Completely random,  kitcougar makes the best Gin and Tonic I have ever had.

I have mentioned before that I am going to AnthroCon for the first time. Gosh it's far away. I will post more about the business end of the con later, when there is more business to post about.

This year  nambroth,  rah-bop and myself are hosting a panel on how to draw realistic wings. Nam and I have been doing these panels for a while now, but this is the first time we will have the expertise of RAH BOP for her AMAZING KNOWLEDGE of dragon wings. So for the first time we will cover bird AND dragon wings and how to attach them to critters.

Art of Wings
Fayette Room
Saturday 9:00pm - 11:00pm

BOOM BABY do you see that? That's when and where. Two hours of science, art, and irreverent banter between the three of us. If you saw us at FC, you know that we don't take ourselves seriously...at all. Just ask us how to draw a seagull.

There will be photos, live demos, video, and hands on experience with real wings. I will be bringing some of my antique bird specimens and Nam has some pheasant wings that folks are free to draw, touch, and photograph. We will be covering the anatomy of wings, feathers, flight, and possibly french fries. But I leave that up to Nam.

We would love to have a large turn out this year, so if you are coming to AC and if you'd like some insight on drawing one of the hardest bits of animal anatomy, come spend some time with us.

If you plan on coming, please let us know by leaving a comment! This will help Nam decide how many paper handouts to make.

Thanks to the banner I've gotten a whole lot of new folks watching me, way more than I thought ever would! Thank you all so much!!! I started to write a intro about myself but it kinda became pretentious and/or boring.

So instead, I thought I would pimp some of the other talent here on FA and if any of you have any questions about my work or art or what have you, please please feel free to ask and I will do my best to help you out.

On to the pimpage!

If you like my work, you might like  nambroth and  rah-bop. They both have amazing skills and create very inspiring artwork. For dreamier, slightly more stylistic work, I recommend  eaden

 qarrezel and  evilyena both do incredible realistic fursuits, which is of course right up my alley with realistic and more naturalistic animals in this fandom. Give the both of them a look, their hard work deserves it!

Sprite master  kiohl has her spot up there on my profile as the creator of my awesome koi teasing icon. Her work is just darling, and for 20 bucks you can't beat that price for a unique and charming bit o' pixels.

And of course there is Mr.  foxamoore, whose magical fingers create a fine array of amazing music that so many of us love. Oh yeah I did some art for his current album full of furry themes. Oh murrpurr.

That's my pimpage for now. These folks have work that is my flavor and I like to see them make more, so if you have that piece of art or suit or icon or song you've been considering, take a few minutes to browse their galleries.

Best wishes all,
Vannie

I would like to remind folks that  foxamoore's album is available for purchase. His latest journal mentions that the album will be ready this Friday and shipping right after that. Let's hope that goes smoothly! You can buy the thing http://www.freewebstore.org/FoxAmoo.....13_219483.aspx right there, and shipping is included in the price. I think that's crazy cheap for such pretty music. Oh, and my artwork is on it. So it's like some funky odd shaped prints of my art...that also makes noise.

If you haven't given his work a listen yet, you really should. You may like it.

My share of the Endangered Ark playing cards is trucking its way to me. While this is cool for me, you can buy yours direct from Foxfeather RIGHT NOW. http://endangeredark.com/ Check out that animated gif of our collaborative box art. Cool yeah? I find it mesmerizing.

Cheers all.

I have a poster sized, slightly scuffed print of Sunflight up for sale.

http://www.furbuy.com/auctions/1009681.html

i just sent off the project that has been consuming me for the past week or so. It feels good to get it done. Hopefully they like it. I enjoyed the work but gosh I am tired.

And I also got my new spiffy icon from  kiohl. Go see her sprites. They are adorable.

Edit: holy cow I am going to sleep now and I don't have to wake up in four hours. Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

I have a deadline fast approaching so I am pulling an all nighter marathon arting. As usual around this time of night, my thoughts turn sour and start to dwell.

Dwelling sucks!

Does anyone have any good, neat, funny, anecdotal, or happy stories or news they'd like to share? It can be anything from I got saw a rainbow today! or scored a good commission (buying or selling) or I sent my mom flowers! Something.


Cheers.

Edit: Man guys, keep em coming! It really brings a smile to my face to read about these things. I think I have the opposite of schadenfreude or something.

:D

The Panic begins. I'm already having the dreams where i show up at my table and I have nothing to sell, or I keep having to go back to my room because I forget stuff that i miss the entire con, or I don't have any tequila to get me through the day!

Califur is right around the corner and I will be there.

Then there is AnthroCon, and it it will be my first time on that side of the country! Scary.
Right after I get back from AC (and a visit to a friend) it's Rocky Mountain Fur Con, and after that, RainFurrest.

