05/16/12

One of the main reasons I tore down and reworked my "Atoll (2012)" scene was so that I could render a proper multiscreen version in a reasonable timeframe. I'm happy to report that the dual and triple-screen versions are now available to my Members.

The free version for your Facebook Timeline cover can be found here.

The scene took a mere 32 hours to render at 7680 x 1600. I think it turned out rather well myself. What do you think?

05/14/12

I was very pleased to read your comments on Atoll but I also felt bad for my multiscreen users.

They knew, correctly, that I wasn't going to tie up Bucephalus for another 3 weeks to produce a 7680 x 1600 version. However, as I was working to produce a high res version of "Blue Christmas" (for my longtime partners at Art in Design) I stumbled across a possible reason for the astronomical rendering times.

I discovered that if I use standard terrain meshes instead of "procedural" terrains the render times went way down. I bit the bullet and tore down my "Atoll" scene and rebuilt it using the standard terrains. Lo and behold, the new version rendered in under 14 hours!

I've added the new version of "Atoll" to the Members Gallery this morning. The water should be less grainy and I've made it a bit more transperent to show a bit more of the corals I had placed there. I've also brightened the gas giant a bit and tweaked the lighting on the planets a bit. You can still find the original version in the Pickle Jar for comparison.

I hope you like the new version. I am going to get cracking on the multiscreen (and perhaps a night version) right away!

05/09/12

It took far longer to render than I ever dreamt possible, but my new version of "Atoll" is finally finished and posted in the Members Gallery for your review. Vue d'Esprit will let your render very realistic looking mist, but be prepared to wait for it.

I hope you find it was worth the wait. As Shakespeare said: "All's well that ends well". It may be a little while before I can get the multiscreen up however...

A couple of other items to mention this morning:

I did a brief Q&A with DecalGirl that they featured on their Facebook page here. Give it a read if you are interested.

Lastly, Zazzle is having a big sale this week in conjunction with teacher appreciation week. Posters and calendars are 60% off if you use the coupon code "TEACHERSWEEK" at checkout.

I purchased this one during the last sale.

Looking forward to getting busy on some new projects now that I have Bucephalus back!

04/26/12
I've added the dual and triple-screen versions of "Synthestructure III" to the Members Gallery this morning. A free version for use on your Facebook "Timeline" cover photo is also available here.

My posters are 60% off until midnight (use coupon code "CANVASMOMENT" at checkout).

Still waiting for Vue to finish rendering my tropical scene (sheesh!).

04/25/12

I've add my final "Synthestructure" update to the Members Gallery this morning. I've tweaked the metal textures a bit so hopefully they now have a bit more "luster". I've left version 2 available in my Pickle Jar for comparison. The multiscreen should follow soon!

I also wanted to mention that all posters and canvas prints are 60% off today and tomorrow on Zazzle if you use the code "CANVASMOMENT" at checkout. Enjoy!

04/24/12

I've added "Synthestructure II" to the Members Gallery this morning. A number of you saw the first version and remarked on how it metallic it looked. I took this theme and ran with it for the second version.

I've zoomed in a bit (to better accommodate the future multiscreen version) and inserted some little "filigree" items for contrast.

I hope you find it an improvement.

The new tropical render will be posted just as soon as it finishes rendering. I'm not sure if it is a Vue 11 bug or not, but this render is taking far longer to complete at 3277 x 2048 than my preview renders had lead me to estimate.

Did I mention that I was looking at building a new renderer? As soon as the right memory becomes available I will be building a companion machine for Bucephalus so I can keep designing while these "epic renders" complete uninterrupted. Hopefully the GTX 480 survived the short out that took down my "Hydra" workstation in Jan so I won't have to purchase a new video card.

Lastly I wanted to mention that those of you on Pinterest can follow my latest artwork here. Happy Pinning!

04/21/12

I've added "Synthestructure I" to the Members Gallery this afternoon. This abstract was created using a new piece of software that I've been learning called "Structure Synth". It basically allows you to create 3D geometry by writing little scripts. You can try it for yourself here.

