A change of pace and something I can award when I like a member's image .

Still changing pace

OMG, your images show so much creativity, innovativeness, skill, and artistry. Please present the first award to yourself. You deserve it!

Pat - thank you, you are too kind. Now for another portrait as my learning cycle continues. Had some problems with the pony tail itself but was too tired to try and see what else I could do to change it.

oldmangrumpy your portrait is really, really nice. With a good degree of realism. And I like very much this clean style. It doesn't show that you started doing portraits only recently. As you may have already noticed, the hair is often the trickiest part, and even if you can make improvements of course you did quite well here. Congrats..

I found a great tut on creating hair OMG...

as you know I previously had been using a tapering brush on individual paths which is mind-numbingly long winded, so anything to reduce that.

Seems like a nice tut on how to blend the hair for a more realistic image. Thank you RJKD.

OMG, post #405 is my favorite

g017, Richard, Pat and Ella - thank you all for your comments, I appreciate your words and advice.

Just on the 'problems' with hair, a couple of weeks back I was having minimal problems with the hair on my portraits, but it seems that different hair styles bring their own unique issues. Still, more tutorial work, learning and experimentation over the next few weeks

Our south coast areas have endured smoky, orange skies for quite some time now, so here is a shot of one of the south coast roads getting back to more normal conditions.

Another change of pace ...

When I was a child, back in the mid 50s, there was no TV (for us anyway) so radio was the typical form of entertainment. One program from the BBC was called 'Journey into Space' and I loved it then and still do. Revisiting it led me to focus on space ... so here goes.

My journey started by catching a passing asteroid on which I climbed to a ledge to view the works in the Andromeda Artwork gallery... maybe I am a bit crazy after all!

OMG, if you are crazy, I would hate to be sane!

Taking a lead from the wizard Dinasset, I started playing with various filters. In each case I commenced by using GMIC to merge 2 separate photos and then other GMIC/GIMP filters to modify that result. I'm starting to understand why Diego enjoys this type of play.

Diego - you are inspirational; it has been pouring with rain here all day, so I did Gimping instead of gardening. More of my experiments featuring a 'Mallee' burl wood bowl in a 'Mallee' sunset on the Murray River.

Three separate images merged, tweaked, brushed and filtered ... again Diego thanks for the inspiration.

I do not see which of my experiments or filters inspired you, anyhow thanks!

Very nice compositions, OMG!

Pat - thanks; as Diego would say 'divertisements' but now back into space. Still on the asteroid admiring the exhibits - this one is a duck billed, furry ET bust ...

It's so nice that each one finds the best way to create new and great creations by seeing others outcomes.
Nice ones, OMG. Lovely fantasy creations.