questions and answers (?!)

01 Feb 96
---
hi
two things!!
a) HOW CAN YOU ASCII-ARTISTS just sit there, draw something GREAT and all  
the others do is just REQUESTING more...
b) are there programs to make "fake-asciis" out of any jpg/tif/bmp/pcx/...  
files?! (just for those of you who want their little puppy for their  
signature...)
and IF there are some GOOD ones...either post them (if they're not too  
big) or email them to me :)
adios
---
[sent�from�HELL]
[mail�to�sun...@sunz.snafu.de�for�info]

sun...@sunz.snafu.de (jens doenhoff) writes:

>01 Feb 96
>---
>hi
>two things!!
>a) HOW CAN YOU ASCII-ARTISTS just sit there, draw something GREAT and all  
>the others do is just REQUESTING more...

because all they want are results and either are unwilling to try or have
tried but are not satisfied with what they ended up with.  you have to
remember, some of the art here takes a long time to do.  and when people say
"i want more", they fail to realize that we don't get paid to do them and
that we have things outside of ascii to do (we pay bills, eat, work, etc.
just like everyone else).

if you're asking how can we sit down and draw ascii, all i can say is that
you have to have the passion.  sometimes i really don't feel like doing
ascii at all.  and some days i feel like drawing (typing) up a storm.
it's a hobby.  some people like to sit down and read a book.  this is something
i can't do.  my attention span is too short to read novels and i get
frustrated and throw it down.  some people are this way with ascii art, but
i happen to enjoy something where i can actually see results.  plus, i can
do asciis faster than reading a book.  :)

>b) are there programs to make "fake-asciis" out of any jpg/tif/bmp/pcx/...  
>files?! (just for those of you who want their little puppy for their  
>signature...)

yes there are.  some people use them.  others hate them.  you can tell
a converted ascii apart from a hand drawn ascii most of the time due to
the "blurriness" converted ascii gives.  i commend allen for doing this.
he can turn that blurry mess into some beautiful art.  the reason these
converters are blurry is because their algorithms are based on shading.
if something is dark, print a dark character, else print a light character.
they can do outlines of shapes like hand drawing can create.  at least
not yet.  everyone has a preference.  and if you use a gif converter
for a small puppy, don't expect to be able to see the puppy too well if you
plan on keeping the ascii small (less than a screenful).

>and IF there are some GOOD ones...either post them (if they're not too  
>big) or email them to me :)

good is in the eye of the beholder.  depends entirely on what you like
to see.  if you're asking me, i do have a favorite ascii.  it's the one
that's been posted with the guy in the thinker position sitting on the toilet.
--
brian odom