Description
Dolmen are
thought to be burial plots but scientists are unclear who made
them and how. I think they’re fascinating myself.
This particular scene was inspired by a dolmen in Ireland, and it is no accident that I am posting
it in time for St Patrick’s Day (though dolmen predate St Paddy
by a few thousand years).
I will most likely do another render of this without the
darker foreground rocks (the round ones in the grass). Any
other ideas?
Kevin [lifer] –
I really like this one but have been unable to use it due to there not being a dual screen version. Is there any chance of a multi-screen update?
Lorwynd [nonmonthly] –
I love the stonehenge-y, Celtic feel of this one and would love to see it updated or a new one with a similar look/feel.
Sarah –
I hope your still have this on the back burner. I’d love to get it in a print.
Rob C. –
Use this as my wallpaper on my 7″ Android tablet. Love it!
Glen –
Any chance at this getting a dual screen treatment?
GPed –
Love the picture… Any chance of a dual- or triple-monitor version?
CarmineF –
This rendering inspired a thought…There are some fascinating rock formations in the Southwestern United States. I would imagine a Sand-Colored Floor, Reddish-Brown Rocks & Deep Blue Sky would be striking.
Ryan –
I’ve done a couple of different renders of this and I just cannot seem to get it right. I will probably end up just doing another render with this lighting but change up the vegetation a bit. So many projects, so little time…
Scarr –
I remember you said you had some grand plans for this one… what happened to that? I was really excited.
kellzilla –
Will this one get its update anytime? I would love to use this on my desktop but the dark rocks in the foreground look suspiciously like piles of poop. :/
Melyssa –
I’m not exactly sure why, but this one is my favorite. I think it’s the mood. And I think it looks great, and can’t wait to see updated versions and multi-screen options! Even if it takes a few months, it’ll be worth it. (:
Lidia –
Has this piece been abandoned? I thought it was going to be updated…?
Michael –
I’d love a night render of this, maybe with candles left for forgotten ancestors…?
Lidia –
Is this going to be updated or has it been abandoned?
Bryentt –
Still patiently waiting for a Dual screen version.
Ted –
Any chance for a multi-screen update for this one? I suppose it must be hard to go back to an old project sometimes when new ideas come along.
Ryan –
I have had this project “on the backburner” for quite a while now and need to finish it. I really want the single-screen to be as close to final as possible before widening the frame.
Abby –
Please Please Please! Make a dual screen version of this!!!!
Michael –
This looks amazing. I’d afraid of cutting myself on that jagged closest rock. I love it just the way the image is right now. Although, I do try to look to the left of the image, wondering what is causing that shadow – must be something large 🙂
Ryan –
I have a new version of this rendering right now. The atmosphere and lighting at completely new and I’ve scaled back the long grass and flowers. It should be done rendering in a couple of days…
Misty –
I love this one but if your going to do the background a bit darker how about maybe some fog and a little bit of rain. Would be cool to have the rain dripping from the large rock, or something to that affect. Keep up the awesome work. =)
Dean –
It’s not finished? I used this as a wallpaper without even realizing that it wasn’t done!
dmackoy –
have to agree with most others, just something about it feels fake. Overall love the design and idea. If the rocks are a problem then you could always zoom out a bit. Would love to see this one on my desktop but that wont be happeing in its current render.
Cougz –
Am I the only one who had never heard of a Dolmen ? I had to google the word to find out.. Nice piece, but not my fav..
Andy –
I don’t mind this latest one, maybe some seasons in the future? 🙂
Angelique –
Interesting…I had never heard of dolmens before this post. I like the scene – it’s very photo-realistic – and I always appreciate your attention to detail 🙂
I’ve read the Narnia series too and loved it! I hope future artworks feature Narnia-inspired scenes 😀
Tom –
Just a rock in my opinion.
UnSungHero –
The ancient rock features have always been one of my favorite parts of history lessons in school (they remind me of the stone table) so I am excited to see how this turns out and would love to see a pickle jar version of the stone table. Keep up the great work Ryan!
BonnyGG –
This is way kewl!
