The Dark Comics

PhotoArt

2012-01-01T16:34:00.001-08:00

Random Art

2011-12-12T04:19:00.000-08:00

Here is a piece I've just quickly done up using Photoshop's filters (all found in the rendering section) and various transformations of copy and paste.

Photoart

2011-11-25T01:36:00.001-08:00

Just some randomness

Interesting Digital Art Software and Plugins

2011-11-23T21:29:00.001-08:00

These are the tools are are best-in-class for doing stuff they do :

1. Adobe Photoshop - digital imaging
2. Best Photoshop plug-ins

Alienskin's EyeCandy 6
onOne Software's Perfect Photo Suite 6

3. AutoPano Giga 2.5 - Stitching multiple photos to make a bigger photo

4. Portrait Professional Studio 11. (although some of the features are available in onOne's PPS6

5. Photodex's ProShow Producer - for creating professional HD slideshows.

6. A Collage/Mosaic tool : http://www.andreaplanet.com/andreamosaic/

These are just my opinions - and I missed one de-noise tool and a collage tool. Comments?

What do you see ?

2011-10-19T00:11:00.001-07:00

More DeviantArt Muro

2011-10-18T21:49:00.001-07:00

The three stooges

2011-10-18T16:39:00.001-07:00

Here is a random piece done with DevianArt muro available using Chrome browser via the webstore

Another sketchy app

2011-10-03T07:38:00.001-07:00

Just try the ArtStudio on the iPhone and this is what I got out of it on first try

The Clueless leading the clueless

2011-09-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

Photo equipment used for domino

2011-07-19T22:53:00.000-07:00

Artrage 3

2011-07-14T20:52:00.001-07:00

Which version of the commercial do you like?

2011-06-03T01:15:00.001-07:00

2011-03-15T23:23:00.001-07:00

My First artwork using iPad with the Pogo pen

2010-08-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

This is my first artwork done using Art Studio, an application on an iPad using a Pogo Sketch pen. Its interesting to see that the strokes are auto-smoothed, to create a very "Flash"-like sketch.

Things you never noticed when you were a child

2010-08-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Ending (uncut version)

2010-07-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

Man seeking happy ending after being seduced.

Sexy Portraits

2010-07-09T20:26:00.001-07:00

Trueblood Season 3 is back

2010-06-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yes... Trueblood just started running it's 3rd season. Lots of nudity and vulgar language - no surprise there. The storyline seems to be focused around the Vampire Queen who was introduced in season 2 briefly.

Will be interesting to see how the story progresses....

Meanwhile, a new TV series has just aired : Rubicon

Dead Terrorists - old but still funny

2010-06-10T22:31:00.000-07:00

Acro polates - Polefessionals in Singapore

2010-06-10T07:06:00.000-07:00

I never thought there would be a Polefessional school in Singapore that teaches Pole dancing as a hobby/art-form/exercise ;) Visit their website and you can see video clips of some performances.
The one on their main page is included here :

http://www.polefessional.com.sg/

On the Rocks - Lady Gaga's Bad Romance

2010-05-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

Love, Romantic, Acoustic Songs?

2010-05-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Trying to compile the Ultimate Love/Romantic/Acoustic CD... wonder if anyone want to contribute to the list and maybe help to short list...

Current List of songs to be considered

1. Mark Wills - I do (Cherish you)
2. Elvis Costello & Burt Bacharach - I'll Never fall in love again
3. Susanna Hoofs - Whats it all about Austin?

Reading Comics the iPad way

2010-05-26T18:21:00.001-07:00

CS5 - Content Aware Healing Brush

2010-05-26T18:15:00.000-07:00

I've had not much success in using the Content Aware Healing Brush.
Trying to erase a wire off the photo yield very little success - unlike the video.

Anyone have similar experience? Please share.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 is coming

2010-03-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

Yes... Adobe Photoshop CS5 is coming. What can we expect from this release? More information will be forth coming in 15 days. But one of the new features known as Content Aware Fill will be a MUST HAVE feature for many photographers wanting to remove unwanted content from their photos quickly and painlessly.

The feature is also great for Pano photos where you have edges of blanks that you need to fill up with sky or grass ;)

I can't wait for this CS5 to be available, even just for this one "little" feature

Other features includes Brushes and Warping technologies

For the techies out there who wants to know how it works

Evian Commercial

2009-07-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Interesting Ad... involving dancing babies.. take a look!