Oi. What am I doing??

This week's Scientific Illustration is about the infamous honey badger!

Thornwolf i sthe special guest artist and will be painting and Sagegoat will be narrating. The chat is devoiced during the lecture but there are QandA sessions every 15 to 20 minutes.

It starts in about 30 minutes and wlll run for an hour or so.

Come watch, come learn, enjoy!
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

This week's Scientific Illustration is about the Okapi!

Nambroth will be painting and Sage goat will be narrating. The chat is devoiced during the lecture but there are QandA sessions every 15 to 20 minutes.

It starts in about 10 minutes and wll run for an hour or so.

Come watch, come learn, enjoy!
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

I am ustreaming, again, but I will not be present in the chat. A headache knocked me out early yesterday and I have to make up for lost time. I will pop in later, I think. Anyway, the thing, if you want to watch!

My entire desktop is braoadcasted so you can see how I work from reference and eeeeeverything.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

This weeks show is themed for April!!

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

Show starts in 2 minutes and runs for about an hour, hour and a half.

Painter is a glorious, wonderful program that I never cease to enjoy. BUT. While it has a vast selection of natural media brushes to play with, it also has a wide array of cloning brushes available to those who wish to "clone a masterpiece".

A photo paint over can be a couple of things. It can be a tracing painted directly on top of a photograph or a source photo is selected and is then re-painted onto a new digital canvas. I am sure it can be a lot more complicated, I wouldn't know.

I think that this is a technique that is just fine for those who wish to go down that path. I have seen very nicely arranged cloned paintings that have a lot of interesting brushwork and have way more depth to the finished image than the photo or photos used as a source. People make a pretty penny these days doing pets, children, families, whatever, as new works of art from a photo. I am sure you have seen the ads at photo kiosks or framing shops near you: Turn your treasured family moments into a timeless painting! or something like that. It's also great way for those who may not have the skills to make something they are proud to show their grandchildren.

It's not that people do paint overs that upsets me. No, it upsets me when people choose to lie about what they are doing.

I see it all the time. People will post a paint over and instead of stating "Hey! This was cloned from a photo!" they say nothing at all and bask in the high praise their viewers leave them. Comments are often along the lines of "Wow! So real! I thought it was a photograph!" Well fancy that. There is time and some skill involved in paint overs, but I see the omission of the full truth and it makes me :/

What makes me more disappointed is when someone uses a photo that doesn't not belong to them or do not have permission to use. I don't want to get into the whole copyright thing tonight and the associated myths that have come up about "crediting" and such.

I can spot paint overs with a high degree of certainty. They have a very subtle yet distinct look to them, especially in the eyes. The eyes tend to be unusually crisp around the highlights. There are subtle variegation of color in some places yet a smeared over blur in others. The backgrounds are smeared over and out of focus. The colors are a little too perfect here and there. The fur strokes tend to look very harsh and lined, yet still somehow right, like a how a photo mosaic or pixel art looks funny up close but far away it reads as very realistic.

I can never be 100% sure though, short of asking the artist. How do i know the artist isn't just that good? If it's here on FA or DA, I can look at the rest of the gallery and tell if a photo is really well copied, or really painted over.

Why do I care? How does this effect me? It discredits the work I do, the work all digital painters do. We are often asked, "So does the computer do the work for you?" "Are you cloning that fur texture from a photo?" "This isn't real art."

I work hard to learn anatomy, light, colors, composition, and so much more than I will ever be able to know. I do not like my hard work being written off as "computer generated imagery". I do not like the dishonesty I see out there. It is lying by omission. It is taking advantage of people's trust that the artist is true to their craft.

To get a feel for yourself on what photo paint overs look like, take a look at the Corel Painter Magazine website. Most of the art uploaded there is a cloned painting. The thing is, people who visit the site know it. The magazine pushes cloning techniques in every issue. However, the site does not allow any stolen images. Copyrighted photos used without expressed permission fall under that rule. The company still pushes creativity in the artist.

Here is the animal art section. Take a moment to look at some of the images and you can see what I mean. http://www.paintermagazine.co.uk/pi.....h&cat=1868

If anyone who sees this clones photos, I hope you are honest with you viewers. People take the time to look and maybe comment/fave your art, they deserve honesty from you.

P.S.: To anyone I spoke to about Painter Magazine in my chat yesterday, please don't mention what I said! I will get to that in another post. :3

This week's Scientific Illustration is about the Cassowary!

Nambroth will be painting and Sage goat will be narrating. The chat is devoiced during the lecture but there are QandA sessions every 15 to 20 minutes.

Come watch, come learn, enjoy!
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

Another night of hard work! No music today, I am listening to my audio book and there is no sense in streaming that. Tonights work features a commission for a pair of dogs in a mossy, badly lit forest.