The mountains in the background (left) don’t seem to *mesh* with the ones on the right.
I agree with the earlier comment about lighting. Maybe something more early morning dramatic?
Badbrainsg –
This is a strong image, although I agree that it’s reminiscent of your earlier work (“Relics”). On my screen, the upper right corner is cut off. My monitor is 16:9 ratio. I’d really like to see the upper end of the dolmen with a bit of sky beyond it.
Pat A –
Thanks for explaining that the red thing is a butterfly…can see that now that I’m awake.
dejerdejer –
I have had this posted as my background for a few days. This is not ready for the gallery. everything looks a little too fake for me. this looks like something you could of made in 2005. You can make this so much better. To me this is more easter than st. pats day anyways. Make it better.
Dennis M. –
I know this might sound weird, but how about instead of a dolman, make it a stone park bench that looks like it’s ten thousand years old… :p
Paul M. –
‘Dolmen” is one of my all time favorites! Good Job, Ryan!
Fumigator –
Looks like a butterfly to me :p
Pat A –
Love this…but what is the little red thingy in the lower middle of picture….looks like a canteen to me???? Ok, I know it’s not a canteen, but what is it?
Labanimal –
Overall I get that this was not intended as a final release…
The more I look at it, the more I wish the colors of the grass and flowers etc was more vibrant. It feels somewhat dull in comparison to Cloverscape.
The clouds and mountains in the back also looks a little odd..
Its hard to comment as I don’t really know the landscape of Ireland, the color pallet etc… but I’m hopeful that your final render would leave my jaw firmly on the ground!
Jeff –
… it does resemble the Scottish countryside. The rocks — the dolmen in particular — look a little artificial, but you did say that you have a lot more that you want to do with this one. I eagerly await the finished product.
joseph –
i dont know why i never seen this before. outstanding.
Brandi –
I like this a lot. I love the atomsphere/lighting/clouds in this. The rocks are looking good, but still need a little work. Love the lushness of the ground. Very spring-like!
beakerj –
The part of ireland that the dolmen are in is thin soil over limestone with lots of cracks and crevaces. The surface of the ground here looks a bit too much lush. the three small rocks could also do with some desizing. love the color and image though..it rocks! looking forward to the next version.
Hunter –
Second only to Highland Spring! It’s beautiful! Keep up the good work!
Stevo –
Dan, I actually think the big rocks are perfect. If they are anything like the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma (which also have some crazy rocks that look precariously balanced), they are covered in lichens, not mosses, which give them that ancient and weathered look.
Ryan, I really like this one. The background fog and hills are nice additions. I am with you on the little round rocks; they are somewhat distracting. But altogether this image is awesome.
kody –
this is awesome, honestly better than stonehenge just cause its irish. but anyway an idea would be to mabye have it around sunset time? just to add more vivid color to it?
Dan –
I think you are definitely on to something. The only critique I can give is to work on making the rocks a little more realistic. Some how the moss and look on them is kind of fake. I love the short and tall grasses (That’s what they are for those who weren’t sure)and flowers. I think only thing to keep working on would be the realistic look of the rocks and the moss on them. Otherwise it’s nice!
horcruxhp –
I like this one!!! Anything good in the pickle jar for this one? Can we look forward to some dual/triple screens in the future?!!
cindy –
I like this one. My first thought was that the dolmen looks too unstable to stand–but then I looked at the pic of the real dolmen that inspired this, and it’s even more gravity-defying than your imagined one!
Don’t know if render times would make this impossible, but it would be neat to see an alternate version of this pic with either fog (like in Palisade or Pathway from 2000) or with that dark, diffuse “under the storm” gray lighting like in the pickle-jar version of Before the Storm (2007), with lightning bolts in the background.
It’s fun to match your desktop pictures to the actual weather. There’s a fair number of sunset, moonlit, an sunlit options in your gallery, but not as many choices for a good, dark rainy day. And spring storm season is fast approaching. 🙂
Sebastian –
Well… the composition’s nice and all, but the rendering looks a bit off, a little fake if i may… not really my favourite, though I’m sure you’ll improve upon it in the next days! 🙂
betsey –
I realise this is a “starter”–but did you sign it?? Can’t read it if you did!!!
