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 I use an outdated Dell Pentium 4, 1.4GHZ, running Windows XP.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 (22)
artgum
Well said and well done Mark!
Danny_G
Nice one Mark, great moody image
ia-du-lin
great landscape, clouds/sky and atmo
peedy
Beautiful! Great terrain. Love the sky! Corrie
rachris480907
Awesome lighting! Beautiful render!
odile
Beautiful landscape. Lightning is clever!
A.C.Wolfe
Really awesome work
RJS
Brilliant symbolic composition, and a wise comment. Bravo!
grafikeer
Great sky in this one...excellent scene!
choronr
And hopefully, a positive change will happen - the quicker the better. Well done Mark!
mps
Excellent image
masonspappy
Great texturing!
SIGMAWORLD
Beautiful composition. Well done!
shayhurs
Excellent sir as usual!
Thelby
Hey, is that the Blue Star from Narnia? This one looks pretty cool Mark!!!
TerraCr8tor
Just one h...ll of a render, awesome clouds, nice mood
starfire777
Fantastic work!!!
Rich2
Well thought out concept - but I once saw a comics panel showing the Mayan astronomer making the stone calendar and telling his chief he had only enough space for up to 2012...
Badsue
Fantastic sky and mood! If December 2012 will really bring a change...well, we'll only see that afterwards. I just hope our computers will still be running for future renders in 2013! ;) LOL to Rich's comment!
pclavett
Hi Mark, still out of this world ! Beautiful job !
KatesFriend
We, as a species, have been living through the transition for the last three centuries. Think of how different the world is between then and now. No other era has fostered such change before us.
vapo
Awesome landscape, the sky is so spectacular and multi-leveled! Vashek