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               A spirit of adventure with a streak of creativity.


Artist Statement

I am a Digital Convergence Artist.

My Nikon, MacBook, Wacom tablet and imagination are my tools.
I am self taught, but I have over 30 years experience in photography, plus 20 years experience in graphic arts and television/video production.

I enjoy experimenting with new concepts, ideas and techniques. This is reflected in my continually evolving artwork style.


What is “Digital Convergence Art”?

I have seen a few different explanations of the terms, "convergence media," or "convergent art,"but I define Digital Convergence Art as, "The convergence of several types of digital media to make a new form of art that would not be possible without the combination."

How I Create My Digital Convergence Art

I use a combination of photography, a variety of 3D graphic programs, and fractal art, combined in Photoshop to create unique and colorful art. Here is a rough layout of the procedure:

Photography

My main digital photography is done with my Nikon DSLR. I don't have anything against the others, but Nikon just works better for me and my type of work, plus I have a lot invested in the Nikon system. I also have a little Sanyo Point & Shoot camera that I carry around most of the time, but when I deliberately go out to shoot something special, I'll take the Nikon.

For 35mm film shooting, I have my first 35mm camera, a completely manual Sears K500 (based on the Pentax system), 2 Nikon 35mm cameras, and 2 35mm Canon Rebels.

For medium format, I have a few old Soviet cameras, and for large format, I have an old Kodak 4x5 camera.
(I will admit that it has been over 10 years since I've used any of the film cameras. They have been too cost and time prohibitive.)


3D Modeling

For 3D modeling, character creation and rendering, I use several different programs, but primarily DAZ 3D Studio, Bryce 3D for landscapes, and Blender for 3D objects.

Fractals

I use a few different fractal generating software programs since each results in a totally different look, and the operations within each program vary. After creating a good looking image, I will then randomly mutate it. This how I create the base image for my fractal art, choosing the design for transformation based on shapes, and sometimes colors.
Once I find just the right one, I always delete the original so that I can’t reverse the process. That guarantees that each design is completely unique, which is even more important with "limited edition" prints.


Post Production Processing

After I choose the photographs or 3D render for the background, I bring everything into Photoshop as layers for the final assembly.
Then I begin the “Convergence” process using Photoshop as my base program and using many plug-ins and special techniques to create the finished Digital Convergence Art piece. I like vibrant colors so I spend a lot of time adjusting the saturation, vibrance, contrast and curves in Photoshop to get just the look I want. That’s part of the creative process that I really enjoy.


Prints

All of my art prints are available through Fine Art America and Art Pal. They can be printed in a variety of sizes, and on several types of materials, with or without frames, and directly shipped to you. They also come with a money back guarantee.

All of my “limited edition” artwork is printed locally, signed, numbered, and issued a certificate of authenticity.


Other Artwork

Recently, I have started to create art from artifacts and objects found during my travels and explorations. I am offering these to people that want to be part of the adventure. Some of these pieces are wearable art, such as arrowhead necklaces. Other pieces may be formed into sculptured or desktop/tabletop art, or larger works for framing.