CHOPPER PROFILE 10
Welcome back chopper fans to another chopper profile. Today’s profilee has been around this site for some time. He likes to do some GIF work. Always good for a laugh with over 3800 votes to his name, placed second in the recent teams contest, its time to sit back grab a brew and learn more about this fellow chopper… couldb5150.
1. What is your nickname and how did you get it?
Couldb5150- Got it cause in my teens to late 30’s I had a habit of doing rather
crazy things. And seeing as the police call sign for possible crazy person
is 5150 here in the states, my friends dubbed me hey he “couldb5150”!
2. What is your real name and age?
Mike Big 40
So many good one liners I could use here… 
3. Where are you from and what’s so great about being there?
Huntingdon Beach California, aka, “Surf City” love being here cause of the weather, women and beaches. Also one of the few places you can surf in the morning and snow ski in the afternoon all in the same day
!
4. What do you do to keep the bills paid?
Jack of all trades master of none. Freelance in a lot of areas like art, music, graphics, construction, electronics etc.
No one section you prefer to work at or enjoy more than the others?
I really love to do hands on electrical projects that involve some thought process and planning and are mentally and creatively challenging. Its not uncommon for me to be designing and installing a audio/video systems (ie. hi def TV’s with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, security system, household control units (ie. remote and wireless switches and accessories, or remote controls to operate all electrical in a house or remotely from computer or telephone), on any given weekend, just for fun and I can for my friends & family. Recently I created and installed a wireless camera for the inside of a 3 horse; horse trailer that can be monitored inside the tow vehicle or from a PC within 500 ft of it…was pretty fun). Basically if it’s a gadget or wireless IM INTERESTED IN IT. I have been known to actually go out and buy a brand new device be it a dig cam, electrical component and as soon as I get home disassemble it. Just to see how they work and are built, (and yes I do have quite a few “still” disassembled digital cameras “ that were not as easy to put back together as I had hoped …
)
5. What do you do in your spare time?
Play the piano (or write music) (since age 9) clarinet, sax (alto and tenor) flute and drums…. love to paint, oils and acrylic or charcoal (pastel) sketching. I enjoy sitting quietly and writing, thoughts, memoirs, poems and ballads (I have been published with one of my poems).
[Well you should post a link up or post a copy on the site mate, I like many other’s here enjoy learning what other members here have achieved.[/b]
Digital photography and dig movie making (and editing) is a blast, Allot of my time is spent helping friends out with whatever they need help on, that I am well versed in, (a few such as-home construction, electrical, plumbing, security, and computer systems). Without sounding too arrogant, I have a lot of interests and am good at a lot of things (actually most things I try I excel at). Unfortunately (and I know there’s a lot of you out there that are the same way) someone with a lot of talents and interests never gets to fully concentrate on one arena. For example I may play the piano for 12-16 hours straight while writing a song or just relaxing, then not touch it (the piano for 6 months) same applies to other areas, not enough waking hours to enjoy and pursue all my interests and talents.
BUT THE ONE MOST SPECIAL thing I do in my free time is spending time with my 3-year-old niece. We play the piano, paint, colour (with crayons of course) in her colouring books or just take pictures of her, at 3 she already knows how to pose for the camera she is such a ham and very special. We relate to each other very well…. Hmmm (that’s a loaded statement)…. Anyhow she’s great fun and good medicine. (This is coming from a 40-year-old bachelor with no kids.)
6. How did you find PSC, and what do you like most about the site?
I was bored one day and just did a general search for Photoshop contests and voila, as they say the rest is history! What I like most about the site is the people and talent…. There are some very talented, sharp, witty, creative and over all generally good happy people here! And I have always been a big fan of positive energy feeds on positive people…. Other than a few times I could count on one hand …the people in here have really impressed me whether its their artistic talents, creativity level or just their sense of humour and funny posts/comments they have put out there! The people in here are good people!
7. If you could change one thing at PSC, what would it be and why?
OK here it comes and I know this issue has been around the block more than a few times…Ideally I would love to see the images, voters identities and comment makers’ identities ALL anonymous…UNTIL after the contest is over. (With a way to continue making comments (non-anonymously) after the contest ends. My reasoning is I think comments be they good, bad or indifferent should be more accurate, candid and consistent. If no one knew who said what or who posted what I think the overall level of voting and comments would be a little more consistent…(yes I know the vote whores would be PM’ing all their friends as to what image was theirs, and that’s sad. But whatever.) My main reason for joining here was to #1 Have fun, #2 Learn, not to see how many votes I can get, votes are a plus but learning and having fun are a necessity!
8. Any other information you would like to pass on about who you are?
I’m Skydiving, bungee jumping NUT!
Some reason that does not surprise me very much, wonder why
9. Other than this site, where else do you like to surf, that is not PhotoShop orientated?
http://www.g4tv.com/main.html
http://twit.tv/
PC p43.3 GHz PS cs2, illustrator, image ready and Corel painter.
Another PC user, good to see.
