-
Sign up or login, and you'll have full access to opportunities of forum.
Cruxton Abbey
- Thread starter Wragg
- Start date
Alice should be proud of the nice statue behind her!!!Veil Dancers at Cruxton Abbey
View attachment 1559269
Anya and Alice take a break during rehearsals at the Abbey (which has become widely viewed as a bastion of cultural patronage).
The rendering of that gossamer scarf around living Alice is genius! And Anya’s is similarly well done, see-through to the point of being ethereal. I guess the effect is made with an almost transparent layer for just the fabric, maybe separately per figure? Alice as crucifix is the real Easter egg. Even the lamp is intriguing- all detail is worth one’s attentionVeil Dancers at Cruxton Abbey
View attachment 1559269
Anya and Alice take a break during rehearsals at the Abbey (which has become widely viewed as a bastion of cultural patronage).
The question has been raised as to which culture the Abbey patronizes - so far answers to the question are vague and noncommittal. Then again, once the performance begins, people tend to forget all kinds of questions.
Wearing something a little more substantial around her midriff which should put a smile on your face.
But you're right, that gossamer silk that Alice has is sooooooo, um, cultural!
It does but I too prefer the “doesn’t hide anything really” silk!
Mmmm, “cultural” yes, so I meant! You run a fine lodging, Sir, I approve of your choices in staffingBut you're right, that gossamer silk that Alice has is sooooooo, um, cultural!
Wearing something a little more substantial around her midriff which should put a smile on your face.
But you're right, that gossamer silk that Alice has is sooooooo, um, cultural!
Many thanks for the positive feedback, everyone. The manipulation consists of 20 visible layers plus six blending filters for harmonising colour and texture. The composition presents a contrast between the standing and seated poses, as well as exploiting the contrast between the complimentary sepia tones and blue highlights.
In Alice's case there is the further contrast between the pose photographed by Valery Anzilov and the crucifix, which is a composite figure derived from pictures by Makar. Both figures have received loincloths, and the crucifix helps to define the location unmistakably as Cruxton Abbey.
The translucent veils account for seven layers, including two small areas which pass over Anya's thumbs. Each veil layer is set to a reduced opacity to allow the layers beneath to show through. Extra shadows have been added to the background features, notably the carpet, stools and the screen behind the crucifix, to make sense of the lighting on the inserted figures. I think the overall effect is reasonably successful.
This is a very interesting technique - very innovative indeed.
Cruxton Abbey Job Vacancy
Job turnover is a problem everywhere, and Cruxton Abbey is no exception. While the pay for staff is good, and there are a number of unique..."benefits"...associated with working as part of the household staff team, occasionally there are situations where a chambermaid has to be...er...let go. This is the situation we see today. A job has (very) recently been vacated, and the post needs to be filled. Oxana has clearly passed the interview and is showing up to report to Lady Wragg for her first day on the job. She passes the Butler, Mr. Briggs, who is just stepping out for his morning walk to the village to get the post. The sight of her predecessor on the side of the gravel pathway does not seem to put her off in the slightest. In fact, she seems to be more interested in Mr. Briggs.
Job turnover is a problem everywhere, and Cruxton Abbey is no exception. While the pay for staff is good, and there are a number of unique..."benefits"...associated with working as part of the household staff team, occasionally there are situations where a chambermaid has to be...er...let go. This is the situation we see today. A job has (very) recently been vacated, and the post needs to be filled. Oxana has clearly passed the interview and is showing up to report to Lady Wragg for her first day on the job. She passes the Butler, Mr. Briggs, who is just stepping out for his morning walk to the village to get the post. The sight of her predecessor on the side of the gravel pathway does not seem to put her off in the slightest. In fact, she seems to be more interested in Mr. Briggs.
twonines
LIMERICUS
Probably not, Lord and Lady Wragg derive far too much pleasure from flogging that tight little!Great art, Jolly. I sincerely hope that I’m not Oxana’s predecessor
Briggs obviously feels that the day is nippy enough to justify a buttoned up overcoat and a bowler...
Love it, Jolly!
No, seems to be some poor hapless Asian girl.Great art, Jolly. I sincerely hope that I’m not Oxana’s predecessor
Well, the dress code for butlers and for chambermaids is different. Perhaps Oxana better walk briskly to keep warm. Still, there's a bit of sun - that's got to help.
I think I'm rather pleased about that...
