# mmmm ...



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

It's supposed to be bigger-- photobucket halved the size when I uploaded it for some reason.


----------



## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

That is very cool, both the drawing itself and the layout!


----------



## Piscesgirl (Feb 25, 2004)

That's beautiful! Can I have it? hehe. Good job!


----------



## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

greenmiddlefinger said:


> It's supposed to be bigger-- photobucket halved the size when I uploaded it for some reason.


Nice! The only reason I can think of is what it says on Photobucket: "Images larger than 512 KB are automatically resized." If it was bigger than that filewise originally.


----------



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Thanks for the comments all!

rosehawke-- my comp says it's 453 kbs so  

Scape idea was done from combining elements of different hawai'i coast lines-- ones dominated by mangrove or hau trees, ones that are dominated by naupaka shore shrubs, and ones with lots of dead and living gymnosperm (not sure what species) trees. Of course, lots of beaches have both sand and lava rock, and naupaka is adept at growing on both, like the HC was drawn here.


----------



## DubSack (Mar 20, 2006)

whats the point of drawing a fish tank? Why not make one for real? Anyone can draw a planted tank, why not try making one for yourself?


----------



## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Dub.... .....
...ya, that is all.

Keep it up Steven. Looks good


----------



## Roy Deki (Apr 7, 2004)

I don't think "anyone can draw a planted tank" not of that artistic quality.

Nice job!!


----------



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

When I do these, I do them with a mind for real-life materials.

The sticks are of the type I have collected (and tested for viability) from a stream near my house. The stones are meant to be lava rock, and the plants are all from real life-- and these in particular I actually have in my possesion. The dimensions of the picture, and it's feel, were taken from the ADA 60x30x36 tank (though, just estimating the depth-- my math is not good enough to make it perfect XD).

This painting is an end in itself, a finished piece and not one that was easy for me to conceive. At the same time though, I'd like to think that it's also in preparation for my next tank. I'm studying in Japan this summer, and my parents said if I got good grades they'd give me a fair budget for ADA stuff. lol

For me, I wouldn't be able to visualize a lay-out with just the type of very rough over-head sketches that a lot of people use, so I prefer to actually finish something like this.

I wouldn't want to promise or proclaim that I can and will make this tank, but this type of painting is for me, both a means and an end as an artist; as a somewhat matured illustrator/digital artist and as a maturing aquascaper.


----------



## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

DubSack said:


> ". . . Anyone can draw a planted tank . . . .


Try it :eyebrows: .


----------



## mrbelvedere138 (Jan 18, 2006)

DubSack said:


> whats the point of drawing a fish tank? Why not make one for real? Anyone can draw a planted tank, why not try making one for yourself?


I've seen some other tanks of his, on the PT forum. They are quite impressive. Many more than I have seen of yours.


----------



## DubSack (Mar 20, 2006)

> Try it .


I have many many times... and by the way cindy, most of that picture isnt drawn either, it's photographs that have been superimposed onto the painting. It takes about 1/100 of the tallent to cut and past than to actually paint it yourself.



> I've seen some other tanks of his, on the PT forum. They are quite impressive. Many more than I have seen of yours.


What does that have to do with anything? I never said his tanks looked bad. I posted a responce to the painting not his tank... I never said his painting looked bad either, or that my tank looks good. I was just wondering whether he actualy had a real tank or if he just drew pictures of them.

All I was trying to say was that he should try dooing that scape for real.


----------



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

In my senior year (2004-2005) I blew through some 12-15 different lay outs, in about 6 different tanks, 2 of which were at school and 4 which were at home (along with 2 other tanks at home dedicated purely to growing out plants to fuel my needs for plant species with all the constant re-scaping). Most were aquarium, a handful of vivarium-types. All were done with lots of DIY and second hand equipment implemented. XD

Most of these lay outs lasted for only a few weeks, a month tops. Obviously, that's no where near the time needed to really get a matured and algae-free lay out. These spastic design-frenzies were the result of choosing to use aquascaping as the concentration of an AP art portfolio (which needs 12 different pieces).

Because these tanks had no real maturity, the goals were different. "Balance"? "Well-maintained"? Um, no. More like, "How do I make them look good in a couple weeks?"

In other words, "How do I get an aquarium to look fairly-good within a couple of weeks relying on nothing but design sense?"


It was a crazy experience, especially when I really had only 1 year of aquascaping and no photography under my belt anyway. That taught me almost nothing about fertilizing, tank construction, or any of the finer points of plant care. It did force me though, to quickly learn about planting, trimming, photoshop execution, fish selection, and of course, design sense.

When mr. belvedere refers to the tanks he's seen, he probably means a few of the many that I blasted through and of which there are probably photos floating around this and the PT forum all over in the history of the threads. Despite the chaos of this process, I managed to compile one of the strongest concentration folders in my class- and passed the AP art test.

