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		Image:  atar_sketch.jpg  445x600 61,225 bytes August 8, 2001 This picture would be the first in a series of images I used to help teach myself the in's and outs of Adobe photoshop. for the longest time, I've wanted to be able to draw with some success, especially more so now then ever. It's rather frustrating seeing things in my mind which I conjure up from past memories, and not be able to do anything about it. For this image, I learned some very basic layering, layering effects, and learning how to move things around. After finishing I gave the picture to Atar who was very happy with it. Ataramos and Zefyr all © themselves.The original is here
	Image:  cry.jpg  628x517 98,878 bytes  September 3, 2001 Second picture, for this particular image, I learned how to use multiple layers, and more in-depth layer commands, and effects. A few very basic filters, and how to incorporate canned images in backgrounds. I don't know where this image came from so I can't give proper credit to the original artist. If you know who's it is, please tell me. The original is here
	Image:  wingspan.jpg  600x815 71,484 bytes  September 9, 2001 Third, In this image I learned how to take a stock penciled drawing, clean it and make things slightly more fluid with the 'smudge tool.' Also learned the value of staying away from stock white to show highlighted areas, as you can see, I went with shades of purple - which achieved a more realistic effect. Also, what turned out to be a bad scan proved to be an interesting background after a little modification. Zefyr © himself. The original is here.
	Image:  dreamer.jpg  792x598 96,076 bytes  September 23, 2001 While I would like to have shown you this image, Sadly I cannot. At the current time, the only good drawings I had on my computer, which were plain line drawings, were from a dragon artist named 'Ssthisto.' While I would recommend any dragon to go see her work as it is excellent, she is a remarkably intolerant of anyone doing anything with her work. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for copyright. However, there is a line to be drawn between being protective of one's work, and being just plain anal. One thing I would like to make very clear, I do not steal other's work I will never claim another's work to be my own, I will always give appropriate credit where possible. If I was to choose an artist to try to follow, one would think they would be honored that I chose them out of all who are available to learn from, vs. turning up a nose, and shoving copyright law in my face. Enough said about that, if you see any other empty thumbs with the 'IAS' in them, that stands for 'Intolerant Artist Syndrome' so further explanation isn't necessary. The picture I chose was stock line art drawing so nothing was shaded or textured in any way. I taught myself some rudimentary shading based on posture, and texturing based on the surface. I also learned to vary the color Vs. just solid swaths.
	Image:  motorcycle.jpg  1690x1188 194,129 bytes  May 26, 2002 This final picture would be the culmination of everything I've learned so far. In this, I took a rather quick and dirty picture a friend drew for me, and have started from the ground up. Re-drawing the picture from the start, Multiple layering techniques, Effects, Filters, lots of use of dodge, burn, airbrush, and shockingly enough some original art. As you can see I reworked the front of the motorcycle, and have began to add musculature to the dragon itself. There were even some pieces I had to export to another graphic art program (Canvas 6.0, my favorite) to clean up and render with sharper lines. This is a rather long process, and needless to say, is taking forever. Its not easy to learn how to properly draw skin, muscles and plain old body definition by yourself. Eventually I'll get this finished, and be onto the next project. Original image © Dracas. Since finishing the Ornithopter image, I've begun to revisit this image, and have been using some of techniques I've learned. Here is the latest.
	Image:  kaijima_trench.jpg  893x1145 146,879 bytes  Setember 28, 2002 Here we have a small project I wanted to take on. While spending some time at rainys, A rough sketch in her 'I don't want to spend any more time on it' pile caught my eye, so I asked her if I could finish it. The results you see, took on average 15 hours to complete. If you look at the origional, you'll see there was alot of cleanup to do. While I know the shading isn't so hot, I was going for the ¢.05 comic book look. Everyone © themselves of course.
