Badnewzbearz

Age: 43
Nationality: United States Software
Used: Adobe Photoshop 5.02 with Eye Candy, Xenoflex, Eye Fidelity, Extensis PhotoTools and various other plug-ins.
I also use a Mustek 600 III flatbed scanner.

My introduction to the world of celebrity fakes was a gradual process. In mid to late September 1996, I first got on line and became curious about sites that advertised celebrity nudes. I began downloading these images with the goal of eventually creating my own celeb web site. Of course, many of these sites contained images that I suspected were faked or altered -- and these pictures immediately raised my curiosity. I began searching for fakes and discovered first, the PooPorazzi web site, and then the Fake Detective's web site.

By this time, I had decided to create a celeb site which would include a large section dedicated to fakes. When I finally found the fake newsgroup, it was all over. I admitted to myself that I found the fakes more interesting and just flat out enjoyed them more. I decided to create a site dedicated totally to these digitally altered images, and began a long period of lurking (silently) and downloading fakes, primarily of celebrities that interested me.

Of course, the more I lurked, the more aware I became of the individual artists -- and the unique bond or sense of comraderie they seemed to share. I was particularly impressed with PhantasyMan, JerryLee, fredd38, and others who seemed to set the standard. Again, my web site plans were altered: I would create a site that would not only feature fakes, but would also be dedicated to the talented graphics artists who created them. At some point I also decided to perhaps try faking myself and I actually picked out my first head scan/body scan combination. Lacking the courage to give it a shot, these images sat on my hard drive for months. Finally, in April 1998, I uploaded my web site and announced it in the newsgroup, and a couple of weeks later, I posted my first fake.

Already addicted to the "idea" of these altered images, it didn't take me long to become addicted to creating them myself. The first artists to contact me in the group were Corky and Fireman, and it was Fireman who deposited me in ICQ with a fistful of fakers' ICQ numbers. In my first chat I met Precious and Infernal. When all had left the chat except for Infernal and me, I sent Infernal my 6th fake and asked him to critique it. From that point, one thing led to another and Infernal became my full-time teacher. He must have done something right because I was first selected to the PooPorazzi faking ring after completing only 16 fakes. Precious was one of my early mentors, and later I began to tap into fredd38's vast knowledge.

When it comes to this hobby the learning process never stops. One doesn't flip open their Photoshop manual and find a chapter on making fakes -- so it is left to the artists themselves to exchange techniques and knowledge. My advice to new or aspiring fakers: (1) half of creating a quality image is using quality materials, so use only the best quality base scans and headshots; (2)seek out and learn from the best, and apply the techniques taught. What may seem unnatural at first will eventually become second nature.

Currently, I'm honored to be a member of a unique group of artists, Digital Dreams, and I sincerely hope that many more groups of this type will be created. Many consider faking organizations to be elitist in nature, but I must disagree. Any group that promotes the sharing of one another's work, and exchanging tips and techniques, is positive for celebrity faking. In Digital Dreams, we inspire each other, and anyone who views our work, to always improve and thereby advance the art form as a whole.

In closing, my association with the fakirs' community has been -- and will continue to be -- one of the most fascinating, challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. The comraderie I've experienced and the bonds I've formed are "real," and the creativity, intelligence, wit and humor that I witness everyday around the faking community never ceases to amaze me. The founder of the fake newsgroup, Lux Lucre, says it simply and says it best: "fakes forever"!