Unfortunately I am still waiting for my new tropical project to finish rendering. I will have it up for you as soon as it is ready!

04/11/12

Just a heads up for everyone who has been waiting for a good Zazzle coupon to pick up a poster or two. All posters are 50% off today if you use the code "SPRINGPOSTER" at checkout. I picked up a 48" copy of "Portals" this morning...

T-shirts and mugs are 25% off with the same coupon.

My new render is taking a bit longer to process than had hoped but it is making progress. I would love to be making final revisions on "Windflower" in the meantime but unfortunately since my "Hydra" workstation went down in January I haven't had a machine capable of handling some of the denser scenes that I've created on Bucephalus.

Here's a look at my hardware wishlist that you can keep in mind when you are deciding whether to purchase or renew your Membership.

If I could build Bucephalus II (need to come up with a better name) plus add a decent mobile workstation then I could work on 2 or 3 "HD" projects at a time. I would also like to add another couple of 30" monitors to Bucephalus so I can finally test rive my multiscreen renders before posting them.

I know a lot of folks would suggest that I outsource my rendering the cloud somehow. That might work if I wasn't stuck on a slow rural DSL connection. I can barely upload PNGs to my web server so it would take days to upload my 2GB scenes files. Someday though...

If you do decide to join, please check out the little boxes provided for adding a small amount to my general hardware fund. Every little bit helps!

04/09/12
I've added a dual and triple-screen version of "Windflower" to the Members gallery this morning but I can't say I am 100% happy with them.

I had a great deal of trouble trying to fit the entire flower into the wider frame. In the end I decided it was better to crop out a bit than add extraneous geometry on the side. What do you think?

04/02/12

You may have noticed that things were a bit quiet around DB last week as I stepped away from the computer to rest and recharge my batteries with a little family vacation. We've had a pretty rough year so far and this trip (which we'd been planning since last year) really helped.

It's also nice that spring has completely spring in central Illinois. Coming back to The Brown would have been depressing.

First order of business: I wasn't able to finish the "Windflower" multiscreen before leaving so I am working on putting that together now. Thanks for being patient multiscreen Members!

After that I am completely open as to what to render next (though I am leaning towards something tropical).

Any requests Members?

03/22/12

Added "Windflower" to the Members Gallery today. It's a floral experiment (modeled using Xfrog and rendered using Lightwave 11) that I started after seeing a photo online of a Blue Anemone Windflower. The end result didn't turn out a whole lot like the original flower, but I kept the name.

Still a few issues to work out with this one, but I think it looks nice enough to share as is. I've also added a red version in the Pickle Jar.

Your thoughts?

03/16/12
Added "Portals" to the Members Gallery this afternoon. A number of folks have mentioned to me that I should update my " Login" wallpaper. This piece is in the same spirit as "Login" but also continues an idea I started in "Portal".

The images I used here, from left to right, are "Extrasolar" (flipped horizontally), "The Beginning of the End", "The Fisherman", "Planitia", "Tropical Moon of Thetis", and "Phraxis Moon".

This is my first render using the release version of Lightwave 11. I had to do a special render for the 2048 x 2048 (and 1024 x 1024) versions so all 6 windows would fit on the screen. Dual and triple-screen versions are available.

The idea came to me during a recent long stretch of solo driving. The base inspiration for this piece was the Star Trek original series episode "All Our Yesterdays".

I honestly didn't know if I was going to have enough related images to create a "spectrum" effect so that working out was a happy little accident.

Retina iPad Free Sample!

Anyone using the new iPad this morning? I've added a free sample from my new "Retina" collection of wallpapers as well as a version for the iPad 1 & 2.

Members have access to over 125 wallpapers for the new iPad and over 340 for the iPad 1 & 2.

Enjoy!

03/12/12

I've added a couple of multiscreen renders today. First up, the dual and triple-screen versions of "Red Sky At Morning" are now available in the Members Gallery.

I've added a free "Facebook Cover Photo" version here.