	Image:  adamar3.jpg  1174x969 153,005 bytes  September 3, 2002 Yet another in the series of images I play with to improve my Photoshopping skills. Saw the picture on a message board, where the artist complained that no matter how they colored it, they couldn't get it right, so I put it in photoshop, and threw in some quick shading, and coloring. The origional As you see here, has no coloring, or shading, so I had to put both in. With out the ink You can see the work which was put in, and as a side note, it occured to me, with a little more sharper lines, some detail, this image could really stand alone. I think I've discovered something here. I'll have to work more on drawing, with out the 'black border lines.' Last I checked, no one has border lines around them. And always of course, all characters and artists © themselves.
	Image:  ornithop.jpg  1131x750 217,429 bytes  October 5, 2002  New Image Whew, finally done with this image. Presenting Orson, the Ornithopter. This was a drawing I stumbled on while looking over some other artists sites. Foofers or Helvetica Bold as he's known is the artist in question. Being that I'm heavily involved in aviation, and I love aircraft, I just had to do something with this drawing. I of course asked permission before working with this image, and Foofers seemed to be pretty interested in how this one would turn out. His comment when it was finally done "The finished product is awesome! I especially like all the added texture and detail you've put into the wings and stuff...all the little nicks and stains, very impressive." When I started out I had a very good idea what I wanted the look to be. It took almost 6 months of my own doing to get the image this far. After which, I put the drawing away for a time to work on other things. A few months later, and a talk with Rainwing about how I should keep going, well, you see the finished product. All in all, I think this is my best yet. I know my aviation knowledge helped in some of the detail work. Now, for the record, this image was totally done in Photoshop 5.0, and a Intuos wacom. I used no filters in the process. Every shade of color, is completely hand done. Last but not least, character and artist © themselves.
	Image:  waterfront.jpg  1024x768 55,560 bytes  Feburary 27, 2002 While hiking in the park, during dusk, I came up to the lake and saw this. I sat there for almost an hour, memorizing the image in my mind. It was so peaceful, serene and calm. I wanted to try to recreate the image later. So, I think this would be the first image I tried to make wholly with my own 'talent' in photoshop. Later, I decided to modify the image to be used as a desktop background, feel free to use it if you like.
	Image:  30000.jpg  1050x750 31,542 bytes  April 25, 2002 Another image, I've been working on slowly, When I flew over to England, I saw an amazing sunset out of the aircraft window. Right then I new I was going to try to recreate it. "Sunset at 30,000 feet" I was going to call it. I've still yet to draw in the wing, and engine nacelle, but I'll get to it in time. Until then, here's what I've got so far. Even what I have now, really doesn't show what the horizon looked like, but I'll eventually get it.
	Image:  statue1.jpg  816x1,400 170,524 bytes  August 28, 2002 Wow... Where to start. This was a project that Rainy started about... Six months ago (2/01/02) and was supposed to be completed for my birthday. Well, it kinda went past that, but excellence can't be rushed eh? The results were well worth the wait. This Statue is her representation of me, as a dragon. It started out as wire, tinfoil, and a block of SuperSculpty. Six months later, we have this. The horns are painted a black gold, as well as the back neck frill. The eyes a greenish gold, and the rest, bluish black. Covered in a special iridescent paint, to give the scales an actual 'sheen' when rotated around a light source. Even standing still the piece is incredibly striking. The other angles taken of this Statue, including close-ups (which I recommend you look into) are located here: Statue2.jpg - Statue3.jpg - Statue4.jpg - Statue5.jpg - Statue6.jpg - Statue7.jpg - Statue8.jpg
	Image:  cm-onthebrink.jpg  600x656 44,019 bytes  September 6, 2001 This was part of a trade, that I entered in with Rainwing Dragon. This was here image of me. Not a bad picture at all. And, yes - every one of those scales was individually drawn "Dammit Kalte, do you know how freaken difficult it is to draw you?" Heh, In fact, all the work you've seen me do thus far, is in preparation so I can repay the drawing. I've got the idea in my head, just not the talent to draw it out, yet.
	Image:  dl-onthebrink-edit.jpg  1200x1311 120,310 bytes  Janurary 28, 2002 The same image as above, but I wanted to see what it looked like a little darker, as I am a black dragon.
