Recalling the lab class session before we began our tedious tracing of the infamous Gundam for our Artwork 3, I remember Ms. Ivy demonstrating to us how shading works when doing vector illustrations. It was kind of about imagining where the light would fall upon the object, and thus imagining which part should be of a lighter shade and which should be darker. Then what she did was make layers and layers of the same colour (well essentially speaking, not quite the same colour, since its of a different shade), forming a vectored gradient which added to the detail of the Gundam.
And this makes me wonder - if a vector is detailed enough, can it actually look like a realistic picture?
It sure can, as Google tells me. According to 10Steps.SG, apparently there is this Gradient Mesh technique (well I really should find out more about this) that helps artists create photo-realistic vector arts, which I swear are so realistic that you can hardly imagine the effort in the process of such creations. Tedious must be such an understatement. I mean, seriously, look at these onions.
And this makes me wonder - if a vector is detailed enough, can it actually look like a realistic picture?
It sure can, as Google tells me. According to 10Steps.SG, apparently there is this Gradient Mesh technique (well I really should find out more about this) that helps artists create photo-realistic vector arts, which I swear are so realistic that you can hardly imagine the effort in the process of such creations. Tedious must be such an understatement. I mean, seriously, look at these onions.
And look back at yourself and how you wailed over the tracing process of your pathetic (okay, it's nice but still) Gundam. You shrug at my statement? Look at this, just look at this cat, and see how Takashi Morisaki from Japan did it like how he did the onions.
Then admire Ussa Methawittayakul from Thailand, who very kindly printscreened the process of her artwork for all to see - look at the layers? That's what a woman's body is made up of. Layers and layers and layers and an infinite number of layers, to perfection.
Morisaki and Methawittayakul are just two of many vector artists who choose to painstakingly create these realistic images that qualify enough to fool people into believing that they will burst into pixels when zoomed in far enough. But no, these are vectors, beautifully created with attention to detail, to the point of fooling you into believing it as reality. Maybe that's what art as a form of visual communication is for. Creating reality.
I look back onto my Gundam, and realize how it is such a small dot on the surface of what vector illustrations really are, and the depth that can actually be achieved if one works hard enough, and stay patient enough for the end product. It's not any difficult technique, it's just time and patience.
I look back onto my Gundam, and realize how it is such a small dot on the surface of what vector illustrations really are, and the depth that can actually be achieved if one works hard enough, and stay patient enough for the end product. It's not any difficult technique, it's just time and patience.