Posted this one as a response to a thread at RetouchPRO. The original is from stock Exchange, but I can't find the link and the originator at RetouchPRO didn't provide one unfortunately. Yes, I'm still on my marbles binge; can't seem to break this one; lol. Hope you like. This time I used LqR to squeeze the marbles closer together. Anyway, click on the image for it's Flickr.

WOW...very nice effect

Thanks PC; only noticed a few minutes ago that I squeezed a couple of marbles too much at the lower end of the render. lol

Whoa! That's wonderful, Lyle.

Thanks O; G'MIC's Contour>Gradient Norm did help add some translucence to the marbles. Still playing with various blends and such to give it more spherical dimensions. Gotta blow this binge soon though. lol

Now, I really like that, Lyle. Awesome!

Thanks Mahvin. Wish the steps weren't so convoluted; I've yet to repeat the same steps by rote either (some may not know this, but I've been classified as an experimental retouchist on another forum I frequent and I ware this like a badge of honor; lol) since I like trying new ideas. I can mention the flow though. Create a good png target to feed into the Voronoi batch program (http://gimpchat.com/viewtopic.php?f=11& ... =70#p12405) and then open the voronoi and copy your source above the result set to lighten. Then select the dots by alpha to selection (or if you imported paths, you could always path to selection) and then run motion Blur at 235 degs (play with radius; I like 7). That gets you the general ball, but then it's the reflections and the caustics (thanks ofnuts for that term that I've never heard before but definitely know what it is) takes, believe it or not, 2/3rds of the processing time since I still experimenting with this phase of the rendering process (time consuming but fun; getting better at it I think). Anyway, I already know I'm not the only experimental retoucher here.

Lyle you should make that in real life, out of Marbles. Glue them together and boom Heavy, expensive, very interesting looking art

That's actually an interesting idea, Willy. I'll buy some smaller glass marbles and experiment.

*phew*, for some reason I always get you and Lyle confused and thought I just did it again. I don't really know why, and don't want to know why, but just excuse me when I do.

Hope it turns out well for ya there Mahvin

Nope, no confusion, Willy. You came up with an interesting idea that Lyle was doing using computer graphics, and I like the result so much that I am willing to see what the real deal would look like.

I have to think this through, though. Like how big do I want the image to be and size the marbles accordingly. A bigger question for me would be just how small do they make glass marbles. Or how will glue effect the actual image underneath?

One thing did come to mind... Since I already make my wife special shadowbox frames for her quilling projects, I was thinking of creating a double pane glass frame, having the outer pane just thick enough to fill with columns/rows of marbles that sit over the image beneath it. Should be interesting layering the marbles over an actual image.

Yeah I looked to see if there was confusion there, and there wasn't, but happens other times.

That would be cool to have on a wall, are you going to make the marble mural and then remove the image? And glue or something to keep the marbles stationary?

What's that game called where you slip checkers (red and black) into a vertical standing slot? Getting 4 or so in row, you win. I am thinking of making a double pan glass for a frame, slipping the marbles into one pane, that is on top of the image beneath it. I would leave the image under it, to accentuate the look. I think glue would distort the image (by actually gluing marbles to an image).

I might even add recessed string lights around the interior frame. The more I think about it, the more interesting it becomes, in theory.

Connect 4?
Wow for once being a youngster on this forum was a good thing