Absolutely incredible... the best i've seen in a while now..

The author could;ve used any source to make the iamge, but the point is, he used this one. He has done an exqusite job, and if it weren;t for people thinking outside the box like this every contest would have pretty much the same entries. Good luck author on this masterpiece.

Stunningly well done!

Come on give me a break, the graphic is beautiful...you call this use of source image? i think any source image will fit in that tail and back half of the fish...Come on people this is a source image contest, your comments are misleading to other voters.......Sorry if I am rude or blunt, author please understand, i cannot accept this as use of source image at all....I can only call this a very nice graphic.

Please accept my point of view author, Your graphic is awesome...but no real use of source image, I had gone through your sbs and I really cant find the source image in your final result.

Please co-operate people.

Masterful work super composition….But I would remove it from the art section of the site as it may get pulled for this reason

come on ponti55 why do we have a source contest then?

Dont you think it a pre-thought or already finished image in which the source image was introduced?

After Missy's post I am really tired, Is it necessary to get to lvl 20 to oppose his/her point of view. He/She believes my point of view is ultimately wrong...am I fighting a losing battle?

Missy same applies to you, its just your point of view...nothing else

My point is very clear...use the source well

Actually if you see the the final graphic, it looks fantastic except for the source image looks so odd....lol

Edit: I totally agree that I am noob to photoshop and my portfolio is bad. To simply comment on a usage of source in a source image contest there is no necessity to be a great artist myself. I got private messages saying that I am not good photoshop and my portfolio is bad . Do I have to be a better artist to comment on use of source on a entry?…

Very nice work.

It's a great image but I agree, minimal source used.

Give me a break! This image is right on! You may use the source image any way you want. All of you criticizing the way the author used the source image just for that without leaving any HELPFUL constructive criticism, let's see your entries and see who gets a better score. After seeing some of the commentors' "10 Best Entries" in their profiles, I'm really sick of seeing that their level of criticisms are so over what their entries/skills level are. Until they submit a better entry than this...whatever! Author, this is a great piece and very creative. Great job!

This is a beautifully rendered work without a doubt. However this is not dependant on the source to make it unique. I've always felt that the purpose of a supplied contest source is to create something that utilizes the image in a unique way using as much of the source as possible. Theme contests allow the author to choose how they render their entry, source contests tell you to create something with the supplied image. This image may not be a great use of source(sorry to disagree Missy)but it has many other fine points to consider...good composition, good chopping, good colors etc..

The author has clearly created the plants and the texture on the body of the fish from the given source, and used his drawing skill to supply the rest. There's nothing wrong with this submission.
PS: As I recall, this entry did quite well in the previous version of this contest with no objections.

i see nothing wrong with this entry, there is plenty made from the source. The only things that aren't are the water and his head and fins... Alot of work has obviously gone into this when it comes to fine details, i think its a good image, wish i could make something like this myself but alas..... i am still learning goodluck author

Its a great use of the source image !!!

wonderful piece author, keep going, very happy to see this again and to see you back, good luck

CMYK wrote: Entry did quite well in the previous version of this contest?

Orientallad wrote: Very happy to see this again?

This work was submitted earlier on a contest too?

coool!!

Thanks everybody for the comments and votes. Special thanks to those of you who have been defending my entry. I do appreciate that very much. I have clearly used the source image to create this piece. Not only did I use elements from the source image but also the source image itself inspired to direction of the entry being the building looks like scales to me. So the entire piece is inspired by the building, its look and perspective....this is clearly on display in the step by step. All the plant life, body design are obvious source elements but appearently thats not enough for some people.

Oh yeah the teeth, wavey water ripples and the lake floor highlights were also made from the same source element that the plants were created from. Sorry that didnt get explained in the SBS. I hope thats enough source image interaction for you guys who object. What percentage of the source image involvment were you guys looking for anyway? Just so the rest of us know.

mighty purdy fishy (hehehe)

Great use of the source...Great entry!

great entry! gl

very different from the other entries. and in a very good way!

I think your image looks great, I saw the sbs, and of course you used the image source to get your wonderful, well done, interpretation of the image. I have seen entries that do not look as the image source at all. But it is the time that you spend at the computer thinking of the best way possible to addapt the image source, into something new, fresh, and different from the other entries. You did a wonderful work here, and I love your work.

I love this fish! great work!

I still remember this image. Really great work

Great work,again.

this is a fantastic entry. very artistic outcome. I think when it comes to the source , it seems to be in the eyes of the voter/viewer. Each to their own opinion on this matter. At lest we all agree it is a wonderful image.

Masterpiece.........Good Luck Author.

Congrats for your first place, PhilNit!

congrats on first place

congratulations and back into my favs it goes great chop philnit

congrats! for 1st place.Well deserve

congrats

congrats! for 1st place.

Congrats!!

Congragulations!