Making a Rocking horse take off.
As many of you know, I love working across a variety of media—digital collage, photography, painting, animation, and drawing. My Venusmachine concept blends all these elements into a seamless fusion of hard technicality and soft sensuality. At its core, it explores the delicate balance between the organic and the mechanical, the sensual and the industrial, culminating in a visually striking, thought-provoking synergy.
As an artist, I often find inspiration within my own body of work, revisiting themes and pieces that resonate deeply with me. My latest project is no exception. It draws its roots from my 2013 glass painting "Schaukelpferd" (Rocking Horse) but reimagines it on a completely new level. This evolution allowed me to expand on the original idea while infusing it with fresh energy and techniques.
For this rendition, I worked with the wonderful model Michaela, who brought the piece to life as she flawlessly mastered the challenging poses, essential to capturing the dynamic flow of the artwork. The final image came together from a series of reference photos, with enhancements to the hair using hand-drawn strands meticulously blended with the help of AI.
Central to the piece is the "Rocket," a flying contraption that embodies both whimsy and retro futurism. The design process began with a rough sketch in Photoshop.
which was then refined into a clean drawing in Illustrator:
I returned to Photoshop to add dimension while maintaining a distinct 2D comic book appearance.
The figure and her dress were also treated with overlays and filters in Photoshop, ensuring a seamless blend into the bold, vibrant comic book style that ties the entire piece together.
A small but notable detail is the inclusion of a fish, a recurring element in my works. It serves as a subtle observer, almost like a viewer within the artwork itself, adding an extra layer of intrigue.
To enhance the retro-futuristic vibe, the text "Rocketgirl" was added in a carefully chosen font that reinforces this aesthetic. The piece is planned for release as a physical acrylic art print, a medium that brings out its vibrant colors and intricate details and builds a bridge to my traditional glass painting.
The background, designed as a separate layer, allows for future palette adjustments, while the addition of the moon provides a serene yet otherworldly touch.
Different color themes will be available, as seen in these examples:
"Rocketgirl" represents a fusion of past and present, tradition and innovation. By revisiting the themes of my earlier work and pushing them into new creative territories, I’ve crafted a piece that stands as both a tribute and a leap forward.
Find her flying to the Moon with Bitcoin in the Cultishnya Gallery on foundation app
(model photos used with her permission)
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See more of my art and NFTs at
https://www.venusmaschine.com/nft/ and https://linktr.ee/Reinhard_Schmid
My tokenized collectible art at