#im.. attempting to get better with image composition

[popfizzles]

drew my favorite old man from memory while listening to that Hozier song.

[You know the one?]

[foopeach]

As promised per my last post, a short PSA on the differences between tracing and using a reference in Art.

Im gonna make this as short as possible, but the biggest distinction between tracing a piece of art and using other art as a reference is the intent and aspects of the original piece that you carry over, as well as CONSENT. If you add an aspect of another drawing onto your own drawing then it is still your drawing. Now let me clarify.

Tracing a piece of art that is not your own with little to no change and calling it your own is not okay. That’s what Butch Hartman did when he caused that fiasco on twt awhile ago.

This is the type of tracing that counts as plagiarism ^ Butch Hartman passed the piece off as his own, despite its obvious resemblance. The biggest problem with this is that

He did not change the content of the piece. It is still a drawing of mikasa, so it is not his own piece or idea.

He could have been fine if he has asked the artist if it was okay to draw their piece in his style.

If the artist had given him permission then he should not be profiting off of the piece.

It is important to note however that This is not the only type of tracing. It is not all plagiarism!

You might look at a piece of art and go “woah I really like that pose, I want to incorporate that into my next piece of art”, and then go on ahead and create a new piece with the same pose. This is okay! You are allowed to do this! That’s why things like drawing challenges, dtiys, pose games, and many other forms of tracing exist!

The sailor moon screencap redraw trend that comes around every few years or so is a good example of drawing challenges.

.

Pose challenges are another form of acceptable tracing.

Manga panel or cover redraws are also okay!

.

The biggest difference between these examples and the one provided by Butch are that these are consensual and have credit visible! They are their own individual pieces but acknowledge that the content in them is not entirely original. Now that you have an idea of what tracing is and can be, we can talk about the other part of this post.

A reference image is a photo or drawing you incorporate certain aspects of into your drawing, wether it’s for anatomy or something else.

This is a reference image. Araki incorporated the composition and the pose of the models into his piece, but it’s still his own original piece of artwork because he is drawing his own characters and not the models themselves. It is legally your own drawing if 70% or more of a photo is adjusted or changed. Wether it’s the pose, a certain brush, an interesting composition, or small details that you find cool, there is nothing wrong with incorporating things into your style. Nothing in this world is original and every art style and piece made is a mixture of thing the artist has seen and liked. That’s why similar art styles exist and why there are so many different and unique ones exist.

——————————————————————————

It’s a big problem for people who consume content from the art community to go after artists because of misplaced justice. It’s nice and very good that you try and defend artists from plagiarism and art theft but it should be directed at actual cases like NFTs and literal rip offs like Butch’s drawing instead of the products of artists trying to get better at their own art or attempting to make the content they enjoy.

[skyphile]

grahams big holiday gift post aka “ITS BEEN YEARS SINCE IVE DONE THIS pwease go easy on me”

so while graham and the beautiful wife spent most of the holiday season living in luxury and getting pampered at grahams dad’s, graham had plenty of time to amass a collection of gifts and baked goods to give his friends upon their return home!

heres the list of them

@morbidkind kes - a lot of fluffy scarves and knitted things to keep them warm at work, pretty glass and clockwork trinkets and jewelry shaped like bugs and eyes, horribly misshapen bug decorated sugar cookies

@velcrounit colin - a whole family of crochet mushrooms AND a needlefelt figure of stan from spiritfarer bc im sure the household played it and sobbed over it. graham would also love to try his hand at a bunch of greek desserts and use colin as his guinea pig dfkhdsf. horrible plant decorated sugar cookies

dad - a hat, oven mitt and scarf set, a few short music compositions that are heartfelt and sweet. aardvark decorated sugar cookies that do NOT look like them at all

mom - also a music composition, along with a ton of cosy planters, knitted stuff to hold her art supplies, and a warm scarf to share between her and her gf. sugar cookies that completely bastardize a landscape

neighbours - cookies for everyone!

baradisers - aside from a sexy holiday bonus, they are probably going to hold a feast next saturday that anyone can attend around a HUGE table

cat - a whole collection of small indie games. horrible looking sugar cookies in a sad attempt of drawing ornstein and smough

@nemorialex alex - tiny needle felt figurines of snow and ash, a whole bunch of knitted things with needlefelt details on them, and also a TON of knitted stuff for the baby… sugar cookies with abominable decorations that vaguely resemble dragons

@stakehammer johnlal - needlefelt figurines of moths, a stupidly large tentacle, and sugar cookies with poorly done cute black kitties on them

@agreste-image adrien - a short musical composition that evokes feelings of motivation, support and hope, a bunch of silly knitted things with black cat motifs, a needle felt plagg for plagg, a platter of nice stinky cheese for plagg, a whole tray of assorted passion fruit pastries, sugar cookies with disastrous black kitties

@gho2ty ghosty - a whole music composition done in 8bit that evokes tenderness, softness and determination, a bunch of needlefelt alternian bees, a set of entrelac knitted sweaters, scarf and gloves, sugar cookies with a shameful attempt of a minecraft bee drawn on them

@vulcaniq jim - a cover collection of striking star trek tracks, graham would also legit get a tamagochu pair to split with her (as an excuse to hang out more and bc theyre so silly and cute), and make a few floral/fruit crocheted hats. jims sugar cookies were supposed to look like spock but the ears did NOT turn out well and so did nothing else

@thatsillyjohnkid jay - he gathered as much appropriate wool as he could and needlefelt the biggest alolan exeggutor he could manage... his sugar cookies were similar and TERRIBLE

@liliumsunshine hinata - graham goofed around and tried to emulate a heavy metal style in his silly piano set up and covered somebody that i used to know for her in an attempt to mock the band u know. he used up a bunch of his purple and light lilac yarn to make her pretty winter set of warm accessories, and needlefelt soft creatures. he tried to make sugar cookies with horns but they all cracked and fell off

@trainstoppin furry john - he got the fluffiest yarn he could find and turned it into a hat with earflaps, a thick scarf and chunky mittens. he made him a needlefelted creeper. his sugar cookies were supposed to look like the moon but. the icing sort of meshed and oozed everywhere….

@daviscatessen davis - he needlefelted a bunch of flowery figurines for him, and turned the mamma mia soundtrack into an 8bit cover collection. his knitted hat has a flower crown needlefelted into it. his sugar cookies were made with flower cookie cutters but they got too Thick

@gardencracks aria - a whole series of plant, leaf, flower and fruits crocheted into a long garland. a big tray of parisian pastries. her sugar cookies are covered in ivy that looks like Big Blobs

@turntechgarchomp pokemon dave - a needlefelt pokemon team with blaziken, pikachu, togepi, riolu, gibble, dragapult. pikachu shaped sugar cookies, but the red icing from the cheeks bled EVERYWHERE...

@immarcescible feferi (I KNEW ID FORGOTTEN SOMEONE OFF MY OG LIST) - needlefelt octopi! a crochet sushi set! sugar cookies shaped like fish (the colours are A MESS)

@endoosteologist coco - a small collection of sanrio needlefelt figurines. a BIG cake but the decorations could be…. better. hello kitty sugar cookies from hell….

