POV-Ray : Newsgroups : irtc.stills : Mystery...Babylon : Re: Mystery...Babylon Server Time
3 May 2024 01:49:41 EDT (-0400)
  Re: Mystery...Babylon  
From: gonzo
Date: 1 Aug 2003 16:55:01
Message: <web.3f2ad2f6e71bd898a0c272b50@news.povray.org>
Jim Charter wrote:
>
>Conceptually the approach is literary and cerebral, "a pictorial
>representation" of the topic. The choice of subject plays directly on
>the occurance of the word "mystery" in a passage from the Old Testament.
>This passage, with its various ambiguities and allegories,
>provides the basis for the picture.

Concept was the strongest category of this image for me. As pointed out in
the textfile, this passage has had numerous interpretations.  Just to take
on such a broadly worded theme would be challenging, and to pull it off
this well gets high marks indeed. The artist's interpretation is valid and
supports his description quite well.

>
>Artistically the symmetrical composition references both western and
>eastern religious allegories and helps integrate the mix of visual
>elements.  The picture contains a lot of information yet it is well
>ordered and carefully staged.

The artistic category was IMO the weakest part of this image.  While the
biblical passage the image describes is dynamic and portentious, the
sraight on camera view freezes the scene, taking away much of the dynamics.
As you say, "carefully staged", but a little too staged for me. It feels
more like an archeological textbook photo than an artistic expression.
Moving the camera to the left or right would open up the scene and provide
a sense of impending movement and portent more in keeping with the theme.


>Technically,  program loops build pictorial density and invite closer
>scrutiny. The approach is to  assemble a mix of found and original
>objects with well crafted texturing and lighting.

Technically superb.  Well modelled, well lighted and well textured. While
nothing particularly stands out, the overall mix of elements shows a
mastery of many techniques, and the high level of detail shows this mastery
off very effectively.  And getting all those arms on the Poser figure
without leaving noticable creases or artifacts can't have been easy.

Overall an excellent image.

RG


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