Hope you had a great Christmas!
It's so hard to believe we are almost into a new year...and 2013 at that!!!
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Life has been keeping me very busy. Earlier this month I finished another semester at Mesa Community College...and took an Art History class where I learned a ton.
And speaking of that...if you are in the East Valley of Phoenix I would definitely recommend taking a class from Lindsey Pedersen, an Art History instructor at MCC. She is excellent!!
It's clear I'm not the only one who thinks so...because she has an extremely high rating on ratemyprofessor.com too.
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The Background Story For My Latest Digital Painting
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| Click to Enlarge See A Larger View Of The Final Image Below |
I've still been drawing a lot and digitally painting as time allowed...and after the semester ended finally found the time to finish a digital painting I'd begun long ago.
Started in December of 2011, I worked on the concept a bit using Adobe Photoshop and my Wacom Intuos Tablet and then fairly quickly lost interest and moved on to other things.
As seen in the "process steps" to the left...I just got as far as the weird, green "alien" head last year (top left).
After classes ended this fall I decided to look through my old files and when I saw it, decided to do some work on it again.
I was feeling most dissatisfied with the color choices last year...so this time around the first thing I began to do was mess around with that and experiment with color layers.
And finally something I was more happy with began to emerge.
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So....Why Is It Such A "Creepy / Scary" Image?
I've been interested in creating a graphic novel about the current state of the world and the "end times".
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| Meister The Construction of the Ark of Noah |
And apparently the fallen angels also messed with the DNA of animals.
All this created evil and fearsome, soul-less creatures. These human hybrids were much larger and stronger than man and are called Nephilim (along with other ancient names).
God used the flood to purge the world of this evil.
Unfortunately, afterwards the fallen angels continued their ways and produced more of these creatures.
For example, long after the flood, the Jews were told to take possession of "the Promised Land" and Numbers 13:32-33 gives a report of what they found:
"The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."
Much Later, around the time of Jesus (2,000 years ago) it was recorded in Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV) that "as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (the return of Jesus and the end of our present world)
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| Public Domain Image |
http://alltheangelsshoutedforjoy.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-words-of-jesus-on-signs-of-times.html
Many point to current research being done with human cloning and trans-humanism: the combination of human and animal DNA.
Others point to our popular culture and that movies and TV shows use human evolution as a regular theme.
Still others suggest that "they" are preparing humans for the appearance of these creatures by planting the notion in our minds that these beings will be extra-terrestrial...ALIENS.
The "they" most often mentioned are the powerful elites: The Illuminati, and secret societies...pulling the strings behind the scenes...assassinating leaders and toppling governments...causing wars...dumbing societies down so that they can keep everyone else in a servant class...obedient, uneducated worker drones...who are kept in slavery to drugs, porn, alcohol, video games, etc etc etc.
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So all these themes were in my mind as I worked on this image.
I know many of my Christian friends might recoil at this image...and might think of scripture that tells us to think about what-ever is good, pure and lovely. (Philippians 4:8)
And I have no defense against that...except to say that I have been praying for guidance about what to work on.
And this is something that came from my efforts after those prayers.
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Anyway...that explains my thought process behind this image...and FINALLY...here is the large version of it.
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Click To Enlarge - Jephyr Art - Digital Painting - It Came
From The U.N.
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Thank you for stopping by!
Please: Share! Comment! Join!
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Please visit Jephyr.com to see many more examples of my artwork and photography!
Great work, Jeff! :) This looks incredible, the detail of his muscles and fleshy parts are amazing. I love the illumination achieved in the image as well, makes it mysterious and powerful. That is cool the glowing bubble thing on its back, I like that. Haha. This is just as if not better than the artwork I've seen in film books.
ReplyDeleteThat is cool you mentioned your graphic novel idea. I remember that from when you told me about it. You should do it! With work like this, your graphic novel will be intense and instantly engaging. Of course the themes you would be dealing with are thought-provoking. Keep praying about it, but we need Christians out there making graphic novels. It is an untapped medium and I think very powerful.
Anyway, your work is awesome. I hope you are doing well, Jeff!
