Post Work In Terragen

[classylady]

Ok so I have to ask, I've seen so much post work in Terragen I can not help but wonder why? and when did it all start? Gosh I remember Terragen when it was pure Terragen , now I see way to much post work some not being Terragen.. When did all this post work start with Terragen and how do people really feel about it post work that is? Terragen in itself is a brilliant program.. sorry don't understand why the post work. One thing to add an animal for example. I don't know guess I was just taught the original way without post work, no I'm not good at all with Terragen but do know a good Terragen when I see it.:)

[Revenant]

What images are you thinking of, as an example?
Being in the terragen scene for as long as two years and a half, I reckon that things around Terragen have evolved a bit.
I guess many simply grew tired after having explored all of the possibilities of the program, so they think it was time to mix the mediums and use Terragen as a resource for backgrounds.

I personally have heavily postworked a few images as a sort of personal photoshop training. Some, like "Finally, Mordor!" (http://www.innertraveler.com/publicgallery/showphoto.php?photo=12866&cat=500&page=1) or "The Stones" (http://www.innertraveler.com/publicgallery/showphoto.php?photo=8129&cat=500&page=1) (which actually has a minimum pw, just the small runes on the stones) turned out so well I was proud of them and uploaded them.
Other than this, I simply correct the levels of the image, sharpen, and put signatures, frames, or titles, which in the Terragen world is not defined as "Postwork" at all, as every TG artist did it from the start. It is not cheating, but simply correct the small faults that the program has (for example, have you noted that the final render is sometimes darker, and has less contrast than the preview? Some renders at high definition (I usually render at 2400x1800 or 3200x2400 then resize), with a lot of water, may take as much as 12 or more hours to render, and when one discovers that the image is not as the preview suggested, the best way is to go with level correction than re-render ;)

What I personally don't appreciate is when you see images heavily postworked to balance the fact that no skill has been put in them. My idea is that one should concentrate to improve ones' skills on the program rather than embellish the images in other ways. And, I'd encourage people to learn how to do better TG images rather than spending the same time on pw!
Anyway, we all must admit that anyone can use any medium in the way he or she sees fit, and, while I do totally agree on the fact that postwork is not necessary, and that the best TG images to me are the pure TG ones, I think we must accept all those who think that TG is better heavily postworked, as there's nothing as free as art (fortunately!!!).

:wave:
Rev

[classylady]

and see I guess at the time no one was doing post work, I see your images and it falls into play there is a difference to me at least if you can't tell its post worked thats great. to me Like yours are all awesome guess for me I just wished I was good at Terragen but that would mean not working with my other ones so we all have a choice as to which program gets used the most. For me all I have ever done is a bit of sharpening and in some cases a little color enhancement and sig I don't even use a frame. guess that is just old school , looks like I'd better get with the new ways, I render at about 1600x1200 sometimes larger depends on the image and how much I want it to look better. I don't believe I've had a render longer then 2 hours. lol see told you I just will never get Terragen... what I do get is plain luck..

Thanks Rev for the info nice to share information makes us all better in one way or another. :)

:heart:

[Engel47]

Sorry but after seeing all these "anti" postwork threads all over the site - I really have to ask this - when did the big debate about postwork begin, and more to the point, why?

My personal opinion (and it just an opinion) is that there is nothing wrong with postwork. Even the great masters kept tarting up their images. Postwork can make a good image great - it is often needed to put right something that just does not "feel" right, or "look" right. it is "Artistic License" When did we become terragen, or poser, or bryce purists?

What's wrong with postwork?

:gallery: :community

[Q.R.]

I was never interested in Terragen as a program unto itself. I simply wanted a way to create my own base landscapes to use with other applications. (call them mixed medium if you wish) I don't get all that excited about things I can't twiddle with and add to in every way I can think of. it's my style of "art". Bless the purists.....if that's your thing, go for it. But please don't put down those who use a program as nothing more than a tool to get to where they need to be within their artistic vision. If I were capable, I'd use papers, and canvas, pencils and paints of all types and forms....together if necessary to achieve what I see in my head. I honestly don't give a hoot whether you did what you did in one program or ten. It's the art itself that should speak to you, not the method of your madness.

[classylady]

I apologize I had no intention to cause such an uproad I simply was asking Rev when did it start since I had been out of Terragen for a long time. I guess I should have simply messaged him . End of subject its closed as far as I am concerned. He answered me and that is that. no more talk about it from me. :worship:

[Revenant]

My view of art is a free-for-all place to express oneself. So it actually doesn't matter which and even how the mediums are used to an end. I speak just of my idea of what I like to see about a terragen (or a mixed media involving terragen) image.

@Q.R. I'd like to restate that I *do* love seeing terragen used as a background for a poser figure, or, say, postworked to add objects, figure, frames, or even filtered to produce mixed art ideas (canvas textures, waterpaint effects, sepia tones, etc...).
What I don't actually like is seeing a "pure" terragen image clearly postworked by other programs in order to correct the obvious glitches it had (not coming from the faults of the program itself, which actually has a few). I don't know if I can explain myself any better, but it is like trying to sell a rusted car adjusting its photograph with a pen. I'd try and fix the car, instead. So, I'd simply like one to invest a few hours on learning a program, than wasting hours fixing his/her wrong images with another program one knows better.

