Congrats!!

Congrats !!

Congrats on 1st!

ok thanks for clearing that up!?!....

what are you working with?? - most lenses have a minimum focal distance which you can find on the lens itself which will help

If you're using a compact then are you using the marco setting? - or try pressing the shutter half way, which will lock the focus, then you can move the camera to what you want to focus on....

I'd like to see a high res and a basic step by step would also help you receive any informed critique based on your own processes.

However I have a few suggestions:

I would be inclined to extend the streaks of light out of the image (at the moment they look to be cut off)

Drop the reflection of the storage hut down a nudge or two and mask off where the bushes are in the reflection, to me it seems as though the storage hut is to noticeable in the reflection where it is meant to be hidden behind the bushes.... the water line area of the reflection would be darker, judging by your overall lighting.

lastly it could benefit from a foreground element to frame and lead the eye into your scene.....

GL Author

First I have to say how good I think this looks! however, I would like to see a High Res before I make a decision on what to vote... a step by step though not entirely necessary would also be a nice addition, for those curious and inspired about your entry.

Secondly the shadows cast on the storage hut and your light source don't match. The source photo is from high right and your light source is placed behind low on the storage hut. A subtle hint of highlighting and shadow on the fawn may also be beneficial.

Yes you can take it to mean I like your entry :P - glad to be back!?!.... I took a long leave of absence life problems zapped my creativity and enthusiasm!! but it's all good now! looking forward to competing again!!

Must have been that horse LOL

me neither - it has the potential to be a good chop; but at the moment it's a confusing image!?!

At the moment there is no distortion of the background within the ball itself....

It also depends on the nature of the light source as to how sharp a shadow is cast, assuming the light source you are 'using' is slightly diffused, you are pretty much spot on IMO; otherwise something that close to a surface would have sharper and darker shadows all around (depending on the nature of the surface)...

That's looking much better overall now; GL Author!

EDIT: I was just re-familiarising myself with the rules and came across this in the PS section

"5.7. 3D Renders or Illustrations as Source: Using other people's 3D renders or illustrations (even with permission and no matter in which form they are offered) creates a false impression of your artwork. So 3D renders or illustrations (this includes brushes, tubes, clipart, pdf files) can not be used as sources, unless they are entirely created by yourself."

So basically, it appears from a glance that the use of the smoke brush is now questionable; which is a shame!!
Maybe you could find a suitable replacement in the form of a picture? there's some good smoke and ink stock on cgtextures.com that would be a good alternative, I haven't found as big a selection elsewhere........... Anyway, hope that helps??

It clearly says Please request permission if you would like to use this outside of deviantART in bold script - regardless of the owners overall T&C's - This is why I have a problem with DA stock!

Fair enough; what about re working the way those shapes that you like be incorporated into the image?..... like turning the shape into flames?? I'm sure there's a way to make the leaves more dynamic and more suited to your concept of a flaming violin.

It's just a thought.....

Sure; the lines are coming out from the sun on the right, over the hill and across the fields. and even comes up to the wall inbetween the girl and the dog - They are really faint and wiggley! I can't describe it any better than that - sorry

OK well this is written on the page you've linked to with regards to the Dolphin stock

" For Use Where: These stock photos are free to use primarily on deviantART.
Please request permission if you would like to use this outside of deviantART
For questions regarding the use of my stock in Blogs, avatars, DevMobile and Prints, please see my Terms and Conditions"

As this is not deviantART you require PERMISSION to use the image! otherwise you can't include it in your entry! if you have the proof from Della-Stock that says you are granted the permission to use it outside of deviantART then you NEED to include this confirmation (blacking out all identifiable information such as name - email etc) and upload it into the SBS section!. This permission serves as your licence to use the image

interesting....

It's not a bad attempt, but it's too orange IMO - it might also benefit from some shadows and highlights as this is looking a little flat

ARGH I was well impressed with this until I read you used a smoke brush!, if you're gonna keep it then may I suggest you remove the smoke on the bottom of the violin, it's distracting and ruins the image IMHO. I also think that the leaves are also not doing the concept justice.

Nice mood Author GL!

Scenes do tend to become more Bluish the farther they receed into the distance... but it appears to be hiding a huge 'gap' between those trees and the distant mountains....

Surely that fence would 'give'!

Yeah I agree about the blue, a 1 - 2px feathered selection usually works best, and you can create an action so you don't have to keep going into the settings!

GL Author

Nicely put together, I feel a little more contrast to the knight would be beneficial to match into to the overall image......... GL author

Really nice image! GL authour!!

Nice and simple but I think the tree looks slightly too pale in the picture.

Certainly the most creative entry thus far - I would have liked to see some kind of shading between the layers of rocks / hills / zips take your pic......, it wouldn't require much but enough to help lift them apart from each other. and add depth to the overall image....

