June 05 Contest Discussion

[Gary Richardson]

Thanks Margaret,

Had a touch of writer's block on this one, so didn't enter, but have really enjoyed seeing what everyone else has done.

Like so many others, don't really have a favourite, or if I do, it changes on a daily basis.

[Marthig]

Hey MargaretM and Kraellin !

That would be fun, so if there is no literary forum in RetouchPro, "our" story book maybe the founder of one!

Thank you Margaret for your nice comment, that is one of the reasons I love these contests it is just fantastic all the great ideas and approaches to one subject that can come out (up ?) when a group of creative and talented people get together

Greetings and regards to all - Martha

[T Paul]

This is going to be a close one...down to the final votes!!!

~T

[MargaretM]

RyanM - really liked your entry - very cute and nicely done!
MargaretM

[ryanm]

Thanks Margret.

I took a bit of a different slant on it than most, don't think I'll ever grow up!

I normally just work on photographs so it was fun to do something more illustration based.

Maybe I'll have more luck in next months competition!

[CJ Swartz]

Pictureman33 -- Congratulations for your win, and kudos for your creation!

There were a number of excellent entries that deserve attention for their creativity and the excellence of their execution -- congratulations on all your hard work!!

[cazubi]

Congratulations Pictureman33. You did a great job on your illustration.

I would like to thank everyone for all of the votes and input. This contest was so much fun to participate in, and I always looked forward to seeing new entries.

I will try to give you step-by-step details of how I created my illustration. I made this picture from scratch, which I normally don’t do, but I found the end result rewarding.

I first decided to have an age level for my picture, and I thought that the ladybug looked like what a pre-school child might like to play on. With that age in mind, I chose very bright colors, and used simplified, cartoon-like images.

Background:
I started with a yellow background and added a gradient to it.
New layer>made circle selections and filled with white for clouds>lighten mode>30% opacity.
New layer>painted green hills>darken mode>60% opacity.
I created some of the flowers by making a petal, air brushing it, and then duplicating them and arranging them in a circle. Another circle filled with color and transformed made the middle. Making a shape and air brushing simple shadows over them created the leaves. Flowers and leaves were then arranged on background.

Bugs:
I air brushed the ladybug to give it a painted look, and I also enhanced the colors so that it would fit into the colorful background. Painting took a long time because each area had to be selected before I could air brush.
I gathered up some bug pictures and airbrushed each one so that they would have the same look as the ladybug. I also copied the eyes and legs from the ladybug and put them one the other bugs so that they would all have a similar look. Each bug was done separately and added later to the background.

After all of the characters were arranged in a pleasing way, I started adding shadows, dodging and burning, and adjusting saturation.

I am sure that I forgotten some of the steps, but these are all of the basics. Congratulations to all of the participants in this contest. Every entry put a smile on my face.

Cathy

[Sean2]

well done pictureman33. Just goes to show one never knows until the votes are all in. i thought Kathy had it for sure, but regardless, they are both excellent pieces. Kathy has let us know how she did hers, how about you hint - hint :-) :-)

Sean

[Marthig]

Congratulations to Pictureman33 !! and all the authors of such interesting and entertaining entries.

Like Cathy I also kept looking at this thread to see what new interpretation was made out of that simple garden decoration, and every time I left with a smile.

I would like to say thanks to those of you who voted for my "Ladybug on a swing" allowing me to be among the finalists and most of all for the great input received. I am most proud of that 5th place and on top of that sharing it with Doug Calwell (or Doug sharing it with me? )

regards and hope to see you all in the July 5th contest !

Martha -

[freddieanne]

Yes, Congratulations to Pictureman 33. Nicely, nicely done. And to everyone else as well!! I continue to be amazed at all the imaginative entries.

Also, thanks to those of you that had kind words for my entry. I had a lot of fun with it.

Annabel

[pictureman33]

I would like to thank everyone for their vote, THANKS EVERYONE!!! , it was a close contest. I guess that's how it goes when you have so many talented people in one place.
Sorry I have not responded sooner, but I had to go out of town on business just when the contest ended and I just got back tonight.
Even though I have not been a member here for very long, I really enjoy visiting this site and seeing all the great work that everyone sends in. You never realize how many different techniques and approaches to a photo one can have until you see them here with your own eyes. One can learn a lot just by seeing how other people approach the same problems.
There are a lot of talented and friendly people here and I hope to get to know each and everyone of you better as time goes on.
I wish I had more time to chat with everyone, but I am trying to work 2 jobs and write a book at the same time so I am staying very busy these days. It’s hard enough just getting time to do a few contests, but I will try to enter as many as time allows.

Once again……..THANKS EVERYONE!!!!! ..........and keep up the good work.

Your friend,
Wayne Anders
“Pictureman33”