Man, it’s so bizarre, I already feel like a stranger here and simply thought you were one of the usual masters of concept design on here, hehe. In the back of my head I only felt a strange connection to you. Really funny. Yes, it’s been a very, very long time. I can’t believe the majority of my daily sketches are from 2004, oh my god. Thinking about that makes me think that I didn’t improve much, but then it’s not always about “improving” anyway. Or rather it’s the question what has improved. You’ve certainly established yourself as a powerful source of inspiration, but I think you’ve always been that, right? To me, improvement has meant to become lose, relaxed and confident without much or any hesitation.
I’m still not entirely there…but I’m here again and you finally give me a feeling of being welcome again. I almost felt like an intruder on top of the astrangement. So it means a lot to me! Thank you, DM! 
I’ve been spending most of my time over on the artrage forum, which is simply a completely different world and makes me honestly happy. There’s a different kind of magic happening and it’s a bit closer to everyone, somehow. I’m pretty sure I’ve said that here before?! The tool has given me the biggest boost, I think, in regards to liberation, somehow. In PS everything is as tight as you can make it and so little can happen out of just working with it. That’s great for illustrations and designs and all that, but it doesn’t edge anyone on in any unsuspected way. But because so many here come from that kind of “precision” and design world, I don’t even know whether the kind of stuff I do in AR is even looked at as on the same page, hehe. Reminds me a little of the beginning-days of Zbrush, when even I looked at those pictures as fancy cheat, so to say (Zbrush 1.x). Anything not animatable didn’t really count as 3d. But when it came out with 2.0 and displacement maps it suddenly was a real tool and what ever comes out of it eversince is simply “real” and perfectly legitimed. I think when AR gets 16bit implementation (and what ever might be missing) it may already jump that hurdle, too, and become a respected player in the pro world. Until then I’m just enjoying it and hope I won’t remain a stranger here with it.
Am I in a writing mood or what, haha! Sorry… 
AH, the latest greatest…
CgTalk Daily Sketch 1812 50 mn “The Leader”
(38min, Artrage)