FAQ: I use Painter X, oil pastels tools, and an intuos 3 tablet.

Music MAY be streamed at some point, though I will warn the chat beforehand. As for the chat, sometimes I pay attention to it, others I don't. I may answer some questions by writing on my picture, it's easier for me.

If the stream cuts out, don't worry! It does that from time to time. Don't think it's because you show up and I don't like you there. That's just silly.

I think that is all.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

Edit: DONE goodnight.

It's my usual late night show. I paint, you do whatever you want. Be warned! Music is streaming. Right now it's my Saltwater Radio on Pandora. This could change.

I had such good news today but I will keep it to myself for a while.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

Edit: All done!

In about an hour SageGoat will start her presentation about Beaked whales with a focus on Strap Toothed Whales. I will be painting a quick piece while she talks. I am streaming my music while I work so mute it if you don't like it. :3

Quick FAQ: I use Painter X an dthe Oil Pastel tool, 300 dpi, and an intuos 3.

NOTE: if the show goes off air it's because my net crapped out and I have to restart, which takes about 5 minutes! Also, treat this like a real classroom. There will be Q and A sessions every 12 or 20 minutes, other than that, please keep the chat clear. I think Voice will be turned off anyway.

Anyway, spread the word if you like! I hope to see you there.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

Back to my normal nonsense.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

Usual thing...it's boring. I answer chats when i can, and the painting SPINS a lot.

Everything is painted by hand. No cloning. I use Painter X, mostly the Round Oil Pastel tool and I have a Wacom Intuos 3 tablet. If I go off air, will be back up in a couple minutes as I have to reboot.

Music is streaming sooo mute it if you don't wanna hear it. Tonight I am in the mood for weird folksy music.

You can change your name by typing /nick <new name>

I will update or delete this journal when I am done working.

EDIT: Finished for now. :3 Be back tonight for this weeks show!

Years ago I had the great privilege to visit a collection of mounted animals, a quantity of which exceeds any I have ever seen in my life, even that of the back of the museums I have visited. Granted, I only visit the ornithology sections and handle drawers of specimens, one at a time, but those are only study skins, not mounted animals.

It's easy to become righteously angry and difficult to understand. The issue is two faced and while some will always sit on one side of the fence or the other, many wrestle between awe and disgust. I think on it a lot, and these are my thoughts, disjointed syntax and all, but it's as true as I can make it.

These people, a husband and wife, are bazillionaires, people who have worked hard during their lives, starting with nothing. They own a logging company, a job that requires a fine balancing act of environmental conservation and destruction.

To say they enjoy hunting isn't saying enough. Yes, they enjoy the stalk, the kill, and the trophy they bring home. But they also enjoy the experience of where they GO. They are travelers. They learn about what they are hunting, about the local people and their customs and bring home a trophy of memories and stories as well as the mounted animals they have killed.

They are fiercely proud and love their collection, and they welcome your visit if you pass the test.

"Are you against hunting?"

Upon the negative, they beckon you in with open arms and an open bar. I'm not sure what happens if you say yes, I didn't care to find out.

They are friendly people and they love to answer questions, and are eager to show the amazing artifacts of cultural interest they have collected during their travels. Every animal has a story remembered and cherished.

I feel both ways about trophy or sport hunting. It's a sham to herd saiga antelope in a vehicle to an easy place of shooting. I have no idea if any of these hunts were canned, I didn't ask and I like to hope not. Canned hunting disgusts me to the core as well as any other kinds of cheating. After all these folks claim to enjoy the whole experience, so perhaps it was all a fair and careful stalk. The animals died to be eaten and stuffed which is a shame many of them hold records for the biggest this or the most numerous that. Taking out such animals depletes the gene pool of valuable strains. If they didn't eat the meat of the animals they take, I would shown my teeth. Waste is unacceptable.

On the other hand...the money used for the safaris goes back into the local economy, and back into the environment from whence the animals were taken. If they came from a game reserve, the money supports the herds and predators of the game reserve and further protects the land itself from developement. And the mounts themselves, one assembled in this room the size of a house, is an artistic expression that shouts the beauty of nature. It really seizes you by the throat and makes you realize how goddam puny you are next to a lion or an elephant. It opens your eyes to the variety of natural forms, to the elegance of creatures not human, and to what it is we need to protect and preserve. I know, it's a polar concept, but one that bends around to meet itself again. We know so much about animals these days because people used to go around hunting and stuffing animals and shipping them back home, either to the States or Great Britain. Dear Audobon was among the most trigger happy. He blasted most any animal he could, but he took the death of these animals and created a lasting impression. His work continues to educate and raise awareness. These people also contribute to raising awareness by donating hundreds of mounts to museums, schools, and other educational facilities.