Praying for Time

2009-06-25T01:49:00.001-07:00

Olympus introduces micro 4 thirds compact DSLR

2009-06-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1461&page=features

In my previous article, I mentioned that DSLRs are bulky but offers great quality and flexibility whereas the compact offers portability that is required for some of our social activities....

But behold, Olympus wants to change that with the introduction of the E-P1

Live View Autofocus
With the seamless precision and simplicity of a point-and-shoot, the E-P1's Live View Autofocus system displays the images to be shot in complete focus on the camera's bright LCD the moment the shutter button is pressed half way down.

Multiple Exposure
Multiple Exposure makes heightened creativity an easily-obtained objective. Two frames can be combined, and portions of one can be combined with those of another in any of the shooting modes. Images can be combined in playback mode or directly on the LCD through the use of the new TruePic V Image Processor.

Micro Four Thirds Mount
The Micro Four Thirds Mount on the E-P1 provides many key benefits, including the effectiveness of a digitally designed image sensor, an ultra-compact design, and expandability and compatibility with all Micro Four Thirds Lenses and Four Thirds System Lens via the MMF-1 Adapter.

Art Filters
A series of six built-in Art Filters for replicating countless striking and dramatic effects can be easily activated for both still and video imaging. The innovative Art Filters include Pop Art, Soft Focus, Pale & Light Color, Light Tone, Grainy Film and Pin Hole.
*
12.3 megapixel
The E-P1's powerful 12.3 megapixel Live-MOS sensor packs a powerful high-quality imaging punch for such a compact camera, allowing you to capture more detail than ever before.

TruePic V Image Processor
In addition to more detail, the image sensor, combined with the next-generation TruePic V Image Processor, delivers excellent dynamic range, accurate color fidelity and reduced noise, all the way up to 6400 ISO.

In-body Image Stabilization
The camera's In-body Image Stabilization system compensates for up to 4 shutter speed steps with any of the system's interchangeable lenses.

Mechanical Image Stabilization
Mechanical Image Stabilization automatically compensates for camera shake in low-light situations or when using a telephoto lens.

Electronic Image Stabilization
Electronic Image Stabilization compensates for camera shake while shooting in the movie mode.

MF Assist
For accurate manual focusing, MF Assist can be enabled during S-AF + MF operation. With it you can zoom in on the central part of the image by up to five times by turning the focus ring.

Perfect Shot Preview
With Perfect Shot Preview, you can preview and select various photographic effects before you take the shot.

Digital Leveler
The camera's Digital Leveler function is a highly functional and practical feature for such specialized requirements as architectural photography and other similar needs.

Dust Reduction System
A Dust Reduction System assures spot-free images. Every time you turn on the camera, the patented Supersonic Wave Filter silently vibrates, flinging and collecting dust so that it cannot interfere with the picture imaging at any time.

19 automatic scene modes
There are 19 automatic scene modes available, including Night-Scenes, Portraits and Landscapes. Edits can be made in the camera after the pictures are shot using the handy ePortrait Mode.

ePortrait
The ePortrait mode is also useful for smoothing out the facial features of your subjects, which is a tremendous plus for High Definition playback.

Face Detection
A Face Detection function reduces the chance of blurry faces when shooting groups of people up to eight subjects at once even if they're moving while you're pressing the shutter button.

Shadow Adjustment Technology
Shadow Adjustment Technology corrects for extreme light variations with high-tech efficiency. It can also be used in post-editing.

Aspect Ratios
The E-P1 lets you select one of four Aspect Ratios (4:3, 3.2, 16.9 and 6.6) that help frame your images to whatever proportions you'd like, for everything from conventional enlargements to viewing on widescreen monitors.

iAuto
iAuto identifies your shooting intent (such as macro or action photography) and instantly adjusts the camera settings to achieve the best results.

Slideshows
Slideshows have never been easier or more fun to create. The E-P1's enhanced playback functions allow you to employ effective fade-in/fade-out techniques, add captivating musical soundtracks, and much more.

ultra-compact body
The E-P1 is the definition of state-of-the-art optical engineering in an ultra-compact body. It weighs just 11.8 ounces and measures just 4.75' (W) x 2.75' (H) x 1.43 (D), giving it the facility to slip into pockets or purses and to take with you anywhere.