Big Dave –
I agree the lighting seems wrong, the colors are too vibrant to be realistic and I’m not sure I care for the long blades of grass or whatever those are supposed to be. I’d even add that the clouds seem to be blocking the mountains in a way that just doesn’t appeal to me. I think sometimes Vue or other landscape programs look better from a distance than up close in detail. So eh…not terrible but not a fav either.
Scarr –
The clouds look great, and the idea is good as well, but it looks a little fake. Like a render from 6 or 7 years ago.
cindy –
I have to second Stevo re: the rocks. The weathered surface texture and the lichens look pretty realistic to me. They make the dolmen and the other large rocks look mystical and ancient. I hope you don’t change them.
kasper –
why not something a little cooler? like lions or somthing like that:)
Map –
Perhaps a early morning or late evening, or something with moodier lighting would add a bit more of a mystical air to this piece? I really like it, reminds me of the easter island heads wallpaper you did years ago. Loved that.
Zenith –
Ryan, the dolmen is an intriguing idea for a wallpaper. I echo the earlier comments in saying that this is progressing nicely. I am surprised by your comment that the image is only 50% complete! Can’t wait to see the finished article.
David –
Is that a castle in the distance? I do love castles.
That said, I think this one still looks a tad fantastic or impossible. Something about the combination of the clouds and mountains bugs me, although I can’t see the twister others have mentioned. I agree with some other posters that it might be good to thin the rocks instead of outright removing them, and emphasize the play of the light among the remainder. You might allow some small variation in the flowers’ pigmentation to make them look more wild.
Saying that it looks too incredible in the “unrealistic” sense doesn’t change the fact that it looks too incredible in the “your audience will forever be in awe of this” sense. Even if I can’t see something like this in my own back yard I can picture it in some place more like Narnia. Your work has always taken me to new worlds, so it’s not like I could begrudge you any amount of unreality anyway. …Keep up the good work I say!
(I’m thinking . . . pickle jar?)
Lidia –
I think the light is too bright on the closest rock.
celmendo –
I have to agree with some others. Changing the light so that it’s streaming through the rocks or just playing around and through it with lots of shadow and color variation would be more interesting. I like the concept so far. Most that I looked up seemed more like deliberately placed structures, chosen for the location, than the almost natural look that yours has and it’s a little busy. I know you’ll make it gorgeous as usual.
Josh –
Ok. Where’d you hide the leprechaun? And where’s the rainbow? Come on!
Yeoman –
The 1920×1080 download loses the end of the top section & two of the crows off screen. Needs tweaking?
Mordred –
Oh yeah .. one final thought .. maybe this can go though your 4 seasons as well. I mean you got a good spring one here. Summer could have brownish grass. Fall could have a more greenish dark to it as it is raining that time of year. Winter would be obvious 🙂
Jeremy –
Like a couple of posters have mentioned, the texture on the rocks has almost too much contrast, which gives it a grainy-artificial look (something your early works did a lot, but more recently ones have not).
My first thought of the mountain peak was also a “twister”, perhaps tweaking the shape of the clouds would help here.
Finally, I am not quite sure about the taller blades of grass. They somehow seem off to me.
I think this one has a lot of potential though
Mordred –
Ryan, beautiful spring picture. I love the background and how it looks like it is going to storm. The dolmen looks cool, and I think the rot/moss add a lot to it, as well as the cracks. The thing that I think takes away from it is the lots of little rocks half buried by grass. I think that the larger (not dolman) rocks jutting up are cool, but the littler ones just don’t add much as you are adding too many details to something that should be focused on the large rocks itself. The simple grass with little flowers (maybe 25% less of them) might make the whole thing pop.
As you said – great start, and might be a pickle jar in the future.
Tyler –
Dude, Ryan already stated that this is an incomplete project. You could have taken the opportunity to provide constructive criticism (aka the meaning of this section), but instead you became a troll. I think there is great potential here. I would pull back and offer a more panoramic view with an enhanced sky.
