Hiboux: One of my four rescued friends
"If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other.
If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear.  What one fears one destroys."
--Chief Dan George (1899 - 1981)
The avatar I use is a photo of a kitten who adopted me last fall. She came to my door one night, hungry and cold and in need of shelter. I had already adopted a rescued dog and 2 fostered cats (I have a friend who works in animal rescue), but another friend told me that being chosen by a cat was a special thing, so, here she is in her new home. I called her Hiboux (French for owl for those who don't already know), since she reminded me of a snowy owl tapping on my door.
Sorry I need a new digital camera. The one used for this photo was one of the first ones ever made that utilizes a floppy disc. I am attached to it, but thought it was more important to show off my kitty here since this is merely my "home" page and not a display of my digital art. I'll update it as soon as I can.
I live in the US Midwest, have a degree in landscape design, compete nationally (only in the US so far) in dancesport, and choreographed contemporary dance for over a decade. I've been writing since childhood--mainly for my own amusement. A few of my poems have been published in obscure places and I used to write many interviews which were published online for years. None of my novels have met the public eye yet and that's OK because for me "the joy is in the journey." ÂÂ
I'm hooked on creating digital art. I stumbled upon it when I worked online for 11 years as a content editor and became intrigued watching the medium grow. 3D art feels like a good niche for me combining movement, landscape, my love of nature, history, art, technology, myth and storytelling . . .  I love to experiment with software and hope to continue to grow as an artist. I'm in awe of many of the beautiful works shared on this site. I've also begun a blog here called "A Novelist's Adventures in Digital Art" where I list useful sites and tools I find along the way:
My Blog
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I consider myself a beginner at digital art. We all have to start somewhere. I try to encourage other creatives on all skill levels as often as I have time. I learn a lot from the artists I favorite here and even from private emails with tips if you feel so inclined. I dont allow ratings in my gallery anymore, because I don't believe in "grading" art--it doesn't fit into my personal philosophy. That said, I do often admire many of the talented professional artists and am happy when they are showcased on the art charts here and feel the rating system--though it has flaws--is important to honor excellence.  I do appreciate any comments and appreciate constructive criticism and suggestions.
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"Every artist was first an amateur."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
 Thank you for visiting my gallery!
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Comments (25)
marcopolinski
fantastic image ... love how written works inspire you!
e-brink
This is not too dark - just right. Particularly because the focal point is a lighted object in the model's hand. This is one of your best ever and really does show wonderful improvements with lighting. Your posing has always been good and occasionally exceptional and you pulled out all the stops here! Well done, Cathy.
Miska7
Very nice image. Great character and post work! Really well done.
amota99517
This turned out so great. I like the perspective on the model.
RIGO40
nice work..
magnus073
Cathy you did a wonderful job on this truly magical image
Juliette.Gribnau
awesome design ! F
groegnitram
i agree with ebrink about the focus on the lighted object and the brightness is fine. other than that it is hard to find something i dont like because it is so easy to enjoy this scene and to fly away with your faery, up to new unknown world's, away from the gray or at least very familiar world we live in. i like Yeats poem quite a lot and your image gives a good idea about your inspiration, a wonderful vision!
adrie
Wonderful image great pose and a superb lighting.....love the lighted object in her hand, excellent done....love this scene.
faroutsider
Beautiful image, Cathy. The composition is flawless and the lighting spot on - I love the magical light of the flower! I'd be interested to see you experiment with motion blur on the wings - enough to suggest movement, but not too much to lose the detail...
Zazou
Amazing POV and light ! Love it !!
stevey3d
Beautiful image Cathy! Superb pose and pov!
lyron
Great scene!!
Jollyself
I admire your dedication to your craft !!! Overall this is lovely and I like the PoV I dont think its too dark...Adding some blue highlight to the side of her head and hair where the flower's light would naturally cast would help combat what your eye thinks might be too dark. Maybe add that same blue cast light in layers and opacities to the palm and forearm.
FS
Wonderful POV and composition!!!Fantastic scene!!
SSoffia
MAGICAL & LOVELY SCENE SPLENDID WORK AS ALWAYS DEAR FRIEND THANK YOU !!!!!
popeslattz
Very cool image, but where's the child that she's spiriting away? Excellent point of view and background. It seems like her hair is blowing the wrong way, but she might be turning in the sky. As far as the lighting, you've done a remarkable job. You might want to play with a pointlight just above the flower. This might give it the effect of actually radiating light from within. You used the sparkle brushes to great effect, by the way. Keep playing!
novelist
Where's the child? Good question. My personal interpretation is that it is about all human children (and in my mind of all ages) rather than one. It's a dangerous world out there.
beatoangelico
BEAUTIFUL AND MAGIC SCENE....FANTASTIC WORK..!!!!
lucindawind
wow very magical ..excellent !
Burpee
It feels as though we are with her, inside a story. Very magical work!
anahata.c
quite beautiful, and I like your thought that it's about the human child in all of us. More of your sensitive interpretation of literature, I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. The Yeats is powerful because of how it contrasts the child with the harshness of the world. And the object the woman carries is like a primal crystal that bears revelation or pure light. A good choice I think. The city below really isn't all negative, there's beauty in it as is the case with many cities; but Yeats reminds us that that beauty can have much menace behind it as well. Above all, your flying woman bursts through the image and almost out of the frame (you have her elbow nearly stopping at the frame like she's about to break through it), and the overall feel is of being freed, and of dreams of a place well beyond. More fine work from you Cathy.
kitzie21
The more I see of this series, the more I like the concept of using literary work as your inspiration to create scene. I love the sense of freedom expressed in her pose, and the cool, blue tones of the lighting and composition. Very well done!
three_grrr
Oh Cathy, this is beautiful! I love the translation of the poem to what your mind pictures! I don't think it's too dark either, the only thing I might change is just adding a little more hightlight to the hair where the glowing flower would relfect .. and I wouldn't have even noticed that as there are some highlights, had it not been mentioned above. I think you're lighting is doggone perfect!
Carlazzo
Superb fabulous and wonderful realization!