It's absolutely fantastic! No, really..it is!

It's all very interesting I reckon...this new-found arty-farty fondness of mine. While I've always been into a nice bit of art from time to time - not that I would consider myself particularly cultured or classy...let's not get rash here - I've always thought of 'art' (well at least the pictorial kind) as stuff what you did wiv paints and pencils and such (even though with the marvel of the Internet one can now upload said art for world consumption). It never occurred to me, however, that one day I would be appreciating stuff that's been done ass-backwards...that is created on a computer and then printed out or put on canvas as required.

But I must confess to being quite taken with this phenomena; after all some of the results are stunning to say the least. But I did entertain the thought that this was somehow cheating? I mean, from what I can gather...photo's are taken and played with to varying degrees until a new 'fantastical' version is produced...complete with new background and sometimes even sparkly/shimmery bits. How hard could that be?

Well after tutuing around with Gimp 2 (An open source [ie free] app similar to Photoshop) it quickly became obvious that the answer was "very." In fact it could get downright diabolical, all this shit ain't no waltz in the park let me tell ya! I mean layers? Pardon? You mean I need to what? And how the hell did they get that cat in there? And as for shading etc, pfft, I didn't even get to that!

So ok, they win, not cheating! I'm thinking I may have to check out some online tutorials now...for no other reason than I'm nosey (and I seriously wanna know about that cat). I mean have you seen some of this stuff! It's amazing! Imagine being able to make that! And considering the performance that goes into making the good stuff I'm more than willing to add my two-cents worth to the praise list and deem it art.

But while we're on the topic, I can't help wondering something else...

Why do we like this stuff so much? I mean dragons, angels, faeries, unicorns....seriously? For some reason these and other fantastical themes all abound, enthralling the general populous no end. Is it the surreal colours perhaps? The scenic backgrounds maybe? Or is it a little more complex than that...

I'm leaning blatant 'escapism' myself (though this doesn't take Freudian brilliance to suggest): a desire to live vicariously, even for a moment, through the minds eye of another - who is obviously a damn sight more skilled at photo manipulation than we are. There's no reading of books or movie plots to follow...just a simple act of gazing and if we feel the vibe, imagining: 'What if I lived there.' 'What if I had a dragon'. 'Wow his abs are amazing!'

Wait...what?

*cough* Sorry

Hang on..don't give me that withering look boys...you can't even begin to tell me you haven't looked - nay perved -  at the boobs and bodies on some of these chicks!...I mean damn, a coupla them have bodies even I'd switch teams for 0.0.

And when you think about it, that may not be such a bad thing...the bodies that is, not the switching teams (though that depends on who you ask I guess). While it is still rare to see a portly faerie, or a rotund angel (excluding cherubs of course), some of them thar warrior women are far from the scrawny articles that saunter up and down our fashion catwalks. In a society obsessed with petite, these examples of a more bulky chiselled female form, are creating a mental shift. An this sits well with me.

I for one have never desired for someone to look at me and say "Wow she's skinny"...I would much prefer a "Man, she looks fit" or better still a "Don't think I'd try pinching her ass at a bar!" Physical fitness breeds a certain unspoken assertiveness that is hard not to respect. they didn't get that way by being a pussy...just sayin'.

So perhaps this fantasy kick of mine is nothing more than my desire to fuel my own power trip. My own journey to the best health my body will allow needs all the inspiration it can get, and what speaks 'personal power' more than a strapping chick wielding a sword that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger think twice.

So maybe one day when I've mastered the finer points of Gimping and have a body that reflects the daily gym sessions I have returned to, it will be my modified tushy in the digital arena for world analysis. I can just see it now *stares wistfully*...thighs of steel, cheekbones you could cut cheese on, and an ass that....well let's not give too much away shall we...

And all on a stunning background; complete with those little touches that make these pictures look so brilliant...slanting light, a bit of water somewhere....and...um...

I know!

A cat!!

:D