Daniel –
A lot of ancient monoliths are solar aligned… so maybe adjusting it with the run rising in the background?
littlemom –
love the grass and rocks, but the sky needs to be brighter. also one of the clouds looks like a volcano errupting, kind of weird for an Ireeland pic I think. Can’t wait to see the final product.
tyson –
I love the moss covered stones
tyson –
I love the moss covered stones
Topher –
I like it quite a bit, but it looks like it’s near the end or beginning of a day, with very long shadows. I’d really enjoy a bright sunny afternoon version.
Mike –
From Ryan:
“Added “Dolmen” to the gallery this morning. I had wanted to have this one ready for St. Patrick’s Day (it was inspired by an Irish dolmen after all) but I think it is only about halfway there.”
He did say it wasn’t near done, he just wanted to get it posted on the actual holiday it’s inspired from.
Labanimal –
I agree with Flareheart
extstgleft –
rather boring. not sure what about it i’m supposed to be impressed with. you are way more talented and creative than this displays.
FlareHeart –
Hey Ryan, I think this is a beautiful picture. It reminds me of my trip to Ireland this past September, but I think it’s a little underdone in comparison to your other recent works. It just feels a little unfinished. It’s a beautiful picture and I can’t wait for the more refined version.
Keep up the great work!
Steve H. –
It looks like a tornado on the horizon between those clouds.
Ryan –
Yes, reading those books to Ian these past months has caused a bit of “creeping Narnia” in my work.
RC –
One of those birds looks like it’s eying the butterfly on the rock in the foreground.
P –
The Scene itself is gorgeous. Contrary to some of the previous comments I think the lighting is more appropriate for a St Paddy’s day scene. I also think all of the different rocks besides the dolemen itself adds a nice complexity to the picture. But the Dolmen itself looks more like a stone bench. I am not sure what contributes to that, I think several items. Both of the uprights eroded to a fraction of the thickness of the capstone, the low viewing angle, and the lack of a referent. The ravens are a nice touch to make it even more Irish.
Scot –
the part of the Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe where Aslan is brought to the stone table and sacrificed
Adi –
A Moonlight version would be perfect IMHO
Adi –
A Moonlight version would be perfect IMHO
Eoin –
Nice, but playing with the lighting might make it better. Some low-angle orange/red lighting (like a sunset) would make some cool shadows and colouring.
Ryan –
This one is half-in/half-out of the gallery. I posted it last night but am having second thoughts about whether it is ready or not.
Walo –
I think the big rocks texture is a little bit too grainy and creates too much contrast. I think a more subdued texture like the one on the right “pillar” hits the spot.
Greg in CA –
I wouldn’t even have known there was a new piece if I hadn’t seen a picture of it with the latest comment.
Chad –
Yay, green! Bring on spring! I like this one, but I have to agree about the dark little rocks in the grass. At a quick glance, they look like mole hills. I want to jump in the screen with a shovel and clean those up. 😉
Ben –
Cool concept but I agree, the rendering on the rocks seems a bit funny. And the paler, more “spring-like” greens kind of kill any feeling of age or mystery that might go along with something like a dolmen. Definitely a neat concept though!
Tim H –
Thought you might get a kick out of this.
http://www.rinkworks.com/dialect/dialectp.cgi?dialect=jive&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalblasphemy.com%2Fdbhome.shtml
Oh and I love the new render.
Geep –
Its green and is just in time for spring. 🙂 It was a beautiful day where I live and this is just the perfect end to it. Ooh and there is a butterfly too! 🙂
Ryan –
Actually I think it was Kilclooney dolmen.
Ryan –
That was the exact dolmen that inspired this one.
Mark –
Reminds me of the real thing, pulnabrone dolmen http://www.flickr.com/photos/87561074@N00/3381040168/in/set-72157615736948023/
Sarkis –
I like it, not sure about the render on the rocks. Love the three wise birds sitting atop the large rock. You never disappoint – thanks!