|
| Most viewed - Firefly Art |
"Incipit Vita Nova"300 viewsPersephone, 2517, the year Dr. Simon Tam first sets foot aboard Serenity. A pivotal moment that marks the beginning of a new life for River and her brother. This piece shows Simon, on the ramp of Serenity, where he meets Kaylee, who introduces him to Mal (O.S.). That pose of Simon alone, briefcase in hand, is enough to make me want to cry. He looks so out of place! And he is. All because of River, for whom he sacrificed everything, just so she could be safe. This is a man who, were it not for his great love for River, would never be here! The Title is taken from Dante's "La Vita Nuova" (= The New Life). And we see a page, supposedly from Simon's diary, which reads, paraphrased after Dante, "In that book which is my memory, on the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first entered Serenity, appear the words: Here begins a new life (= Incipit Vita Nova)."albatross
|
|
"This is paranoid schizophrenia."210 views
This is the first in my new River "State of Mind" series. As we open up the walls of River's reality, so to speak, we see the reason behind her troubled mental state: paranoid schizophrenia, hand-crafted by government scientists who thought River's brain was a rutting playground. The idea is to get a glimpse at what's been buried beneath those layers of psychosis. The peeling off of reality, as it were, opens up the door to a lot of symbolism: eleven inherent metaphoric parallels already there. :) This particular pose on the couch is one of my favorites scenes. River, withdrawn into herself, has to face her demons herself.
This picture differs from the one I originally posted at FFF.net, in that it has a different font, and was edited for small pixel errors and such.albatross
|
|
"Merciful God"192 views
River Tam at Miranda, pleading to God to make her a stone. "Merciful God" depicts this highly dramatic scene, where my poor, helpless River, who can't not feel, is forced to feel for 30 million dead people! It always touches me profoundly, as I feel myself overwhelmed with sorrow for what they did to my dearest little one. :(albatross
|
|
"Noah's Ark is a problem."179 views
Another piece in River's "vision" series. The central figure is River, reading the story of Noah's Ark. The foreground River, from OiS, is the visualization of River at the table, trying to picture the story. Since River is, as it were, projecting the scene, notice the absence of water behind her! (because she only sees extra 'props', so to speak, where her focus is). The Bible page on the right I scanned is actually of the story of Noah's Ark, and is meant to remind the viewer that everything River 'sees', she sees while reading Book's Bible. Composition-wise, instead of painstakingly trying to edit out the original upward branch from her hair, I found what I thought was an elegant solution: I removed part of side of her hair, and had it merge with the hair, also hanging down, from the River at the table. And I think it works surprisingly well. All-in-all, at least I feel I succeeded in taking this well-known River pose from OiS, and doing something completely different with it.albatross
|
|
"Time to wake up!"176 viewsI'm becoming increasingly aware of the subtle, but important link between Mal and River. Sure, Simon rescued her. Very heroesque, for certain. But Mal gave her a home. He had no reason to, and had a perfect way out even; but he did not take it. Instead, he has always protected her. In many ways, Mal has been equally instrumental to River's healing as Simon. That's what this very simple work is about. It shows Mal and River. The basis is the "I'm alright" scene of the BDM, where River, after things got much. much worse, reaches a turning point, and finally starts her healing. It has Mal in it too, in the "They won't see this coming" scene, with our BDH bathing in an almost Angelic light. I took a quote from Evanescence this time (lol, my turn to join the line of Evanescence quoters): "But through my tears breaks a blinding light, birthing a dawn to this endless night," signifying the beginning of the end of River's suffering. Dedicated to my dear friend, FollowMal. albatross
|
|
"I can win this!"168 viewsI decided to give the "River and burning swing" scene a swing. Very difficult theme, though. How do you capture River's innocence lost at that swing? And still have something artistic to say. You tell me! I felt a certain thrill thinking not just of the losses of our dearest River, but of how she came out victorious in the end. So, short of having her machete away at Reavers, I took the theme from Objects in Space, where's she playing a game with Kaylee, and did a sort of premonition/memory of Miranda thing with it, only to add the ever sweet "I can win this!" words. The view is kinda panoramic, what with the surface of Miranda and all, to get that planetary feel going between the two blue objects.albatross
|
|
The power of two... by two152 views2x2, a familiar phrase, usually associated with River's torment at the Blue Hands. I did something different with it, though. I wanted to express River's awesome mental, but especially rapidly expanding psychic abilities (by the end of the BDM she can read Mal's mind). Hence, 2x2, as iterating multiplication, doubling her powers at each step; as in: (soon) no power in the Verse can stop her. :) The image shows a kind of third-eye thingy, waving out a blinding, be it benign, power -- made visible for the occassion -- from her forehead (allegedly where the third eye resides; work with me, here). Her introspective pose only adds to the focus on her overwhelmning internal potential.albatross
|
|
Sometimes a thing gets broke, can't be fixed.146 views
In loving memory of Hoban Washburne.