@emberoops ember - a small set of cute needlefelt firebirds. sugar cookies with melted off fire coloured icing

@thedoomtrout max - I WISH IT WAS REAL but imagine this loser giving u a bunch of needle felt furries, including ur fursona, and bowser shaped sugar cookies that got all messed up…

graham is a HORRIBLE dessert decorator but all food items would be fricking delicious and decadent… he wouldve also written cute little notes with everyone, appreciation for friendship, general good wishes and a dad joke

[happikattwuzheere]

What is your process working on art for Ghosts? How do you choose which scenes to draw, and how do you go about capturing that essence when you’re drawing? I love your art and I look forward to seeing every doodle and full piece each chapter :’)

ayyy fun art skills question 

okay sO. here’s a cut because there’s gonna be a lot of screenshots probably. 

edit: hey tumblr why did you eat my cut--

so for choosing scenes: well i’ve got a hard rule that there’s one for every flashback, because consistency is a good thing, and as a result of that i actually have a whole file that’s JUST concept sketches for flashback pictures, but i’ll get into concepts in a second here. Other art for chapter is largely just me looking for striking visuals; moments we have planned in the chapter that i feel would translate well to art, and which i could enhance the weight of with an image, or failing a good moment sometimes as with this past chapter i’ll go for something a little more abstract to capture a general vibe of the chapter. The picture of astrid w/ trent behind her, with her in his shadow looking dangerous--A lot of the tension in Ghosts is gonna come from that; from the ambiguity on where Astrid stands in all this and what she’ll do if/when she learns certain things, etc etc 

anyway though! that’s how to choose things; the next step is for me to do some sketches until i hit on a concept/composition that i like. These sketches are sometimes very small at first, because thumbnails are a great way to get composition down without worrying too much about the details, and when i do that they look like this: 

(Both of these were attempts at the art for chapter 6′s flashback; the one on the left was scrapped, and the one on the right i ended up using!) 

Sometimes i don’t go small at first though, it varies. Sometimes I get a sketch I like on the first try, too, but other times it takes a LOT of tries--chapter 5′s went through three attempts before I got one I liked; and these were also all drawn before the actual flashback was written!

here was attempt 1: 

which has an ok composition for the basic theme of “the boys are being romantic and astrid is being an annoying little sister about it”, but i wasn’t in love with it, plus it broke a rule that i’ve been using for the art that i can’t explain without spoiling some stuff but trust me it just doesn’t work. 

then we came up with the idea of the kids specifically hanging out at soltryce around this dried up fountain hidden behind some bushes, and that worked out better for this scene; the first attempt at it looked like this 

which was getting there but still not really interesting composition...and then, hey, third time’s the charm 

im just gonna keep using this picture as the example because its absolutely one of my favorites i’ve done. but anyway 

from this stage then i copy the whole sketch and move it onto its own file, and i collect whatever reference photos or palettes i need and start cleaning up the sketch a bit so i can lay down base colors! 

...i apparently dont have the rough flat colors for this image anymore, oops, but i can at least give you an idea of what those would’ve looked like and what a somewhat cleaned up sketch looks like! 

(i always sketch astrid in red, bren/caleb in blue, and eodwulf in green at this stage; it helps make it easier as my sketches get more complicated to determine where one person starts and another ends) 

and then this first pass of flat colors is 100% purely to determine if i like the composition still when it’s colored, how the lighting/shading works, if the characters look like they really are in the background, if the mood is conveyed through the color scheme chosen, etc. it’s not supposed to be neat or look at all polished yet, in fact a lot of the time this stage can be REALLY sloppy. this is purely just making sure the overall feel is what i want

and from there every other step is basically just cleanup and tweaking! like, lineart and everything else are technically a lot more complicated than that, but i mean, the hard part of conveying the mood and getting the composition down are done and the rest is usually pretty smooth sailing, aside from the occasional hiccup of “why wont you LOOK RIGHT” and spending hours looking for more references, 

anyway thats how the art happens! :D 

the whole time, also, ed @tactfulgrimalkin is getting spammed with wips. just. so many. 

[alexabarajas2002]

Illusion Final

Evaluation: The purpose of this brief was to learn more about compositing images. I felt that the Illusion brief definitelly challenged us to give good results with simple ideas and really focus in the developmennt and how to improve it. Specially since we most likely will be asked to do this if we enter the publicity industry.

My personal style of photography  and what i would say is my stronger area is portraiture. So this type of project really pushed me and I have to admit  although I prefer other projects im grateful for this learning experience. This was one of my first times using equipment like macro lenses and getting to go more into depth and that part I actually did enjoy alot. It did took me a while to get a hang of the depth of field and when to move the actual camera or just use the lense. I think the main factor was that i wasn´t used to shoot things from such a short distance. Nevertheless once I got past the main technical points I was focusing in the perspective and lighting of this images and I was able to shoot the objects comfortably. I made an effort specifically with the tulip since I knew that I didnt have a guarantee of getting another tulip to open so nicely for the next studio session.

You can see in my contact sheets that they where some issues with planning details such my coffee and how unappealing it was looking. I do think that planning is still something I really need to do better because my head is sometimes to chaotic and although there are times where I feel like I am prepared I miss important details for the images and complicate things more than I should. I did found drawing the ideas before the studio sessions quite helpful for myself and others to understand and focus in the overall idea. But I would definitely recomend to students not to commit my mistake and really think of a  something simple. Because at first it seemed pretty forward but it wasn´t and i just missed time I could´ve used in perfecting the end result. 

Postproduction was actually what I enjoyed the most witch I wasn´t expecting at all. But I found heather´s video very helpful because I sometimes struggle when we are following in class the editing process as a result of my wifi as well as my own process of translating it to my own idea and image. I have attempted composite imagery before for personal projects just trying to experiment and learn about new techniques. However, in this brief I didnt have all that freedom since the image was supposed to look a certain way at the end, it was targeted more for a publicity type of image. I did found this very helpful specially to understand that this would be my requirements if I end up working for that area of the industry. Due to this, I felt challenged to see if I could carry this thru.I also felt like it trully made me understand what area of photography I actually enjoyed and not only from a creative perspective but also from a working environment perspective. 

Overall, it wasn´t easy for me and thankfully I managed to finish my studio work before I was positive for covid,  witch I was very grateful for because I already felt quite overwhelmed. But again as well as the other projects it gave me new skills to work with and to work on in general. I hope to improve my planning skills for future projects and overall make the process easier for me and my teachers.

[aimmedu]

AIMM Offers Tennessee Musicians and Producers Online Music Education

The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media is a well-known name in the music training industry. AIMM is excited to offer Tennessee musicians, producers, and audio engineers the Online Certificate in Music and Technology. With this online program, AIMM provides a hands-on approach to music and technology education for any music lovers right from the comfort of their home.

Music enthusiasts in Tennessee who would love to make it big in their career can trust the Atlanta Institute of Music and Media for the best music training in a genre of choice. Tennessee is an influential music state and musicians keen on developing successful music careers can certainly benefit from online music education.

Even online, the Tennessee Music School provides an immersive and fast-paced music atmosphere, where musicians can hone their skills, learn new techniques, and expand their network with industry leaders.

President of AIMM, Nite Driscoll says, “Earning an online music certificate from an accredited college like AIMM goes a long way in terms of helping musicians separate from the crowd. But, it’s not just about resume building. At AIMM, musicians learn the best techniques and truly advance their skillset.”

The nationally accredited Online Music and Technology Certificate offered by Atlanta music school consist of 36 credits. These credits are fully transferable to the Associate of Applied Science in Music and Technology Degree if a music student decides to continue their music education. Financial aid is also available for those that qualify.

Any Tennessee musician that desires to fast-track their career and realize their dream in the music industry can trust AIMM to help them along the way.

Atlanta Institute of Music and Media has set a phenomenal record in music training. It follows a uniquely effective approach to vocational training for musicians, audio production, and recording engineering. Students have access to a well-rounded curriculum of instructional learning, live clinics, recording studios, and stage performances.

AIMM students have all the tools necessary to expand their repertoire, become confident and literate musicians, and create new professional possibilities. Students who learn at AIMM can better handle more demanding and better-paying jobs in a competitive market.

Music students who enroll in the Online Music and Technology course can expand their music knowledge and gain confidence to unlock their creative potential.

