In several ways the last 2 years have seen some interesting developments in the history of Ascii Art and the newsgroup alt.ascii-art.
Joan Stark has emerged as a very talented, and by far the most prolific Ascii Artist, to date, easily surpassing the collections of Row; Targon; Susie Oviatt; Normand Veilleux and Allen Mullen.
In 1998 Joan earned a prestigious award from Geocities.com for her Website on Geocities as well as many tributes and accolades from those who see and enjoy her excellent work.
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Then we have seen the emergence of Pete Casso with his creation of a new subgenre of "Stein Characters", second only to the well-known "Silly Cows" genre in Ascii Art, and by far outstripping the other known genres of Sheep; Owls; Koala Bears, and Luke the Spook.
The two basic characters were Birdstein and Frogstein...
_==_
( "> oo.
(> )> (- )
^^ " "
Birdstein Frogstein
Followed by an ever growing number of other Steins:
01WW5WWW10WWWW5WWW20WWWW5WWW30WWWW5WWW40WWWW5WWW50WWWW5WWW60WWWW5WWW7072 02 02 03 The 'steins Hall of Fame 03 04 by Pete Casso 970920 04 05 05 06 . + . 06 07 \^|^/ 07 08 .oo 08 09 ( -) Frogstein, King of the Pond 09 10 " " 10 11 11 12 + 12 13 \^^/ 13 14 ( "> 14 15 (> )> Birdstein, Queen of the Sky 15 16 ^^ 16 17 17 18 (\ /) 18 19 (:\oo/:) 19 20 ( -) Pegastein, head in the clouds ... 20 21 " " 21 22 22 23 .oo 23 24 .'''' -) Sphinxstein, feet on the ground ... 24 25 (__)_)__)_) 25 26 26 27 27 28 /( 28 29 /\(oo)/\ Ghostein, a frequent visitor from Heaven 29 30 \ / 30 31 31 32 32 33 ,, 33 34 ( "> w 34 35 ,(> )>| Devilstein, a frequent visitor from Hell 35 36 ( ^^ 36 37 37 38 38 39 /( 39 40 (\( "> Roosterstein, the musician in the barnyard 40 41 `(> )> Often called PeteHovenstein by his fans 41 42 ^^ 42 43 43 44 ,, 44 45 (@@ Owlstein, the wisdom dispenser 45 46 (> )> Often called Onestein by his admirers 46 47 ^^ 47 48 48 49 ,, 49 50 ( "/ Dragonstein, who sired the Loch Ness monster 50 51 )\` 51 52 / 52 53 53 54 _==_ 54 55 ( "> 55 56 (>,)> BrusselsBoystein, who has a cute squirter 56 57 ^^ 57 58 58 59 . . 59 60 .)\ /(. 60 61 .) ,\ @.@ /, (. 61 62 .) - (,-,) - (. Draculstein, appearing as a vampire 62 63 .) '/ \` (. 63 64 .)/ \(. 64 65 ' ' 65 66 66 67 ,()) 67 68 ,( "> Mousestein, who does a great job 68 69 ( " " in scaring evil witches away 69 70 70 71WW5WWW10WWWW5WWW20WWWW5WWW30WWWW5WWW40WWWW5WWW50WWWW5WWW60WWWW5WWW7072
Note: Pete is now marking his Stein cartoon drawings as Copyright (c).
A very recent development has been the emergence in alt.ascii-art of programmers who have written useful Ascii Tools.
ASC2PIC.EXE - by Martin Atkins converts Ascii pictures back to
photographic style images. Especially useful for
viewing those large multi-screen Ascii pictures.
RESIZE.EXE - By "Stile" which allows simple percentage reduction or
enlargement of Ascii pictures by removing or adding
characters. Very useful for trimming widths of
pictures of 80 or more columns which overlap the
screen or cause line wrapping.
