Letter from the Editor
Many exciting things have happened since the last issue, including the conclusion of AP Clash of Wallers: Round 1. If you aren't already following the epic competition, I suggest you take some time to peruse the tales of glory. For the rest of you, I invite you to read on and see editors' take on the competition.
For this issue, asa kicks things off with the first part of a much needed double feature on
Up until now, THEwaller has concentrated on the three pillars of walling: color, composition and technique. But we now put the spotlight on the exploration of style beyond the realm of realism with a
Our meme this month will be the same as last month--we haven't gotten any takers but I consider it a very worthwhile activity since so much of our development has been indescribably shaped by our peers. It is my hope that you will take a moment to thank these people.
For those of you whose summers are drawing to an unforgettable, but regrettable end, enjoy the sun and breeze for a moment longer before diving into this month's issue. I hope to see each and every one of you fully relaxed in August, and ready to produce some awe-inspiring walls.
Ever wonder what your editors are up to instead of making sure THEwaller is published on time? Well now you know: a look at what asa and I have been wasting our lives on.
Editors: asa00 // vitaamin
Writers: aqiaqua // sjade1
Images: Kritty
Last Month's Who Said It?
Features
Accurately depicting the 3D objects on a 2D surface is a challenge faced by many artists, regardless of media. We wallers, with our digital canvases, are no exception and so chances are that the word perspective is already your acquaintance.
Because the application of perspective is ultimately a representation of what we see, it is somewhat intuitive. However, instincts will only take you so far and observation can be an inadequate teacher. No approach compares to building a solid technical foundation.
These are terms that you've probably encountered at some point. But for those to whom they are unfamiliar, let's start out with some definitions:
Rectilinear perspective is the most commonly known form of perspective--a depiction of 3D objects in space as we see them using a 2D surface. Straight lines always appear straight regardless of whether or not they are the X-, Y-, or Z-axis.
Curvilinear perspective is usually known as the
Vanishing point is a point at which a set of parallel lines in an image appears to converge. These perspective-defining points may be inside or outside the canvas.
The limit of how far we can see along the ground till the earth meets the sky is called the horizon. This is what you should draw first when setting out to design a scene. Because vanishing point(s) that are used to define all horizontal lines must be located along the horizon, the horizon line is an essential guide in defining perspective.
So what in turn serves as the reference for the placement of the horizon itself? Well, the key factor is the viewing angle.
A. Bird’s eye view (a high angle): When looking downward from an elevated location, the horizon line is located in the upper regions of the image.
B. Eye level (a neutral angle): A horizon line located between one-quarter and one-half of the way up from the bottom canvas edge is used to create the impression that the viewer is at the average human height and looking straight ahead. (Of course, this estimate doesn't account much for topography.)
C. Worm’s eye view (a low angle) When looking upward, above your level line of sight, the horizon line used is very low.
Zero-point
This special case is commonly seen in nature scenes where organic shapes dominate. The illusion of depth is created purely through scale, blur, color, saturation, and contrast.
scale: Every object has an "expected size". When it is larger than that standard, we know it is very close to us. When it is increasingly smaller, we perceive it as being increasingly more remote.
blur: Typically, only objects within a certain distance appear focused. Objects that are either too close or too far will look out of focus. And so greater blur, when combined with scale, can imply greater distance.
color, saturation, and contrast: More distant objects have lower saturation and contrast. Their range of colors also diminishes and they start to take on the color of their backdrop--typically the sky.
While
One-point: As the name implies, there is only one vanishing point. This is common in images featuring a frontal view of an object or an object with no or minimal height.
Two-point: Two vanishing points are used when looking at objects "at an angle." This is applied when one set of edges' convergence is negligible.
Three-point perspective is applied when looking at objects "from the corner." Three vanishing points are often used in images that depict tall objects extending far above and/or below eye level.
After deciding on
Curvilinear perspective uses four, five, or even six vanishing points to define the same Cartesian axes normally defined by the three vanishing points of rectilinear perspective.
Instead of each vanishing point being the only apparent convergence point for a unique set of parallel lines, one (in four-point) or two (in five-point) or three (in six-point) pairs of vanishing points work together. In such a partnership, the lines originate from one point and converge at the second on the other side of the image. This type of perspective is applied in creating panoramic views, for its warped effect, or to simulate how things look through fish eye lenses.
While I have made the best attempts to cover a vide array of topics, this article only goes so far, so I encourage you to look at other tutorials dealing with perspective. Where
Waller Exposé
There are very few circumstances under which one would not know of Jay. Her contributions to the walling community have established her as one of the most respected veterans in the field, and she is anything but a lurker. Just recently, she proved her superior skills by outlasting the competition in Minitokyo Knockout 2010 and she is currently co-administrating the 2010 AnimePaper Clash of the Wallers with her good friend flyindreams.