Tennessee Students can begin their enrollment with the online music school by heading to the website here: https://www.aimm.edu/online-music-school/tn

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The AIMM faculty is comprised of industry professionals whose education and work experience as session players, performing artists, producers, engineers, and instructors have prepared them to teach the demanding curriculum. Programs Music Production and Audio Recording School Audio Post Production Associate Degree The AAS degree program in Audio Post Production focuses on the technical application of music, dialogue, sound design, and location audio for film, television, gaming, and all new media forms of expression. The program consist of courses designed to provide students with the necessary education to further his or her recording and engineering abilities. Atlanta Institute of Music and Media provides Audio Post Production program students with the instructional environment necessary to develop both their technical and practical talents. Students will acquire the skills to advance their musical aptidude and gain knowledge in the field of audio post production. The program also includes applied general education courses and gives the students the ability to obtain Pro Tools Certifications in music production and audio for film post production. Students in the Audio Post Production Associate of Applied Science program are required to complete the requisite number of General Education credits. Students wishing to attempt to transfer general education credits completed at other institutions must demonstrate appropriate comparability to the applied nature of the general education courses available at AIMM. Students must show proficiency on the instrument of their focus as described in Admissions procedures. Best Music School in GeorgiaMusic and Technology Associate Degree Atlanta Institute of Music and Media provides Music and Technology program students with the instructional environment necessary to develop both their technical and musical talents. Students acquire the skills to advance their musical aptitude and gain knowledge in the field of recording and engineering. Our M&T AAS degree has an instrument of focus (Guitar, Drums, Bass, Keyboard, or Voice), with courses specific to that instrument, as well as recording and engineering courses. The program is designed for the musician who also wishes to gain knowledge in the field of recording and engineering, in order to open opportunities in today's ever-changing music industry. By combining music and media, we help our students expand their income opportunities because AIMM graduates are prepared to step into to most in-demand positions today, including live event and studio recording, music composition and performance, audio engineering for music, gaming, film, television and more. Atlanta Music School Certification Program Atlanta Institute of Music and Media provides the non-beginning student with the instructional environment necessary to develop his/her talents and acquire the skills to become one of today's professional musicians or engineers. AIMM's Instrument curriculum accomplishes this through live performances, class and private instruction, audio and video computer lab instruction, and live clinics featuring today's most well-known and innovative artists and music industry experts. The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media's programs are taught by professionals whose work experience, certification and/or music degrees give each instructor the necessary background to teach the demanding curriculum. As a close-knit community, our students are exposed to a diverse range of musical styles, experiences and backgrounds. Atlanta Institute of Music and Media is state-certified by The Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, and nationally accredited by The Council on Occupational Education. AIMM is an approved Veteran training facility, and financial aid is available for those who qualify.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressCountry": "USA", "addressLocality": "Duluth", "addressRegion": "Georgia", "postalCode": "30096", "streetAddress": "2875 Breckinridge Blvd #700" }, "telephone": "+1 (800) 886-6874", "legalName": "The Atlanta Institute of Music and Media", "@id": "https://www.aimm.edu/" }

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from Press Releases https://www.pressadvantage.com/story/45176-aimm-offers-tennessee-musicians-and-producers-online-music-education

[alexpoulservice]

Online Marketing Success

Online Marketing Success Requires Key Elements

As the years pass by the web-based showcasing world develops enormously and there is an expanding number of individuals who need to get into internet advertising. However, much of the time a few people truly don't have a clue what that implies or the stuff. There are such countless things that go under the generally Online Marketing tree that on the off chance that you addressed a hundred diverse "Web Marketers" and asked them what they do, you would presumably find a hundred distinct solutions. The vast majority of us struggle in any event, attempting to clarify what it is we do to inquisitive personalities.

In its definition, web-based showcasing is the arrangement and advancement of items and administrations on the web. It consolidates the inventive and specialized parts of promoting: plan, improvement, publicizing, and deals. Since the start of the web and web crawlers, web utilization has quickly and consistently expanded since the 80s/90s. The day by day common number of web look has expanded a ton from just shy of 10,000 in the last part of the 90s to well more than 4 billion in the previous year. That count's up to in excess of a trillion web look through a year with simply Google without help from anyone else!

Individuals are doing educational hunts, yet looks for items/benefits as well. This implies that most customers get some answers concerning the items and organizations they purchase and work with basic through the web. In any case, most internet searcher clients normally just spotlight on the primary page of list items - commonly the best five outcomes. Taking into account that increasingly more business is led online consistently, it implies that opposition for these positions has developed and that they have significant incentive to astute entrepreneurs. It has gotten to the meaningful part where rivalry in neighborhood, public, or worldwide business sectors requires a reliable solid online presence. Picking up and keeping a situation on the principal page of SERPs (web crawler results pages) impact individuals to confide in the strength, expertise, and validity of your business/administration.

Internet Marketing Success is made out of a number of various things like website design enhancement, PPC, web-based media, and online advertising are only a couple of them. These procedures, when executed appropriately and successfully, work as one to support site permeability with a definitive objective of expanding transformations. Change is the outcome you need for a guest to your site to make a buy, call, download, total a structure, and so forth It is whatever outcome-based objective you have set for your site.

Along these lines, in this post, I will give you some data and knowledge about a portion of the normal things you would have to learn and do if you somehow managed to begin your own internet promoting business.

Here are only a portion of the things you ought to learn and dominate to turn out to be acceptable at web-based promoting...

Website design enhancement

Website design enhancement (Search Engine Optimization) will give you the long haul with the objective to expand popularity, visibility, authority, importance, and in the outcome more transformations. Search engine optimization could be an entire course without help from anyone else. There are a lot of digital books, sites, courses, and sites devoted basically to SEO preparation. It is critical and a gigantic piece of what most promoting and advertising experts do in their customary everyday schedule. There are a great many web advertisers who spend in a real sense for a long time doing SEO and that's it. It can require some investment to dominate the cycle/ideal the various procedures out there. Additionally, it is continually changing, so keeping steady over everything can be truly debilitating. Each great web advertiser can have SEO as their principal forte and still be discovering some new information consistently.

A piece of SEO is the improvement of a site's substance and structure. The main thing to recollect when leading this is to compose and assemble a site for clients, not web crawlers. It is the fundamental objective of an internet searcher is to show its clients pertinent outcomes. Their innovation is continually progressing and has gotten much better at perceiving bad quality sites where the sole object is to get hits and be manipulative at that point punish them. This implies that the trouble with which a site is controlled and the nature of its substance are significant factors in acquiring perceivability on the significant web indexes.

Website composition

Before you begin promoting and advertising anything on the web or construct an internet showcasing business, you need to have a site or some likeness thereof. There are a lot of apparatuses and assets accessible, (for example, Word Press) that will help construct a site for you. In any case, it actually takes some effort to figure out how to utilize those apparatuses and really get a site assembled in the manner in which you need it. Indeed, even the most youngster inviting frameworks have an expectation to absorb information and can set aside some effort to set up. At that point, you should get familiar with some coding to make changes in specific places and redo your site past the essential topics/formats that site manufacturers incorporate.

What's more, remember about DNS settings, area enrollments, settings changes, framework introduces, content transfers, and so on Those things likewise set aside some effort to do and expect you to figure out how to do them. There's a ton that goes into building a site and it's only one piece of being a web-based promoting expert.

Composing Content

This is one thing that can occupy a LOT of time in the day by day schedule of pretty much most web advertiser. The quality written substance makes all the difference in the realm of promoting and advertising. You need it for pretty much all that you do. It doesn't make a difference in the event that you are developing a static webpage, refreshing a blog, advertising locales, composing articles, reacting to messages, conveying your bulletin, answering to remarks, taking an interest in gatherings, duplicate composition, etc... You will compose and keeping in touch with some more. It's about substance in the web world so prepare to destroy numerous consoles on your PC!

Contributing to a blog

The Internet has undoubtedly moved towards websites in recent years and will probably keep on doing as such until they are the dominating power in the online world. Writing for a blog is an exceptionally fundamental piece of web-based advertising from numerous points of view. Contingent upon your business norms, it can truly be exceptionally fundamental to progress on the web. It is useful for making a brand for yourself, getting your substance out to the web, assisting with spreading your image, developing an after, or you can bring in cash from your blog as it were. A few advertisers exclusively acquire their entire livelihoods off of writing for a blog. Albeit, much of the time, they are normally known as a blogger.

