Who is 'Markal'?
Markal is Mark Edwards who lives in Mississippi – originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. I retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2003 after 23 years and decided to stay here in the warm gulf coast south along with my wife, two daughters and three grandchildren.
How long have you been rendering/doing computer graphics?
My last five years in the Air Force I designed and developed computer-based training. We used PhotoShop, Flash and even wrote code in HTML, so I guess I started in the late 90’s. My terragen work began in 2003.
Do you have traditional art experience?
No real art experience just the standard art classes in high school and college.
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What are you currently working on?
I’m working on a collaboration with a Bryce artist…he is making a ship for one of my space landscape images. Learning Terragen 2 and possibly Vue may be in the works soon.
What software/equipment do you use and why?
Software used is Terragen .9.43, PaintShopPro 7 and LunarCell. I use an outdated Dell Pentium 4, 1.4GHZ, running Windows XP. I was going to upgrade but, this very large screen HDTV deal fell into my lap so I had to upgrade my other love…. watching Blue-Ray movies…first. Hopefully I’ll upgrade to a quad 4 before the end of the year.
What do you think your best piece of work is and why?
One of my latest favorites is Rigel III. The foreground is a stone BMP overlay I applied in Terragen…. the shading and shadows were in-line with the sun angle and it worked very well. The only post work was the LunarCell moons and I think they also add a realistic touch. It still amazes me how computer graphics can make an imaginary place look so real and believable.
Why do you like to work with 3D software?
It’s a fun hobby for me and when I focus on the work it carries me away from the hustle and worries of this world.Â
Who/what inspires you?
All the wonderful artists here at ReRo are great inspirations. National Geographic Magazine, NASA and all the space missions has also influenced and inspired me. Of course our creator….Almighty God….the greatest artist of all.
How has this online community (Renderosity) enhanced your work, relationships, and learning?
Not only comments but also other artists sharing their files have helped me grow artistically by leaps and bounds.
Parting Comments / Advice to other Artists?
I try to focus on what I love. I have a passion for Space Art so 99% of my work is Space art. Some may think I need to branch out and explore other areas but I say branch out to what….something I don’t love? Go with what you love and your rewards will be many.
Comments (20)
geirla
Great looking terrain! I like that bluish tint, too.
peedy
Way cool image. Great terrain. Corrie
shayhurs
Niiiiice!
azrabella
Brilliant work, Mark. I think a serendipidous coming together of your wonderfully evocative sci-fi imagination and this (bitchy) software is a marriage made in the heavens.
NefariousDrO
That is brilliant, i agree! Absolutely fantastic.
artgum
Excellent- love the "illustrated" look. Nice banked POV.
egehlin
An excellent spacescape...I'd almost expect to see this kind of image on the Analog magazine covers of the early 1960's.
Danny_G
Excellent textures Mark, like the colors and composition, the bank of the camera really adds to this
lumi
love the textures ! great composition!
bloodnok
Lots of drama here. Great stuff
prutzworks
xlt, camera angle works very well!
kasalin
The breath freezes me..... wonderful and impressive
masonspappy
well done
mikeerson
You want some deep freeze? come to my place - lol... I've shoveled quite a bit of snow today - lol... image looks great, love the angle.
scifibabe
Awesome colors and fabulous space scene. I really like this one!
shingleboot
Really awesome work, fantastic image
LindaMcC
The POV and feeling of speed is fantasmic! Very cool terrain, great atmosphere and colors and nice work!
SIGMAWORLD
Excellent image!
Terraviva
Looks very dramatic and it feels like flying :) Nice colors & interesting terrain!
corleonis
Great feel to this one, i am going to go turn my heater on ;)