Description
I would just like to say thanks to everyone for the kind words
posted here and on my Facebook account regarding the recent loss of my
father. I am still reeling from all of this but it helps that
my four brothers and my sister are all together now sharing
stories and laughing/crying through our memories.
The saddest part of all of this, for me, is thinking about
what my two boys are going to miss out on. I feel like I am
greiving for the three us. Seven years ago my wife and I made
the decision to move our family from sunny San Diego back to my
hometown in Illinois so my kids could grow up with two
grandparents around. Rather than rue the past however, I will
try to be thankful for the few years we did have together.
One thing that I always knew about my Dad was that he loved to
make things, whether it be music, painting, or Christmas presents
for his grandkids. He loved telling stories.
I would like to think that his creative spirit will live on in
my work. I am looking forward to sharing some of his paintings
with you in the weeks ahead.
I’ve been working on this project for the past week or so and
the render finally finished yesterday. Now I haven’t decided if
I am truly finished with it or not, but I thought it looked nice
enough to post as is. I am not sure when I will be able to pick
up work on it again.
I had thought to dedicate this to my father, but decided
against it. I will create something more fitting in the future.
Thanks again to everyone for the condolenses and prayers.
The Floating Garden: floatinggardenconcept1
Chris S –
So many of your pictures invite stories. I imagine a peculiar mineral growth that results in the hexagonal (octagonal?) pillars, which break down when they reach air, creating soil for the plants and trees. I wonder what lives of the inhabitants of this world would be like? I imagine humanoid primitives living amongst the small archipelagos, possibly swimming & playing with the dolphins. What would their culture be like, their world-view, being so connected to three elements; air, earth and water? Amazing.
ED –
this is so awesome one of 2012s top 3 good job inculding the night one and pickle jar variations
Ryan –
I’ve added the poster for this one to my Zazzle collection… The Floating Garden by digitalblasphemy
Bill –
I’m a big fan of his work overall, but a few years ago Ryan’s drawings were moving closer and closer to what I’d consider realistic-looking. Somewhere along the line they started looking more rendered and “cartoonish”, like they’d appear in a video game. I hope the trend reverses.
Dale –
Are you planning on rendering it in multiscreen? I have it on all of my computers at work and at home – except my dualscreen 🙂
Nick –
I hope things are going ok.
Wonderful as usual.
Shay –
Great work Ryan, and my condolences to you and your family for your loss!
Ryan –
I am rendering a new version with slightly different colors which I hope to post soon. I’ve reconfigured the dolphins too 😉
Brian –
This is great, but it’s hours later and the fish haven’t moved.
Seriously, that was the thought that went through my little head. Lost in the art baby!
Alex H –
Pickle jar version is pretty sick imo. The main pic is top notch, but I still quite like the direction the other one was going in
erielack –
Ryan, I lost my dad in 2004. Seems tough to realize that we eventually lose parents and usually when we least expect. My dad was very creative and sounds a lot like your father about projects, music, etc. I got my creativity from him as well. Hang in there and again I am sorry for your loss. By the way, I really like your green/water version of the floating garden. Thanks, Brett
Terry –
Morning Ryan, Take as long as you need – I hope you are your family are doing as well as can be expected at this time. Thoughts are with you.
Ben –
A very cool concept and excellent composition, but have you noticed that several of your newer images have a lot of grain/noise in the blacks and shadows? I’m sure there’s an explanation for it that I’m not fluent enough with your software to know of, but I feel like this would look tons better if the shadows were a lot smoother and the highlight areas weren’t so harsh.
On an unrelated note: I feel like the greens could be a deeper green (and less bright) and would look great.
Thanks!
Spike –
This is one of the most beautiful and serene images you’ve done… I absolutely love it.
JK –
The hyperlinked multiscreen thumbnail on your main page points to moonlitoasis2. Link in the text below worked for me.
Also, while I feel like you need to know about stuff like this… I also think these threads are not the place for it. Have you ever considered setting up a small forum here? yes, email is the obvious answer but people in general are far more likely to mention issues in a public forum.
Ryan –
I would be easy for me to slip back in that direction, but I will only be adding life to this one from here on out.
Lidia –
Boy that pickle jar version from early on sure looks like a much less inviting place… I hope any updated versions don’t go back to looking much like that one. 😛
Shawn –
The floating garden won’t set as my background?
Littlemom –
ooohhhh! love this one, the colors are awesome! Thanks for putting this one out there for us Ryan.
Justin B. –
It’s the pictures like this one that make me wish I could visit the worlds that must exist in your mind. So much of your artwork gives me an outlet for my imagination Thank you!!
Andrew S. –
What would you think of doing a pre-dawn version of this with some light fog/mist rising from the water?
Zero –
It kind of reminds me of the game greedcorp… 🙂
Its beautiful, but the plants are a bit less… The dolfins are a nice touch…
Scarr –
Though some of the plants look like they came right out of Mario Kart 64, this is my favorite background to date. I’ve literally never seen anything like it. 110% on creativity 85% execution.
celmendo –
First, gorgeous and I love it! But after staring at it for a while I finally figured out what was bugging me. The water is not still so there should be minor disturbances around the plant leaf edges to give it that extra separation. Prob. a rendering decision on your part but if you ever get around to updating it that would be appreciated. Thank you as always.
