graphics

New Podcast: Mercury Grid live at Woodstockhausen 2002


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With all the craziness from last month, we didn't have much opportunity to release podcasts for the CatSynth Channel. But we're going to start things up again with another live performance from the archives.

This was one of three short pieces I performed at the 2002 Woodstockhausen Festival at the University of California, Santa Cruz. It is entitled Mercury Grid and involved live control of sound using a Wacom graphics tablet (which I have used in most of my live performances up until this year). The sound was done using my Open Sound World software. There was also a video component, with live 3D graphics that reacted in real time to the music.

I have not listened to this piece for a while. It's better than I have given it credit for, and would like to revive it for future live performances. There is also a studio version, which you can find on my music website.

We welcome submissions and requests for our podcast series. You can use our handy submission form, or contact us to get your music featured on the CatSynth Channel.

Standing with Cat

Per suggestion of regular reader “Kitty” in response to a recent post, I will present some more of my own graphic and video work on this forum. The above picture is entitled “Standing with Cat.” It was originally done over a year and a half ago using the 3D modeling software Poser (on which I have commented a few times in the past). Previous digital art offerings include Green Kitties and Music of the (Blue) Spheres.

Although this is an “early” work of mine in the medium, it still remains a personal favorite. It has elements of both abstraction and realism simultaneously, even within the female and cat figures (does that make it post-modern?). The pose of the female figure was inspired by a photo print in my collection by photographer and friend Luxe Zeigler.

Another element of note is the tabby texture for the cat, which was created by graphic artist Lyne of Lyne's Creations, based on her real cat Travis. Astute observers might recognize Travis in the CatSynth banner as well. Sadly, Travis passed away late last year. I passed along my sympathies to Lyne at the time, being a “fan” of Travis as well as his late brother Clancy, whose fur and eye coloring are quite similar to Luna's. Look for Clancy in some dark, surreal or abstract works in the near future.






"Can you say OSW 2?" strange images of the mind and such

This is what opening the “can you say” demo patch looks like in the current OSW 2 user interface prototype?

I suppose the new UI isn't quite ready for prime time, but I thought the attempt at auto-converting existing patches looked rather cool. I wonder how some of the aesthetics can be incorporated into a correctly working version…

For comparison with the current release, visit the Open Sound World site – the same patch is used as the front page.

Somehow, I also think the image represents my state of mind at the moment. I'll let you interpret that as you will. Let's just say after a pretty good January 1, things have been a bit weird. I prefer not to delve too much into the personal on this forum, though you can read an interpretation of Luna's point of view on her Catster page/blog. Actually, the most interesting part is a typo I made but left in. Again, I leave identifying and interpreting it as an exercise to the reader…






[Music] of the (Blue) Spheres

It has been a while since I have completed one of graphic-art images like the Green Kitties piece posted a while back.

If the previous one was “green”, this one is definitely “blue.” It is actually inspired by an evening on the Singapore waterfront several years ago, which including a sculpture/installation with blue spheres and illuminated pools.

This work was created using a combination of Poser and Bryce (in which the final render was done, along with everything except the figure).

It is interesting to compare how both works combine abstract geometric elements with “realistic” figures.