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 I use an outdated Dell Pentium 4, 1.4GHZ, running Windows XP.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.ÂÂ
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 (26)
shayhurs
Nice
rocserum
wonderful work! RS
jmb007
superbe image!!
Porthos
Splendid SF image!
torsis
beautyfull!
mermaid
very beautiful and so well done!
artgum
Very cool, Mark- I like this!
NefariousDrO
Superb! I love the shapes and textures of those rocks.
philiplopezjr
You create such vistas - such as this one - that our preception of reality has a hard time keeping up. Waiting with little patience for your next.
choronr
An extra special combination of landforms, vegetation and surroundings!
geirla
Very nice! Love the ground and the sky!
Danny_G
Nice render Mark, foreground is killer as is the use of the clip file. Great alround render
mikeerson
This is quite different compared to your past work - but it looks great to add to your other world pieces.
DreamersWish
It is a lonely and desolate place. Fantastic use of mist and atmosphere. Well done!
peedy
Fantastic scene! Great rocks! Corrie
DarkStormCrow
Excellent planetscape, very well done....
masonspappy
Great juxtaposition of realism and other-worldlyness (is that a word?)
Rich2
Nice work, there Mark! Yes an interesting combination you've created. Keep it up!
SIGMAWORLD
Well done.
scifibabe
Wonderful job on this. Very unique. Cool and creative.
corleonis
Love that vegetation you got there, and that water...just wow. If i can nitpick the crescents of the moons are facing diff directions - yeah it just bugs me ;) but the foreground is seriously top notch
Markal
Hey corleonis....glad your back. The planets were rendered in TG2 and not postworked....the upper right moon looks decieving...notice the sun is to the upper right...all the moons reflect brightness to the upper right....the moons are a bit mis-shaped (I'm working on it) but, don't know about your "nit-pik" or crecsents diff directions???. I use TG2 with very little postwork...I usually only adjust contrast and sharpness in postwork. Can I "nitpick" your images....no....I won't. Thanks!!!
KatesFriend
Do I decry the faint flicker of light reflected off a starship in orbit perhaps.
X-PaX
Very nice sci-fi image. Well done.
Drakeneye
Exelete, image. Congratulations, and also for the rest of your creations. I was lucky enough to tread places like that.
LindaMcC
Oh this is AWEsome! Love it, Mark!