Make A Request: Part III

[galathea]

Here comes the next (very) belated Christmas present and this time the wallpaper is based on a prompt from bowtrunckle. If I proceed in this snail pace, I’ll have the last request finished in, uhm, March or so!



Free Spirit: Dear bowtrunckle! I am pretty sure that this wallpaper is not quite what you wanted/expected when you requested something centred around the Impala, so I apologise in advance, in case you’re terribly disappointed. Thinking about the boys’ beloved car, I tried to imagine how I would advertise it and came up with terms like bold, non-standard, without limits and borders, and soon this image of the Impala - coming towards the viewer, breaking through all boundaries - popped into my head. So, that’s what I did. By the way, it's the first time, ever, I made a wallpaper without any people it it. *g*

I wanted to show the Impala as a free spirit that cannot be bound by borders of any kind, hence it’s breaking out of the frame. I chose the background landscape of the manip for its depth and level of detail and drama, as I think it harmonises well with the boldness of the car. Also, I went with a somewhat old-fashioned look, colouring wise, because the car is from the 60s. I know, overall it doesn’t exactly scream ‘Winchester’, but I was thinking more about the Impala itself, rather than the show. I guess there’s a good chance that you’re not thrilled about the result, so I offer you to make a more appropriately ‘show-like’ header for your profile page, something along the lines you use in your icons. I could combine it with Marilyne's request for a Dean/Jo profile header, so don't feel shy to ask for it. :)

Free Spirit

1024x768 | 1280x800

You all know the drill, no posting elsewhere and no pretending it's your own. Just for private desktop use! *g* Resources as usual over at Salt'n Burn!

Comments

[fotw-sv.livejournal.com]

Ahh I deleted my first comment since I finally got in to see the wallie and O....M....G!!!!! That is THE most amazing piece! I am in LOVE with this wallie. *heart bubbles* I don't know what you did but I love love LOVE the effects you used. The background is beautiful and I love how the colors are picked up in the car's reflection. I love the use of the text with the picture in Impala. Nice touch. *bows to a true artist* Another keeper and it's already on my desktop.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Aww thank you so much! :) Glad that you like it, it's a bit different from my usual stuff. I didn't actually use any effects, the Impala promo was pretty easy to work with, because it had lots of reflections on its surface, which worked well with the background as well as the gradients I used. Kinda lucked out with this one. *g*

[chiiyo86.livejournal.com]

For some reason I can't seem to be able to see it in bigger size... :(

Anyway, from what I can tell, it's really pretty, and it does look like the Impala is going to drive out of the screen. :)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Hm, that's weird, I can see it just fine. Just try it again, reload the page. Maybe there was just some hitch on the server.

And thank you, that was kinda the effect I was going for. :)

[chiiyo86.livejournal.com]

When I click it opens a window telling me that it's dangerous or something... It seems like my computer has decided that your wallpaper could be harmful to it.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Argh, that again. Google decided that the domain has some kind of malware on it. Not my site, the whole domain and is blocking it. But there isn't, the provider told us the server is clean and there is nothing there. Geesh, I'll check in with them again. Sorry. :(

[chiiyo86.livejournal.com]

Ah, that would explain it, indeed. Hope this problem will be solved quickly, because I imagine it must be annoying!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I uploaded the 1280px version to my LJ gallery and replaced the link in this post. You should see it just fine there. It's only the big version, right? Weird that you have no problem seeing the smaller one.

[chiiyo86.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's ok now. And it is so much better to be able to see it big! Love the background landscape and the way it is combined with the image of the Impala.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

LOL yeah, depending on you monitor's resolution the 1024 version looks possibly like an icon or something. *g*

And thank you. :) I tried lots of different backgrounds, but this one looked the best to me, even if it doesn't exactly look like an American highway. :)

[joans23.livejournal.com]

Impala love!!!!!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Aren't we all a bit in love with Dean's baby? *g*

[blackbeltblondi.livejournal.com]

This is stunning, but then I happen to think that about a lot of your wallpapers!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

LOL you make it sound like that's a bad thing! ;) Glad you like it. Wasn't too sure how people would respond, because it's a bit different from my usual stuff.

[loco-lobo.livejournal.com]

prettyimpala!!! \o/

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, yes, she is one beautiful lady. Dean knows how to pick'em. *g*

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

OHHH! *gasp* I love it!!! *eee* The coloring is beautiful, the cool tones really compliment the black of the car (and I always automatically thought contrasting colors are the way to go ... shows what I know). And I like that picture cut-out effect with the word "Impala". :)

You know, the winter scene--although not something we've seen often enough in the show thanks to Vancouver's mild weather--gives this feeling that the boys and car go places we don't see, that there's more that we're not privy to: not-so-memorable hunts, quiet moments of downtime, long stretches of highway and mundane and non-dramatic brotherly moments, snowy back roads. The way this on picture somehow gives the strange feeling that there's more in these fictional characters' lives is what's so amazing about this. And not to go totally wacko meta, but I think that the big reason why fandom (largely supported by fanfic) exists, we all feel/want to believe there is more story than what we see on TV.