M. ZUIKO lenses
The accompanying Olympus M. ZUIKO lenses are small, lightweight, powerful and precision engineered.

Four Thirds System Lens Adapter
Other Four Thirds Format lenses can also be used on the E-P1 with an available MMF-1 Four Thirds System Lens Adapter, including extreme wide-angle fisheye and super-telephoto lenses. This further increases your range of creative options.

sound recording
The sound recording function of the E-P1 helps you capture all the nuances of any sounds being recorded. The system is capable of recording and playing back WAV files, and of adding the most professional-sounding narration to digital slide shows.

background music
There are also five separate background music files to choose from that you can add to your still images or video productions.

SDHC media cards
The E-P1 is capable of recording video to SDHC media cards to accommodate large files. (SDHC Class 6 cards are recommended.) Videos, stills and high-fidelity audio can also be output via HDMI cable-direct to any HD television.

Full manual control
Full manual control for all programs and functions, including Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority, is at your fingertips whenever it is needed or preferred. Full automatic control is also a button-press away.

Live Control
Live Control, an advanced camera management system, allows you to see the image being shot and the camera's controls all at once, on the bright, colorful, high definition 3-inch HyperCrystal LCD. HyperCrystal LCDs offer many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors, and also provide a wide viewing angle of 176.

The Obvious Choice for a Digital Compact Camera

2009-06-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Digital SLR camera offers the best image quality money can buy, but they are not always very portable for the everyday Joe - certainly not justified to carry around when you want to go out for party involving dancing, socializing and just want something to capture the moment. On the other extreme of the spectrum, you could always use your cell phone's camera which will most likely disappoint with image quality.

So what do you do? You carry your compact camera that can fit into your pocket. It's portable, it's small, and it doubles as a photo viewer to share your photos with you friends.

As usual, the market is flooded with many models from many camera makers - Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, Casio(just to name a few).

So how do you decide which brand or model to go for? (other than the obvious price consideration). There is certainly no BEST camera. But I do think there is a BEST camera of an occasion. So what you need to do, is to understand what kind of photos you are likely to take, under what kind of lighting situations.

Since this article is NOT about Digital SLR - or the BEST image quality. I just want to talk about 3 main factors :

1. Portability/Battery life
2. Wide-Angle or Zoom lens
3. Image quality - especially under low light
4. usability in various weather conditions

Questions to ask yourself

1. Do I take mostly indoor photos ? or outdoor photos?
2. Do I take mostly daylight photos or night photos?
3. Do I take photos in very cold weather conditions and where i'm likely to get wet?
4. Do I take photos of wild animals or birds?
5. Do I really care about video capabilities?

Personally, for compact cameras, my choices are :

Weather proof, water proof, shock proof - Winner goes to Olympus. They win hands down in this category, I think no other company comes close to them. And at this time, the winning model is µTough 8000.

Small, portable, wide-angle, multi-purpose. I choose the Lumix LX3. This is the smallest compact camera I know that spots a F2.0-F2.8 lens ;) Couple with a new camera sensor and the wide angle lens (24mm-60mm)... this tiny camera really packs a punch for the night shooter. The wide angle also works well indoors in confined spaces (perfect for all those group photos)

High zoom cameras
These range of cameras are usually not as portable as the previous 2 categories, but still smaller than your typical DSLR camera. Once such model is the Lumix FZ28 which spots a 18x zoom and still manages a 27mm wide. Newer models and higher zooms are surfacing in 2009, take a look at Olympus offering : the SP-590UZ which features a 26X zoom lens that covers a 26-676mm equivalent focal length range.

What about video? If video is your thing I would suggest you get a HD digital video camera rather than a still camera. Casio does have a range of cameras that offers HIGH-SPEED video recording. See here. The high-speed burst photo taking feature is interesting for taking sports or high action photos. (Although I think this is a battery killer and probably wont work in low light)

Pentax K-7 , the compact DSLR

2009-06-10T01:14:00.000-07:00

PENTAX recently announced their new mid-class DSLR digital camera, the PENTAX K-7.
Despite its compact, lightweight body, this new model brings together a wide array of advanced functions and user-friendly features with outstanding reliability as well. Ease of high-quality digital photography is now in your hands!!

PENTAX has revised and upgraded the viewfinder, shutter unit, continuous-shooting capacity, and exposure and the autofocus systems. Pentax K-7 has a metallic body but still spots a very compact and functional design.