Professionally, Jay is an active designer working in web development and graphic design, for which she casually dubs herself a “spam artist”. The various techniques that she has learned from her work have become her toolbox in her walling. She also manages her own website, aptly named
Looking through her work, it seems like Jay has dabbled in almost every style. Her gallery showcases brilliant walls from colourful creations enlivened by vivid brushstrokes to softer monochrome pieces exhibiting incredible precision in vectoring, from whimsical illustrations to scenic masterpieces. With such multi-faceted experience, I assumed that she was compelled by boredom towards new styles. But Jay cleverly compares walling styles to ice cream flavors:
Wouldn’t you get tired of chocolate ice cream for dessert every single time? I'd be interested in trying Rocky Road, or Cookies & Cream, or something completely different.
Of course, that doesn't mean chocolate ice cream would never come back into the picture. Time and time again, she is able to explore and reinvent both new and familiar styles.
And so I wondered where she had received the technical know-how and remarkable ability to spot trends that have enabled her to master each style. I was not surprised to learn that Jay had practiced art for most of her life, starting out as most artists do in traditional mediums like acrylics and oils. What did surprise me, however, was that she named her artistically inclined mother as the catalyst for her transition to digital art!
Given her years, Jay has lived through multiple generations of wallers, witnessing and contributing to the ever evolving trends. Yet in spite of her tenure, she cannot imagine what it would be like to stop.
Actually, it's a depressing thought to consider ever stopping… It really just boils down to, why not keep walling?
It is this passion and love for walling that have kept Jay at the top of the walling game, month after month, year after year. For any waller who has considered retiring due to lapses of creativity or loss of confidence, her words are a powerful reminder to keep pushing forward. Truly inspirational, yet incredibly humble in her actions, Jay has unquestionably earned her spot in the walling community.
Take Two
In 2007, my sister and I began to drift apart. Hounded by my personal struggles, I became fascinated with the End of the World theme that had permeated the anime industry. My goal was to capture the irony and morbidity that has defined CLAMP series,
It also proved to be a good opportunity to improve my vectoring technique from the ground up. By focusing on monochrome, I was able to dissect vectoring into fundamental elements and define my own style, without the complication of color.
Because CLAMP's works often lack cohesive storylines, I found the various themes confusing. However, further contemplation led me to a realization: Kamui was constantly controlled by the many supernatural forces that surrounded him. Although he wished to choose the correct path, he ultimately was unable to escape his destiny.
The gears in the backdrop directly expressed Kamui's inability to control his situation. To signify the need for peace, I added doves; to mark Kamui's ultimate sacrifice, I branded his shoulder with a bloody "X." Finally, to further dramatize the mostly black and white wall, I splattered red stains across the canvas.
While I certainly learned a lot about vectoring, the line quality in the doves and character leaves much to be desired. Bold and black fails to reflect the finesse for which CLAMP has become known. In the same vein, the black shape, used purely as a space filler, should be converted into a cloak. In addition to adding more detail, this change would also tie the composition together in a more balanced manner.
This venture into explorations of blood and gore marked the beginning of my
Screenshot
I have always been fascinated with the intersection between scenic and abstract expressions. While my previous endeavors have mostly concentrated on darker color schemes, I wanted to try adding a pop art twist to my exploration of the realistic style. My ultimate goal was to create a piece that is forward-looking without being futuristic.
For the abstract component, I focused on establishing movement throughout the wall using shapes and integrated text. To that end, I chose curved lines to separate the abstract and realistic sides and added white space to allow for sufficient transition between the two ideas.
To add more depth, I used homemade textures inspired by designs often used to fill space in doujinishi and mainstream manga scans. They seem more like brushwork than the paper/grunge or patterned textures that have seen better representation in the walling community. Their more organic designs, combined with integrated text, help generate flow.
On the realistic side, I wanted to capture Akira Amano's high-exposure color compositions, but with a distinctive oil-painted quality. In a community where detailed painting has become a universal aspiration, I instead aimed to maintain a simple style defined by its lack of well-characterized brushstrokes. Hence I concentrated less on technique and color, and more on creating a texture.
Because the abstract elements featured bright, highly saturated colors, the painted part necessitated a subdued approach. By coupling pastel tones and intense whites, I was able to both contrast and complement the pop art style. Additionally, I chose a cooler shade of teal to offset the warmer colors.
Going forward, to better position the character, reconstructions will have to be made. More importantly, the textures should be redone with more deliberate considerations. Further incorporating clean text will also help give a more professional finish.
While the walling community often characterizes abstract with simplicity of design or chaos, and realism with complicated technique and composition, I strove to challenge that notion. The result has helped me further my understanding of texture and depth, as applied to both abstract and realism. It has also proven that when worlds collide, magic really happens.
Inspirationisms
We spent a brief moment talking about
SM Entertainment, one of the powerhouses in
With its luxurious backdrops, blackened tones and artistic use of motion blurs, the
Super Junior's third album,
f(x)’s mini-album,
The Western and Asian music industries have both seen tremendous development as they grow more creative in their artwork. Between stylized photography and digital manipulations, artists and record companies have more to offer than good lyrics and motivational background music.
Announcements
Round 1 of
As such, we endeavor to provide feedback for each round to honor the inordinate amount of time that these wallers have invested. This month, we try to identify the most effective ways in which participants expressed the theme and give advice on common difficulties wallers experienced. We hope that this can function by leaving a larger footprint for
These three walls represent the most compelling stylistic choices that successfully communicated the challenge themes. jns, ze and AssasinXXX invested heavily in their ultimate message to express the themes while allowing us an understanding of the person behind the creation. Clear color schemes perfectly convey mood, while the minimalist and typographic abstract leads us down a path to infinite interpretations, each as insightful as the last.