Meng –
I don’t comment often, but this piece REALLY inspired me to say something. This is a VERY good piece!
Amaryllis –
I absolutely love this one. Breathtaking. Thank you!
rdeforest –
I like this one a lot, especially that there is no one central dominating focus, or if there is, it’s the dark deep water in the center.
I’ve had this one up on my desktop since you posted it, and when I need a break at work I minimize all my windows and just stare at it. As I’m having an annoying week at work I’ve had plenty of time to notice nit-picky stuff which I’m going to mention, but none of it means I don’t love the picture. 🙂
The repetition of the texture on the pillar/planters jumps out at me, especially how it’s out of sync with the edges of the polygons of the objects. That texture also seems to show something coming out of it but also looks strangely flat. I don’t normally notice the textures in your work, so I was pretty surprised when I noticed, and then I couldn’t _not_ notice.
Also the plants sitting on the water look strangely flat in stark contrast to the bushes growing near the bases of the trees.
Finally, something about the lighting nags at me. It seems to be natural, and yet it also seems to close.
Hope my feedback is helpful.
Bulldog –
Awesome work as usual, Ryan. Reminds me of when my own dad would work on his water gardens; He had the water hyacinths, (the floating plants you have around the columns), and even some koi. I’d even go with him to the botanic gardens when he was a volunteer working on their water gardens. Very peaceful, tranquil.
dujeon –
This is an awesome piece Ryan, this is the reason why I joined DB, a beautiful piece of innovative work
Geep –
I really like the way you can see down into the water, it makes it look so surreal. 🙂 Definitely going on my wallpaper rotation.
Jeff –
I’ll be proud to post this to my monitor just as it is, and I know your father would be proud to see this. May peace come your way soon.
Jonathan –
I really like this one Ryan. It is different from anything else you have done (as far as I know).
A couple things that would make it a ten for me- being able to see through the water more easily to the bottom, and different plants with more variety (possibly more color, but the color simplicity is nice in its own way).
Your father sounds like a great man. I am sorry for your loss Ryan. You will be in my prayers whenever I see your this wallpaper.
The Guru –
I truly love this one. I’m not noticing any flaws in this work. The idea is superb and the execution is crisp. This one gets a ten.
James –
I love this one! The beauty for me lies in the simplicity and clean execution. Well done, sir.
As has been said, so sorry to hear about your father. I will certainly be sending prayers out for you and your family.
Lidia –
This image stirs my own imagination into wanting to dream of alternate worlds waiting to be explored. Your father’s creative spirit most definitely lives on in your work!
I love that picture that you linked to when you mentioned what you think your sons may miss out on. I would encourage you to frame it for them so that they will always remember what a great grandfather they had for the years that they had him.
Alex H –
Especially those dolphins. awesome stuff
Trav –
I am so sorry to hear about your father. His creative spirit definitely lives on in you…I can’t imagine coming up with a new image every couple weeks as originally as you do.
And this particular work is incredible. I can’t wait for the dual screen renders.
Dale –
I certainly didn’t really expect a new render from you after your tragic loss, but you’ve really hit the ball out of the park with this one. I can’t help but feel we’ve seen these columns before on another render… I’ll have to look around.
Jeff K –
For some reason this image pulls me in and makes me want to explore this world. Are the pillars which the trees grow on natural or artificial? What do the tree tops looks like? What arent we seeing of this world. This is just great.
Dan –
This is beautiful.
Nico –
Very calming.
Nico –
Very calming.
0beron –
Crumbs, they just keep getting better and better! Great sense of depth from the columns as they fade into the deep water.
bruceam –
This one strikes a chord. There is something rejuvenating about this image, almost like a traveler encountering an oasis. The composition is pleasing to the eye on many levels. The Dolphin are an especially nice touch. I can’t wait for the wide screens!!!
Thank you
Patrick –
This is a beautiful new render. Great to see the return of the 3 dolphins – freshwater this time, I presume, maybe Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis)?
I admire your decision to wait for your father’s tribute. I am sure you will create the right piece when the time is right.
Gregor –
Uncharted 3! Very fresh-looking with all the green plants and the slight blur on the surface… looks great on the columns!
Jake –
Nice job! On a side note, did you mean to leave out the “r” in Garden? I keep thinking I’m in Boston whenever I read it. 🙂
Chris –
I was getting a little upset because I had the impression that some of your work wasn’t quite as good as it used to be, but this really proved me wrong. I love how its something very extordinary and very colorful. It seems like alot of your work is very natural landscapes or otherwise natural patterns but this is something you wouldn’t find in nature; it almost looks like something out of a fairy tale. Very well done.
Afya –
The #1 reason I follow your work and use your art for my wallpapers is the way it fires my imagination. Like running water in the desert for my dried-up creativity. 🙂 This image is magical.
Where my mind wants to go in this scene is down – I want to be swimming with those dolphins and seeing this amazing world from their perspective. What do they see of the trees? How deep do those towers go? Is it possible for a different kind of alternate render, to change the perspective completely…?