One of the new feature is the high dynamic range (HDR) to create one composite image with an extra-wide gradation range from three images with different exposures

The body is constructed with 77 special seals which enable the camera to be dustproof, weather-resistant and cold-resistant - and boast reliable operation even under -10°C.

What about the image sensor? 14.6 megapixels,ISO 100 to ISO 6400

For more information, please visit some of the photography sites like http://dpreview.com

Would you like a box like that?

2009-06-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

Dragon Alliance

2009-06-08T23:31:00.000-07:00

Software for the graphics motivated individuals

2009-05-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

Are you a photoshop user? want to see what other tools and plugins you can use? check out this link below:

AptusVentures Forums

Night shot from One Fullerton

2009-04-03T11:47:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken 2009 Apr from One Fullerton (Singapore). Four photos were taken and stitched together to form this photo. (c)2009 Steven Teo.

I've sent it in to print a matt and a glossy version of the photo via Kodak shop. Unfortunately, the shop that is close to my place does not do the size I wanted (25 inches x 9 inches). As such I am doing a smaller version - and may get cropping done to the photo. I'll post the results soon.

Results>> The print out was not too bad, or course not as large as 25 inches.. I think more like 9 inches in width. I've also tried some Photobucket filters just for the fun of it and here is what it looks like :

Whats more... I have toyed with the Camera Raw feature in Photoshop on the JPEG file (yes RAW on JPEG) and re-generated this version... let me know which version you like better

Light house photo

2009-04-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

I've taken this during Sept 2007 of a trip to San Francisco.

Baking is an Art

2009-03-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

EatMoreBread is the blog by André Khor. It's a blog about the "confessions of a bakery chef".

Digital Painting

2009-02-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

My First Attempt... any comments?

Singing Lion

2008-12-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

How is this animation created? There is a software from Reallusion called CrazyTalk Pro v 5.1 - Looks fun!

Whiteboard Animation

2008-11-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

The Dark Comics want YOU

2008-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Are you an Art hobbyist? want to talk about art or simply display some of your works?

We want to expand this Blog to more authors, and get more interesting drawings, tutorials or photos up for sharing. If you are interested, please leave a comment with your contact info, and we can add you as an author! Cheers

How to change hair color in photoshop

2008-11-06T21:51:00.001-08:00

Watch the below youtube photoshop tutorial.

Dubai opens world largest shopping mall

2008-11-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

It is said to be the largest mall in the world and being the size of 50 football pitches, it probably is.

Under Construction

2008-11-06T02:28:00.000-08:00

Here you can see River Gate which is still under-construction at the moment, and Zouk disco at the bottom right.

And for a more sunset-looking version :

Doctored (Photoshop) photo

2008-10-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Amazing Photoshop

2008-10-20T23:01:00.001-07:00

Digital Animation

2008-10-20T22:54:00.001-07:00

The guard and his pig

2008-10-13T18:08:00.001-07:00

The Dog, the cat and the mice!

2008-10-11T22:32:00.000-07:00

Can a dog, a cat and a mice get along together like one big family?
In this video clip, the answer is YES... and perhaps this is a message for people to get along as well!

Putting your photos on canvas

2008-10-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

I came across this online website here in Singapore called Canvas Art.

They put your photo onto museum grade canvas (using some form of inkjet printing tech called Giclée).

What is interesting is that they do Personalised Artwork off from your photographs too. This opens up interesting options of putting up artwork in your home.

Online Photo Album Printing in Singapore

2008-10-09T11:03:00.001-07:00

So far this is what I've found

http://www.thedigibook.com <-- seems like the Digital Books are 200gsm paper Apple also print stuff using the iPhoto software - although I've read reviews in Clubsnap that the paper is quite thin for the albums. Colour reproduction sounds decent. Shipping is long since the albums are printed in the US and shipped here. Users reported 3 weeks shipping time. http://www.snapfish.com.sg <-- a HP service, but again, they use HP paper and printed on some kind of HP printer. Users reported that quality not as good as Lab prints.