I've also added the dual and triple-screen versions of "Redfern Forest" to the gallery this morning along with a free version for use as a Facebook Cover photo.

Just FYI: My entire collection of Facebook Covers can be found here.

This one took quite a while to finish on my alternate box while I rendered newer projects on Bucephalus. One of my goals for this year is going to be purchasing a backup renderer approaching the same class as my main machine.

As things are a 24-hour render on my main machine can take nearly a week to finish on my 4-yr old alternate box. I would love to get these multiscreens out sooner!

03/10/12

You may have heard that Apple is releasing a new iPad shortly.

I first heard whispers last July that the new iPad would have a 2048x1536 display and I've been rendering my images at 3277 x 2048 ever since. The new model requires wallpaper to be at least 2048 x 2048 so you can get the full resolution whether you are in portrait or landscape mode.

Today I collected together all of my highest resolution renders and created a set of 123 wallpapers designed to show off the shiny new "Retina" display. Most of my newer work has a 2048 x 2048 version available, along with some old favorites.

These wallpapers are available now in my Members Gallery but it will probably be easiest if you grab the entire archive from my downloads page.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. I hope you enjoy them!

03/08/12

I've added "Red Sky At Morning" to my Members Gallery today. I've always been fascinated by how sunlight from below the horizon and that is the general theme I am working with here. Other examples of this include "Afterglow" and "Extrasolar". I probably could have added more in the foreground here but I really wanted it to be mostly about the sky.

Starting the multiscreen now and hope to have it up shortly. Thanks to everyone who signed up or renewed over the past few days as I offered my final coupon code!

If you missed the sale there is still a way to get 25% off your Membership or Renewal. Purchase yourself a copy of ChronoWall and you will receive a coupon code that will work on my site! ChronoWall really compliments my artwork and I recommend everyone give it a spin!

If you are already a DB Member you can save 25% off of the purchase price of ChronoWall by using the coupon code listed here.

PS: I hope to start adding images sized for the new iPad (2048 x 2048) sometime next week. Anyone planning on picking one up?

03/05/12

My Final Sale

Last year I added "coupon codes" to DB so I could offer a special discount every so often. It was nice to start with, but over time I have come to realize that a lot of folks were "waiting for the next special" and that's not where I want to be. There was also the awkward position of offering a discount only minutes after someone had signed up at the regular price.

I have decided going forward to keep only the three coupon codes I have in place for education discounts (code: learning), military discounts (code: liberty) and returning Members (code: iamback). The discount for people who purchase Chronowall will also remain in place.

I am offering one last coupon code today through midnight 3/7 (code: lastsale) for everyone who has been waiting for the next one and then I will be discontinuing all other coupon codes.

All Memberships and Renewals are 25% off from now until midnight 3/7 if you use the coupon code "lastsale".

Renewals are added onto your current Membership so you will lose nothing by renewing during this last special.

Get 'em while they are hot! Feel free to leave any questions or comments in the thread below.

Thanks everyone for supporting my work!!

03/03/12

Back in early January I added a collection of free images for use with Facebook's new "Timeline" profile format. So many people have enjoyed using them that I've given them their own gallery on DB so you can browse through them a bit more easily.

As always, Digital Blasphemy Members can download them all in a handy zip file on my Downloads page.

What exactly is a "Facebook Timeline Cover"? Click here for more info.

The multiscreen of "Redfern Forest" is now rendering on my alternate box and I have a new project rendering on Bucephalus. Stay tuned!

02/29/12

I've added a third (and most likely final) version of "Redfern Forest" to the Members Gallery this morning.

I've darkened the tree bark considerably and scaled back the displacement mapping on the tree trunks. They should look less jagged but still retain some texture. I also dialed back the atmosphere quality a bit so it would render quicker.

I haven't really changed anything with the composition.

It's not perfect but I'm ready to move on. Multiscreen render next!

02/21/12

I have brought back the Digital Blasphemy User Gallery and am now accepting submissions again. If you've been inspired by my artwork or just feel that my users would enjoy your 3D renders please feel free to submit your work!

