Wow, this is incredible. Thanks Russ!

Coolness. Would this be the DPL? Dangeruss Public License.

I am both happy with what Russ has done and apprehensive as to how it will be used. He has, himself, benefited from the generosity of other artists many times, and it shows a great deal of character that he is willing to return that generosity. Russ has been kind to me in the past, and I have richly benefited from being acquainted with him.

As we have seen in the Open Source community, however, this *can* be a gift that some can begin to feel entitled to. Just as Open Sourcing an application is a gesture on the part of the developer, I think this is a gracious gesture, and not the 'Right Thing To Do' in every situation. I have no doubt that Russ' generosity will be preyed upon, and I fear that some people may come to believe that this is the spirit the whole community should embrace, and use that as an excuse to steal graphics. That argument has been made so many times already by rippers that it is almost inescapable here.

On various sites sub-communities of 'artists' thrive on the concept that as long as they give away what they make, they can use anything they like. I have seen them go so far as to say legal copyright is only valid in commercial enterprise, and that if they give their wallpapers and skins away, it doesn't matter whose work they use. This misapprehension in an individual is annoying, but in large groups it can be catastrophic to an artist's body of work. We only have what we make, that's it. If people give those images away there is no commodity left. Commercial photographers are horribly abused on many of the sites in our community in this way.

If this is used as a learning experience by those who use Russ' graphics, then it will spawn many great skinners. I have often called them 'constructors', people who are part of our community that don't enjoy making graphics, but love putting skins together. They can be of immense benefit to our art as a whole, a necessity, even. Those of shallow-ethics can be painfully destructive as well.

I think he has done an admirable thing, and I applaud his 'giving back'. This should, though, provoke an even more fervent response to those that abuse such generosity. The tolerance of 'borrowing' without permission at this point should drop to sub-zero levels.

Nice makeover.

WOW ...i'm speachless. I didn't know Russ did other artwork besides skinning, but after visiting both his site and his gallery over at deviantart....i got to say that his work is by far the BEST I"VE EVER SEEn .....absolutely AMAZING!!!

Russ, if u read this, i just wont to let you know that u TRUELY are the "GOD OF 3D" ...i'm sure you probebly hear that alot, but it just HAS to be said. Your artistic abilities in both digital art and photography is truely breath-taking.

AND on top of all this, you are now giving away your art to help others. What can I say...

AquaJack, Thankd for your comments! I'll try not to let the God of 3D crown go to my head... much

Great work Russ, although I find it a pity that Your skins aren't on Your site anymore.

Yes, it as a fact of life that Russ's artistic skills are better than his mountain-biking ones...

If he crashed and burned as much in graphics he'd have poked his eye out with a pen by now...


Baker...I doubt I could get much more 'fervent'...

That is great news. It was Russ' early work that primarily first got me interested in WB and skinning in general. Even after all this time, his work really stands out.

Thanks, Russ!

Jafo - Hmpf. You'd be pleased to know that I finished in the top 10 (7th)in my first MTB race this season. I managed to avoid those sudden gusts of gravity, plus I was very familiar with the venue.

Russ...so those trainer wheels really work then?....

Must have been a drag having mum run beside you holding your hand...

[Just kidding, mate]...