Digital Art

I have always been an admirer of Digital, Fantasy Art for sometime.  Back in 2001 we were informed at work our department was leaving America, and headed for India. I was deeply depressed with this new, because I really loved that job!  I sat in front of photoshop 6.0 and manipulated this in 400 hours. I used a friend as my subject, when her husband objected I made a deal with Rachel Anastelli and swapped her out, for this final version of my first piece of digital art!
I got a little faster after that first piece. I created 6 more in the following four months. It was an awesome way to counteract my depression and I was beginning to pick up some new skills. I have come a long way since the day’s of Photoshop 6.0. I’m currently using Photoshop CS6. I was certificated and instructed Photoshop 6.0 thru cs3. Sitting in front of Photoshop for endless hours also increases my personal creativity, my outlook on life in general and as funny as it may sound, it relaxes me. I used to think I had a great deal of knowledge and experience from this gift of the Adobe Gods…..  Now I feel like I know nothing at all.

I am totally infatuated with the Cyborg Babes and I have already started my next piece which is sure to be my best yet. I hope to always have a Cyborg Babe, in my wip folder…  Danielle was my first Cyborg. That piece just kind of come together. I only had about 12 hours into it. Teresa below, took about 20 hours. Cyborg Babes are time consuming projects to take on, but totally worth the effort -imho…

I have been working with professional models on a trade basis for the past fifteen years. I have shot with a lot of great models and I have made a lot great friends. Many of us talk at least weekly and have for the years. I have shot with several and several times with most of the girls, but models eventually always retire.  Sometimes it can be quite difficult to work with a new model. There is a personal connection that must be met by each of us, before the magic happens.

When cultivating relationships with professional models its very important to remember that you need to give back. It cannot be a one-way, with them fulfilling my every wish and me fulfilling none of theirs.  Its through these compromises I have grown within other areas of the Art of Photography.  Besides being a lot of fun I have learned to love some of these different styles to the point that I am actively pressuring these opportunities. Kelly and Tiera pushed me really hard to get into Pinups. I had always admired Pinups, but to try doing a Pinup was out of the question in the realm of Dave.  Hey, nobody has yet to ask me to keep my creativity to myself! I’m still allowed to dabble. Ha ha ha  In the balloon shot above it was never my intention to photoshop the dozen balloons Kelly was posing with. Its because of this personal bond between us, that led me to photoshop the hell out of the balloons and create this new piece after I finished her “conventional” edits.  The more photo-realistic style is another area that I found myself pushed into. My God, I LOVE this! Its an indulgent that refreshes my prospective and sharpens my skills and Art…  I’m a total sucker for the projects that leave the viewer wondering; is it real, or photoshop’d?