I have a new landscape project going now so I doubt I will do any versions of this one. No ETA yet but it is showing promise!

02/18/12

I've added the dual and triple-screen versions of Annuli to the Members Gallery this afternoon. I've added a free version for Facebook Timelines as well.

I've also added a version in the Pickle Jar with the focal point a little closer to the camera. What do you think? Should I add a few color variations too?

Lastly I wanted to share this short video of Ian playing with my Dad. I shot it back in 2006 and times like this were the reason I moved my family cross-country 7 years ago.

02/17/12

I've added "Annuli", my third Mandelbulber abstract, to the Members Gallery this morning.

I've gotten in the habit of playing around with Mandelbulber on my Macbook Pro while my other workstations are busy rendering Vue or Lightwave graphics. It seems to be the only 3D art program I can use on my MBP without crashing the video card.

I'm still learning Mandelbulber so my early renders are still all about trying different aspects of the program. I was learning how to use different light sources for this particular render (rather than shading the model directly).

I should have a multiscreen render up shortly.

02/16/12

I've added one final version of "The Floating Garden (Twilight)" to the Members Gallery this morning.

I've replaced the orange sunlight with moonlight and brought back the green water. It's quite a bit darker than the Pickle Jar versions (all with orange/pink sunlight) but I think it fits better with the original.

Dual and triple-screen versions are available for Members and I've added a free version for Facebook Timelines here.

A couple of other items to mention.

First, I've added "Hidden Forces" to the Free Gallery. If you like the wallpaper check out the dynamic PS3 theme from Disruptive Publishers (YouTube).

Also, I have put together a small sampling of my late Father's artwork here if anyone is interested.

Dad went to Illinois Weslyan University on a football scholarship but injured his knee early in his freshman year. He never played college football again but while he was recovering he took up painting.

I'm not sure if he ever took any art classes, but he enjoyed being creative until the end.

02/14/12

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

I've decided to run a quick special so until midnight save 25% off all Memberships and Renewals by using the coupon code "valentine".

For those that who haven't yet signed up I've added "Hybrid" to the free gallery today here. Members can find a few more resolutions here and my two other "Valentine's Day" wallpapers here.

Enjoy the roses and feel free to share them!

02/13/12

I've added one more version of "The Floating Garden (Twilight)" to the Members Gallery this morning. This one is somewhere between the first two.

I've cut back on the sunlight a bit and turned back on some of the lights in the water. I'm sticking with the blue for now.

I haven't, of course, had a whole lot of time for artwork these past couple of weeks but I am looking forward to being creative again.

02/11/12

I've also added the dual and triple-screen versions of "The Unveiling" this morning.

You will also find a free version of "The Unveiling" for use on your Facebook Timeline profile here. The multiscreen took a bit longer to render than usual since my Hydra workstation shorted out last month and I am down to my 3rd string renderer.

02/07/12

It has been a very difficult past week for me and my family but having all of these great pictures of my Dad really helps.

A lot of people thought (and still think) that I was crazy to move my family from sunny San Diego back to farm country. It seemed like an easy decision at the time because I was infected by the joy my parents shared at the arrival of my son Ian.

As I wrote on this page back in 09/2004: "Those of you who live in the Midwest may think that I have gone crazy. We are giving up the best weather in the country and moving back to blizzards, ice storms, and sub-zero temps (and the opposite extremes of heat and humidity). It does feel a little crazy, but Jessie and I have decided that it is more important that Ian grow up with an extended family who loves him."

I've been looking over the photos of my Dad and two boys over the past 7 years and I still think we did the right thing in moving back to Illinois. I am happy that I got to reconnect with my Dad but I don't know if that makes his passing easier or harder. All I know is that I will miss him dearly and I am glad he was a big part of my life these past 8 years.

Be on the lookout for a possible "sunset" version of "The Floating Garden" in the days ahead. I am really looking forward to making new artwork.

02/04/12

I haven't had a lot of time for making artwork this past week. I had a few moments alone yesterday however and I used them to put together a multiscreen version of "The Floating Garden". Members can download it here.

