DAVID GAUDERLOT, France ❧

"L'ile aus aigles"

David's digital works, which I've selected here to illustrate his incredible skill, is executed mainly with Bryce, a software that has been used by so many computer graphic animation establishments who work on some of the amazing films we're seeing these days coming from film industries around the world. It is one of the most powerful software for the reconstruction of three-dimensional landscape modeling and animation and is often, the favoured tool of the digital artist who specialises in 3D renderings.

"Le jardin"

An artist, whether working with traditional or digital tools, will always be concerned about their view of space, lighting, colour and composition in a visual they are preparing. It pushes their talent more and further when they are confronted by several powerful tools, in the digital mode, that enables them to execute and manipulate lighting, texturing, modeling, etc. It will always be a plus-factor if the software they select will enable them ease of use and the ability to create the images they visualize simply and easily without additional headache and time spent in learning techniques and mastering computer programming languages.

What one should note carefully is much as everyone expects artists and creative people to be somewhat acquainted to "space cadets" with their heads in the clouds oftentimes, they are able to display awesome "hidden" mathematical abilities in composing and understanding equations and calculations in texture creation, and colour and contrast compositions when wielding CGI (computer graphic interface) tools.

The graphic design software tools, viewed by a novice in art yet one who is skilled in technology and computer programming such as powerful databases and ASP modules, will definitely prove to be intimidating. Here is where you can place a person skilled in the technological softwares of say, SAP or Oracle, and pit him against an artistic talent skilled in Bryce or Maya, and understand how finally, they are similar - that both have the ability to exercise "left-brain" abilities in logic, calculation and organizational planning, flow and skills.

And both will, and rightfuly so, admire the other in their own field of expertise. Let no computer programmer ever consider making the mistake of patronizing and belittling the artist, traditionally or digitally skilled.

"Aigle 2"

Now a question as I ponder while spending time reviewing David's work. With digital art and the "perfection" that is produced in the hands of an artist, would we be able to say that the final work is to be credited more to the artist with their inherent talent, or to the tools they use?

David's digital art work and mastery brings this question curiously to mind as I examine minutely each of the visuals he presents in a gallery that is truly a visual feast of ethereal and out-of-this-world fantasy. What perfection some of them seem to project although David knows he has to constantly strive to master details so the end result will be close to reality. That is never an easy route for a digital artist who works with 3D renderings.

And of course, to the question I know the answer, even though I think to voice it out loud - it is, indeed, the artist who waves the magic wand and who is the true master of the craft. But what of the magic wand? It too, would have power obviously, however, only in the hands of a great wizard will it be able to produce the desired effect to stun and enchant.

It is fascinating for me to realise how graphic softwares evolve through the years and especially the last two decades, to become incredible wands of magic these days, and how, like Harry Potter and his school of young wizards and witches, there are absolutely magical and charming talents out there who know how to draw us into incredible imagination and imaginary worlds that leave us gasping with amazed astonishment.

"Le 2eme festin"

The first image I want to describe a bit in detail from David's body of works and only because of its "shock value" is "le 2eme festin" or "the second feast".

The image is a gory depiction of a decaying skeletal body in the process of smouldering decomposition, where you see vapours rising from the mess of gore, hunched against an almost golden sunset streaked with dark black clouds and black hills. The figures of the rats about it also bear bodily signs that they too seem to be undergoing decomposition and yet they seem obliviously aware of their own decay as they perch on and scurry about the image. The bones bear traces of raw flesh tones - seen in thumbnail view, they add to the sensation of freshness, but upon magnification, the texture of flesh is too closely aligned to the bone structure and form in several places, a smooth integration to the bone itself thus effecting a mottled effect of flesh-on-bone texture.

These details, including the red eyes of the rats will giveaway the "digital" element of the visual. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult for some viewers to take in the visual - if it were real.

But how fabulous the sky and the blend and shades of black and gray against the yellow backdrop and spheric shape of the sun.