The main theme is a leaf on the wind... but a falling leaf; extra accentuated, and given some properties of motion. I went with subtle, this time. :) I took the scene from the BDM, where Wash finds his untimely demise. But instead of using the shocking impale scene in full, I just, softly, show Washes face (also in red; makes for a nice association), to the right of the red leaf -- the cruelty of that scene, IMHO, warrants only the faintest image.
The Zoe look is from OoG, right after she first met Wash. Instead of showing her lovingly smile at Wash, or some such, I decided to take the scene where she's less than fond of him: "Just something about him bothers me." It underlines the great journey this crew has made, in terms of inter-personal relationships as well.
Undearneath, we see River. Initially I had the scene where River sets up the rocket; but I thought this was more subtle: she's walking away, AFTER the funeral, resigned to the unchangeable: a dear crew member died, and there ain't nothing she or anyone else can do 'bout that. Hence the title.albatross
|
|
| Last additions - Firefly Art |
Twilight Fancies18 viewsKaylee, half passed out, drifting in and out to a faerie-like dream land. It's a bit different. And it's a bit shippy (but in an unsullied way: just some harmless swooning on the part of our fav' mechanic). Not an overly complex image. But I played a lot with the lighting, and I'm now fair content with the the dream-state like properties it's breathing. After all these years, it really does get harder creating new and undone themes. All-in-all, I set out what I wanted to do.albatrossSep 07, 2009
|
|
"Going Dark"16 views"Going Dark" tells the story of Kaylee getting shot. Like an eclipsed sun, there's Dobson's bullet, frozem in mid air, as 'seen' by Kaylee, who walks into the cargo bay at the wrong time. I accentuated Kaylee's stomach wound, but it's the only graphic element in the entire image. In fact, most everything else is purposely opposite to bad stuff; it's all dream-like, sweet, with pretty flowers, butterflies, and even one of River's pink elephants shows up for the occasion (from the unshot episode 'Dead or Alive'). No nightmares for Kaylee, no bad conscience visiting upon her, no worries even: you just gotta have faith in people, yourself included.
I actually first started out with the idea of an eclipsed sun (which is what the 'bullet' once was: a photo of an eclipsed sun). And for the longest time I had been planning to call it "When the sun goes dark." Then I suddenly realized that Kaylee has a perfect 'Going dark.' line herself as well (in the pilot). Much better, of course. :)
The source-material of Firefly, even when taken directly from Blu-Ray, remains of questionable to low quality. There's a lot of ugly 'noise,' which really becomes near unmanageable when taking 'zoomed-in' outtakes from the more darker passages. That particular scene with Kaylee entering the cargo bay is. sadly. of said low quality. So I had to resort to covering up the worst part (of her face). Same for Dobson's hand firing the gun. Ain't about what I want, but what it needs.