Hi Jephyr,
ReplyDeleteyes there are many things happening in the world that appear to fit in with scripture, and many things that appear to be anti Christ, but all governments will be put under the feet of Christ and 'the LORD has made all things for himself: yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.' Everything and everyone is for a purpose, and the end result will be achieved. There is only one winner and we must be secure in Him.
Hi Jephyr,
ReplyDeletetoday I had a go at digital art a little, or at least I think it was some kind of computer art, done on Adobe photoshop. I really need to look more at your blog to see if there are any little tips I can draw from you. I don't think I will ever be anywhere near as good as you at it but there are some things I would like to try. I have Adobe photoshop 4 which I have had for years and I have a tablet which I am not sure will work on windows 7, but I am fascinated by what you do on the computer so I am going to have to make time to have a decko at some how to's. Hope your book is coming along, I have a little one in the process of being put together at the moment too, but that is me, ten fingers in ten pies all at the same time.
Hi Danielle!
ReplyDeleteI cannot reply to individual comments so I hope you'll still see this.
Thank you so much for visiting and for giving encouraging feedback! I'm so glad you liked the character design and "light" etc. :) I have no idea what that "bubble thang is...but thought it did add a weird mysterious quality to the image...glad you liked that too!
I am still praying for a "vision" about where to take my art...and still feel a bit adrift about the specifics though.
Thanks again for your visit and comment! :)
Hi Jeff!
Delete:-) Yes, I look forward to seeing where the Lord will take you and your graphic novel idea. I pray He'll guide you and give you clarity.
You are very welcome! Your blog is always funky and imaginative. Just looked at your latest drawing post. Excellent!
Have a wonderful first week of the semester!
Hi Danielle, Thanks again. Things are really getting exciting in Art 202...and it's giving me great ideas for where to head for the story-line etc for the graphic novel. Thanks especially for your prayers!!
DeleteIt's been cool seeing you more on campus this semester. Bye for now :)
Hi Brenda!
ReplyDeleteYes…there is so much happening in our world…and all of it ultimately is under God’s control and design.
Seeing all the changes in the world in my lifetime…and Biblical prophecy coming to pass however…has played a large part in my return to God. Jesus said this would be so…when he spoke of the end times and said that it would build our faith when we saw it all come to pass.
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I’m glad you’re flexing your digital art muscles! :)
I’ve posted several videos on YouTube where you can watch how I paint in time-lapse if you’d like to check them out...it's sometimes helpful to see other people's methods: http://www.youtube.com/user/JephyrX/videos.
As for advice...I can only say to just keep trying. I look back at my early efforts…and see great improvement since then...and I’m sure with God’s help you will too! If there is ever anything I can do to help please let me know.
As for using the older tablet you have. I’d suggest just plugging it in...if it has a connector for a newer computer. I used a friend’s old tablet at first when I started out...and it did work ok...so perhaps yours will too.
It sounds like you and I are a bit the same...I always have so many things going at once. I’m asking God for a “vision” which may help me settle on fewer things. But if you’re like me...it’s part of your personality to enjoy moving from thing to thing. : )
Thanks for stopping by and for your comments.
I hope to be able to visit your (and everyone’s) blogs soon!!!
Yes Jephyr,
ReplyDeletethat is part of my personality. Right now I feel a very strong urge to spend more time on the little booklet that I want to put together, and I know that if I do then I will spend much less time on my blog and reading other blogs as my life is full most times. However I am a person that knows that when there is a strong pull to do something then I must do that thing. I have always been like that and know absolutely that there is a time for everything and I have found that since becoming a Christian these 'leads' are usually from God. I never think about what is to come after my being obedient to that lead, God knows that and told me a long time ago to 'take no thought for tomorrow', He knows what is to come for 'my times are in His hands'. I think the worst thing would be to not follow a lead and have later regrets.
Hi Brenda, Yes I think that often when we feel a pull to a certain project or another...it is often God's leading. It's awesome you are sensitive and obedient to that. I'll look forward to hearing more about your booklet as it comes together!
ReplyDeleteAs for time! There just is never enough is there! And I know what you mean about keeping up with it all. Sometimes I think just running one blog could be a full-time job!!
:)
God Bless you Brenda in whatever God leads you to!