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General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: blackcat on December 15, 2010, 05:05:18 PM

Title: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 15, 2010, 05:05:18 PM
I may not have posted these before. Most are from new online and print magazine projects...

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Great_Wall_of_Miranda/IMAG000.JPG)
The Great Wall of Miranda

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Pluto/IMAG001.JPG)
Pluto seen from Charon

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Pluto/IMAG004.JPG)
On Pluto

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Pluto/IMAG000.JPG)
The shadow of Charon on Pluto

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Other_parks/imag007.jpg)
The cryogeysers of Triton

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Other_parks/imag003.jpg)
Ithaca Chasma, on Titania

(http://api.ning.com/files/Ga3NzfNTucitD7eV8A80RBzxSHgtif3U2x5alLXOlwXCZF-pgemkuAUoG3THr8LXmLiG9TqmLeuik6zcc*kyUY0iUmhVaAFZ/iowithastronautst.jpg?width=737&height=552)
Observing a volcano on Io






Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: goldfarb on December 15, 2010, 06:14:08 PM
these are fantastic!
well done
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Henry Blewer on December 15, 2010, 06:17:17 PM
I have never thought there would be wind on Triton. Your publisher will be pleased. 8)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 15, 2010, 06:43:23 PM
Quote from: njeneb on December 15, 2010, 06:17:17 PM
I have never thought there would be wind on Triton. Your publisher will be pleased. 8)

There is actually a kind of jet stream, in fact. While the atmosphere on Triton is thin to the point of non-existence, it's enough to shear off the tops of the rising plumes at right angles. This can just barely be made out in some of the Voyager images.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 15, 2010, 06:49:38 PM
Six of these images employed TG2...

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=8-wonders (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=8-wonders)

...and five of these...

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=7-amazing-exoplanets-interactive&WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20101124 (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=7-amazing-exoplanets-interactive&WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20101124)

Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 15, 2010, 06:50:33 PM
Thanks for all the nice compliments! :)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Henry Blewer on December 15, 2010, 07:04:28 PM
I took a look at the Terragen generated images. I like the figures added to the scenes. They really help with scale. Excellent work!
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: rcallicotte on December 15, 2010, 09:08:55 PM
Very nice.  I especially like the first three.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: dhavalmistry on December 15, 2010, 10:45:07 PM
some good ones in there!!......
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: inkydigit on December 16, 2010, 11:29:54 AM
excellent works...
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 17, 2010, 04:32:22 PM
Always responding well to flattery, here are a few more things from the Extrasolar Planets series...

(http://black-cat-studios.com/xplanets/Untitled_1/goim005.jpg)
HD 188753 A b (seen from a moon of the planet)


(http://black-cat-studios.com/xplanets/Untitled_1/goim004.jpg)
Gliese 581 c

(http://black-cat-studios.com/titan/Untitled_1/IMAG004.JPG)
An early version of the large Titan illustration I posted elsewhere in the forum.

(http://black-cat-studios.com/spaceart3/goim017.jpg)
Tidal pools on the early earth.

(http://black-cat-studios.com/spaceart3/goim016.jpg)
Ice spires on Callisto (the one place in the solar system that looks like a 50s SF pulp cover)



Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: GioMez on December 17, 2010, 05:22:29 PM
Nice pics!  :)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Kadri on December 18, 2010, 12:51:19 AM
Quote from: blackcat on December 17, 2010, 04:32:22 PM
...
Ice spires on Callisto (the one place in the solar system that looks like a 50s SF pulp cover)

Anyhow your work reminds me on the old SF covers in the right way. Very nice renders . I like them , Blackcat :)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: sinister05 on December 18, 2010, 02:45:10 PM
Absolutely fantastic work blackcat! Hopefully within a few months I'll be able to make something similar :)    (still working the 'create' your first scene tutorials)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 18, 2010, 02:58:35 PM
Quote from: sinister05 on December 18, 2010, 02:45:10 PM
Absolutely fantastic work blackcat! Hopefully within a few months I'll be able to make something similar :)    (still working the 'create' your first scene tutorials)

Gosh! And here I was, reluctant to post most of these because I was so much in awe of what everyone else is doing!  ;D
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: mcmiller on December 18, 2010, 03:26:20 PM
Wow, exceptional work and very inspirational for me as well. Could you tell me if the other objects like the plumes, lava ejections, astronauts and vehicles are composited in or rendered within TG?