To answer the question of whether or not I have tried setting up planted tanks . . . I guess the answer is, yes. XD


Edit: 

I didn't see the last post before this one. 
Everything in there was hand-drawn by me at one point or other using a wacom tablet.
I guess my explanation about the AP Art is a statement that I DO have artistic talent. Long before I did aquascapes, I drew, painted, and did digital artwork via tablet. Lots of anime artwork actually.

If you think it's so easy to do, and that I have so little talent, show me what you can do.


----------



## DubSack (Mar 20, 2006)

dude, I never meant to imply that you have no tallent. Sorey if thats the way it came across. you pic looks good, no doubt. You said everything in that pic was hand drawn, but in your previous post you said that the plants were photos superimposed, and I really doubt that you drew thoes ripples on the surface of the water. So in other words, everything is NOT hand drawn. I just wanted to get that clear.

regardless of what I think is "artistry" you pic looks good. I never said I could do better. In my firts post I was just wondering why you drew these pictures instead of making a real tank. I never meant to get into an argument about it. All I was looking for was an answer to why you did this. I never said it looked bad, or that I could do any better. I was just curious. 

if drawing fish tanks satisfies you then draw your heart out, and dont let anyone prevent you from dooing so...


----------



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

That's fine. Just, please don't put words in my mouth-- 

For the sake of clarity:

-there are parts that are repetitions of the same pixels, but all those were originally drawn by me.

-in other this is what I said it is: A tablet drawing using other digital tools to polish it.


----------



## MATTHEW MAHLING (Dec 1, 2005)

Steven, A nice pinting and a beautiful concept. Most here have seen what your capable with planted tanks. I can't wait to see this one become a reality.


----------



## psidriven (Feb 21, 2004)

DubSack said:


> whats the point of drawing a fish tank? Why not make one for real? Anyone can draw a planted tank, why not try making one for yourself?


The reason everyone is getting on you is because your post came across as sarcastic and rude. I thought so at least. Add the fact your new to the board and have a name associated with weed makes you seem like a punk. Maybe take some time to read your post before submitting. Act nice and be courteous.


----------



## mlfishman (Apr 4, 2005)

*actually*

actually its unfortunate that this forum is biased towards the excessively conservative and unfunny so get used to it.....dubsack is only a weed reference if you interpret it that way....greenmiddlefinger can be interpreted as an explicitly sexual term....no one said ish to him....its wrong to say that someone will be treated that way because of his name that is merely suggestive at best....

act nice and be courteous...and your all set here.....:violin:

a moderator should jump in and stop this nonsense....


----------



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Just a little confusion and misinterpretation here folks. Let's not get too wound up on it. 

The meanings and intentions of the comments were clarified. Let's get back to praising and/or commenting on original subject. 

Thanks,

-John N.


----------



## heyman (Apr 4, 2005)

Very nice Steven, id like to see that come to life someday, btw hows those other tanks of yours? still going? Dont laugh but i havent posted any of my stuff yet HEHE. 
-Scott.C


----------



## mlfishman (Apr 4, 2005)

*ok*

agreed...

>>Just a little confusion and misinterpretation here folks. Let's not get too wound up on it.


----------



## RoseHawke (Jan 4, 2005)

Well, I like it! The problem is going to be if you can actually _find_ the parts (besides the plants/fish of course) to "Make it so!" Hopefully if you execute this design you'll be able to come close. I particularly like the composition with the weight toward the right and the branches carrying on that upward sweep. I don't know how close to the Golden Proportion this is, but it's pleasing so I suspect it's quite close. Interestingly enough, my own comps tend to slant the other way with most of the weight at the left. It just seems "right" to me. Now I see it can go the other way as well . Of course art is very personal and subjective, but I remember many years ago having to do and accept critiques as part of Art Studio major coursework.

The husband figure is intensely interested in Anime, to the point that he wants to try his hand at it. This is someone who has barely held a pencil to do anything other than sign his name with you understand! I guide where I can, but it has been many years as well since I did much art (although surprisingly I found out that I _can_ still draw - somewhat .) If he gets any good at it I kid him he'll be the "Grandpa Moses" of Anime artists (he's 43) .


----------



## Steven_Chong (Mar 17, 2005)

Tell him to keep at it rosehawk-- I know from exp anime art is no easy shakes.  Tell him he should check out "Death Note," Obata sensei is truly a genius to get out that quality of work week after week.

BTW-- I find that composition direction is often 1 particular side or the other for a given person. When I did anime art, I just had an easier time drawing people that faced left. While I have done aquascapes in both directions, it just feels more comfortable/easy to make one oriented to the right (which is actually the same direction).

I'll be working hard to get the parts for this tank together-- like I said, I've already started considering how to go about it.


----------