A. The use of muted pastels contributes a sense of sadness but also impresses "summer" upon us. Light and airy, this wall also captures youth and innocence through its calming colors.
B. A product of multiple scans, this wall is beautifully constructed with particular attention to meshing various styles while reinventing the tone altogether. With heavy influences from urban artwork, this piece is a prime example of how to use monochrome as a vehicle for expression. What is more impressive: the message is displayed deliberately, and yet this wall escapes unsophisticated interpretations.
C. It wasn't difficult for the judges to recognize the author of this typographic wonder, but it would be facetious to say that we weren't all pleasantly surprised. AssasinXXX capitalized on his experience with this style to produce a wall that was stylistically his, yet reformulated from the ground up.
Rather than relying on excruciating detail, beautiful painting requires an excellent understanding of color and effective brushstrokes. storm-and-fire and Yina perfectly capture a moment in time by exploiting technique that resonates strongly with their intended message. Each piece has a well-chosen palette, creating a tangible atmosphere in the former and heartfelt emotions in the latter.
A. How can you not fall in love with that serenity? Whereas many forced the blue upon their walls in the name of the IC theme, storm-and-fire was able to express the color very naturally. The full range of contrast, varied tones of blues, and touches of warmth make for a gorgeous piece of art.
B. Yina's painting technique has seen years of refinement and her technical strength undoubtedly shines through. But the true test of greatness lies with the vivid palette and effortless transitions between warm and cool tones that communicate the character's anguish--and the EC theme.
One difficulty that we noticed was that wallers were overly constrained by the messages given in the original scan. While a scan is one of the most important tools in walling, wallers should be unafraid to employ creativity, especially in a competition where the intent is everything. Despite the demand for scan reCGs, scans should be wisely used as an aid to your artistic arsenal rather than heavily relied upon as the primary display of your artistic taste.
Let Your Message Through It is great when you find something that fits your concept to a T. But on the flip side, you will have to make sure what comes through isn't the scan artist's message but yours. And of course, don't let the scan limit your vision!
Change it up! Don't feel as if you have to follow the color scheme or even overall style of the scan. Figure out what it is you want to say then find the best style/composition to apply to the original scan.
Wallers also seemed to spend a disproportionate amount of time on technique, rather than trying to express their theme clearly. While technique is definitely important, the coordinators and judges were really looking for a waller's ability to both interpret and articulate their message. These walls certainly demonstrated clear mood and stylistic intent, but the interpretation of the theme was obscured.
When walling, whether for a competition or for yourself, try to think of technique as an afterthought. Pinpoint your theme/message and what you want to portray before settling on a style. After choosing a style, move to deciding which technical aspects will produce the best results.
One of the most exciting, and inevitably the most difficult, aspects of competitions is that it challenges you to think of walling as a means of expression. While scan choice and technique clearly get you noticed, they play a comparatively minor role in the overall scores. Because AP Clash has produced so many great walls, we are excited to see IC2 and EC2 entries and what new ideas they can inspire.
I tried to tie this months meme with the world cup in the spirit of team work. It occurred to me a lot of walls are the fruit of not just the artist but the people who offered advice, tips and critique while it was a mere work in progress.
This is your chance to thank every one who has helped you with your walls. Whether it be helpful critique, technical advice, collabs, encouragement or even inspiration, show the love people <3
Pick a 5-10 of your walls and write a sweet Thank You to those who helped you. Remember to include what how they helped and how much it meant to you!
Rules
(1) Image must be 1200px wide and no more than 1500px high.
(2) Meme will be resized to 615px wide to post in the archives as preview format.
(3) Must include the above logo somewhere in your meme. It should be big enough as to be legible in the preview format.
(4) Must write your name below Thank You With Love.
(5) Must label your walls and somehow credit the original series/mangaka.
(6) Submit to the Issue Thread. These are the only memes that will be uploaded to the archives.
Shining Artist | June 2010
Quietby jns
vitaamin: It's wonderful to see walls as simplistic and understated as jns's latest creation. Perfect color coordination and nicely placed text provide a professional finish that only serves to highlight the impressive technique. By being unafraid to simplify her shapes, jns successfully brings sophistication to this Alice in Wonderland scan.
aqiaqua: jns reworks a scan to make it much more vibrant and punchy, but it still retains an enigmatic quality about it. Vectoring techniques have highlighted the delicate and feminine characteristics of the scan and it'll look simply stunning on your desktop!
Bassline Goozebumpz! by dslassey
dslassey is this type of waller that always will come up with a fresh concept, Bassline Goozebumpz! is not an exception.
With a mix of bright colors, bold outlines, collage-esque images this wallpaper will definitely pimp up your desktop!
An Ever-Growing Wonder by adith04
Few recent walls have been able to depict fantasy in the way this cityscape piece has. The warm tones color this wall with a sense of wonder, but a lingering danger lurks just around the corner.