Decembers Artist of the Month - Lorraine

Dec 02, 2001 at 12:00 am by ClintH


Who is Lorraine? Lorraine in the "other world" is Lorraine Purviance, mother of Tricia Konings, born in 1975 (who always remains "Beany" to me) and one of the six Longbehn children. Although my family came from Minnesota, we moved to San Diego area in Southern California, where most of my memories of ideas about art and childhood occur. As I grew up I was urged to learn a career, something "practical" that I could support myself with, art was a nice "hobby" but there should be more than one way to earn a living with practical skills. Even though I have gone on to pursue a "practical" way to earn a living, I have also held on to the idea that someday I would be able to learn to be a "real" artist. In my "day" job I am a family lawyer which requires me to rely upon my education and experience to guide people through the court system as they divide up their property, time with their children and hopefully move on with their lives. I have a BBA in accounting, Juris Doctorate by way of MBA/JD which includes Master of Business Administration courses. This job suits my mind-machine because it allows me to constantly input information for processing. It also allows me to research legal issues, organize information, write and argue for a particular view in the activity of dividing and distributing assets, custody and visitation disputes, or application of the law. My drawings hang on my wall in my office and people sometimes ask, why are you doing this when you could do that? Why indeed! Is it not better to do both? Through all this schooling, thinking, learning and through all my wanderings in life, I have drawn or created images through drawings, stories and poems. Although I have worked at different jobs, traveled different places (real and imaginary) I have consistently enjoyed art. Therefore I think Lorraine is many things but has consistently remains an artist who earns a living practicing law so she can enjoy creating artwork. How long have you have you been rendering? Well, as far back as I can remember I have been rendering, it is the materials or tools that have changed over time, not the attempt by me to record in some way what I see. Art to me is the human way that a picture is created. Original art is the "Individual's" way of brining their own imagination to bear upon the materials they use. My personal goal in rendering has been rooted in the encouragement of my dad and the criticism by my mother who felt that something "original' was far more valuable than tracing or copying another's work. So rendering in its basic form is about finding yourself and putting it into your artwork. Until around 1998 I used mostly pencil and pen to render my images. To that point in my life, my skill was driven by my early love of horses, which subject I had studied with a passion and imagination. Hours of practicing the technical aspects of the anatomy, shape and dynamics of horses led to a certain level of skill limited to the form of the horse. However, since art was not considered a "practical" way to earn a living it has been more or less my hobby. By 1998 the computer programs Photopaint (Corel), Poser 3 and Bryce 3 took me far beyond my own skill and technical limitations resulting from spending little time "rendering" other subjects than horses. However, the learning curve for computer generated graphics was pretty steep for me, I had not learned all those technical art terms, I had many hours of trial and error, then I bumped into the Poser forums, and have remained a community member posting my first image in June 1999. What are you currently working on? I am currently working on trying to understand concepts relating to modeling programs. I am also slowly trying to learn what it means to speak "computer", that is to use scripting languages to get the computer to do things you want it to do. I am trying to get my mind around these two areas. So far my mind seems to be like a big rubber band, I can get it so far then it snaps back to go. Or I get distracted by an idea that can be done using the programs I have figured out and put a book mark where I am and get to work on a Poser image. I am also beta testing some wonderful products. I have been given the honor of using many wonderful items in my images which have been created by other artists. In that way I see my art as a collaboration of many artists. What software do you use and why? I use Poser 4 (ProPack), Bryce 5, Photoshop 6, PSP7, Painter 6 and Photopaint. I have not yet learned how to "use" Truespace, but I am feeling pretty comfortable with Poser. I like Poser because there are so many talented artists producing props, characters and poses. It is so nice to think of an image and look at my library and find most of the elements of the image. Bryce 5 is used by me more as an extension of Poser, I set up the elements in poser and "beam" them into the Bryce environment. I have found the Zenware products to be especially helpful (CR2 edit, Zenvue etc.), so I would include them as well as the now famous utilities, UVMapper, MorphManager and Objaction Mover. I have Deep Paint3d which I am learning to use on 3d models for texturing. Why do you like 3D art? Like air is to my body 3DArt has been to my soul. It revives it from the long and tiring tasks of "being practical", it balances reality with imagination. It also is an efficient way to generate a wide variety of images within a reasonable period of time. Time slips by us all, but with the aid of the computer 3d Art is created within a smaller space and with tools that change and improve. The computer has given me a larger range and scope of capabilities. Mostly though 3d Art has given wings to my ability to create images which would remain in my mind for lack of a way to extract them. I am most impressed with the way 3d Art involves multi-levels of "technique" while at the same time invites the newer artist to create dramatic images of detail and amazing effects. After an initial period of blundering with the programs, I saw on the screen that I had been unable to create with "traditional" tools. I was hooked from that point on. 3D art offers something to everyone who has a bit of patience to learn the programs, that something is the freedom to create from the abstract to the almost photographic image. What inspires you? My greatest influence was the imagination of my dad, who introduced the notion of the power of imagation through Magic Carpet rides. Firmly grasping the waist of reality all of us kids soared over incredible lands as the magic carpet was steered by two of its corners, veering this way and that to miss the tall spires of a magical castle or floated peacefully over the purple sunset of a far far away place. I learned that if you really want to and really try you can go anywhere and do anything through the magic of the mind and imagination and through the use of the imagination one can see through reality into a great vista of towering castles, tiny fairies and mystical landscapes. The real world is where you do what you must to survive but in the world of magic and imagination you can be and do anything you want. Through art you can celebrate freedom of your imagination, the tools of art, the pen, pencil, sounds, images, words...all are the magic carpet, which sits quietly on the floor waiting for the imagination to steer it here and there. One of my greatest interests has been symbolism of the Tarot. That interest has launched me into discovery of myths, legends, a new view of the concepts of religion and the innate perspective of the human mind of its relationship with the unknown through time. So my greatest inspiration comes from observations made in the real and imaginary world(s) as they pass through not only my own mind but the minds of others. Stories, poems, pictures, I am inspired by the efforts of other human beings to reduce to common view their own unique perspective. I also am inspired to create what I have experienced, views of landscapes, creatures and concepts. How has this online community (Renderosity) enhanced your work, relationships, and learning? Renderosity has been my artistic "school", the place where I have felt encouraged in my struggle with the sometimes reticent Poser people. I have been encouraged by the comments and criticisms of its members as well as inspired by the member's work. I spent hours studying the work of the many great artists who post in the galleries. Many artists have shared tips and techniques and if there is a question or problem there are so many great people who take the time to help resolve the difficulties. Almost as important as the knowledge base are the wonderful props and models. Freebies are honored in this community as a way to give back to the community. I have noticed the great expansion of quality products which came along with the introduction of the store. I support the store artists because through the store the quantity of quality items has increased. The prices for incredibly detailed items to me remain reasonable. The store items as well become a means of inspiration. Each image I make is a collaboration of the many talented artists who contribute here. This community has provided openly and warmly a rich source of talent. Persistence pays off in the long run. This community has persisted in its belief that through the contribution of each artist a community of artists can make a difference. In my view Renderosity has made a difference in the world of 3d Art. That difference is that many people have discovered that "they can do art"!... "Wow look what I did" really translates to "wow look what this community has helped me discover that I can do". Visit Lorraine's Art Gallery at Renderosity.
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