Many flowers. Why not a bird ?

[retpmikl]

Taken yesterday near the beach.

[retpmikl]

Buzzed the background and added a layer mask so the bird is not buzzed.

Smudged the bird (except the eye).

Adjustment layer Hue/Saturation.

[tyeise]

Very nice!

Tyeise

[Blacknight]

Zoomed in and took a screen shot. Anisotropic diffuse on a layer copy, some hue/sat colorize, and erasing of the bird from the top layer.

[pjb]

Started with a sketching and went from there.

[BillC]

mikl - I really like your buzzed and smudged version - very nice.
BK - as usual, wild! I like the blue
pjb - nice job, I like the texture/tint on this one
Here's mine .... still playing with colors
Bill C

[Andrew B.]

Very effective combination!

Originally posted by retpmikl
Buzzed the background and added a layer mask so the bird is not buzzed.

Smudged the bird (except the eye).

Adjustment layer Hue/Saturation.

[tyeise]

Here's my try at this bird. I was sort of surprised. For this particular image, changing to a gif gave better quality for the size than a jpg did.

[retpmikl]

How did you do ?

[pjb]

tyeise
very nice! how did you do it?

[tyeise]

Let's see if I can give you the basic steps for this. I will say that you need a filter for this. I used AmphiSoft's Simplifier.

Start with a duplicate image, so you aren't changing your original. Promote background to layer. Duplicate layer twice.

On the top layer, enhance edges (and depending on the image, you may need enhance more). Then use the Simplifier filter with every option up to the max. This gives you a nearly black and white stark outline. Set the layer mode to multiply. (I renamed it outline) Hide layer for now.

On the next layer down, use Gaussian blur. Here again, it depends on the image and your personal taste. I think I used around 3. Duplicate this layer 3 times.

Change the blend mode on the top blur layer to color. Hide layer.

Change the bottom blur layer to screen. Hide layer.

On the middle blur layer, add a texture of your choice. Mine was a watercolor paper texture. Change this layer to screen mode as well. (I named this blur with texture, the other two blur layers I just named blur.)

Above this middle blur layer, add a new raster layer, and flood fill with white. Add noise. I used 50% random. Now use Motion blur, set at 45 degrees and 100%. Set this layer mode to multiply. (I named this diagonal)

Now, show all layers, and adjust the diagonal layer to the opacity I liked best. For me, that was around 60%.

You can play with the various layer modes, and opacities, on order to find what you like most. I hope that most of this translates for PS as well.

Tyeise