Also, it's awesome you used the Impala with the original plates. A purist.

THANK YOU, SWEETS!!!! :D I would dream of exchanging this for a different piece. I can't wait to put this on my profile page!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Phew, I am so relieved! I thought for sure you wouldn't like it. :) I LOVE the little meta you spun around this wallpaper. ♥ I now picture Sam and Dean nearby, maybe the little canopied bridge in the distance is haunted and the brothers went to check it out. I never thought about it that way, but now I can't get it out of my head. The wallpaper just moved from being a car advertisement to a Winchester story! Awesome, thanks! *hugs*

At first I had a typical wide American plains landscape as the background, which was nice and all, but the car is so massive - especially so close up - that the landscape was basically invisible, it was slain by the sheer weight of the Impala. So I searched for something that could hold its own besides that car and this snowy landscape was what stuck in the end. The massive trees, the shadows, the dramatic sky, the depth - it just worked.

Of course it had to be the original plate. I still didn't memorise the 'new' one. LOL

You are very welcome. I am just happy you are not disappointed! :)

[helpspb.livejournal.com]

omg!! wow, impala so pretty... it's great wall hun! all requests you've made are... i'm such an idjit for missing out on request time *g* great piece really.. :)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Helen. :) I have fun with these requests, really. I got lovely prompts that managed to inspire me, and I love to make the recipients happy. Still have ways to go though - 3 down, 8 to go! I'm sure I'll repeat that action at some point, so maybe you can make a request then. *g*

[helpspb.livejournal.com]

Yep, sure. No problem, I just enjoy to see how you deal with requests. So far you're doing great. :) can't wait for another one.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's fun to take into consideration what someone else wants in the artwork I am creating, instead of only focussing on my own needs. I would never have made this wallpaper for example if it wasn't for the prompt.

[helpspb.livejournal.com]

Yep, I believe it's a good challenge and fun,too. My problem would be that I really need to like concrete scene or have some very concrete image about it. If I don't get it, I'm not able to do any wall. :)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what you mean. There are still some of the prompts where I have no clear idea on how to approach them. Other prompts though almost instantly inspired a visual/scene in me. I really hope I'll get a concrete idea for all promts. It would be too embarrassing to disappoint the people who made the requests. :)

[helpspb.livejournal.com]

Hehe,yep. I understand you. That's why I can't offer anything like this LOL

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

Um, is there some virus issue with your art site, or is Firefox being weird? :s Because when I just tried opening this picture I got some warning message about salt and burn being reported as "an attack site"! :s

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Did you click on the 1024 version? The 1280 version is linked to my LJ gallery, you should have no problem there. I know about the virus message, it's not only SNB, it's the domain misplaced and all sites that are hosted there. Nikki already contacted the provider and they took care of the problem, but it can take a while until we cleared with Google/Firefox. /sigh

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I remember you talking about that in VIP, okay then, yeah, that's what I clicked on, good to know! So there is no problem now except for Firefox saying there is?

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

*looks more closely*

I really like this piece Chris, the coloring is wonderful (but then blue is my fave color!), and I love how you have another picture of the impala within the word Impala (took me a sec to notice!). And the Impala looks very shiny...:D

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Katharine. Glad you like the piece, it's a bit different from my usual stuff, but I think it came out well. Heh, yeah, the Impala is very shiny, luckily I had a really nice promo image for that shot and the reflections really worked well with the stock photo I chose, so a win all around. :)

Oh, and yeah, my site Salt'n Burn is completely free of any viruses/malware. Google/FF block the whole domain, no matter how many sites are actually affected. My site is clean :)

[marilyne-22.livejournal.com]

oh, so lovely! love the color! <3

btw I meant to tell you, everytime I go on your website there's a malware warning :/ and same thing when I try to go on Zugma's site so I guess it must be the misplaced.co.uk domain that is infected?

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

I know. :( In fact it's Zugma's and Tam's websites that are affected, mine is completely virus/malware free, just Google and Firefox simply ban the whole domain, instead the individual subdomains. The provider tries to fix it, there's nothing I can do. /sigh

[smth-blue.livejournal.com]

Wow, you really made Impala alive and breathing! So pretty :)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) I'm glad you like it.