hehehe.. you are weird author in a very good way, (Maybe the adult bird's body could be a little larger to accommodate the girls bottom?) but in fantasy, this image should be just fine good luck and good imagination

Thanks Slush, being called weird by you means a lot.
About the girls butt: hers isn't that big and you haven't seen the butt of an adult bird of this species...

like the dreamy quality of this entry -- nice work

I loved it.

Strange, stranger and strangest! Great concept, truly an unusual twist. Super!

lovely ...........

Very very nice one...good luck

Congrats Rob...

congrats

Congrats

Congrats!!

congrats

congrats author!!!

Texture overlay is distracting.

I don't think the reflection would be so obvious in this kind of water.

ponti55 is correct that the water has to be fairly placid to produce a reasonably recognizable reflection. I'm also not getting what light source is illuminating just the mermaid and her pedestal.

great job with the sky author,and overall image look is great.Dan and Matteo are right about the reflection.Pls fix that and u will have fabulous entry....best of luck

Updated, thanks

beautiful entry ............. ............. all the best

Very nicely done, gl to you!!

Wonderful effect, really nice entry. Good work and good luck! (Excellent depth of field)

Almost flawless! Aside from the head, the use of the grass brush is very nice. Very convincing result. I just have a suggestion to slightly blur the edge beyond the ear, it's too sharp (especially when you create a shallow DOF like that). High score for sure

Really wonderful and so nice ...GL for you author

love it

Great job!

Thanks for the comments Fixed the sharp edges.

Great idea and execution. I especially like the cracks. Good luck!

awesome!!!

great entry... youre a real whiz at toning

All that work on the tree and you covered it back up!

Amazing job you did here!

Very nice creation........G/L Author.

Great great job Author...

brilliant work ....... all the best to u ..........

Great job author,really really good.Few minor observations,lighter part of the head needs a bit more shading,now when u watch high resolution looks a bit flat.And i don't understand step 10 in your SBS,how did u make grass,used some image,brushes?!?...Any how this is fabulous work and i wish u best of luck.

Thanks erathion. I fixed the SBS(used the grass brush) and I slightly added some shade to the image to give it some depth.

nice work!

Absolutely incredible!! I don't know what else to say =) Best of Luck

very talented

Top 3 for sure, well done

Wonderfully creative entry, I love it. GL to you!!

Thanks everybody

http://visualfeed.kybalion.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/paperworks__vegetarius__hpim1053_465.jpg...
source of inspiration?....

Nice clean image! Good luck!

No, not my source of inspiration, but it is an Interesting find genuine2009.

Thanks everybody

congr!!!!

A top 3 for sure

Thank you

congrats!!!!

Congrats, beautiful work

Grats Artist!

Congratulations for 1st

Congrats ! Very well deserved win !

Fantastic entry!!, congrats.

Congrats!

congrats ..............

Congrats!!

Congratulations!!

Congrats! Amazing work

congrats , very nice work

Congrats!

Well deserved 1st place!

Congratulations!

Congrats for 1st!

well done... congrats...

oh, well, that's predictable and I was right when I decided to give up joining this contest. I had the same idea as you but I didn't start when you submitted your work. Congratulations, you deserve that!

Thanks langstrum

This is a unique entry and I comment you for your chopping skills. I was curious as to the painful severed tie you relate this to.

Do you really think birds fly like that? Ditto the above question...

to cmyk: no, birds don't fly like that....but isn't the beauty of art about being able to express and create that which isn't real? If you are discriminating based on realism, then you can't appreciate the abstract qualities of great artists like Dali

i agree with spygirl but also agree with CMYK and jawshoewhah...what is the severed tie?

CMYK: Think of surrealizm and the heart-shaped bird flight pattern really creates that. Realistic? No, but it wouldn't look as cool if it was. Still would like to know what severed tie this relates to because without it, it's hard to rate as a severed tie.

EDIT: It doesn't seem fair but if you can't relate this image to a severed tie, then it's not a severed tie and that will hurt your score.

well done author! I like this image very much. While I do not know "what" the severed tie is I think the not knowing adds to the emotion of the image. That way I am free to imagine what I wish, thus making me a participant. What is her relationship with the birds about? Does she command them with the music she plays? And command them to do what (besides fly on heart shaped patterns? well done thanx for the break from the mundane.

i'm not sure how to vote for this because i don't know what the severed tie is

Congrats,

Congrats

Congratulations!

Congrats! for 2nd

omg this is sooo good

plus i think the severed tie is breaking up with a bf because of the heart and the violin is a sad instrument (sometimes)

congrats

Congrats for your second place and a Happy New Year, Akassa!