	Image:  kaltezarkaf.jpg  1024x768 119,688 bytes  June 20, 2002 A good friend of mine Kaijima, wanted to draw me, who was I to complain? (Alright, I did, but I don't really like others drawing me, I like to return the gesture in kind, and I really can't) So, here it is, in all my grumpy splendor.
	Image:  kalt_hop2.jpg  1024x768 203,531 bytes  June 20, 2002 This would be the second Image Kaijima has drawn of me, and as you can see, it kicks much tail. And eventually I hope to repay him somhow. The image initially started out as a sketch he had in his mind. "I see you flying low to the ground, in almost a playful mannor, and playing 'tag' with the ground in a quick flyby." From there, things kind of slackened off, while he was going through a computer change, then he shows me a more recent development which I was even more amazed with. I hope someday I'll get that good... but we'll see. If you've never given Kai's site any really good looks, please do - he's a much better writer then myself, and a supurb artist.
	Image:  thefall.jpg  595x792 80,294 bytes Another image I can't list, so you'll have to go find it yourself. The image was drawn by Ssthisto, and was a major factor in my awakening which in fact, made it happen over night. Almost like finding the right key to open a door, that picture was close enough to really open my eyes. I talk about it a lot in the Beginning entry of the Draconic journal. Again, I'm sorry, but you'll have to locate the file yourself.
	Image:  ready.jpg  379x614 31,775 bytes  March 7, 2001 One day, after a really heavily rollerblading around down town, I stopped in a coffee shop, with paper, and pencil in hand, I decided hell or high water, I was going to draw something creative. So, after 14 years of not drawing anything 'artsy-fartsy' This is the result. I almost didn't want to put it up, as it looks childish, but ah well, Have to start somewhere eh?
	Image:  together.jpg  540x442 44,682 bytes  March 9, 2001 Sketch on the back of a calendar note at work, again, this is an image I had in my mind, and I wanted to just get it out. I suppose this is like how I write, I don't write fully just to have other's listen to what I'm saying, I do it to get the thoughts out of my head. I'm sure there is a word for this, but I can't think of it. Imagine my frustration all these years, not being able to draw so well, coupled with my perfectionist attitude. At least with thought, it takes very little talent to write with some comprehension.
	Image:  sketch1.jpg  305x393 21,515 bytes  March 20, 2001 Same conditions as the Ready.jpg, and I really don't know where the inspiration for this came from, just had the image in my mind, and wanted to see what it looked like. Just to note, those are leaves around the dragons head, not hair or feathers. The dragon in question is poking its head out of some bushes.
	Image:  sketch.jpg  267x276 13,903 bytes  March 22, 2002 A quick doodle using nothing but the wacom, and photoshop, Slowly but surely, I'm working my way to being able to draw things out. Sure I might look at a lot of dragon art, but I have a very difficult time using the ideas to draw out what I want. I think this is the most natural, and realistic 'forepaw' I've even drawn. We'll just have to see where I go from here.
	Image:  teeth.jpg  890x1026 68,285 bytes  May 6, 2002 Yep, these would be my choppers. Flying home from my last trip to New Zealand, I had an idea as to what they may have looked like, so on a scrap piece of paper, I tried to sketch it out. Not that great, but it gets the general idea across.
	Image:  knife.jpg  1362x239 33,128 bytes  July 19, 2002 I was trying to explain to a friend what a very favorite pocket knife of mine looked like, so, I said to myself "To hell with it, I just draw the damn thing." I bought this knife about 5 years ago at a gun show, for roughly $25. So far, its been one of the best investments I've ever made. That knife has gotten me out of more scrapes then I can recall. For those who are interested, the blade design is called 'chisel' style, or a chisel knife. In case you can't tell, this could be also called a 'combat folder'. The blade measures 3.5" in length, and total 8" when opened. In case your wondering I do carry this knife with me at all times, even when I'm not supposed to. The original lines were vectored in Canvas 6.0 then imported into photoshop where I colored it. About 30 min to vector, and 1.5 hours to color. No filters were used.