Add your comments, questions or general discussion about the Contest entries here. This is also a great place to share your techniques or ask others about theirs.

Most members are eager to hear comments/suggestions about their entries, so please take the time to help each other out. :)

Okay... Perhaps I'm dense, but I don't understand "Artificts of 2007". Is this a file I'm supposed to download? Can someone please define it for me?

I think by artifacts it just means 'stuff'.
...and can I just say wow and ouch what a breif!

Nothing to download...you get to create this one

Artifacts....objects, items
a: something created by humans usually for a practical purpose; especially : an object remaining from a particular period

b: something characteristic of or resulting from a particular human institution, period, trend, or individual

Yeahh "artifacts" !... like PCs (or Macs) will be for future archeologists :D

WOW! With only a week left to enter, I was really surprised how few entries there are in this contest when I posted mine.

It's true that Surrealism is probably one of the most subjective, complex artistic styles there is and perhaps few of the many gifted folks here at RetouchPRO think they can create such. Could this be the case? Could it be a matter of lack of inspiration/time? What do y'all think?

Though it took me quite some time to fashion my effort, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the style, visualizing a theme, gathering "artifacts" and supporting elements and finally putting it all together. I really wanted a lot of depth and pressed that desire with vibrant coloring, layering elements and employing appropriate shadowing. It was a most enjoyable undertaking.

This was a challenging contest, I did one version it didn't look right at all. So I thought about what would be a good theme and tried to envision what might work, but it still came out different. I just kept at it.

I also had my little critiquer's asking, why are you doing that, why are you putting that there, what does that have to do with it??? Sometimes I could give them a reason, and others I just said because. It is "art" after all.

Just a reminder to turn in those entries...time is almost up!

Tick tock, tick tock...don't forget to turn in your entry!!

Lonnie: The walking hand started out as a piece of clip art depicting a hand with a pointing finger. Then came the liquefy tool in Photoshop and it evolved from there into a proud central figure marching up a flight of DVD's. The figure ended up with a bare buttox which Dali would have been fine with. Out of respect for this fine website and a personal sense of decency I applied a loin cloth using a modified, obscure, software company logo. I added the apple core to pay homage to all dedicated fans of the other computer brand. (Swampy, stand up and take a bow.)

The emoticon hiding beneath the second DVD from the right is dedicated to the many lurkers that come to view the visual feast at RetouchPRO. The emoticon, just below the computer chip with the embedded clock, shows unfounded fear at the approach a slithering paint brush. It just wants to be your friend, albeit a fickle one when it doesn't do what you want at times!

The peacock, mid-right, with a tail full paint brushes, the flying mouse beaming up the pen tablet and the clock-hand towers representing the wireless internet all came to me in a dream late one night after eating a meatloaf sandwich...but, I digress.

Computer art, gotta love it!!:bigthmb:

http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47102&d=1181451591

Thanks for the insight into your entry, Photomaster.

I'm thinking your approach was guided primarily by the "Dali" facet of the contest. My effort, on the other hand, is focused more on the "Surrealism" aspect with emphasis on modern times.

I wanted to portray a tendency toward "techo-isolate", if you will. The promise of ubiquitous technology meant to unite by touting ease of communication has actually caused separation, alienation and solitariness. In doing so, the line between surreality and reality is being progressively blurred.

It was most certainly an enjoyable, provocative exercise.

I see others have interpretted thier interpretations so I'll offer mine. Past, present and future in the framework of time (depicted as gravity). The past hangs like a heavy, wet blanket on the decaying tree of memory. The present (physically much smaller but perceptively as close/large) temporarily liberated by the clothespins of attention and the winds of change/action/creativity. The future (a structurally strong form) struggling to grow, push up and take form upon the clothesline...yikes!

And Congratulations Photomaster!

congatulations Photomaster.

Well done to evryone else as well. There were some really good enties this month.

Thank you ScubaMargie, it was an enjoyable experience and a great learning opportunity.