A free version for Facebook Timelines is available for all to use here.

I still consider this scene to be a work-in-progress so don't be surprised if another version or two supersede this one. I have already posted one Pickle Jar version from early on.

The whole creative process was horribly interrupted.

I also wanted to mention that the fine folks at Disruptive Publishers have released a new dynamic PS3 theme based on my "Hidden Forces" wallpaper. Here is the rest of their collection.

Their work keeps getting better and better!

 

01/31/12

I would just like to say thanks to everyone for the kind words posted here and on my Facebook account regarding the recent sudden loss of my father. I am still reeling from all of this but it helps that my four brothers and my sister are all together now sharing stories and laughing/crying through our memories.

The hardest part of all of this, for me, is thinking about what my two boys are going to miss out on. I feel like I am greiving for the three us. Seven years ago my wife and I made the decision to move our family from sunny San Diego back to my hometown in Illinois so my kids could grow up with two grandparents around. Rather than rue the past however, I will try to be thankful for the few years we did have together.

One thing that I always knew about my Dad was that he loved to make things, whether it be music, painting, or Christmas presents for his grandkids. He loved telling stories.

I would like to think that his creative spirit will live on in my work. I am looking forward to sharing some of his paintings with you in the weeks ahead.

I've added "The Floating Garden" to the Members Gallery today. I've been working on this project for the past week or so and the render finally finished yesterday. Now I haven't decided if I am truly finished with it or not, but I thought it looked nice enough to post as is. I am not sure when I will be able to pick up work on it again.

I had thought to dedicate this to my father, but decided against it. I will create something more fitting in the future. Thanks again to everyone for the condolenses and prayers. They have helped more than you can possibly know.

01/29/12

I just learned this morning that my father, Thurman Bliss, had an accident at his house last night and is gone. He was 66 years old. I am thankful that my last words to him (a few days ago over the phone) was "I Love You Dad".

My Dad was a farmer, a musician, an artist, and a great friend to his grown children. I know he was extremely proud of DB and the fact that so many people around the world enjoy my work.

I know he wouldn't have wanted anyone to be sad at his untimely passing, but then he doesn't get to make that call.

 

 

01/25/12

I've added "The Unveiling" to the Members Gallery this morning. This is a sequel of sorts to Enshrouded which I have put together to test out Vue d'Esprit 10's "Advanced Cloud Modulation" techniques.

Basically it allows me to contour the cloud layer to the curve of the terrain, so they appear to drape naturally over the landscape. It's a tricky procedure which I hope will be made simpler in future versions of Vue (so I don't have to edit height maps in Photoshop hopefully). To be honest I'm not even sure the effect is all that noticable in this render.

It is a powerful tool however, and one which I hope will bear more fruit in the future.

Your thoughts?

01/17/12

Thanks to everyone who voted for me in Lifehacker's "Top 5 Wallpaper Sites" poll! The poll closed late last night with DB leading Wallbase by 544 votes. You are now reading the web's "Most Popular Wallpaper Site", according to the readers of Lifehacker.

It's pretty amazing that a site with only 12 free wallpapers and a creaky interface can win out over over ones with the latest designs and millions of free files.

As a token of my appreciation please enjoy "The Fisherman", my first release from 2011 in the Free Gallery. If you would like to become a Member then please use the coupon code "lifehacker" to save 25% off all Memberships and Renewals until midnight tomorrow!

As a show of support my friends at DecalGirl are offering 38% (my the percentage of the vote) off my entire skin collection. Use coupon code "LIFEHACKER" to get the discount.

Thanks again for all the support!

01/15/12

The readers of Lifehacker have selected DB as one of the top 5 wallpaper sites online. It now comes down to a simple poll question to decide "the best".

I'm in some pretty good company so I hope you will have a look at the competition and then vote for your favorite!

As for me, I'm just thrilled to be in the top 5 given that my site is Member supported and I am the only "single artist" on the list.

