TITLE: Carousel
NAME: Michael Hunter
COUNTRY: USA
EMAIL: intertek@one.net
WEBPAGE: http://www.interactivetechnologies.net
TOPIC: Toys and Games
COPYRIGHT: I SUBMIT TO THE STANDARD RAYTRACING COMPETITION COPYRIGHT.
JPGFILE: carousel.jpg
RENDERER USED: 
    3D Studio Max Version 6

TOOLS USED: 
    3D Studio Max, PhotoShop (for texture maps)

RENDER TIME: 
    0 Hours 22 Minutes

HARDWARE USED: 
    Pentium 4 1.8 GHz 261 MB RAM

All of the objects were modeled and textured by me for this competition.


IMAGE DESCRIPTION: 

Just as soon as I read the topic I thought of children, their toys, their games,
their imagination. I wanted to capture a carefree childhood where anything is
possible. The concept of a carousel came to mind and shortly there after the
idea of the horses flying away. As usual, I went looking at the web for
inspiration.

I ran across an artist whose work I hadn't seen since art history class nearly
twenty years ago. His name: Thomas Hart Benton. As far as I know he never made
a picture of such a thing but his style was absolutely perfect for the topic.
He worked as a muralist in the 1930's in a style called the Regionalist school.
Benton painted pictures of country life in the mid-west. The landscapes seem to
ungulate as if seen through a warped glass window. The end resulting images are
flowing dream-like visions. (Trivia note: He was one of Jackson Pollock's
teachers at the Kansas City Art Institute In 1935)

I'll admit it. This picture is weak compared to Benton's work. But Benton didn't
have to deal with my old PC. I lost more than a month's time dealing with
software conflicts rather than doing what I love. It's now 5 hours, 19 minutes,
and 39 seconds to the deadline and I'm not sure if my image will be ready.

I have a six-year-old who is always after me to read him a book. So all of the
illustrations for children's stories came racing through my mind. Dr. Seuss,
Johnny Gruelle, and many others (see links at bottom).



DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS IMAGE WAS CREATED: 

I'd like to write more but I'm running out of time! If you have any specific
questions regarding how this image was made please email me. I'm always happy
to talk shop!

Links
Biography of Benton with (what I think is a) self-portrait
http://www.nbmaa.org/Online_Exhibitions/Benton/html/Benlife.html

Johnny Gruelle (cartoonist who invented Raggedy Ann and Andy in 1915)
http://www.lambiek.net/gruelle_j.htm

" The Rain Came Down" - A great children's book - fun to read out loud if you
add your own sound effects.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0439050219/qid%3D1099283579/sr%3D11-1/ref%
3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-9610775-5172964

Great site filled with top-notch illustrators.
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/illustrators/newell.html