1. What gets your creative juices flowing, how do you create that masterpiece?
99 % of the time within seconds of seeing a source pic I know what I’m gonna do
So you just see the image and away you go, no second-guessing or change of mind?
Yes exactly, normally if I don’t have an idea immediately after viewing source …well…its going to be (hopefully) a fun GIF that will be entertaining ….at that point I move on and create some sort of humorous GIF and any thought of vote getting is not present…..Its at this time I try to entertain …not impress with my skills!
2. What do you use as inspiration?
Salvador Dali
No other influences, there must be more to it than one artist that gives you inspiration?
Oh yes there are many Escher, Leroy, Nieman, Monet, R.C.Gorman, Chagall to name a few I really like stuff that is different and makes you think, like Escher or Dali. I can’t count how many times I have opened up one of their books (of which I have many) and seen things in their art I hadn’t seen before, that to me is truly impressive!
3. Do you have a system? Does a chop have to be done a certain way following steps or are you a messy chopper and just go with the flow?
No. Other than if I’m stumped for an idea I will take the image and rotate it then inverts it etc, with the hopes something will hit me! (Idea wise that is…lol) Other than hi res “orbs” or Glass items I pretty much go with the flow. If it’s the aforementioned then I have techniques that I use.
Well I hope you will share that technique in the tips and tricks section?
4. What style of chop do you prefer to create? )
I really don’t have a preference …although as of late I have been trying to incorporate a bit more colour and depth to my chops
5. Filters, brushes and techniques, what do you use and not use and why?
I’m a big fan of distort and texture filters, dodge and burn tools and techniques I often use are those of multi layered transparent orbs. Hmm Basically any back ground or dominant shades or colours comes first …then use of filters and layer styles followed lastly by dodge burn tools for depth and shading
6. When do you know ya got it just right, or is it constant changes up untill or after you post?
When I finish my last phase of any image and that is the use of dodge/burn tools…. These I always use last, and its amazing when used properly one can take a plain boring 2 dimensional image and produce an eye-catching 3d image with all kinds of depth and perspective! Its only after I use these tools that I know I am truly finished!
7. Is there a limit to what you will chop?
No I’m pretty much up for anything. Unless for example some day I see in advantage a photo of my mother…. then we have a problem …and no I won’t chop it! lol
1. Learn the pen tool and like it and be good with it.
2. Use dodge and burn tools at end of chop….you will really be surprised the depth it can bring out in an image….very dimensional looking when done.
3. Have fun, fun, fun….having a lot of votes is nothing if you had to get all stressed out to get them !!! enjoy, have fun, and learn when/what you can !
1. What is your favourite type of source image, and why?
Favourite source has got to be people & animals which I usually end up animating to some degree!! Nature can be fun too but really I love working with people and animals!!
2. Tell us why it is your favourite type?
Its my favourite because you can change so much on an image of people or animals…sex…emotions…nationality…mood …expressions etc…and then if I’m doing a GIF its 100 times more fun because now I am animating with the above mentioned…oh what fun that can be!
3. There is always talk about how the source is used and to what extent it should be used. What are your views on all sources, outside source use and my favourite animated GIF images?
I’m turning into a big fan of “all source” posts being some of the hardest to do …yet most rewarding in the same note…. as for outside sources I have no problem with using them. I do feel that everyone should use some common sense when merging source and non source images and have both be equally shown or at least the source image be the dominant % so I wouldn’t go and grab a tire from the source pic of a car and then paste it into an outside source image of a bunch of old use tires in an empty lot….too easy and not what PSC is all about (imo)
Now as far as GIF’s are concerned …you have hit home with that one….there are a few people in PSC that will positively comment on , but refuse to vote on GIF’s and their reasons are many …Hey That’s fine there are others that really seem to enjoy and get a kick out of them!!! Which I greatly appreciate. I think doing a GIF is (normally) the hardest chop to do above all source and using outside images, on average a good GIF will take me easily twice as long if not longer than a normal entry. I challenge anyone that thinks differently to try it, its fun yet very challenging. This is mainly due to the size constraints on image size 125kb is a no brainier with “save for web” but when you have sometimes up to 50-60 frames keeping that file size down, image resolution up and animation timed and smooth its really challenging. I think you will notice the majority of the time my GIF’s are still in a good (physical) size range yet still animate correctly and resolution is good, anytime someone would like to view the PSD file of a GIF I would be glad to show them. That way they will know all the work that truly goes into them.
And while on the GIF issue I must say there is one person in particular that months ago swore he would never vote for a GIF BUT always had nice comments on them for me…Thanks Shaman you are truly a class act. He has voted for almost every one of my GIF’s in the past few months.
4. What is your favoured site for outside source images?
Gotta be Google image searching.
When you search do you have an idea what you are looking for or is it hit and miss?
Normally I know exactly what I’m looking for all the way up to image angle and lighting.
1. In your opinion what makes a good chop?
Getting as close to max image size as allowed….colour…depth….dimension!!!