Web-based Media Marketing

I realize you may have accounts with Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Plus, and conceivably a couple of others. On the off chance that you don't, at that point, you absolutely know somebody near you who does. Indeed, a normal web advertiser will have those profiles in addition to another 10 or at least 20 records on other online media destinations that they need to oversee.

Consider how long you spend on those locales consistently. It's not hard for an hour or more to pass without seeing it. Furthermore, you are just utilizing them to stay aware of family, companions, and what's going on in and out of town. Web advertisers do the entirety of that, in addition, to utilize them to coordinate with business partners and prospects, keep up on our industry, spread the word about our substance, and for other showcasing reasons.

Being an online media specialist and doing all the web-based media advertising and refreshing for organizations is something numerous individuals do as a full-time business. It can occupy a great deal of time, yet somehow internet advertising geniuses needs to press it into their everyday schedule alongside around 1,000 distinct things.

Pay Per Click

At the point when you search something on Google you will see there are typically a few advertisements at the top over the natural rankings and a pinnacle of them on the correct side close to the natural outcomes. They look a great deal like the ordinary outcomes yet are somewhat unique. PPC is paid promotions that show through Google AdWords. At the point when someone says PPC promotions this is the thing that they are alluding to, despite the fact that there is actually a wide range of types of PPC. An individual offers explicit watchwords to get a promotion shown and afterward they pay for each snap they jump on the advertisement.

This technique is extremely well known with online advertisers and different organizations that sell items or administrations on the web. The catchphrase research, set up, and the executives take a ton of time, exertion, and expertise. You can squander a ton of cash on the off chance that you simply hurl your advertisement and let it go. Top PPC geniuses' can go through quite a while testing, tweaking, and learning their frameworks to dominate Adwords and make their missions the most beneficial.

Email Marketing

Email showcasing is just structure up top-notch of email endorsers, making a trust worth relationship with individuals so they join your rundown, sending them great helpful substance/assets, keeping them refreshed on the most recent news in the specialty they are keen on or about your business and sending a wide range of other data. One well known saying in the IM world is, "the cash is in the rundown" and there is a great deal of truth to that. In any case, it tends to be somewhat hard to fabricate a productive rundown and as an online advertiser, you may be investing a great deal of energy culminating this expertise.

Item Creation

Item creation is something immense that online advertisers do is make data items, for example, digital books, alongside business administrations, SEO, enrollment locales, Online Marketing instruments, etc. This stuff can set aside a long effort to create contingent upon what it is. Pretty much every site or electronic help you use, or digital book you read, were made by a type of internet promoting master somehow.

[kyleugaldephotography]

How I got here

A few days ago I was working on this image from Canada Cliffs in Acadia National Park, and caught myself wondering if it was really that good.  I was questioning if it was worth sharing.  I did post it, and realized after the fact that my past self, the version of me from 2013 who was standing in a field in the dark, attempting to photograph the big dipper, and wondering if i was doing anything right, would be excitedly asking how i did that.  It changed my perspective in a way i definitley needed.  

Could I do it better?  I hope so, and I will probably go back and shoot from this location again.   I already have ideas for different techniques to try here.

Has someone else already done it better?  Maybe, but it doesnt mean i cant do it too.

Would Kyle from 2013 look at it and get excited and be inspired to learn how to do it?  Hell yeah he would, because I think its comparable to photographers I admired and learned from, and am still impressed by.

So lets go on a little adventure through time, starting in December 2013 on a frozen pond in Colchester, Vermont.   I couldnt feel my feet or fingers, but holy crap those specks on the back screen are stars! So it was fine.  Toes aren’t that important.

March 2014, and I got an intervalometer and and learned how to stack images to make startrails.   It was also super cold this night at the edge of Lake Champlain in Milton, Vermont.

May 2014, and its milky way season in the northern hemisphere again, if you go out at 3am.   If i remember correctly, I slept about 3 hours before going out and shooting through sunrise, and then went straight to work (and transformed into a zombie). My co-workers were not impressed.  I thought this image was super amazing.

October 2014, and lightpainting and combining images with different exposure times come into play.  AM Foster covered Bridge in Cabot, Vermont. Yes, the same Cabot as the cheese.

March 2015, and Ive entered the realm of composites, and learn about the joys of photoshop layer masking.

June 2015, and ive upgraded my equipment from a Nikon d70s to a d7000 (which is till my primary camera) and my maximum ISO has tripled, allowing me to capture more detail in the night sky.  I had essentially reached a point in my skill level that my old equipment was starting to hold me back.

Jan 2016.  Startrails, multiple exposures, masking, blending, essentially refining my process and practing.  (and learning from the past and dressing properly for winter at night in the northeast.  I could feel all my fingers and toes that night.  Height of land in Rangely, Maine.

June 2016.  I’ve made it to Acadia!  OMG Im actually shooting from Sand Beach!  First full arch milky way panorama!  just trust me that this is HARD and took a really long time to shoot and merge because there are over 30 images there.

October 2016  Maybe one of my best pieces so far?  Again, multiple exposures, lots of images, lots of masking and blending. Almost giving up several times, starting over at least 3 times. 10 hours of work is probably a low estimate on this one.  I explained my process here, which is essentially the same work flow as how I do the majority of my images now, and a workflow that took years to practice and develop.

And finaly, 2 weeks ago, July 2017  From the southern coast of Mount Desert Island in Down East Maine

Art is hard. It takes a lot of practice and repetition, and most importantly, time and patience.  It’s not going to happen overnight, but the image you manage to create will gradually get closer to the image you’re imagining, as the the best you can do gets better. Sometimes you just have to compare yourself to your previous best to see any change.

Looking at your art and seeing flaws isnt always a negative thing, but a way to find things to practice more, so your next personal best will hopefully be better.

Never stop learning.

[chrismalcolmhnd1d]

Cheap

Today we received our items for the “Cheap” brief. My object for the still life project is a packet of gel pens which I think will be interesting to work with as they are incredibly colourful, have some really nice reflective surfaces and as there is a full pack, allow me to shoot them in interesting ways to show lines and form.

Brief

Research

Great article I found on the web!

Still Life Photography

MARCH 15, 2016 · TIM KOK

In still life photography, a photographer creates an image with almost full control over lighting, mood, and composition. Because photographers directly influence the image creation process, still life photos reflect the creativity and style of the photographers themselves. For this reason, photographers who specialize in still life will end up with a unique and creative portfolio. Even if the endless possibilities of still life photography can seem daunting, it’s definitely worth trying out.

7 Things to Keep in Mind About Still Life Photography

Here are 7 things to keep in mind while shooting still life photography, followed by examples of still life photography.

1. Plan your photo

In still life photography, you won’t generally stumble upon a great photo by sheer luck. You should take charge of the entire creative process. The more you plan out your shoot, the better the result is likely to be. So take some time to brainstorm ideas and how you can execute them. When reading through the other items on this list, think of how you can plan for them in advance.

2. Tripods

Use them.

3. Composition

In still life photos, you have more freedom to move your subjects around. This gives you the opportunity to play around with composition (without your subjects getting bored or upset). Think of yourself as a graphic designer who is composing an image. You will discover that certain compositions are more interesting than others. You can also try out different proportional relations between objects. One thing you should definitely pay attention to is the space around your subject, the negative (or white) space. The composition of your photo may become better, just by increasing (or decreasing) the negative space.

4. Lighting

As with all other types of photography, good lighting is essential in still life photography. Because you have virtually complete control of your environment, there’s not really an excuse for poor lighting. In other words, figure out how to perfect the lighting in your still life shooting environment. If you’re relying on natural light, figure out the best time for a shoot or wait until the light has improved. When using a flash, you should consider diffusing the light, using an external flash and directing the light with a reflector. For more information on lighting, check out this guide on different lighting techniques in still life photography.