Works best on block-style art ( as illustrated )
Original:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$uu"""""`` `"$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u"`` `""u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u"` `""u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$P" .,ed$$$$b. "u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$' ,d$$$$$$$$$$$b. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$u"` .,ed$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$b `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$ec ..,ed$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P"```"4$b `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$' $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$',d$$$be$$b. `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$' ,$P'.,,,,.`u$$$$$$$Pd$$$$$$$$$$$b $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$ $$e$$$$$$$b,`u$$$$$$`""""uu$$$$$$ `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$b $$$$$$$u"` ,d $$$$$$$$$b.,e.`$$$$b $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$ $$$$$',d$ed$$ $$$$$$`u4$$$P',$$$$P .$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$b $$$$$.`u$$$P'd$$$$$$b. ..,e$$$$$$ .$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$ eee,. $$$$$$$e,.,e$$$$$$$$$$e`$$$$$$$$$. $E$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$.`$$$$$ee$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$'d$$$$$b`$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$,`$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,.`"$$$',$$$$$$$P',$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$e.`"u$$$$$$u$$$$$$$uu"'..., .,eeee$$$P',e$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,`"u$$$e,`"4$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P,d$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$be$$$$$$$$b,.,d$$$$$$',$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$e.`"u$$$$$$u"',d$,`$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$be,,,...,ed$$$$$,`u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P',db`u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ `""uu$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P',$$$$ `"u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P' `u$be,.`"uu$$$$$$$$$$P'.e$$$$$P `""uuuuu$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$uu"` `$$$$$$be,..`"uuP',ed$$$$$$$' `"""u
uuuuu"""`` `$$$$$$$$$$$$b, d$$$$$$$$$'
`$$$$$$$$$$P',e.`"u$$$$$P
`4$$$$$$P',`$$$$',.`"uu'
`"uuu"`,$b.$$'.$$$$$$
`$$$$$$$$Pd$b,`$$$$P
`$$$$$$$'$$$$,`$$$'
`$$$$P',$$$$$,`$$
`$$$',d$$$$$$,`$
`P',d$$$$$$$$,`
Reduced to 95% by RESIZE.EXE:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$uu"""""`` `"$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$u"` `"u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$u"` `""u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$P" .,ed$$$$. "u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$' ,d$$$$$$$$$$b. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$u"` .,ed$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$b `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$ec .,ed$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P```"4$b `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$' $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$',$$$be$$b. `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$' ,$'.,,,,.`u$$$$$$$Pd$$$$$$$$$$b $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$b,`u$$$$$$`"""uu$$$$$$ `$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$b $$$$$$u"` ,d $$$$$$$$b.,e.`$$$$b $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$ $$$$',d$ed$$ $$$$$$`u$$$P',$$$$P .$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$ eee,. $$$$$$e,.,e$$$$$$$$$$`$$$$$$$$$. $E$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$.`$$$$$ee$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$'d$$$$b`$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$,`$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,.`"$$',$$$$$$$P',$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$e.`"u$$$$$u$$$$$$$uu"'..., .eeee$$$P',e$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$,`"u$$e,`"4$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P,d$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$be$$$$$$$$b,.,d$$$$$',$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$e.`"u$$$$$u"',d$,`$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$be,,,...ed$$$$$,`u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P',db`u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ""uu$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P',$$$$ `"u$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$P' u$be,.`"uu$$$$$$$$$P'.e$$$$$P `""uuuu$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$uu"` `$$$$$$be,..`"uuP'ed$$$$$$$' `"""u
uuuu"""`` `$$$$$$$$$$$$b, d$$$$$$$$'
`$$$$$$$$$$P',e."u$$$$$P
`4$$$$$$P',`$$$',.`"uu'
`"uuu"`,$b.$$.$$$$$$
`$$$$$$$$Pd$,`$$$$P
`$$$$$$$'$$$,`$$$'
`$$$$P',$$$$,`$$
`P',d$$$$$$$,`
ASCTOOL.EXE - Compiled for MS-DOS by Colin J. Randall from old C
code written circa 1993 by Joshua Bell. It will rotate
a picture through 360 degrees in 90 degree intervals
and is most useful in simple horizontal reversals.
Original:
o o o TOOT TOOT o o O O
,_____ ____ O
| PMD \_|[]|_'__Y
|_______|__|_|__|}
===================oo--oo==oo--OOO\\====================
After ASCTOOL.EXE:
O O o o TOOT TOOT o o o
O ____ _____.
Y__`_|[]|_/ DMP |
{|__|_|__|_______|
====================//OOO--oo==oo--oo===================
These new toolsare all good additions to the old well-known Ascii tools such as ASCGIF and GIFSCII, the GIF to ASCII convertors.
Last but not least, a new FAQ Writer and Maintainer appeared last year in the person of Matthew Thomas. He modernised the old Allison and Barger FAQs, taking into perspective the rapid rise of Windows and modern web browsers like Netscape and Outlook Express, and the new generation of Net users - the "Pointers & Clickers" who may not have much knowledge of how the Net works and possibly no desire to go to the trouble of learning about it all.
,a@@@@@@@@@m.
,@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@.
J@@P':.. ..:`W@ Matthew Thomas
@@@':;;.. ..;;::@) FAQ Author & Maintainer
\@!:<#OK>::<4O#>.@
|.::"??"; `???.:"\
`._::..:_ee_...::_/
\:..______,::/
\::.. ...:/
`-:____:-'mt-3
Ascii Art and its newsgroups can only benefit from the input of talented people like those above who have made significant contributions.
Bye,
<By Colin Douthwaite>