Hi there! Hello! Welcome!
My name is Richard, I am predominantly a visual artist.
This is the first, actual entry in this new blog, an exhaustive post about fun stuff, about what I am doing publicly:
What I do:
1, Among other things, I paint and draw via traditional methods and via a (non-display) digital drawing tablet.
see some of my work here: https://richardkramen.com/artwork/
2, I make music again via analogue methods. I "released" my first "new" song.
see here: https://richardkramen.com/music/
3, I also have an illustrated novel / comic / video game project (mainly in the freezer). This is, apart from life events, supposed to be my "main project".
see here: https://richardkramen.com/devblog/
This I put on hold for a long time as I was rewriting it and outlining main elements, aiming to create something more remarkable than what I had in mind before. Let's see...
4, And every now and then I modify games.
More often programs, and even more often, just about daily, my operating system and digital desktop environment.
Yet, video games. Ugh, what a topic... A non-stop electronic cabaret of "amazing!... useless!"
Anyhow, here I merged and combined other modifications, did photo-manipulation on and re-painted textures, made new normal maps for them and adjusted attributes to make different variations in armor and clothing, different textures for clothing (glossy or matte, cut outs and adjustments) and new faces for the characters. This way the characters and their setup are unlike anything before in this game, mimicking South Korean-style video game trends, giving a whole new look and feel to gameplay:
© Copyright 2006 - 2023, Lo-Fi Games Ltd. - Kenshi
5, And I do full-stack webdesign (that means I do everything-everything, markup, code, security, webmail, design, logos, all all...). See all these web pages i am linking in this post. 110101 very code 010101 very computer
Updates! Updates! Updates!
YAY!
Recently I just finished a massive overhaul and update on my main website:
see here: https://richardkramen.com/artwork/
With hidden features revealed this Halloween!
the technicalities of it:
- First and most of all, I made a full fallback, no-JS site to support it. Without flashing effects but fully functional and responsive: safe site
- No external help or libraries, while it still uses some of Skeleton and Normalize those were for the previous site make up, to tone down the remains of a Wordpress theme, I will eventually remove them. They are absolutely great tools though, use 'em if you need 'em.
- That's right, no Wordpress, it was just getting in the way. I can't seem to like them anymore...
- Inline SVGs and CSS tricks by me. Lotsa digital acrobatics. I explored a lot in the context of how can we use less and less JavaScript and just do it all in HTML and CSS. I have to say, you really do not need JS for a very good, modern website. Blame me.
- Yet, I got very confident with scripting around, there a few things which are hidden at the moment but real cool to use. HTML Canvas is pretty neat.
- Custom PHP/CSS gallery with keyboard control. I can't think of a simpler, lighter gallery.
- Lots of home-baked JavaScript programming. :)
I mainly used Stackoverflow questions and comments to guide me and I figured everything out the best I could.
Hurray!
Current works in progress, current workingsss:
This is the tallest ever image I've ever done, at one point i will do a full-size print:
This hare is an assistant you will bump into here and there, a recurring character in my work, "within universe" and on websites etc.
I updated my setup from its mobile state to something more permanent. Traditional drawing equipment not pictured, traditional stuff in another post later:
-> ->
As I was mostly busy with building the website(s) for a good while, I have not posted much online (except some silly "stories" on mainstream media) but stacks of art grew in kilograms here. I have managed to fill a few sketchbooks again. A "best of", compiled, touched up version may see light one day.
I have prints available! Some stocked, some to pre-order: check here!!
The End
thank you for reading!
Although, I have a few statements to make if you are curious:
There will be no advertisements here ever.
There are no "cookies", there are no analytics.
I oppose anything about "AI" generated imagery and text.
I oppose anything about NFTs
I oppose anything cryptocurrency.
I do not intend to sound obnoxious and delusional, I aim to keep myself in check...
Yet I just can't seem to delete these lines. Sadly it is a world where we must stand tall, be strong and wield what we are. Well, as much as I know, defending our own skills is standard practice that dates back forever, so this is me doing it, I feel I must speak up a bit.
I am a highly talented, expertly skilled visual artist. This is cause I have honest, deep interest ever since I remember.
I am a well-experienced, confident, thoroughly trained, workaholic visual artist with a great arsenal of skills. As I kept adding to and refreshing what I do.
Refusing to give up, I am still bursting of passion and I can not be stopped apparently.
I must be indeed mad and crazy passionate as I seem to just keep making art, I keep creating.
Regardless all the discouragement, regardless the zero support, regardless the zero income from it, I do it.
In these times, this is something to cherish. I am happy and slightly proud of it. Let's do some good.
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