Thanks for all the nominations!

01/11/12

Last week I added a set of free images sized for use as "cover images" in the new Facebook "Timeline" profile layout. In the process I was going through some of my older work and came across "Moonlit Oasis" from 2009.

I remember it was a bit controversial when I posted it because quite a few of my Members said it was too dark. I stuck to my guns at the time, but now I can really see their point.

I opened up the scene file (in Vue 10 this time) and tweaked the lighting and atmosphere just a bit and re-rendered it. The new version is now available in my 2009 gallery (I'll have to put an asterisk or something) and Members are welcome to download it.

Dual and triple-screen versions are available along with a free version for use as a Facebook profile cover image.

You can also find it in poster form on Zazzle.

I will let you be the judge as to whether or not it is better than the original.

Art is never finished, only abandoned. . .

01/09/12

I've added the dual and triple-screen versions of "Archaea" to the Members Gallery this morning. I chose to zoom in a bit for this one so the "object" would span across multiple screens. Hope it works for you!

I've also added a free Facebook Cover Photo version for use on your Timeline. Enjoy!

01/08/12

I've added the dual and triple-screen versions of "Gotham Garden (Winter)" to the Members Gallery this morning. This one was a bit tricky to convert because moving the camera completely changed the lighting solution. I tried to match the single-screen as best I could but you be the judge.

I've also added a free Facebook Cover Photo version for use on your Timeline. Enjoy!

01/06/12

One more addition the Members Gallery before the weekend. "Archea" is a Mandelbulber experiment I started on my Macbook Pro while I waited for my other machines to finish their renders.

I own a MacBook Pro which I use for "light work" while my main machines are rendering. I really should have picked up a Windows notebook, because I have all kinds of problems running Vue and Lightwave through Boot Camp. It crashes constantly!

The problem is with the mobile Nvidia 3D card, but since I am one of maybe a handful of people trying do 3D work in Windows on a MacBook there aren't many resources available to fix the problem.

One program that does work is Mandelbulber. I created this fractal while my main machines were busy with "The Gardener" and "Gotham Garden (Winter)". I "finished" it and rendered at 7680 x 4800 on Bucephalus.

The term "Archaea" refers to a group of single-celled organisms similar to bacteria. They don't really look like this (that I know of) but I liked the name. It's not easy naming these abstracts.

I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to check out my free Facebook Cover Images.

01/04/12

I've added dual and triple-screen renders of "The Gardener (2012)" to the Members Gallery this afternoon.

The astronomically observant will notice that I've removed the glow around the planet for this version. The single-monitor version will be updated soon. Hope you enjoy it!

I should also have the multiscreen version of "Gotham Garden (Winter)" finished shortly.

I also wanted to mention that I have added 248 images sized 850 x 315 to be used as Facebook "Timeline" cover images. You can check out an example at my own personal profile page.

These images are free for everyone to download and use. I haven't slapped a huge watermark on them (as I've seen on just about every other downloadable Timeline image) but I would certainly love it if you would include a link to DB (http://digitalblasphemy.com/ is fine) with the image.

As I said, they are free for all to download (look under the 850 x 315 image links under "Free Mobile Wallpapers" on my image pages). Members do have access to a zip file collection containing all 248 files here.

01/01/12

Happy 2012 everyone! I added "The Gardener (2012)" to the Members Gallery this morning. This was either going to be my last project of 2011 or my first of 2012.

It continues themes that I first explored with "The Gardener" in 2000 and 2002 and "Atrium" in 2004.

I hope you enjoy it!

Also wanted to report a bit of a setback in the hardware department. My Hydra workstation (pictured on the right here), which had been my main renderer from 2006 to April of last year, bit the bullet hard last week when the motherboard shorted out. I'm trying to decide right now whether to try salvage the system with a new MB (and potentially dodgy memory/components) or put together an all-new alternate renderer.

Regardless, your Memberships and Renewals are needed more than ever. Thanks!!

PS: Hoping to have the "Gotham Garden (Winter)" multiscreen finished within a day or two!