Cruxton Abbey Job Vacancy
Job turnover is a problem everywhere, and Cruxton Abbey is no exception. While the pay for staff is good, and there are a number of unique..."benefits"...associated with working as part of the household staff team, occasionally there are situations where a chambermaid has to be...er...let go. This is the situation we see today. A job has (very) recently been vacated, and the post needs to be filled. Oxana has clearly passed the interview and is showing up to report to Lady Wragg for her first day on the job. She passes the Butler, Mr. Briggs, who is just stepping out for his morning walk to the village to get the post. The sight of her predecessor on the side of the gravel pathway does not seem to put her off in the slightest. In fact, she seems to be more interested in Mr. Briggs.
The most challenging aspect of this background is the very low viewpoint, for which the camera is held at knee level, giving the illusion that Briggs is enormously tall. This feature of the forced perspective has been successfuly translated into the inserted figures, and we can see that both girls share the knee-level viewpoint with Briggs.
Oxana has been photographed with the camera somewhere below the waist, but the crucified Lilu was photographed in an elevated position. In the interest of consistent perspective, her cross is presented as a short one, and she hangs with knees bent and her feet secured just below her buttocks.
Whilst Lilu was photographed by Makar in a studio crux session with Foxy on 27 January 2010, Oxana is not to be confused with the Cruxdreams model of that name, and I am unable to identify her origins. Her tan lines and thigh gap are remarkable, nevertheless.
The lighting direction is consistent for all figures, Lilu having been flipped to accommodate this, and the inserted shadows are cast in the same direction. Oxana has left the path, to allow Briggs to pursue his unwavering course, and in a neat piece of character interaction, she turns to observe his footsteps whilst he leaves her to carry her own suitcase. Fortunately the case does not appear to be very heavy, and probably does not contain any clothing. Nice work again, Jolly!
Last edited:
Wonderful very good image manipulations.
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Briggs is obviously traditional old school concerning male staff's dress code!Briggs obviously feels that the day is nippy enough to justify a buttoned up overcoat and a bowler...
Regardless of the weather!
But his mind is flexible enough not to bother about Lord Wragg's standards on female staff's "dress" code!
When Sir Despard Wragg looked out
On the Feast of Stephen
His bad headache made him shout
(He’d got drunk last even).
Brightly shone the moon that night
Causing apoplexy
When a maiden came in sight
Who looked rather sexy!
“Hither Alice – stand by me!
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder woman, who is she?
Where and what her dwelling?”
“Sire, she is one Bar’bra Moore
Lives in Cruxton Crescent,
In this cold you may be sure
She has nips tumescent!”
“Yes, sweet Alice, she looks fine
In this chilly weather,
Where pray did she get that wine
Which she carries with her?”
“Oh Sir Despard, don’t be cross!
We all tried to tell her!
For that bottle is a loss
From thine own wine cellar!”
Wraggy’s fury knew no bounds
Hangover forgotten;
He sent servants, he sent hounds
Bar’bra’s luck was rotten!
In his dungeon they did meet
Whence his men had fetched her;
Ropes around her wrists and feet
On his rack he stretched her!
He tried everything he knew
He tried hard, behold him!
Though he tightened hard the screw
Not a word she told him.
Though he threatened dreadful strife
Though his threats were violent
For the first time in his life
Barb made that Knight silent!
On the Feast of Stephen
His bad headache made him shout
(He’d got drunk last even).
Brightly shone the moon that night
Causing apoplexy
When a maiden came in sight
Who looked rather sexy!
“Hither Alice – stand by me!
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder woman, who is she?
Where and what her dwelling?”
“Sire, she is one Bar’bra Moore
Lives in Cruxton Crescent,
In this cold you may be sure
She has nips tumescent!”
“Yes, sweet Alice, she looks fine
In this chilly weather,
Where pray did she get that wine
Which she carries with her?”
“Oh Sir Despard, don’t be cross!
We all tried to tell her!
For that bottle is a loss
From thine own wine cellar!”
Wraggy’s fury knew no bounds
Hangover forgotten;
He sent servants, he sent hounds
Bar’bra’s luck was rotten!
In his dungeon they did meet
Whence his men had fetched her;
Ropes around her wrists and feet
On his rack he stretched her!
He tried everything he knew
He tried hard, behold him!
Though he tightened hard the screw
Not a word she told him.
Though he threatened dreadful strife
Though his threats were violent
For the first time in his life
Barb made that Knight silent!
I should explain, Gentle Reader, that I was seeking to clean up the original.
You will seek in vain for the word 'sod' in those verses!