5. Background

You want to make sure that the background works well with your main subject. For example, think about how the background will look in-focus and out-of-focus. Maybe you can find a background with an interesting texture or no texture at all. A single-color background can be an effective way to make your subject stand out. If you have the option, try out different types of background with the same subject.

6. Take it outside

With still life photography, you’re not limited to staying inside. You can find plenty of excellent still life subjects outdoors: leaves floating down the river, a nice composition of street objects, or an interesting rock on the beach. It might be harder to control the shooting environment, but outside you can find unique subjects and backgrounds.

7. Release your inner creative genius

There are no limits on what you can do with still life photography (as long as your subjects are, you know, still). So play around with ideas and the contents in your cupboards! Maybe you will be the first person to photograph a rubber ducky in a bathtub filled with watermelons. You can also create your own message. Still life paintings were infused with meaning and symbolism, you could do the same in your still life photos.

https://www.thephotoargus.com/35-superb-examples-of-still-life-photography/

Example 1

https://www.productionparadise.com/spotlight/photographers-agents-283/jim-hanson-artist-agent-9391.html#prettyPhoto

Lighting

I’m not sure I really like the lighting in this shot as I think it highlights the area behind the pen too much and the second source behind the pencils is also a little distracting.

Composition

I really like the composition of this shot and will try to recreate it in my second shoot, using the pen lids as if they are all vying to be chosen and “swimming” towards the pen.

Background

The background is matt black card and I think works reasonably well, however, I think the shot would work better on a darker background.

Context

I think the image is playful and evocative rather than showing the objects in a literal context.

Conclusion

I like the concept conveyed but think the lighting and background could be improved upon.

Example 2

https://www.creativebloq.com/photography/still-life-photography-1131688

Lighting

I think there is one light source here, coming in from the left and creating the high contrast on the left side of the black vase and white ball and dark shadows on the right sides. 

Composition

I really like the composition of this image as it shows really graphic shapes and there is a great balance and contrast between the black and whites.

Background

The background (and surface) used really add to the overall composition and are as key as the items in the still life in creating the overall piece.

Context

The context is not really about the functionality of the objects but rather the abstract image that can be created by placing them in this way. 

Conclusion

In my opinion, this is quite a successful image and while visually appealing, is also a little thought provoking as to whether the ball is responsible for knocking over the vase and came to rest, where it is, having created beautiful symmetry on it’s path.

Example 3

https://speckyboy.com/still-life-photography/

Lighting

I think there are throw light sources used here. One on the background and one either side of the spoons.

Composition

The composition is excellent and allows the viewer’s eyes to follow the journey of the treacle from out of shot at the top, through the three spoons and on leaving the frame at the bottom.

Background

The background works really well, tonally and is warm and complimentary to the hues in the treacle.

Context

Although the spoons are being used for the function they were designed for, to some extent, it’s unlikely this image would ever portray actual functionality in the real world.

Conclusion

A great example of a thought provoking, conceptually interesting, balanced and tonally pleasing still life.

First Test Shoot

Contact sheet from first test shoot

Some shots that could work well with further development

Initially, I liked this shot as I thought it was quite graphic, and I liked the shadows created on the white surface and the contrast by the black background, however, on reflection, I’m not happy with where the focus is so will try and recreate bringing the pens in the foreground into sharper focus.

This is another shot I will consider trying to improve on my next shoot.

I wasn’t happy with the dust that was showing on the black card in this image so removed it in my Imaging class by using the “Patch” tool for the larger areas and the “Clone Stamp” tool for the areas of dust that were closer to the pen tips.

Below is the optimised version.

Feedback

This was the image I chose to send to the “Padlet” for this weeks class critique. I was trying to convey colour and translucence to the viewer and the general consensus from the class was that that had been achieved. My lecturer commented that the pens underneath were a bit distracting, which I agree with as they don’t add anything to the image, so I will re-shoot without them. he also suggested setting up a clamp to hold the pens and lighting from above and behind to see how that would work.

Shoot 2

Contact sheet

Shots chosen to optimise (post optimisation)

I think this shot worked quite well but will re-shoot on Friday as I need to have more of an overhead view and better lighting on the pen if I am to successfully emulate the first still life I mention in my blog above. At the moment, it just looks too abstract and a little confusing I think.

I quite liked this shot, however, I think the colours are now WAY too saturated, so will dial it back quite a bit and post the updated file below. I think this shot conveys colour and luminance but also, shows the pens in their functional role and is not too abstract and conveys form and function too.

I think this optimisation is much better. I would like to attempt this shot again on Friday and have all the pens at exactly the same height and centre frame as I think this would look much better. I also intend re-shooting the pens on a white background and improving on the shots from the first shoot.

Feedback on second image submission

Overall, the feedback for this submission was fairly positive and the majority of the class used “Colour” and “Translucence” to describe the shot, which were the two qualities I had intended to convey. My lecturer suggested re-shooting using a more shallow depth of field, which I did. I also tried to further explore some of the set-ups and compositions from my initial shoot, with varying levels of success.

Contact sheet from third shoot

Optimised image chosen from this shoot

This was my favourite image from this shoot, however, I feel it doesn’t quite convey the colour or translucence of the pen lids as well, as is it is on a white background. I think the black background makes you focus much more on the objects and while, graphically, I quite like this shot, I don’t think it conveys the key words as well as my two chosen images from my previous shoots. The other thing I feel lets this image down is the fact that the centre pen at the top doesn’t point directly upwards to the centre of the frame. Unfortunately, it leads the viewers eye, through leading lines, to the negative space in the top right hand side of the frame.

Experiments with best image from second shoot

I wasn’t happy that the pen tips in the shot were slightly out of focus and the pens seemed to have too much space around them (making them a little “literal” and a bit more like a product shot), so I cropped in to keep the nibs of the pens in focus and quite liked the shallow depth of field at the bottom of the pens (though this would be better with an even shallower depth of field to make the bottom of the frame more abstract and interesting). The image definitely shows colour and translucence but creatively, is pretty bland. I had hoped the white border would help but although it helps a little with the intense shapes, colours and contrast in the image a bit, I still think the edit of the chosen shot from the first shoot works best so that will be my submission.

Final chosen image for submission

I took my favourite image from my initial shoot back into Photoshop and removed some of the distracting areas in the background, using the patch tool. I then cropped and placed a white border round the image which I think helps give the image some “breathing” space and compliments the very black background in the still life.

Evaluation

I found this a really interesting brief to work on as it demonstrates that, as a commercial photographer, you are given objects, people, places and many other things to shoot, that you wouldn’t have chosen yourself (for their aesthetic qualities) and have to deliver something that conveys the message your client needs to get across. This brief really drives home the importance of the three “R”s. It is SO important to “Recognise” the image you need to shoot - that is, think about what you want to convey, how it needs to be set up and what is required in composition and lighting to make it work. “Realise” - it’s important to spend time taking the image and experimenting with different ways to achieve your goal but also to amend your plan if the experimenting takes you in a different and better direction. Finally, it’s really important to “Reflect” on the journey that got you to the final shot you are happy with as it will help you greatly get to your end point quicker in the future if you reflect on what did and didn’t work. I think I was able to employ the three “R”s throughout this brief and blog to get to an image I am happy with, but happy I can improve on this by applying these principals to all my work in the future.

[icallhimthesun-blog]

The Dangers of Energy Pills

It's 10:30 on a Friday night, and Amanda*, a magazine proofreader in New York City, is the last one in the workplace. Once more. Not that she's whining. Actuality is, the 30-year-old has ridden progressive floods of advancements in her concise profession, generally in light of the fact that she has a mix of ability, smarts, and stamina that is difficult to find. Be that as it may, she has something different in her excel weapons store: a mystery reserve of minimal blue-and-white pills.

