FAQ's and Resources

This is a list of places we purchase the license for our 3D models, clothes, hair, textures, and materials for Vu Poser and Bryce

Do you use Paint Shop Pro tubes in your art work?

NO, NEVER!  In fact, we rarely use Paint Shop Pro at all unless it is to texture clothing for various characters.  We would never use a complication of tubes or images and layer them into our original art work.  We do use some Photoshop (psd) images that we create ourselves in Poser in our enhanced photography but even our photography is rendered in Poser so we can emphasize certain areas with lights, characters and other props.  We may also purchase some backdrops from other artists if they are of high quality to re-render in Poser emphasizing lights and props but this is rare as most backgrounds do not pass our inspection for quality.  We may also layer in psd images in our art for a dollar section but again, these are images and backdrops we create ourselves.

What is "rendered" art work?

A rendered piece of art is art that has been created from scratch (this includes all architecture, props, foliage, skies, characters etc...) in a digital art program such as Poser, Bryce 3D, Vue, etal. Rendered art work is NOT art work where a Paint Shop Pro "tube" or a compilation of "tubes" has been layered over a background, or blended into a background and is not to our knowledge recognized by any digital art association nor would it pass the test for a juried art show.

Why do you sell art work only exclusively?

This is an easy one.  Our clients consist of top web designers, publishing companies and other companies who absolutely need exclusivity for their clients because their clients are business owners who require exclusivity.  Our designers know that by purchasing exclusive art work, their clients will have a one of a kind web presence with art work that no one else is using or ever will use.  We do have some non exclusive art work at our 3D Commune store but on our site we will no longer carry anything except exclusive work for our designers.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with using art work in your designs that can be purchased by thousands of other designers as long as one does this with the understanding that their layout will contain art work that is also used as wall paper, signature tags and various other things which makes the created set not exclusive to their clients and certainly not one of a kind.  There are many wonderful artists out there who allow their work to be used in making web sets as link ware while at the same time, allowing the work to a select few to make purchase ware sets.  I think it is wonderful that some artists do this, but at Old Hippie Art, only one of a kind art work is sold and never used by anyone else as another piece of purchased art or on someone's link ware site.  Why pay for a web set when you can find it free?   Ethical web designers will make their clients aware of the fact that their set contains art work that may be being used by many other designers and used for many things including the possibility that the art work is somewhere out there in a set for free.

What is your secret for creating your beautiful art work?

That is a tough question as we have many techniques for our art work.  Different works of art require different techniques.  The one thing I can tell you as always be original in your work.  All artists are inspired by the works of the masters and digital artists inspire each other, however put something on your canvas or computer screen that is all "you."  Always strive for originality in your work.

What programs do you use to make such beautiful art work?

We use Poser 7.1, Adobe Photoshop CS2, 3d Bryce 6.1 and various filters and Photoshop actions we have designed that are exclusive only to our art studio

Do you make country clip art or use country clip art in your art work?

My pixel painting/wacom tablet skills are pretty much limited to texturing clothes for 3D characters.  As well, it has been my experience that with the exception of one or two artists on the net, country and primitive type clip art has been traced/copied from well known characters like Precious Moments, Boyds Bears, rubber stamping companies etc...  We have even seen some who have traced well known Poser characters and made those tracings into what they call "original hand drawn clip art."  An absolute copyright violation for sure.  The bottom line is, that unless it has been hand drawn pixel by pixel and hand painted pixel by pixel, it looks like clip art.  Our designers would never allow us to get away with using traced/copied clip art in our work as they prefer original and exclusive art work.  If you look at our designers' sites, you won't see much clip art unless it is offered as link ware.  Ask any legitimate designer and they will tell you that original art work sells sites.  Look at any professionally designed web site and you will not see traced clip art.  What you will see is original art work and professional stock photography.

Why don't you offer link ware any more?

There are several reasons for this.  First, all of our digital and traditional art work as well as our web sets are registered with the US Copyright Office.  Therefore, it is imperative that we keep tabs on which sites are using our art work as well as making sure that all of our work is being used according to our terms as set down by our attorneys.  We simply do not have time to do this.  Secondly, it takes time to constantly update link ware and this is also time we do not have.  Third, we found that too many of our link ware users like to add animation and other designers work to our original art work.  This is unacceptable.  Our art work is a representation of us as artists.  Your site is viewed by many people on a daily basis.  Many of these people are other artists as well as publishing companies and jurors looking for our art work.  These people and companies judge our art work according to what they see on your site.  If they see copyrighted graphics and art work mingled with our original work or sparkly things added to the work, it makes for displeasing results in judgments.  If you want positively gorgeous link ware that uses our purchased art work, please go to THIS SITE.  This designer has some of the most beautiful sets on the internet and more than does justice to our art work.

Do You Make Web Sets for others?

Sorry, no.  At this time, our art work keeps us busy.   We have done this in the past but prefer using our valuable time to create art for other designers to use.  We do offer some pre-made web suites but we rarely have time to make these.  

Can we see your art studio?

I think not.  It is a busy place and rather messy.  We are, after all artists and we live in our work.

Do you have other jobs?

The Old Hippette is a retired English teacher and the Old Hippie is still active in the computer security business.  I am also a writer which keeps me busy and we are both Civil War Historians.  The Old Hippie is the traditional artist and yes, he does do some commissioned work when time permits.

Do You travel to different places to take your photos?

Yes, we travel extensively.  However, our favorite past time away from our art work is hiking.  When you see notes on our site that we are gone and have no access to a computer, it means we are so far up in the mountains that we can't be found.

What Web Host do you use?

We use Freeservers.com for the domain of Old Hippie Art and The Fairy Path  We have been with Free Servers since 1998 and have always been more than satisfied with their excellent service.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to email us.