@all
It is up to one's needs, as I understand and respect *all* of those who use terragen as a "complement" for other media, but I ask: don't you think that your works could even be better if you improved your control on Terragen? :)

And another thing: I think that Carolyn just didn't state her question that well, is it? ;) I think hers was just an innocent way to satisfy her curiosity about postworking in Terragen, and, well SURE we do all respect the *outcome* of any artist work, independently on the medium used, Q.R. :)

BTW, Angela, any news on our "collab" work??? :blowkiss:

[Engel47]

BTW, Angela, any news on our "collab" work???

*Blushing* Don't worry - I have not forgotten - just never seem to have enough hours in the day - I promise I will do it - just don't pin me to an exact date :sprint:

[Revenant]

No, no... I am just gonna stick these last three posts from me and you all over the forums :D :froggy:

Hehe, take the time you need ;)

[ron0946]

this whole thinng as got blown completly outta perportion a simple question about postwork and all heck breaks loose. most programs can make a fantastic pic without pw. if you learn the program and push it and your talent to the limit images are fantastic....learn a program what it can and can't do first. but a lot make therir first image take into ps and work the hech outta it. true some do need some others don't, belive it or not. time to pick another subject to ponder over..

[wile1]

Post work Postwork!! Oh come on everyone lets stop this. We all have our styles we all have used postwork. Its a tool to help you when you make something. Fix a little smuge here, Take out a little line there, Add a little hair over there, whatever it is its your style whether you use any postwork or not!!

Personally, sometimes I use some postwork sometimes I don't, sometimes I think a pic calls for a change so postwork helps. But its your thing whether you use it or not. Can't argue and fight over it.

Even the greatest painters in the world fix mistakes!! And with my eyesight I make a lot of mistakes. Although.. sometimes.. happy little mistakes happen and they are happy little wonderful things that add to a pic. So lets stop the fighting about it, use it if you want to don't if you don't simple as that.

[Hawk]

Whether we use postwork in an image is irrelevant...we are all individulal personalites and what we create is a reflection of our inner selves...we can create pure images in Bryce Terragen other 2D and 3D programs, all the dozens of Fractal Program, when we take them into another Graphics program to reflect what we are feeling they become a Mixed Medium...nothing wrong with that as long as we make it clear we have enhanced the original...after all, the original program is really just the "medium" we are using to start the process, sometimes it is sufficient or by the the time we finish rendering our mood as changed or we see how to improve it...

Do YOUR "Thing"...

Hawk

[ppetersen]

Gonna toss in a few thoughts ...

I post work all my sketches :) sometimes sketching can get a bit messy especially with graphite. And all the best erasers in the world do not totally erase all of them. I've tried.

The same goes for TG as this is the only other program I use. In the beginning... eeps three months ago most of my images had no post work and you could tell. They weren't toned right. Someone suggested sharpening, I found that horrid as it tends to pixilate the image. From there I fiddled in my PSP program and found either contrast or clarifiying helped much better. Then it was suggested my 'gamma' correction was off in TG, so fixed that and then found that PSP has gamma adjust and it sometimes adds a more dramatic effect which was my original 'vision'.

As someone rather new to other programs (besides PSP which I use for all my hand art) I have found that it's the vision when opening the program that I have in my head. And yes I have some odd visions at times.. LOL.

:) good to discuss something like this for some folks have an idea of pw and it's not always what i think of as postwork nowadays.

I've seen some amazing pictures in TG at Render, but the thing is these folks don't always say it's pw and it gives one the impression that TG can actually do those things which it can't. Rev has the right of it. If you don't learn the actual program first, it's useless to do postwork for it adds nothing to the vision. Anywho I like topics like this cause it gives you a feel for everyone's thoughts and thoughts are good things... :) ehehe...

[classylady]

Please stop, I use post work also when I need too. I just asked a simple question because I had been out of Terragen for years and was curious as to how its done. Yes Rev I probably didn't ask it right. I have a hard time getting out the real question. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST POST WORK. I USE IT MYSELF. please end of subject lets go on to something else, this is getting old. Surely we all something better to discuss.

Plus a lot of you have no idea I can barely use my hands let alone see what I've done

Another subject please. We all have our ways of doing things and it is okay
post work is needed and I do, do post work.

Seems everyone is upset with me , If I can't ask a simple question without hurtful remarks back from some, then I don't need to be here.

Do your thing, do what you enjoy isn't that what art is about. What you like to create and how you like to do it . Just be happy in what you enjoy doing.

And Rev if you have any sites that has some tuts on post work for Terragen please let me know when you can. See you all later after I get the site updated. :wave:

[ron0946]

here, here

[Revenant]

@Carolyn, I do sincerely hope no one of us has taken this thread *too* seriously! And I am sure no one is cheesy enough to be upset with you, c'mon! :love:
Actually your post was USEFUL so that it let us exchange our ideas on a topic everyone has a quite different vision of. Now I am glad to know all of your ideas.

@wile: I can't see anyone fighting here, actually. I understand this "postwork" theme has been overused, but, as it is the first time this topic appears in Terragen forums, I was glad to read all of the ideas which came out. :hug:

I wish to invite all of you to really relax, as I want to see positive and interesting points of view on all of the things to come on this forum. Please!

This thread is locked from now.