Backcountry features a series of works looking at landscapes isolated and remote, off the beaten path. Grab your paddle, hiking boots, and swimsuit and take off for sights unseen.
This work was originally created for an art competition. It expresses my love for discovering unique landscapes whether that is in art or photography and capturing those moments to share with others.
As someone who grew up regular trips to a lake, I have always been mesmerized by the wave patterns in the water. This is reflected in many of my works featuring water. Lakefront is another example of this with how light reflects differently off the surface of the water based on the wave pattern. There are reflective sections and dark spots, and these are constantly shifting as the surface moves. This perspective would be common from the front of a boat out on the water.
Originally MetaCreations created 3 programs, Bryce, Poser, and Carrara. Bryce for landscapes, Poser for people, and Carrara for everything else. The 3 programs were sold off to 3 different companies and went their separate ways. Eventually, Bryce and Carrara would be acquired and held by the same company DAZ3D. They would go on to develop their own replacement for Poser. This version of Carrara was developed by Eovia but while not particularly suited for landscapes they did add some features that made water rendering unique versus the capabilities of Bryce. In this scene those features are showcased with the watercolor transitioning based on the depth.
Swimming hole is a little more imaginative than realistic. I created it specifically to feature and highlight the caustic patterns in the water. It is an homage to the quarries where I grew up and people would go to swim.