2. Do you have a system to get things started? ie Music, mood setting stuff likes that? Yes, my only real system is I work best in the wee hours like between midnight and 5:00 am (which is also post time here in Calif)..
Yeah I like the early morning to do a chop, less noise and no phones and shit to disrupt your work
3. Have you ever completed a chop and then for some reason decide not to enter it in the contest, if so what were your reasons?
Yes, only a couple times…my reasoning was simply that I didn’t think it was my best work ( normally a rush job) or I felt it was too obvious….you know something you know there will be 50 others of posted for that contest! Those are the only times.
After you finish your chop is it a matter of just post it or do you seek opinions of family and fellow choppers?
Post it and I’m DONE!
4. If some one finds a fault in your work do you change it or stay with what you posted?
Yes, I usually change it…I have found that after working with an image for umpteen hours, that sometimes I miss the small (yet obvious) stuff…if someone points this out in a comment and I see it soon enough I will go ahead and make the change(s).
5. What qualities do you look for when deciding to vote on a chop?
Creativity first, message, use of PS tools, shading, colour and depth as long as it’s a good chop it will get my vote!
Some people won’t vote for pure filtered chops or animated GIF, is there any particular style/type of chop you won’t vote for?
No, if it’s good and deserves a vote then I vote!
6. Time is always a factor, how much time do you spend on a chop and how much time is too much?
There is never too much time IMO but normally on average my chops take 4-6 hours some have taken less than an hour and others over 12…and there’s some nut out there that actually spent like 25 hours on an awesome chop of a PC motherboard. (Ask Marcoballistic about that one lol)
7. Ok we all love to get votes. Now are you a constant vote checker or do you just let it go and check once a day?
Honestly I’m lucky if I check once a day!
Wow that is impressive, if I have an image in I check at least three time or more a day. Yeah I know the votes don’t matter.
8. What chop did you do and it did not do as well as you expected?
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/83178/amber.html
9. You like to do a lot of GIF work, is it more rewarding than a single image or are the two mediums different in expectations?
I am so happy you asked this question. Yes, GIF work is more rewarding cause if done well its a mini movie where I can tell a story or convey an idea better than a single image in my opinion. I find GIF work to be considerably harder than regular JPG posts, for the simple reasons it is time consuming, they take a ton of time to do well and consist of multiple chops. When doing an elaborate GIF its almost like doing a standard daily entry but multiple times and the hardest part is keeping the image bigger than a postage stamp while still staying within the 125 kb file size, there’s where it gets really challenging "OPTIMIZATION".
Could not agree more with you on that mate, GIF work takes a lot of time and you have to deal with the source image in very different ways to just a straight chop. Optimisation is a bietch!
I really wish more people would at least attempt doing some GIF’s. Maybe then, they would realise just how difficult they are, on average if my GIF is decent and of good size it probably has taken me at least 6-10 hours to do correctly. A lot of people don't vote for GIF’s as a rule, and I’m cool with that. Just as long as everyone voting knows the time and energy that goes into them, a couple of my all time favs, that still make me laugh today are:
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/82416/display.html
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/84843/new-weapon.html
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/81227/display.html
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/81896/display.html
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/80397/display.html
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/88768/eating-crow.html
1. Your best chop ever?
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/86666/our-gang.html
I have two! First B&W and then a coloured image I really like. The challenge of working in B&W was very hard but a ton of fun to do!
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/83058/who.html
this one came together very nicely ...believe it or not about 5 mins total time to post, go figure huh!
2. Your worst chop ever?
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/61708/display.html
I was very new to a lot of things when I posted this one ...could of been good had I known then what I know now!
We all have that regret when playing here don’t we, if I had only known that last time!
3. Who do you think is one of the better choppers out there today, and what makes him one of the best in your opinion?
This is hard
Well that’s why a call’s em FAQ mate
…but I’d have to say Rey Rey in my opinion the guy knows his tools and techniques….shows a lot of his personality in his posts. He works in and out side the box and I’ve had the opportunity to have some lengthy PM’s with him. He is a class act and always has a clear concise answer regarding questions in PS and the illustrator industry in general. (RR expect a few more votes from ya now bud…LOL)
4. What you hate to see in a chop and why you hate it so much?
Honestly? Ok ya asked….fuzzy little animals!!!! squirrels, hamster (nothing personal feral),bunnies and cats…..ahhh Hate em……But I digress….Even if you have one of the above in your post ..and it’s a good chop then you will STILL get my vote…and a carrot!!!
5. The best chop of all time?
by Anfa,,..this one blew me away!
http://photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/79291/display.html
Thank you so much for allowing me this opportunity!!!
More than welcome mate
Well thanks for your time Mike, and keep them GIF’s coming mate. Glad you enjoyed going through the profile rigmarole. Well who will be next, I have no idea myself, nut keep looking because it couldb…oh wait just did him huh…well it may be you. Till next time.Blue_lurker
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHOP.