Amanda got the medications about a year back, after those 60-hour work filled weeks started to leave her rationally disentangled. "I visited my family over the occasions, and they saw I was battling," she says. By some coincidence, her sibling had quite recently been recommended an amphetamine to treat his a lack of ability to concentrate consistently issue, and he offered her five pills as a stocking stuffer, advising her, "Trust me, they'll give all of you the vitality you'll require."

Days after the fact at the workplace, she gulped one part of the way through a ruthless evening that included composition two a minute ago stories, planning meetings with marketing experts, and orchestrating a forthcoming photograph shoot. The outcome: "My capacity to center was crazy," Amanda says. "I wiped out my inbox, which had been flooding for quite a long time, slammed out pages of duplicate, and conceptualized a lot of thoughts. Indeed, even due dates, which normally made me on edge, were no counterpart for my efficiency."

Throughout the following couple of months, Amanda spent her unlawful reserve and afterward mooched two or three dozen additional pills from a companion who wasn't utilizing his remedy. She currently has one pill left and is attempting to adhere to a meaningful boundary on her utilization. All things considered, she's holding tight to the telephone number of a companion of-a-companion who arrangements in underground market pharmaceuticals. "It's an inward battle not to consider him and submit a request," she concedes.

Salvation in a Bottle

It used to be that medication was for improving wiped out individuals. Presently, exhausted vocation ladies and overpowered mothers are fiddling with "corrective nervous system science," a developing (and dubious) field that manages brain and execution improving medications—now and then acquired lawfully, now and again not. These medicines, state advocates, help them surpass associates, push them through their at-home plan for the day, and give them allure in social circumstances. In any case, what these ladies may not understand is that each time they pop a "wonder pill," they're likewise exploring different avenues regarding their wellbeing.

For what reason would anybody have such a high handed demeanor toward taking pills? "Individuals who grew up in the previous decade are so OK with doctor prescribed medications for ADHD and relief from discomfort they've been named Generation Rx," says Leonore Tiefer, Ph.D., a clinical partner teacher of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. Truth be told, as per information from IMS Health, a human services research firm, the nearness of stimulants alone in American culture has for all intents and purposes significantly increased since 1998, with around 40 million remedies apportioned a year ago. Also, the more pills that buoy around in pockets and prescription cupboards, "the greater open door there is for them to get under the control of individuals they weren't endorsed for," says osteopathic doctor Neil Capretto, restorative chief of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh. Today, the consideration deficiency drugs methylphenidate and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine are the most mishandled substances on school grounds. However, coeds don't generally shake free from their dependence after graduation; 11 to 15 percent of grown-ups in their twenties confess to utilizing physician recommended drugs for "nonmedical" purposes.

One sort that is picking up notoriety among postgrads is modafinil (better known by its image name, Provigil), a drug formally endorsed to "improve alertness" in individuals with certain barely characterized conditions, for example, narcolepsy and rest apnea. The blog jabber among high-octane female executives peruses something like this: "Provigil rocks! Plan for the day that used to vex me appear to finish themselves!" It bears noticing that modafinil deals have dramatically increased since 2004 and now approach $1 billion yearly.

Now and again, ladies go to drugs not to be progressively beneficial, yet to quiet down. That is the place well known antianxiety medications like lorazepam, alprazolam, and clonazepam come in. Carrie, a previous individual from the Cornell University swimming club, began taking clonazepam after a panicky minute before the beginning of a significant meet. Her specialist recommended medications despite the fact that she was never determined to have any clinical nervousness issue. Presently 23 years of age and working for a sportswear organization in New Jersey, regardless she uncovers a pill from underneath her tote at whatever point frenzy begins to well up inside her. "When you have a great deal going on and you need to do everything consummately," she says, "it's hard not to look for assistance."

Scoring the Goods

What's more, help is frequently as close as the closest specialist's office. In one investigation, on-screen characters who acted like patients and mentioned explicit solutions were fruitful the greater part the time. Doctors rush to haul out the white cushion, you don't need to go to the inconvenience of inquiring. Emily, a 40-year-old childcare supplier from Traverse City, Michigan, disclosed to her specialist she wished she had more vitality during the day. "Attempt this," he advised her, passing a medicine for an amphetamine.

Ladies who can only with significant effort persuade a M.D. to issue a solution regularly go to the web. A year ago, 33% of endorsers of the science diary Nature who confessed to utilizing drugs for "psychological upgrade" acquired their supply over the Internet. Others, most likely, searched pills from their loved ones. In an investigation discharged a year ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 percent of ladies confessed to sharing or acquiring physician recommended drugs. In some cases, the loaning happens automatically: "I treated one lady who normally dunked into her 8-year-old child's ADHD prescription," says Capretto.

The Lasting Effect of a Quick Fix

In the event that you sit by an Energizer Bunny like Amanda at work, some portion of you may think about whether a pill is your ticket to having everything. Be that as it may, as childcare laborer Emily found, picking up an edge can have startling reactions. A couple of months in the wake of taking an amphetamine, she saw her heart would race for reasons unknown and she'd break out in dousing sweats. She deserted the medication and the M.D. who offered it to her. "I'd preferably be somewhat rationally fluffy over dead," she says.

Specialists caution of different threats as well. Medications like these are intended for explicit restorative purposes, so in case you're sound, you might tinker with neurological wiring that is as of now working the manner in which it should. "At the point when medications are utilized for reasons other than those that are endorsed, no doubt about it," says general internist Lisa Schwartz, M.D., an educator of prescription at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. "A great deal of these medications are so new, the danger of genuine complexities isn't yet clear. They ought to be utilized distinctly under a specialist's supervision." The demonstrated reactions are disturbing enough: Read the notice mark for Amanda's ADHD medication and you'll discover expressions like heart assault and abrupt passing in little kind.

And after that, obviously, there's the potential for enslavement. "In case you're sound, taking these sorts of medications puts you in a dangerous situation," Capretto says. "In the event that you have an inclination toward habit, you don't have the foggiest idea how dainty your ice is." Even some modafinil fans, ameliorated by the medication's notoriety for wellbeing, were shocked after a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association cautioned it could end up addictive.

Another entanglement: Once you're happy with taking one medication, it's anything but difficult to begin legitimizing popping others. "On the off chance that one pill gives you an ideal impact (say, amps your vitality level), you may attempt another sort to fix an alternate kind of issue (possibly help you rest). Before long, you're depending on a medication to control each part of your life," cautions Capretto. "Be that as it may, know this: Each of these medications brings conceivable reactions, which in blend can be risky. You may end up with a clothing rundown of intricacies—distrustfulness, hypertension, heart palpitations, to give some examples—as more medications are brought in with the general mish-mash. Hurl in a couple after-work mixed drinks, and things could get significantly dicier."

Adding to the risk: You may build up a resistance to your prescription. At first, taking a solitary every day portion of, state, alprazolam may give you genuine feelings of serenity. However, a month and a half later, you may require three pills per day to accomplish a similar impact; a couple of months after the fact, you might down five pills every night to get that warm-and-fluffy inclination. "The medications you initially took to get an edge can move toward becoming something you need just to return to the manner in which you were working before you begun on drugs," clarifies Capretto.

A New Normal

Reactions aside, specialists have different worries about popping pills. One such dread is that medications could reclassify what's "typical" and set a standard of hazardous, pill-helped flawlessness. "When a large portion of your office is pulling artificially helped dusk 'til dawn affairs, your [normal level of] profitability may begin to look insufficient," says Martha Farah, Ph.D., executive of the Center for Neuroscience and Society at the University of Pennsylvania. "Will you feel strain to begin stretching out your waking hours just to keep up?"

Also, specialists stress that these medications will turn into a prop that shields you from rolling out significant improvements throughout your life. By settling on a handy solution, you might be enticed to put off finding more beneficial arrangements like making sense of how to deal with your time better, adapting new unwinding strategies, or having that get it-out into the open chat with your person. "On the off chance that medications are something you depend on," says Capretto, "you have to investigate your life."

