Congrats Ron!

Congrats!

Congratulations.

Actually, if this guy is flying, perhaps some motion blur is needed rather than all the very sharp edges. Just an idea, for I love your overall idea.

Congrats!

Congrats Ron!!

Congratulations... nice work.

Congrats, Ron!

I liked your SBS, lots of work forming the dragon, at the end, good job! Good luck.

Why is this 4th?

Promising... GL

Morla? hehehe

Good work, good idea... I just do not like the border and the white space, you might want to think that over. But in the end it should be your work, so it's up to you

Depending on the size you're working 3pxls might be a bit too much at a lower resolution like 72pxl. At 200pxl I find a max of 2pxls with contract works, I also use refine edge to smooth out the selection, usually set at smooth-2. Also using layer mask is more forgiving since you can go back and change your silo where needed.

I like the image very much, a little clean up on the edges would help as Bob suggests.
I agree that the pen tool is theoretically the best way to select an image since it's math based and not pixel based. However there are some images that can be silhouetted much faster and just as smooth with the proper use of the magic wand. I did just that with this source image using the magic wand with layer mask and got a clean accurate silhouette in less than five minutes.

My first job as an artist involved silhouetting B&W photos for catalogs with white paint and brush (no Photoshop in those days). I still use the same technique in Photoshop for much of the silo work, I can work faster than using the pen tool. I don't recommend that for everyone, it's just my experience that makes it easier for me.

If anyone is just starting out with Photoshop take the time to learn the pen tool, it is the best way to make selections once you've mastered it.

This tutorial is a big help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bJSWni7Huw
You'll find others on youtube that are also good.

Much better. See, it was worth it!

Actually it's all the edges. Some are worse than others.

This would be a fine image if you took the time to fix the jagged edges on the turtle. Using the magic wand tool is rarely the best way to isolate an image. The pen or lasso tool set to 1 pixel feather creates clean edges that are not too sharp.

Author, one suggestion: after a second look, I realized we should be able to see part of the ear thing on the left side of the dragon's head.

Much improved look & good SBS!

Good dragon. You might want to show how some of the elements (scales, ear things) were made.

What a neat ear fan, and I love the nose horns ...
Do you think the even shade through out the piece causes a flatness? If you place the original Alligator(separate layer) over the chop and blink it (turn the top layer on and off) you will see the difference in shading become very visible. A SUPER SOFT Burn/Dodge brush over the even areas (darkening/burn the bottom of the head, and lightning/dodging the over all face) to give it more of a "Sphere Feel" then a flat sheet of paper. Just be careful not to over do it, the texture is wonderful. Each horn might be enhanced with burning gently on the darker side to give them more of a TUBE look as opposed to the flatness they carry at this time. (according to the light source). The teeth are a GREAT example on how the horns could look. In fact... just copying the shading of the teeth to the horns would work quite nicely. ONLY MY SUGGESTION. Very good work all round.. and as always... IMHO. GOOD LUCK.

Love it!

Congrats! Great work on this

i like it!

Well done iconic image! I love Marcus Ranum's great high quality stock photos!

Congrats!

Congrats,

Well done and good luck. A bit prosaic but the work is excellent!

Nice clean chop. GL author!

Nicely put together, author. The only nitpicks I see are on the far left edge of the top vertical where it's not masked out completely. Also, what you see through the windows is not the graveyard... ah, the details. Driven's suggestion of separate (gray) layer for dodge/burn is good. Also, slightly blur the edges to set it into the background - he taught me that ages ago! Good job, though.

Damn Me? Oh dear, get in line...hehehe.. great improvement, the glare is gone as well as the sun stroke on the tires the back ground now matches the foreground and is very believable... congrats I'm not as crazy as most think of me LOL

You might want to use the burn Brush set on a super softness and gently brush the bright areas on a separate layer that you can later blend into the bright layer. That sometimes works. I find if I work on a separate layer and go a tad overboard with the reduced brightening, then placing it over the original and reducing it's opacity that sometimes works. You really did a great job on this creation... you can also brighten the background, but that would defeat the theme of the creation. Good luck and great job

This is really cool!!! Do you think the light on the tires and window is too bright for the light in the graveyard (blending issue)? Masking and assembling is awesome. Really neat idea Good luck

It is a nice old fashioned image... Good job... Love the TV

Beautiful flowers... Nice SBS

Simple sweet! good luck

Wow... very honored you took my comment to heart.. great job (I just love those legs ) The little boy in the camouflage is adorable And I AM NOT A NAG... oh wait.. yes I am.. never mind. (Definite Mystery Science Theater)

A movie ripe for the new MST3K reboot

I want a bag of Popcorn... and kool-aid (we were poor) LOL It's very cute (I don't know how you resisted not including the wonderful wooden legs of the original photo of the TV, they are terrific, may want to consider including them just to give this a bit of a boost... (but that's just me) Simple just isn't me LOL. Very good work... I think I can even hear the speaker

I like the nostalgic approach, works well IMO!

I think it looks nice. Like an old 50's sci-fi on an old TV

I would ditch the tv and the text in favor of more detail and clarity. remember show dont tell.

Congrats!

Congrats!!

congrats

I'm just glad it wasn't a big problem for you, great to see you back!

Very nice entry! I noticed a problem with source 3-Web 2. It's not DA/Stock it's DA/Photography and copyrighted. Unless the photographers state their work is okay to use in a photo manipulation they have to be regarded as copyrighted images and can't be used.

I checked DA/Stock for spider webs with this link: http://www.deviantart.com/browse/all/resources/stockart/?q=spider+webs
I found a couple you might be able to use: http://photographyflower.deviantart.com/art/Sun-Kissed-Spider-Web-332740030

http://lucieg-stock.deviantart.com/art/Web-2-395408599

You do have to check the author's rules. DA can have some very specific rules to follow.
You could also try flickr/advanced search. I found these: https://www.flickr.com/search/?advanced=1&license=1%2C2%2C9%2C10&text=spider%20webs

Hope you find something suitable. Good luck!

Could be one of the Dancers in the Land of LOST-HOPE in the BBC series "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell". Kudos! and Welcome back

Interesting use of the source. Welcome back!