A lot of light-play again. Instead of using the image of the sickbay's real surgical lamp, I tried to emulate its bright, crackelee-mirror inner surface with a few filters (top-right corner). I also put a light-source behind Kaylee’s bed post (extending to the back and to the left, into the rest of the 'room'). It's supposed to work the illusion that there's extra room between the operating table and the wall (kinda positioning Kaylee's makeshift bed somewhere on the big blue floor).albatrossSep 07, 2009
|
|
"He takes so much looking after!"23 viewsIt's Love. In point of fact. But not between Kaylee and Simon per se. No, the love expressed here is that of River, deeply happy for her brother. You could feel the sadness in her when she said: "You gave up everything for me." And now she just basks in the joy of finally seeing her brother happy again. And thus it was written, Love seeks not itself to please, nor for itself has any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a heaven in hell's despair.albatrossAug 25, 2009
|
|
"Incipit Vita Nova"300 viewsPersephone, 2517, the year Dr. Simon Tam first sets foot aboard Serenity. A pivotal moment that marks the beginning of a new life for River and her brother. This piece shows Simon, on the ramp of Serenity, where he meets Kaylee, who introduces him to Mal (O.S.). That pose of Simon alone, briefcase in hand, is enough to make me want to cry. He looks so out of place! And he is. All because of River, for whom he sacrificed everything, just so she could be safe. This is a man who, were it not for his great love for River, would never be here! The Title is taken from Dante's "La Vita Nuova" (= The New Life). And we see a page, supposedly from Simon's diary, which reads, paraphrased after Dante, "In that book which is my memory, on the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first entered Serenity, appear the words: Here begins a new life (= Incipit Vita Nova)."albatrossFeb 11, 2009
|
|
"I can win this!"168 viewsI decided to give the "River and burning swing" scene a swing. Very difficult theme, though. How do you capture River's innocence lost at that swing? And still have something artistic to say. You tell me! I felt a certain thrill thinking not just of the losses of our dearest River, but of how she came out victorious in the end. So, short of having her machete away at Reavers, I took the theme from Objects in Space, where's she playing a game with Kaylee, and did a sort of premonition/memory of Miranda thing with it, only to add the ever sweet "I can win this!" words. The view is kinda panoramic, what with the surface of Miranda and all, to get that planetary feel going between the two blue objects.albatrossJan 31, 2008
|
|
"I didn't think you'd come for me."137 viewsAfter my last piece, I realized I'm not done expressing River's suffering yet. This one is based on the theme and text of the unshot episode "Dead or Alive." It's about the little rhyme River sings at the fair, which suddenly, and shockingly, reveals a great amount of torture at the hands of the "blue demons". :( It's a very gripping text. She expresses being a princess, locked up in a tower by evil men, hoping, in vain it seems, for her prince (Simon) to come and rescue her. She tries to escape herself, but fails. That's where the title comes in: "I didn't think you'd come for me." But, of course, Simon does come! and rescues her; and together they escape that awful place. I tried to express this. On the right, obviously, the white tower. :) You can peek into the window and see River. On the left is essentially a zoom of that window, and we can see her properly now. The elevator scene depicts, naturally, her eventual escape, with the help of Simon.
This picture differs from the one I originally posted at FFF.net, in that I edited out Simon's hand on the elevator door, and it was edited for small pixel errors and such.albatrossJan 26, 2008
|
|
"Time to wake up!"176 viewsI'm becoming increasingly aware of the subtle, but important link between Mal and River. Sure, Simon rescued her. Very heroesque, for certain. But Mal gave her a home. He had no reason to, and had a perfect way out even; but he did not take it. Instead, he has always protected her. In many ways, Mal has been equally instrumental to River's healing as Simon. That's what this very simple work is about. It shows Mal and River. The basis is the "I'm alright" scene of the BDM, where River, after things got much. much worse, reaches a turning point, and finally starts her healing. It has Mal in it too, in the "They won't see this coming" scene, with our BDH bathing in an almost Angelic light. I took a quote from Evanescence this time (lol, my turn to join the line of Evanescence quoters): "But through my tears breaks a blinding light, birthing a dawn to this endless night," signifying the beginning of the end of River's suffering. Dedicated to my dear friend, FollowMal. albatrossJan 26, 2008
|
|
In a room with a psychic91 views"And you put them in a room with a psychic." That's the theme. Like my Badger piece, meant to be simple, but effective. I hope you like it; it took a fair spell to make, at least. (Extended Commentary below)albatrossJan 24, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
