Charlie and the Nature Factory [Warning: Stunningly Beautiful Large Photo Images]

Tepelus

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Actually, the photo isn't mine, but I wish it was because then that would have meant that I went to Hungary to take it, and I've always wanted to go there. I found the picture on Google Earth, of all places, while doing research on my novel. I saw the picture and I just had to draw it. I guess I should have said that earlier when I posted. My bad.
 

Tepelus

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I always feel more of a pull towards drawing/painting as winter closes in...not sure why. If you're like me, art is just as important as writing, sometimes one takes precedence over the other, but that doesn't make the other less important. There's a time for everything.

Same for me, too. Writing and drawing. Not sure what it is, the being trapped inside because I hate the cold, or the shorter days or just the change of the seasons themselves. I hadn't ignored my writing completely, but for the last couple of days my poor characters have been neglected with me just wanting to get this picture done and over with (after about 3/4 of the way through an art project I get antsy for it to just be done). Which may be a good thing for them, because the more I write, the more of them I keep killing off.
 

Lady MacBeth

Out, damn'd spot! out, I say.
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Finished that drawing I mentioned I was working on a while ago. Took me a long time to draw it. Of course, no matter how I try to capture it, either with the camera or with the scanner, it never looks as good as it does in real life. It always looks slightly blurred and the fine details can never be captured. Anyway, here it is, the ruined church of Zelemér, Hungary, the only thing that remains of the medieval town. I added the black vignette border when I edited the photo (slightly).




ZelemeacuterA11-29-12-1.jpg


That's a beautiful drawing. At first glance, I thought it was an old black and white photo. Thanks for sharing it.
 

swachski

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Tep, I absolutely love your drawing. I'm particularly pulled into the image by the haunting silhouettes of the trees, and your ability to create the sun using only the color of the paper. I agree that capturing the details with a scanner can be disappointing, but this is so intricate and stunning that I'm sure the original would blow us away. Too bad we can't pass it around the room and give it a thorough viewing! :)
 

swachski

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That sure beats the photos I took today of ice on the river.. Stunning shot, Dino. Is that Charlie?
 

parumpdragon

I sometimes hiccup fire
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Face to face with a beautiful face:

That face gives me chills, sorry. Especially in close up like that. You did such a good job that it feels like being right there staring back at the animal. :) Excellent work :D
 

swachski

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That face gives me chills, sorry. Especially in close up like that. You did such a good job that it feels like being right there staring back at the animal. :) Excellent work :D

I bet when Tidbit gets that big and stares you down, you won't get the chills... :D
 

parumpdragon

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I bet when Tidbit gets that big and stares you down, you won't get the chills... :D

:roll:

Tidbit will get to be about the size of a deck of cards, if this 70s-80s weather holds out through the winter.

We had one winter where it never dropped below 50 at night, and it was 75-80 ALL winter long.

The snowbirds 'elderly Arizona winter tourists' were totally in love with it, and stayed longer than the normal Nov-Feb "tourist season"

Mainly because we also had a mild spring, and it was in the 80s until May [which is almost unheard of out here]. It's usually 99 degrees already in May.

So yeah, we got almost no snow at all in the state that year [the ski resorts in Flagstaff and the White Mountains were not happy about that], and it was 75/sunny/and cloudless on Christmas day.

It just doesn't really seem Christmassy when it's bathingsuit weather. My opinion *shrug*

:D
 

night-flyer

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Amazing photo, SK!

Africa was very amusing this morning. Two young elephants went to Idube to play. They love playing in the water there. As I watched them having a good time, suddenly they stopped and turned around in the water. They trumpeted (or whatever, I call it yelling :D ) and slapped the water with their trunks. I couldn't see anything, but they moved to another location in the watering hole and continued playing. Within minutes they were yelling and slapping at the water again, highly agitated. The camera scanned the water and I could make out a small black lump heading towards the elephants. I thought it was a croc or gator. Other than being irritated, the elephants showed no sign of actual fear of the beast in the water, however they did move further down the watering hole. But to no avail, the creature kept following them. Having had enough of the water beast, the elephants got out, but kept stomping and charging at the water. Like I said, though, the elephants LOVE playing in the water, so after a bit they dove back in determined not to let the beast drive them away. But in the end and after much yelling and water slapping, they gave up and left the water.

The beast was a napping hippo. Well, he was napping until the young elephants disturbed him. I personally think he just wanted to play, too, but the elephants wouldn't let him join in on any elephant games.

I must say, though, the hippo looked mighty pleased with himself-- while the elephants stormed off, he put his butt up in the air at them.

elephanthippocropped.jpg
hippochasingelephantscropped.jpg

Elephants playing when beast shows up...... Beast chases the elephants (far left one is the beast)

chargingelephantcropped.jpg
elephantsgivingupcropped.jpg

Elephant yells & charges the beast.(small speck in water)...Elephants resign, irritated, and leave the watering hole.


hippobuttcropped.jpg

Beast waves butt at elephants

sorry so long...I'm easily amused and thought I'd share. I know the pics aren't all that great, but it's nearing nightfall there and I have little control over the camera. ;)
 
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cray

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Face to face with a beautiful face:


11-27-12031-SM.jpg



holy shit. i'm blown away by this one.

another ace of a picture, sk.
as always, THANK YOU for sharing your work here. it continues to be a highlight of aw.
 

Cricket18

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Tepelus, that is one outstanding drawing!

SK, you've outdone yourself. That's frameworthy!
 

Ol' Fashioned Girl

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The neighbors had to have a power pole in their backyard replaced recently... OG&E finally did the honors, dug a hole and put in a new pole right next to the old one (farther inside the yard instead of in front of or behind the old one) and TIED the old pole to the new one with ROPE!

I went out to take a couple photos of it to use in my ever-so-gentle complaint to Customer Service, and look who was using the old pole as a lookout...

Throne.jpg
 

Silver King

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That face gives me chills, sorry. Especially in close up like that. You did such a good job that it feels like being right there staring back at the animal. :) Excellent work :D

Imagine the chills you might have felt if you'd been there, lying face down on the ground behind a fallen tree near the water's edge while calculating the speed of your retreat with that of the alligator's distance should it decide to rush your position. Now that's chill-inducing. ;)

Love this pic!

Amazing photo, SK!

Thank you. :)

...Africa was very amusing this morning...
Very cool! I'll have to check out those live cams more often.

holy shit. i'm blown away by this one.

another ace of a picture, sk.
as always, THANK YOU for sharing your work here. it continues to be a highlight of aw.

Now that really made my day, thank you. I've said before, though it's worth repeating, how honored I am to share this thread with others who have a strong appreciation for our natural surroundings. The quality of our photos, to me, is always secondary to the essence of what moves us regarding the scenes we capture.

...SK, you've outdone yourself. That's frameworthy!

For the longest time, I couldn't decide which of two favorites to post of that encounter. I'll share another one next that's similar but shows more profile. :)
 

night-flyer

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geez, talk about a lazy electric company...:O I had a light pole on the corner of my street (which is practically part of my yard) that has been threatening to fall down for six yrs now. If they would've just added another pole and tied the old one to it instead of replacing it recently, I would've been b**ching, too.

ha, the squirrel seems pretty happy with it, though. That's what our squirrel's look like, same color and everything. Nice shot, OFG.
 

Ol' Fashioned Girl

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I thought the rope was a nice touch - especially since you could lay your palm against the pole at shoulder height and push it back and forth. It was literally swinging from the wires over head, rotted off at the ground.

At least it doesn't swing in the wind now.