All things considered, he and others foresee that the fame of remedy enhancers will proceed. For whatever length of time that the medications offer momentary advantages, individuals will be attracted to them. That is the reason a few specialists propose that as opposed to stating whether medications ought to be utilized, we ought to decide how they ought to be utilized. Analysts are now leading trials including crisis room doctors to see whether medications like modafinil could decrease the danger of exhaustion related mistakes.

The worry that it's inappropriate to utilize a medication since it's a medication doesn't bode well, as per Farah. In the event that it encourages you accomplish more work or improves the quality or security of the work you do, she says, "that says something the medication's support. Would we like to be snobby and state, 'Gracious, yet it's deceptive to utilize execution upgrading drugs?' " Use among sound individuals ought to rely upon the medication and the circumstance—as long as everybody is clear about the dangers.

"See, many individuals utilize these medications since they work. In any case, you need to exercise alert and truly consider things," Capretto says. "Before you even hand your drug specialist a medicine to fill, have an arrangement at the top of the priority list. Ask yourself: Where am I going with this? Do I intend to be on these pills for multi week? two weeks? a month? There's a truism: 'Don't lift a plane off the ground except if you realize how to arrive it.' That equivalent cogency ought to be connected to physician endorsed medication use."

* All names and some distinguishing subtleties have been changed.

But energy pills good for helth . 

[danieljohnjarvishn2dphotoblog]

Lost and Found Evaluation

For the lost and found brief, we were asked to choose a location, photograph it and then using that image create a plan to light an object against a plain surface and photograph it. Then using Photoshop, create a composite. I liked the idea of this project, however it took me a long time to think of a concept. I decided to shoot my location image at a wooded area beside my house as it was the look I was going for. For my object I chose to photograph an amethyst crystal as I wanted the idea to be that there was this massive hidden amethyst somewhere you wouldn't expect it.

Overall, the part of the brief which I most enjoyed was post-production as I was unsure of how the idea would look until I saw it come to life in Photoshop. This brief has allowed me to learn and develop new skills such as the skills I learned in Photoshop using pen paths and clipping masks. I also have more knowledge and understanding of creating composites using two images and being able to colour match them. This is something I would like to develop even further to become even more able and confident in Photoshop.

Throughout this brief, I researched and looked at the work of many different photographers such as Erik Johansson, Ljubodrag Andric, Erik Almas and Dariusz Klimczak. Researching these different photographers and looking at their ideas and how they came to be inspired by final idea greatly.

Receiving feedback from lecturers and peers also helped me completing this brief as Mark helped me greatly and helped me to realise I didn't need to reshoot my location Image, I only needed to edit it better, which saved me a lot of time. For me, the most successful part of this brief for me is my final composite as Im really pleased with the outcome of it.

At first I made two attempts at photographing my object which was the crystal, however when using photoshop I couldn't get the crystal to look realistic against my location image. With the help of Mark I managed to light the crystal using a table lamp and adding small objects in-front to create shadows.

If given the opportunity to complete this brief again, I think I would definitely use a more interesting location for the background, maybe shot at dusk to create a more dramatic atmosphere.

[swipestream]

Wargame Wednesday: Battle of the Bulge OOBs for V Panzer Northern Sector

Orders of Battle

Small portion from the Campaign Series OOB file.

Any designer of historical simulations has to confront the question: what was the actual composition of forces at that place and time?  The harder one works for historical accuracy, the more elusive the answer. At times, the task is almost futile but the question must be asked.

The ancient up to the medieval periods are notorious for the lack of sources and exaggerated numbers.  Even with the advent of better record keeping historical accuracy remains difficult. Keep in mind every organization in this post was required to send daily status reports.  Despite the ubiquity of reports (and sometimes because of it), accessibility of primary sources can be problematic. Also, game designers, who often rely on secondary resources, will adjust the OOBs for reasons of playability or constraints of the game engine. I encountered a prime example of this issue when trying to determine the 14th Armored Group’s historical OOB:

Hugh Cole mentions “light tanks”.

In the 14th Cavalry in the Gap article, Col. Judge mentions 17 M-3 tanks.

The scenario OOB’s light tanks are M-24 Chafees.

A Panzer Leader OOB highlighted on the next page has a mix of M-1 and M-5 tanks.

At least most sources agree on the M-8 scout cars…

Additionally, I discovered a typo in the scenario’s OOB.  The 193rd VG Regiment was actually the 183rd.  A misnamed regiment won’t affect game play but unless caught and corrected in time, it may become a vector for inaccurate information for future games and posts.

This post will discuss the units available at the start of this scenario and compare the scenario’s OOB with one that comes to us via the Nafziger OOB collection then finish with some Panzer Leader OOB charts.

At the end of this post, the index and reference sections are beginning to flesh out and I have added a related games section. Let me know your favorite Bulge related games and I’ll add to the list.

Over on my blog there’s a post on Nafziger’s OOB for the units in this scenario and a screen shot of S&T’s variant of an Avalon HIll OOB.

German Forces at Scenario Start

LXVI Armeekorps (General der Artillerie W. Lutch)

Units available at the Corps level to be assigned between the two divisions.

x4 Werfer (rocket) Regiments.  36 150mm and 36 210mm rocket launchers.

460. Heavy Artillery Battalion. 18 Krupp18 170mm guns.

1/506 Heavy Panzer Battalion** 21 PzVIB aka Tiger II or King Tiger

  18th Volks-Grenadier Division (Oberst Hoffman-Schonborn)

    293rd Volks-Grenadier Regiment

294th Volks-Grenadier Regiment

295th Volks-Grenadier Regiment

18th Artillery Regiment

Each Volks-Grenadier regiment shares elements of the following formations:

Engineer Battalion.  They are able to construct foot bridges but cannot construct vehicle bridges.

Anti-tank battalion.

Assault gun brigade.

  62nd Volks-Grenadier Division (Oberst F. Kittel)

    164th Volks-Grenadier Regiment

183rd Volks-Grenadier Regiment

190th Volks-Grenadier Regiment

62nd Artillery Regiment

Each Volks-Grenadier regiment shares elements of the following formations:

Engineer Battalion.  They are able to construct foot bridges but cannot construct vehicle bridges.

Anti-tank battalion.

Assault gun brigade.

    Führerbegleit Brigade

The Führerbegleit Brigade entered the battle on the 2nd day and the scenario OOB will be covered in more detail later. A Panzer Leader OOB is below.

  **Historically, the 506 Heavy Panzer battalion was assigned to the VI Panzer Armee (sector to the north) but this battalion saw action at Andler, just northeast of Schoenburg.  They had to detour south, into V Panzer Armee’s sector but for the scenario, Feldmarschal Model (i.e. the scenario designer) has ordered this battalion remain in this sector.

  American Forces at Start

106th Infantry Division (Major General A.W. Jones)

The 106th ID was assigned to the VIII Corps (Major General T.H. Middleton) but in order to facilitate a game split into three equal sectors the scenario designer assigned the 106th to XIII Corps.  The reason is that the VIII Corps HQ is located on the far left side of the center map in Tenneville (almost 70km drive via Bastogne).  The 106th was on the extreme left flank of VIII Corps and looking at the game map serves to give an idea on how spread out the front line units were.  Communications, especially simulating commands to lower echelon units is not part of the CS game engine though supply is.  Supply is automatically determined by the computer at the beginning of the turn so it was easier for the scenario designer to assign the 106th to the XIII Corps which will eventually be released on the west side of the northern map.

422nd Infantry Regiment

423rd Infantry Regiment

424th Infantry Regiment

592nd Field Artillery Battalion. Starts with the 422nd Infantry Regiment. x12 155mm.

Each Infantry Regiment has the following formation equally shared between them:

4/563 AW Battalion. Each regiment gets 12 half tracks with M1 40mm anti-aircraft guns.

4/634 AW Battalion. A mix of 2 1/2 ton GMC truck towed Quad.50 cal MGs, and 40mm AA guns.