Best Photoshop Tutorial Website

2008-10-09T10:21:00.000-07:00

There are a thousand and one photoshop websites that teaches you how to do many things... from FX generation to beautifying your photographs. One of the website I've come across some time ago is called PSDTUTS which can be found at http://psdtuts.com/

There are a bunch of FANTASTIC tutorials there... Lots of things for everyone to learn. Here is an example of one of their tutorials, to draw a lit lighted.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl

2008-10-08T05:11:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to the previous post, now this is what I call artistic representation of something sexual. Sexy yet not revealing.

Artistic photograph of Mediacorp's Fiona or just Sex sell?

2008-10-08T01:46:00.001-07:00

Blog on Fiona

Mediacorp's Fiona Xie has her posed photo circulating again. Is this photo artistically taken or just emphaSIZing on her assets?

Certainly, in the 21st century, men's attention span have been getting shorter and shorter, and closer and closer... so to get maximum Exposure out of every single advertising dollar, creative people zap out sex sex sex, everytime, everywhere.

Does it work? YES with 3 capital Y.E.S. And do consumers want more of such in-your-FACE ads? Most certainly - keep it COMING.

In fact, BBC even have a TV show starring Billie Piper(some of you may remember her from Doctor Who series as Rose Tyler) called "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" already in season 2. The series sometimes feature the Voluptuous Boobs of the sexy actor(actress) although very tastefully done, I think some men may still be objectifying women - which is a big No No.

Octopus art

2008-09-29T20:26:00.001-07:00

Photo of old man

2008-06-18T09:43:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken by a friend of mine, and I've photo-edited it to change the facial expression from an neutral-angry to a slightly smiling photo. The face is also smoothed-out to make the person look younger ;) Any comments?

The Photoshop Portrait

2008-06-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

The Portrait - strokes, random effects... dreamy effect

T-shirt designs

2008-06-05T11:05:00.001-07:00

What do you think about the above design for a black t-shirt?

Arty phtotos with my Sony Ericsson Phone

2008-05-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

I just want to see what kind of photos I can generate with a simple cell phone's camera, so here it is.. let me know what you think about these photos:
Sci-fi : The Construction of the Rocket

Version 2:

Starbuck's Ice blended drink!

Photos to share. Works of Art?

2008-04-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow bloggers. Do you have an interesting photo to share? A self-drawn artwork ? TheDarkComics blog site attempts to host a simple place to post such works of art.

I am seeking more authors to participate in the blog. Any takers?

Monster Seagull Art

2008-01-19T23:22:00.001-08:00

Liquid Resize

2008-01-19T22:09:00.001-08:00

My first painting!

2007-12-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Warrior by the Temple

2007-12-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

Creative Drawings

2007-12-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

Breeze on the Boat

2007-11-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

Shadow

2007-11-20T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Bicycle

2007-11-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

Random Artwork

2007-11-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

What should I name this artwork?

What about "Man in the Shadow" ?

Shattered the Photoshop Artwork

2007-10-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

Any comments on my Photoshop Artwork titled "Shattered"

Bipolar Art

2007-10-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

Saw this blog site that has a bunch of "Bipolar Artwork"

http://bipolararts1.blogspot.com/

Any comments?

Singapore Writers Festival

2007-10-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

Check out the upcoming Singapore Writers festival. Mark Waid (Kindom Come - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(comic) ), along with Kurt Busiek (Marvels - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvels) will be in town to conduct talks and workshops.

www.singaporewritersfestival.com

Illustration Friday

2007-10-22T03:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I came across this website called Illustration Friday and lots of people are posting original artwork to. Very impressive... I'm wondering if this blog can ever reach that kind of readership.

Abstract Salted Fish

2007-10-16T22:41:00.001-07:00

For all our foreign (non-Asian) readers, "salted-fish" is dried preserved fish with LOTS of salt. In my childhood days, we always had salted-fish-porridge or stir-fried bean-sprouts with salted-fish.

The Seventh Avenue

2007-10-16T01:45:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in the land far far away.........

Mr Jones was tasked to form a team to behead the evils.
The evils have rampantly killed many innocent souls.

Mr Jones called upon the 40 soldiers, whom he bestowed the tasks for the "D" day.

Introduction - SinLG page 1

2007-10-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, this is the first page of my comic - any suggestions on how to proceed with page 2? Ideas welcome - to create a community based comic revolving around the "Dark" theme. Kind of like a never ending story. Welcome folks with drawing skills, layout skills, writing skills ;)

This blog is just for fun and a place to do creative writing or drawing or photoshoping