Great Entry though GL Author

Good Job author, nice concept! am liking the mood!! - the only things I have to say is that some of the edges could do with a little tweaking!?, but the main issue I have with your entry is that the Horse on the right for some reason is Blurred?! the original stock isn't!! ... IMO it needs to be as in focus as the original.

This is nicely put together, not sure what the weird wiggly thing is to the right of the pic? sun glare? that technique isn't working IMO (if it is) - BUT - as I said, nicely made!! GL

Regarding the stock you have used from deviantART - they all require some kind of link back / notification of the use of stock, which I can't seem to find!?... Also, regarding the use of the Dolphin from Della-Stock it states on the authors terms of usage that you require written permission to use the image outside of deviantART - if you have that's GREAT, just attach it as a screen grab, censoring the personal identifiable info and stick it in the SBS section as proof.

This is nice, I thought of the same kind of concept when I saw the image too!?!.... as good as it is I think it could be improved by paying some more attention to two areas;

(1) making sure the reflection matches the feet, especially the hind foot... it looks slightly off IMO

(2) Adding a little thickness to the spiral and rear opening......

This is nice!! - good job on the concept... my only quips are the definition in the armour, the claws and the ground he is on!? But generally overall..... a great attempt! Good luck Author!

I'm not american, but i think it's safe to say that it's just a factual detail which you have missed! ALSO America isn't the only country that owns firearms!

Nice but the only thing that lets it down for me is that the bullet is still in its shell...

Nice simple idea, but I'm wondering whether the grout in the affected area would remain black as the red is sucked down the drain... as you've made the red 'appear' as a liquid on top of the tiles...

I think the whole piece wold look much better without the broken bulb, as it lacks depth, the actual bulb part isn't shown between the front and back parts of the glass...

It doesn't look hairless to me... maybe you could make the body like those hairless siamese looking cats (not sure of the name)??? might be better... unless you want to try painting subdermal/translutent skin?...

It seems that one hand is facing the wrong way around??... you could also try coning in some irregularities to the right side 'mold' area...
Your light seems painted on... I haven't looked at the sbs yet but changing the layer mode to screen should improve the effect if not already done so. While speaking of light... I don't understand where the yellow light cast is coming from re the windows... if it's meant to be coming from the falling lamp then maybe a large feathered elipse set to screen would be more appropriate to the scene?...

Also but not a major thing, I'd try to lose the noise from the bg!?!... as it's quite prominent!?!... But GL as it is interesting!

your second source image is questionable...

"i fixed the URL and self made the nuclear waste symbol which was a 3d render" - ??? I'm having trouble deciphering your comment... is the existing nuclear sign made with the pen tool or is it a 3D render... if it's a 3D render then you need to update your sbs. If it's been made with the pen tool then it's not a 3D render.

Not sure if I agree about the background, I think it's quite a fun image with the background its got... it's like Night at the Museum.... One thing I would say that lets it down for me though is you've kept the grain in the museum pic and not added that where you've used the source pic... either adding or taking it away as much as possible (it's achieveable) will help to blend the two images better and make it more convincing...

"make sure that your final result contains only tones of red, along with pure white and pure black" so the greys I imagine would put this entry off theme, but we'll see...

Maybe you need to move the falling part so it is not infront of the part with the leaf on... maybe as though its going out of frame?

Well, I actually think the overall effect is good but in terms facial construction it's not naavi... one thing I would like to stress though is that flare type lights in this type of image are a big NO NO!!... LOL...

also you have to remember to put texture back into liquified areas as you're stretching the pixels out...
blending around the hairline is also noticeable but it's a tricky transition to pull off.

but overall, I think it's pretty good

I've seen the ice effect using trees on the text tutorial... you'll notice on that, that the main body of the text becomes 'whiter' on the outside, which I think in this image is missing... ultimately whne using a texure like this everything else has to follow... just using a tree brush like this is just making the image look as thought it's somewhat clipped inside...

my understanding of in the bag... was that whatever it was was obtainable.... hence bagged...?...

nice... but... (it's nothing serious!! ) - there are a few problems with your dog treat - the edges aren't consistent, some are soft and then suddently hard... it's more noticeable on the shadow side... also, it could use a little sharpening
did you convert the original to a smart object before scaling it up??... even still the unsharp mask and a high pass would do it!...

There is a bluish fringe where it hasn't been extracted from the source image properly... and there's also an issue with light direction and the 'footing' of the fly on the statue... other than that, it does need a shadow but more a 'profile' added to the shadow being cast on the floor...

EDIT: the flys shadow would actually need to be profiled on the shadow being cast on the first flat surface... not the floor...

congrats! nice one!

congrats!!

Nice much better... GL Author