Engineer Battalion.  3 platoons each.  Don’t know their bridge building abilities but we’ll see their bridge demolition skills soon enough.

820th Tank Destroyer Battalion. 15 M18 GMS Tank Destroyers assigned to each regiment.

  14th Cavalry Group (Col Devine)

  18th Cavalry. 3 troops of 15 M8 Light Armored Cars and 1 troop of 15 M24 Chaffees.

32nd Cavalry. As above, 45 armored cars and 15 Chaffees.

Both the 18th and 32nd has a HQ Company with an engineer platoon, an AT platoon (5 37mm AT guns) and assault gun platoon (5 half tracks mounted with 37mm AA guns).

  Notes

My 293rd VG Regiment has two companies with bicycle troops (no anti-tank capability such as panzerfaust and no sub-machine guns so lower assault values) in lieu of the Volks-grenadier platoons which have both attributes in abundance.  This was done to recreate the use of troops in reconnaissance.

Most of the 62nd VG Division has lower morale than the 18th.  The 62nd VG Division was destroyed in Russia and the rebuilt formation had a sizable contingent of Polish and Czech conscripts who spoke no German.

According to Nafziger the 18th VG Division was formed in September, 1944 in Denmark from the cadre of a Luftwaffe field division and drafts from the Luftwaffe and the Kriegsmarine (navy).

Based on the Nafziger OOB some units that didn’t make the cut were the “Brüko” bridging units (I could use them) and the 813th Panzer Pioneer Company, equipped with the remote control “Goliath” self propelled mines (not in the game’s master OOB file).

Some of the missing railroad artillery batteries are represented by a naval gun battery in the northeast corner of the map.

Nafziger quotes H. Jung who estimated that a VG division would probably be at 58% of their total authorized strength (6410 men).  More on the Nafziger OOB on my blog.

  OOBs from Panzer Leader

During research I discovered Greg’s Panzerblitz site and found a few relevant scenario cards with OOBs on his 1944 Bulge page.  Greg links to the Imaginative Strategist page where there is a wealth of Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader material.  Clicking on any of the images below will lead you to Greg’s site.

14th Cavalry Group

  106th ID

I adjusted Greg’s card and removed two of the infantry regiments.  Both the 423rd and 424th have the same counters as the 422nd below.

Volks-Grenadier Divisions

The 18th will also serve for the 62nd VG Division as both OOBs seem identical. As with the I06th ID, I have removed two of the regiments.

Führerbegleit Brigade

Comparison Between Scenario and Panzer Leader OOB

There are significant differences which serve to illustrate a game designer’s (and game consumer’s) dilemma when trying to recreate a historical action.  Not only do primary and secondary resources differ but the way they are interpreted by gamers, bloggers, readers, etc., is different.  Finally, game designers will make judgement calls based on the restrictions of the game engine and the attempt to produce an enjoyable gaming experience.

No judgement call between the two but using the Volks-Grenadiers as the main example some of the biggest differences are:

No HQ below the regiment in the scenario OOBs for playability purposes.

More rifle platoons and a 81mm mortar section in the PL for VG regiments.

No Fusilier battalion in the scenario but the battalion’s organization (two rifle platoons and 4 SMG platoons) is closer what constitutes a company in the scenario (1 rifle, 1 machine gun section and 2 VG platoons).

No flak battalion for the VG Regiments.  I could use them the past two turns I played.

As discussed in the intro: for the 14th Armored Group the scenario OOB has M24 Chafees, the Panzer Leader OOB has a mix of M-5s and M-1s, and from Col. Judge’s article there were 17 M-3 tanks…..

  Next Week

I’ll start to compare some of weapons available to both sides and try to find an answer on the 14th Armored Group tanks. Krewinkle and other battles will have to wait.

    References (Publications)

A Time for Trumpets Charles B. Macdonald.

Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive, 1944-1945 D.S. Parker. One of the main sources for Nafziger’s OOB.

Das Heer 1933-1945, 1956 Vol I & II, Verband der Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen SS 1939-1945. Mueller-Hillebrand.  Cited by Nafziger.

Die Ardennen Offensive 1944-1945. H. Jung.  One of the main sources for Nafziger’s OOB.

The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge Hugh M. Cole.

The Battle of the Bulge, Charles B MacDonald. Cited by Nafziger on his OOB.

Verband und Truppen der detuschen Wermacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945. G. Tessin.  Cited by Nafziger.

  References (Links)

14th Cavalry in the Losheim Gap

Project 1944. Military historians practicing “living history”.

WW2 Armed Forces OOBs and Organizations by Dr. Leo Niehorster. Not much available for the Bulge but otherwise, an excellent resource.

Related Games

A Time for Trumpets  GMT Games.  Board game.

Battles for the Ardennes SPI Games.  Board game. Four games in one.  Simulations of both the Bulge in 1944 and Sedan 1940.

John Tiller’s Campaign Series Matrix Games. Computer game.  Currently, on sale for $9.99!

Panzer Leader Avalon Hill. Board game.  Along with Panzerblitz (East Front) on of AH’s best games.

The Ardennes Offensive SPI Games. Board game.

The Battle of the Bulge Avalon Hill. Board game.

The Blitz Wargame Club Eventual home for the updated (after this play test) V Panzer Army Campaign scenario.

  Index

Intro Bulge Series Post.

Part 1: Starting positions, terrain, game design considerations and Q&A with scenario designer.

Part 1: Map with starting positions.

Weather chart during the Battle of the Bulge.

Wargame Wednesday: Battle of the Bulge OOBs for V Panzer Northern Sector published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[aleahayesblog]

Artist Critique: Mark Collen CP III

The above image CP III – ‘Trapped in Hell’ by Mark Collen is an abstract image that uses asymmetrical balance to represent the deep anguish the artist felt when creating the piece. I feel the work of art collages together two conflicting and contrasting materials creating an unlikely harmony whilst presenting overwhelming negative feelings. The composition and distortion within the work of art helps present to the viewer the ongoing pain and suffering that Collen experiences, this I feel is conveyed accurately and effectively. The unity between the use of the rough rebar and the plaster together can represent the inner feelings of the artist as the intensity of the pain begins to overwhelm him and he starts to break down much like fragile plaster. The conflicting textures work together in unison to convey a sense of realism and present the conveyed feelings as relate-able to the viewer.

The concept as a whole for the piece is visually effective and can induce tension within the viewer as they try to sympathise with the artist and attempt to understand the portrayed emotions. The shape and size of the piece adds interest and variation to the subject area, portraying the face connected to rebar rather than attached to a body indicates the severity of the subject area presented, intensifying the emotions the artist is attempting to allude the viewer to. I feel the piece shows the artist feels disconnected from his body and continuously tries to escape the hell that he is forever stuck in.

The use of bright red on the plaster and the grey/black of the metal in this piece is striking and adds mystery. Red is an emotionally intense colour often used to represent love and affection, in this piece I feel the artists is effectively using this specific hue of red to blatantly represent pain, suffering and danger. As Collen presents in his description ‘I try a desperate escape by pushing my face through the bars, but I can go no further. Im trapped in hell.’ I feel the piece wouldn’t have conveyed the intensity of the suffering as effectively if the colour composition was different.

Although the artist articulates the meaning of the piece in the description I personally feel the piece speaks for itself. The distorted and disconnected nature of the head and face present the reaction to the intense suffering and the use of the rebar is a representation of the pain caused that has the artist forever trapped.

Collen often uses a combination of contrasting materials throughout his works of Art as also presented in the piece ‘Happy Pills ain’t so happy’ which is a piece focusing on the issue of medical care professionals prescribing medication and tell you it will get better but overtime you realise they cause more suffering than good as often the side effects can become unbearable. 

Words used from glossary: Abstract, asymmetrical balance, collage, contrast, harmony, composition, distortion, tension, concept, texture, unity, realism, shape, hue, size, colour.