So, why not just go on a photo safari? Why blast everything into oblivion? Why not just donate the hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of dollars into a conservation fund? Well, they already donate more than many small countries to conservation efforts. Does this give them the right to kill so many beautiful animals?

To get righteously angry at such a thing will begin the usual series of questions. Do you eat meat? Wear leather shoes? Are you vegan? You know that soybeans are a big cause of rain forest deforestation in South America? Are your clothes made overseas? Do you drive a car? You can't win, really, you can't.

It's a tangle of morals, ideas and ideals, and I think it really boils down to the human condition.

For my part, I think the Trophy Room itself is a monument to the glory of nature. It portrays the powerful beauty of both humanity and animals and the lands we share. Several hundred eyes glitter from the walls, small animals browse the foliage on the floor and tabletops. Skulls gleam eternal smiles. Leopards and pumas lounge from the ceiling. As an artist, it's a dream come true. It better than any Natural History museum. You can get right up close, touch them, size up your hand on a paw, or a horn, or a muzzle. I myself will one day go on safari armed with a camera and a knowledgeable guide.

I choose to appreciate the animals as they are. I feel little pity for them, they are dead, and their worries are over. More animals will die, either at the hands of these two people, other safari hunters, poachers, predators, disease, accident, or between the same species. I marvel, and I learn, and I feel very thoroughly put in my place.

I am going to attempt real media streaming. My MacBooks webcam isn't that great and I cannot see the chat unless I tilt the screen back up so...you'll see my stupid face.

I am working on an Okami style commission. Inking and then coloring. O boi.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

If the feed goes dead, it's cause my net died. It does that when I stream sometimes.

Almost forgot to EDIT: Streams closed!

be back tomorrow, maybe. It's hard to see what I am doing on the webcam.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

In about an hour SageGoat will start her presentation about Red Pandas. I will be painting a quick piece while she talks. I am streaming my music while I work so mute it if you don't like it. :3

Quick FAQ: I use Painter X an dthe Oil Pastel tool, 300 dpi, and an intuos 3.

NOTE: if the show goes off air it's because my net crapped out and I have to restart, which takes about 5 minutes! Also, treat this like a real classroom. There will be Q and A sessions every 12 or 20 minutes, other than that, please keep the chat clear. I think Voice will be turned off anyway.

Anyway, spread the word if you like! I hope to see you there.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/scien.....c-illustration

A few weeks ago Sage told me about a scientific illustration show she and Nambroth were going to do. The first show was about the colugos and Nam painted live on Ustream while Sage gave us a lot of really cool information.

The following week New Caledonian crows were featured and another beautiful piece of art was created in a little over an hour and Sage gave us a lot to think about with the crow's awesome tool making and using abilities.

This upcoming Tuesday is going to be the ever wonderful cute and cuddly WAH...Red Panda! This time I will take up the stylus and paint for an hour or so while Sage provides us with details about these beautiful and endangered animals. The show starts at 6 pm Pacific and I will post another reminder here at that time. You can follow the show here: http://scientific-illustration.blogspot.com/ and vote for next weeks animal!

I would also like to mention to you all that pre-sales are going on for the Endangered Ark. Why get a deck pre-sale? You are helping fund the project and are guaranteed a deck! The better the deck does, the more likely another project like this will happen and more money will go into the charities.

So please take a look here: http://endangeredark.com/purchase and get yourself an awesome set of art cards full of wonderful images from many super talented artists!

In the meantime I have been thoroughly enjoying my colored pencils.

During my cooking show my net gave up and I didn't realize it it for 15 minutes cause I was cooking! Sorry everyone.

Dinner was soooooo good. The chicken tortilla casserole was amazingly good. Lacked a little something, probably salt.

I won't be Ustreaming for a while since i have real media stuff to work on for the next week. I am really hapy to be fussing with my pencils for a while. :3

Painter painting, working to finish over the next 6 or so hours.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

EDIt: Nevermind. Nothing seems to be working tonight.

Please come join me if you like. As a night owl in California, I'd love to see some of you folks on the other side of the rock come in. And of course you other night owl of the Americas.

As usual, this may be very boring to some of you. I'm painting a hummingbird, the Colorful Puffleg, which is critically endangered with 50 to 60 birds left.

I use Painter X, Oil Pastels, 1 layer not including the sketch layer, a Wacom Intuos 3 tablet with the non standard springy nib, and you can change your name from anon with /nick <new name. Or you can remain anon. i don't care. I'll be nice to everyone.

If I disappear, my internet has dropped on me and I will come back in about 5 to 10 minutes.

I will edit this When I Go.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/vanti.....nts-in-painter

EDIT: Stream is down for now. Fool airport card keeps giving out and I have to restart my machine to get it to work again. Something about Painter + Streaming anything makes it angry. Anyone know why?