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 I use an outdated Dell Pentium 4, 1.4GHZ, running Windows XP.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.
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Comments (27)
mmax.ch
Great POV, View and light! Really well done.
shayhurs
Nice! I like the POV as well.
mmitchell_houston
WOW! I love this image! It's so dynamic and shows such power. I may have to take a stab at something like this myself (and overlaying fractals for the sun? BRILLIANT! I'm definitely going to try that effect). Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Chaosphoto
Great work though I may be a bit past fast and hot myself lol
Radom27
It's Mercury, not Mecury. You repeated the error several times, in the title and in the text. It's beautiful but not realistic at all, especially the sun. Completely different from the telescopic images we see everywhere.
Markal
Thanks Radom27 I corrected the spelling. Telescopes aiming at the sun see....well not much...they are flooded with light. NASA sent the messenger craft to map the small planet and it just finished with some stunning results. Thanks again!
Naoo
geirla
That's a big sun! Great looking terrain too!
mr-jack
Wow...
Danny_G
YOOO, Damn Mark this is intense
corleonis
Great image Mark!! I've heard Mercury is thought to be so dense because maybe it's the core of another planet that had some kind of catastrophic end .... that would make a killer picture ;)
masonspappy
hey - this is really good stuff. Great job!
efron_241
Viewed from Mercury the Sun looks nearly three times as large as it does from Earth, and is up to 11 times brighter. so.. it would not fill the complete sky this sun is even a bit too large
KnightWolverine
peedy
Awesome! Fabtastic terrain and POV. Corrie
odile
Excellent POV, color scheme.Great render.
X-PaX
Excellent work Mark.
Thelby
You would save a lot on your heating bill in this place for sure!! Pretty nice creation here Markie!!!
IO4
Fantastic image. The terrain is wonderful and great composition!
SIGMAWORLD
EXCELLENT!
choronr
A bit more to the dark side; and, it would probably be more hospitable - maybe a great place for mining for diamonds. A very good presentation by you.
Blitzz-Licht
artgum
Excellent image Mark!
Rich2
Actually the full disk of the sun is visible from the surface of Mercury - it's in an orbit about 36 million miles away, but no matter. I see this as an interpretive work, not a faithful reproduction. That's your style, and there's no need to change. Keep 'em coming; they're enjoyable!
LindaMcC
Awesome perspective and with a real WOW factor. Very cool outcrops and surface. Fantastic!
Dotthy
fantastic work!!!!!!!
DreamersWish
Blazing hot work on this one (sorry no pun intended)! You can just feel the heat and well I guess one would not survive there very long. Fantastic exciting work!