The following article appeared in Issue Five of Future Publishing's Computer Arts (Jan/Feb 1997).

This March, Steve Stone started Sheffield-based Nexus DNA, producing computer-generated creatures for posters, flyers, bank logos, magazines and computer games. Nexus DNA's work has featured at various London nightclubs. In addition to all that Nexus has recently been approached by Imperium Games to do some work for a roleplaying game with a working title of Zero, due for release in spring 1997. In just a few months Steve, along with two part-time finishing artists, has produced and impressive body of work in a number of market places - the Nexus name is in demand.


The Cybermask face which originates from a photo of a mannequin taken from a shop window, and the engine parts are derived from a motorbike. Fossils and bones have been scanned in and used as background textures.


After gaining a degree in Fine Art from Trent Polytechnic, during which he specialised in film and animation, Steve made an independent surrealist, black and white film called Where is She Babe? He became increasingly drawn to the music scene during the 80's and was soon art directing raves, co-ordinating all aspects of design, film and video for these large events. In 1994 Steve's success in art direction took him to San Francisco, where he oversaw the design of several gatherings. It was during this time that Steve's fascination with computer systems developed - a discovery that was to evolve into the Nexus DNA project.


Running Photoshop and 3D Studio on a Pentium Pro, and with help of hardware and Internet design specialist Techno Phobia Ltd, Steve manipulates a number of scanned photographs for each image (Steve takes his camera with him everywhere). Steve has always used PCs, finding them faster pound-for-pound than Macs, and wants to get involved with Lightwave 5. Another logical purchase for Nexus is a digital camera, and that will no doubt find its way on to the company's Christmas list.


Cosmos Machine is derived from a sculpture of a clockwork universe. Steve photographed the sculpture, scanned his prints and then imported textures from planet photos. The textures were difficult to merge because the various sources had different light conditions.


Although most of these images comprise many different manipulated scans, Steve is not interested in montage. The aim is to create a seamless cohesive picture, the power of which is always greater than the sum of its parts. Steve's cyborg output is predominantly female. This is not, however, a politically-correct stance, rather it arises from boredom with predictable male power figures. Steve explains that: "The images are about the evolution of something extraordinary that could exist, hence the Nexus logo statement: DIGITAL LIFEFORM INCUBATION. Nexus is a word that describes things coming together in a group that don't necessarily belong, but when they do the result can be an image that holds awesome power and beauty. The result can be frightening, beauty will often hold terror within it. I would like people to want to walk into some of the images, though I admit it would take a strong stomach to enter some of them."


HR Giger's influence is easily identifiable in Steve's mechanical, intestinal, imagery, as is his interest in all things surreal. Other sources of inspiration include Terry Gilliam's animation's, the film Brazil and computer artist buggy G Riphead (who you might remember from Computer Arts issue two). Buggy's work appeals to Steve's fascination with a naturalistic approach and his desire to make something that, "looks like it exists. I want the images to be a window on to something real."


Nexus DNA's work can be seen in London nightclubs, on computer game packaging and on posters sold in HMV, Virgin and Our Price. They also showed at theEuroGenCon roleplaying convention, and there are now plans for a Web site.