(edit: nevermind the question, I just saw your answer in the Titan thread and figured there's a lot of additional work after a TG render.)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 18, 2010, 04:38:55 PM
Quote from: mcmiller on December 18, 2010, 03:26:20 PM
Wow, exceptional work and very inspirational for me as well. Could you tell me if the other objects like the plumes, lava ejections, astronauts and vehicles are composited in or rendered within TG?

(edit: nevermind the question, I just saw your answer in the Titan thread and figured there's a lot of additional work after a TG render.)

There are a couple of reasons for not even attempting such objects in TG. One is that in most cases TG simply can't do such things. Another is that while TG might be able to approximate some of those effects, approximations simply won't do.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: moodflow on December 21, 2010, 02:08:52 PM
Very nice work indeed!  I've been playing with "orbiter" sim, and these images remind me of that.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 21, 2010, 06:33:21 PM
The research often takes longer than the art. I have to make these as accurate as possible, so among other things I talk to many of the scientists involved. For example, I did the illustration of the fountains of Enceladus in consultation with Carolyn Porco, head of the Cassini imaging team.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on December 27, 2010, 02:42:20 PM
A study for a magazine illustration for an article about extrasolar planets.

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/t2.jpg)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: max_thehitman on April 25, 2011, 04:28:51 PM


*BIG Applause*

That is some outstanding "spacey" artworks. I truly enjoyed every single one of them. Masterworks!
If you BlackCat are truly the great artist Ron Miller, then I must congratulate you on all your superb artworks.
I bought one of your books "Out of the Cradle" (first printed in 1984) way back in the late 1980´s when
I used to live in New York City and its been a real inspiration for many of my artworks depicting planetary
and space scenes. I am a big fan of yours and admire your work.
That particular book even came with your signiture written on it, which was a great surprise to me at the time
when I bought it in a second hand book store. Why would anyone want to sell the book, I have no idea, but I still
cherish it after all these years and its still in fine mint condition in my bookshelf. I also another book of yours
which I bought called "The Grand Tour:A traveller´s guide to the Solar system" (first printing in 1981). Its simply amazing!

I wish for you all the very best in whatever you do and what ever you create in your artworks.
You have opened the eyes of many young people and artists eyes with your unique vision and will always be an inspiration
for us all.

Cheers and thanks
MAX
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: max_thehitman on April 25, 2011, 04:40:34 PM


If any of you guys and gals out there want some really truly inspirational space-art books to
read and look at hundreds, upon hundreds, of truly exceptional artworks,
please get these books for your collection...
- http://www.amazon.com/Out-Cradle-Exploring-Frontiers-Beyond/dp/0894807706
- http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Tour-Travelers-Guide-System/dp/0761135472/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

I bought these books when I was in my early teens back in the 1980´s (Jurassic era  ;D ) and they inspired
my vision of how things are out there as well as how great art is done and painted. They are simply amazing.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Marcos Silveira on May 01, 2011, 09:00:49 AM
What annoys me the most is the fact that in an era man can take pics of the very borders of the universe, we can't take a high Def pic of Titan's surface!!!!
Instead, we end up with something like this:
(http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/gallery/huygens_titan.jpg)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Henry Blewer on May 01, 2011, 11:24:34 AM
It was foggy that day.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Marcos Silveira on July 24, 2011, 02:50:17 PM
Quote from: njeneb on May 01, 2011, 11:24:34 AM
It was foggy that day.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL :D
You're funny!!!!
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on July 27, 2011, 07:45:21 AM
Gosh! Thanks for the great compliment!  :)

Quote from: max_thehitman on April 25, 2011, 04:40:34 PM


If any of you guys and gals out there want some really truly inspirational space-art books to
read and look at hundreds, upon hundreds, of truly exceptional artworks,
please get these books for your collection...
- http://www.amazon.com/Out-Cradle-Exploring-Frontiers-Beyond/dp/0894807706
- http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Tour-Travelers-Guide-System/dp/0761135472/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

I bought these books when I was in my early teens back in the 1980´s (Jurassic era  ;D ) and they inspired
my vision of how things are out there as well as how great art is done and painted. They are simply amazing.

Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on July 27, 2011, 07:48:37 AM
Sorry to not have been very active in the forums in recent months. I've been pretty much swamped with finishing up this project

http://www.the-exoplanets.com/

which should be available in about two weeks.

There are roughly 70 major astronomical illustrations in the app (including four 360-degree panoramas), all but a handful of which were created using TG2. I'll post a few of them in here later today.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Tangled-Universe on July 27, 2011, 08:29:35 AM
Looking forward to it :)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Henry Blewer on July 27, 2011, 09:06:34 AM
Awesome. I shared the website link on Facebook. I wish I had an IPad now...
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on July 27, 2011, 03:52:31 PM
Here is one of the images from the app...

It depicts an extrasolar ice planet (one of Beta Hydrii's planets, in case you were wondering) whose sun is becoming a red giant. The increased radiation is melting the glaciers.

(http://black-cat-studios.com/glacier%201t.jpg)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Jonathan on July 28, 2011, 10:33:56 AM
Hi Blackcat. Fantastic images - amongst the best I have seen in my shortish time here. Getting to grips with TG2. I would love to know how you manage to get the Starfield in the background. Did you use other software to render the volcanos / lava etc or use the (sometimes complex) facilities within TG2? Jonathan.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Marcos Silveira on July 28, 2011, 05:23:32 PM
Quote from: blackcat on July 27, 2011, 03:52:31 PM
Here is one of the images from the app...

It depicts an extrasolar ice planet (one of Beta Hydrii's planets, in case you were wondering whose sun is becoming a red giant. The increased radiation is melting the glaciers.

And as the process of red giant endures a few billions of years, we would expect life generating in this new ocean...
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on August 02, 2011, 07:20:50 AM
Quote from: ro-nin on July 28, 2011, 05:23:32 PM
Quote from: blackcat on July 27, 2011, 03:52:31 PM
Here is one of the images from the app...

It depicts an extrasolar ice planet (one of Beta Hydrii's planets, in case you were wondering whose sun is becoming a red giant. The increased radiation is melting the glaciers.

And as the process of red giant endures a few billions of years, we would expect life generating in this new ocean...

We can only hope!
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on August 02, 2011, 07:22:30 AM
Quote from: jj100all4u on July 28, 2011, 10:33:56 AM
Hi Blackcat. Fantastic images - amongst the best I have seen in my shortish time here. Getting to grips with TG2. I would love to know how you manage to get the Starfield in the background. Did you use other software to render the volcanos / lava etc or use the (sometimes complex) facilities within TG2? Jonathan.

Thanks for the nice words!

The star fields are all separate artwork. I have a dozen different ones in my files, mostly based on real stars. Anything not TG2 in the images was done with Photoshop. What exactly was done and how depends entirely on the individual illustration.

Here is another example from this new series about exoplanets:

(http://black-cat-studios.com/extrasolarplanets/imag001.jpg)
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: TheBadger on August 03, 2011, 12:50:23 AM
These are so good they make me angry! >:( I really like the ones on page 1
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: Splus12 on August 03, 2011, 12:59:14 AM
Absolutely awesome work.  Really loved the image of Beta Hydrii.
Title: Re: Some recent astronomical work...
Post by: blackcat on August 03, 2011, 05:00:31 PM
Aww, gee, guys, thanks! :D

Here is one from a different series. It shows a scene in Peary Crater on earth's moon. The peaks of the crater rim have sometimes been called the "Mountains of Eternal Light" because they are in perpetual sunlight.

(http://www.black-cat-studios.com/planetparks/Moon/imag000.jpg)