, or better still say you just use disposable cameras.. ;-)

Fabulous!

Paul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gray

No wings on this one but lots of petals. This is an illustration of a Clematis flower from my garden. It is a mixed Xara vector and raster graphic.

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Absolutely stunning Gray, as others I thought it was the original photograph!
Stygg2003

I know what you mean Ross.

Thanks Gary, Paul, Stygg for your comments.

No... Not a disposible... Tell em you used a camera phone... Those things must take the worlds worst shots...:)

I have to confess to never using either. Maybe I should, I could save a lot of time.

Really beautiful Gray......Please keep on drawing - no cameras..........Penny

to do a snapshot maybe... To take a photograph takes a bit of patience and skill also. there is more to a photograph than point and click.:)

If you insist on photorealistic artwork, then a camera is your best bet. :)

Thanks so much, Penny.

So long as it has an auto button I'll be OK John, otherwise I could be in big trouble.

For me, a computer was much easier to master. A camera, is about as easy to use as a paint brush. Yes, one can do paint by number and snapshots. A photorealistic masterpiece in either medium is much harder.

A paint brush is much cheaper tho...:)

I can't picture the transformation !

May I see the original ?

Superb vector illlustration!

You have a gift and mad Xara skills. :cool: Very nicely done!

Risto

DD, I'm not sure what transformation you're referring to. It's just a mixed vector/ raster graphic.

Thanks so much for looking and commenting Risto.

Hi Gray,

I was interested to see the unadorned original picture without any vector additions

There is no unadorned original pic, DD. The leaves are Clematis and thornless blackberry and the flower is a Clematis modelled from pics from my garden to form the basis for the composite. This is the general process below. The composite vector image is then painted.

Ah ! now I understand, I thought the "painting" on the vectors was a photo and some judicious transparency.

Hand crafted vector + hand painting = beautiful

My congratulations, it's an intriguing technique.

What is your painting tool ?

Thanks DD. I use GIF Annimator from Ulead. The simpler the better I like it.