Favorite Quote:
Favorite Movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Favorite Book:
Favorite Bands:
Favorite Songs:
Favorite Photoshop Tool:
How did you get your PSC nickname?
I had the name VOLKSWES prior to my arrival at PSC and it comes from my attraction to old Volkswagen autos and a little of my name thrown in the mix.
What is your real name and age?
My name is Wesley and I am 28 years old. ...(update now 38)
Where are you from and what do you like best about being there?
Birmingham, Alabama
What do you do to keep the bills paid?
I do Civil Engineering and Design work using AutoCad for a local government department where I live.
What do you do in your spare time?
I love riding motorcycles, hunting, chopping pictures, and wasting time here at PSC of course.
How did you find PSC, and what do you like most about the site?
I was told about PSC by my buddy Nancers. We used to play around chopping photos of people on another (non-photoshop) site where we met. She somehow found it and we both came over and signed our lives away to PSC.
If you could change one thing at PSC, what would it be and why?
I would put photos back in chat.....Why? Cause it was alot more fun with them.
Is there any other information about you would like to pass on?
How many hours per week do you spend on PSC?
Probably around 15 -20 hours a week spent in Chat and maybe an hour or less chopping for a contest.....(update: that was before chat died)
What other sites, not Photoshop related, do you like to surf?
craigslist, woot
What tools do you use to chop?
I'm using PS CS4 and Illustrator CS2......I'd like something newer, but it still works fine
What gets your creative juices flowing, how do you create a masterpiece?
What inspires you?
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?
Definitely a messy chopper. I never follow any set steps, I just play around til I accomplish the look I want.
What style of chop do you prefer to create?
I think I prefer to attempt photo-realistic chops, whether they end up that way in the end is a different story.
Filters, brushes and techniques: Which do you use, and not use, and why?
As far as filters go I used the occasional blur, and somethimes add noise, but not much else. I do use the dodge and burn tools and numerous combinations of masking and blending modes quite a bit.
When do you know that you have it just right, or is it constant changes up until, or after, you post?
I am constantly making changes up until I post, and will sometimes save several options or versions of the same idea. Then I try to decide which is the least crappy and post it.
What is the limit to what you will chop?
I try to steer away from political posts. I am not opposed to blood, deforming, scarring or giving people medical or skin conditions that might be considered in bad taste or gross by some.
Are there any tips and/or tricks that you would like to pass along to less experienced choppers?
Tips and tricks can be so specific to certain effects. I can't think of any good general tips. I normally don't mind sharing any techniques I use on specific chops, but just cause they work for me doesn't make them the best oe easiest way to accomplish them.
What is your favorite type of source image, and why?
I don't have a specific type that I know of....it all just comes down to my mood and what insane ideas come to mind.
There is often talk about how the source is used and to what extent it should be. What are your views on all sources, outside source use and animations?
All souce chops can be good , but not for everything. Animations are fun but shouldn't be abused by posting them all the time. Try mixing it a little. I'll do an occasional animation, but I try to space them out cause some people dont like them and may get tired of them after a while. Most of my animated chops have started out as a regular (non-animated) chop that I planned to post and then I just decide to animate them as a little extra treat. It's worked out well for me so far, and I have had several animated winners.
What is your preferred resource for outside source images?
Google is the best. I also use Pics4learning, Image After, and Stock.xchange, morguefile.com
In your opinion what makes a good chop?
The best chop is well balanced with skills and most importantly originality, throw in some hidden humor, and do it cleanly and you have a winner.
Do you have a system to get things started?
I am always listening to music while at my computer, but I don't know that it helps.
Have you ever completed a chop and then decided not to enter it in the contest? If so, why?
YES indeed I have, and it is one of my favorite images that I have done. I finished chopping it, and right before posting it I noticed that one of my buddies had already posted a very similar idea. I try to avoid duplicating an idea that is already done, and try to do original posts so I just held onto it instead of loading it. This was the original http://volkswes.com/images/fulllips.jpg and this was my chop that I did not post http://volkswes.com/images/fulllips-autopsy.jpg
After you finish your chop do you just post it or seek opinions of family and/or fellow choppers first?
Normally I'll close it for a while and then come back later and look at it again before posting it. I do ask for the occasional opinion from a friend, and often get other ideas for additions or changes that might make it better.
If some one finds a fault in your work do you change it or stay with what you posted?
It depends on the error I suppose.........I recently had a typo in one that I did, but I just decided to leave it instead of changing it.
What qualities do you look for when deciding to vote on a chop?
Originality and being chopped cleanly. I also try to pay attention to possible progress of the chopper's past work.
Some member prefer not to vote for filtered chops or animations. Is there any particular style/type of chop you won't vote for?
I don't care for highly abstract images that have no apparent subject matter or kaliedoscopic type posts. While some may be good works of art, they don't often appeal to my taste and rarely vote for them.
Time is always a factor, how much time do you spend on a chop and how much time is too much?
Anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours. If it is something that is gonna take many hours then it must be Tournament time. ;)
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? (be honest)
I check numerous times a day. I like to see the progression of votes for not just my entries, but also the ones that I vote for.
What chop of yours did not do as well as you expected?
What do you consider your best chop so far?
http://photoshopcontest.com/tournament/view/3725/display.html
What do you consider your worst chop so far?
There were so many bad ones when I first started here....most are hidden, or either no longer hosted
Who is your favorite chopper out there and why?
Tough choice, always liked hellekro's work, and miss seeing her stuff. Other top ones would be Jasper, Jerico, Dewking, Thbeghin, ED209
What do you NOT like to see in a chop, and why not?
What is the best chop of all time?
really? hmmm... I think my favorite is stevsters rollercoaster from a h2h match
http://photoshopcontest.com/tournament/view/618/display.html
Do you have any other PSC related comments to add?
TACOS
