Reuters Pictures of the Year

We have all now at least dipped our toes into 2011 and no matter what the New Year holds or has begun to deliver to all of us it is still worth while to look back on the previous year. 

One of the most evocative ways of doing this for me is to take a little time to watch the Reuters Pictures of the Year.  2010 started out will all the possibilities and promise this one has.  It has come and gone.  The images particularly the News ones have a way of translating the headlines big and small into the immediate and personal stories - good and bad.  

Sligo Fields

This is digital painting in Photoshop of a scene I photographed the year before last.  It is a field of bailed hay.  A very rare sight now as silage making predominates and the round plastic wrapped bales are a more common site.  This was in August when it is possible to get sunlight and rain heavy clouds.

Dungeons and Dragons Do Web Comics

As comics get new a new lease of life with the proliferation of handheld screen devices Dungeons and Dragons are getting ready to foray into the world of web comics.  Even better there is an open invitation to try out for some space and exposure.  Head over to the blog artorder to find out more! Regular challenges are held there, so  be warned some of the talent on display on this site is outstanding.  See for yourself in 'Dungeon Delve'.

Stories Illustrated

I remember first seeing Daniel Lieskes work this image which was created for a CGSociety challenge.  I loved the design, the detail and of course the delicious colours used.  

 It was another image The Journey Home created for another CGSociety challenge which was an early seed of another brave and imaginative project.  Daniels graphic novel The Wormworld saga was launched on 25 December 2010.  This is the first chapter of the story.  

Go along and check it out.   Digital media and the new ways of delivering content such as the iPad  are revolutionising the graphic novel. 

Let it snow - artfully

As the frost and snow continue here Mark Hudson of the Telegraph ranks his pick of the Telegraph ranks his top ten winter scenes. 

Limbourg Brothers - "Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry - February" (ca. 1410) was number one. You can find a copy of the image here.   The image is discussed as an example of art without shadows plus the author makes another very amusing observation, ha, ha. 

Lunch Time Doodle

As the temperature dropped to below zero (coldest December on record).   I swapped out my usual bottled water for something hotter- tea making.  This offered a welcome subject change to the usual fruit.  This is the used tea bag - a pyramid.  About 30 minutes in Photoshop.

Reference Images Copyright

So when I am using images other than my own as  references  there is a nagging question.

The law is that copyright remains with the creator of the image unless you have an instruction from the creator saying otherwise.

Using the image as reference means I will no doubt recreate elements but how much is necessary so as not to infringe on copyright?  How derivative must the image be ? 

This has proven to be a difficult question to answer. The famous case of Rogers v Koons  demonstrates some of the key elements of infringement.  A really interesting commentary on the case is included on the American Society of Portrait Artist Site.
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