Challenge 212

[kimi_boo]

We seem to have lost Grant? :eek:

This weeks entry was provided by (drum roll please)..... Norma Keveers.
Everyone jump in, the waters fine. :D

* Important notice to all the new people in this forum. This is not a
close shop you are all invited to submit an image. If you don't think you
are good enough this is your first mistake, I think most have found that
working on the Challenge has improved their personal level. So young and
old, hot shots and cool dudes now is you time to post.

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Challenges.html

[Grant]

The first images are now being posted and again they are all great.

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Present/index.html

Notes for viewing.

1). Clicking on the thumbnail will open a larger image.
2). Clicking on the larger image will advance you to the next larger image.
3). If you are using Internet Explorer F11 will toggle a full screen view

... gives the images a view they deserve.

--

[Grant]

We seem to have lost Grant? :eek:



In fact you didn't loose Grant. Grant posted the announcement and thought all was well. BUT ... I had lots of headaches and finally managed to get my provider to listen to me. It seems my modem was toast and this is what I have been telling them for a very long time. In any event I though the post went through but guess what ....

--

[kimi_boo]

Grant... glad to see we found you. :D
and that everything is OK. ;)

[Wendy]

Hi Grant ...

We really thought we had lost you ... so glad to see you back :)

Wendy

[kimi_boo]

Dave... the sink image is a hoot!! :D :D

[Ward Grant]

I was looking at the entries to-date on the seal and got to wondering about my caption in my Number 1.

Her recent strange behavior,
including shaving her head,
have Britney Seal's fans worried.

Should the first word of the third line be has? I thought maybe behavior was singular as several different incidents make up her recent oddness (one of those multiple items taken as a group). I kept changing between has and have and finally said, "Hey, its only going to be online for a short time."

I just don't want to appear ignorant.

[billz]

I just don't want to appear ignorant.

Ward - As long as you recognize the behavior as wacky there is nothing to worry about.;)

Bill

[apasskey]

Has

Hugs, Andie

[Ellen]

Andie's right, I have a worry that you know about Ms. Spears but everyone here has enjoyed your image. ;) I like the pool gear a lot.

[Ward Grant]

Andie and Ellen-thanks for the correction. I'll send Grant a replacement image and let it cycle through the next time he posts some images.

I have to admit this one was a head scratcher (no shaved head pun intended). An open shout out to others-if you have not submitted an entry yet, there is still plenty of time left this week.

Bill-I have to admit I used to try and defend Britney, thinking she was just a new mother and someone who had lived a privileged life and had just not grown up. However, with two small children and being seen nightly partying and stuff, I just can't support her. I hope she gets the help she needs.

[Wendy]

Alex ... Oh those are three really fun images ... I'm not quite sure which one I like the best. Oh yes I am ... its No 2 with the eyes!!

AnneP ... What an interesting effect and very nicely done.

AnneT ... Very nice use of the images and beautiful blending.

Ben ... Great box and what a fun theme.

Bill ... Oh that is just so funny. I haven't stopped laughing since I first saw it ... Well done.

Bob ... My goodness No 2 t is a scary effect ... wow its just great how did you do it ? and I love the framing very nice !! Nice work on No 2 and the bubbles just finish it off ..

Carol ... Love the addition to the soup ... really good work on blending it in and what a fun idea.

Charles ... Its makes an excellent orb ... very good effect.

Dave ... Is that an eye I see looking out from those clouds ... Very well done with the blending, and neat idea keeping him in the sink !!

Debra ... What a good use of the image and I love the way you have an overlay of fish. That works so well.

Donald ... Now that is just excellent ... beautifully done and I love the beads of condensation. No 2 certainly makes the point.

Ellen ... Great work on all the fish it makes a very goon image and its so well blended.

Jack ... Nice work on adding the shark ...

John ... Love the colour changes and that dotty frame is just amazing !!

Kathy ... Beautiful work on those eyes !!

Kimi ... Oh Wow that is just clever ... and so nicely done.

Malcolm ... I really like the way you have faded the image away and left the focus on the eyes ...

Pat ... Love the ghostly effect ... its really good. How did you do it ??

Rita ... Great animation and I also like the dissolving effect. That works well with this image. What a good idea turning it into the top of a ring ... that is a great effect how did you do it ?

Rusty ... Nice to see someone being kind to him and I am sure he appreciates his new friends. Nice work on blending them in.

Tab ... They both made me laugh. What a fun use of the image :) Nice work on the coin !!

Ward .. Oh very topical and very funny too. ... and I really wish that I had thought of No 2. I love it !!


Wendy

[Ward Grant]

Wendy
Thank you for taking the time to comment on all the entries.
I found your dinnerware (bowl, pitcher, salt/pepper shaker) very lifelike and I love the purple/green pattern. Looks like our little seal is in quite a bit of hot water.

[billz]

Wendy - Thanks so much for the comments. Both of your entries were great .... you really have wonderful photorealism talent!

Bill

[Ritage]

Wendy,

thank you for your comments.

For the ring I first gave the head a metallic sort of look with OpticVerve Labs matching it to the photo of the old seal ring, then blended it onto the ring with a layer mask, letting some of the original features look through.

I like your gas cooker and the way the water really looks boiling. You wouldn't really cook the poor thing though, would you?

Rita

[Ellen]

Wendy, I thank you too for taking the time to comment. Can't decide which of your wonderful images I like best, but I won't be able to make it for dinner, so you'll have plenty.
This was another fun one but I hope no one gets in trouble with Friends of the Seals.

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I decided to do the comment early as I won't be around for a while ... just off on a trip :)

Wendy

[BobWarren]

This week's entries get the seal of approval -- nice work!

ALEX B: Nice variations on the seal's face -- have to go with the bug-eyed look in #2 as my pick.
ANNE P: The eye substitution and the hand-drawn whiskers add a lot to this image.
ANNE T: I like the effect the different blending options and overlays have -- interesting color palette.
BEN M: Nice job on the box and the pun is great.
BILL Z(B): The Groucho glasses are too much! A perfect fit.
CAROL W: The seal in the soup is a cute idea -- I like the implied frame, too.
CHARLES Y: Good job on the sphere -- looks like you doubled up the whiskers, too.
DAVE D: A seal-UFO? Interesting composition in #1. Have to go with the seal-in-a-sink as my favorite here -- great work inserting him and the water in there.
DEBRA F: Interesting color shifts as you submerged the seal.
DONALD M: Love the beer can -- the fonts match those on real cans nicely -- did you use Goose Island as your model? The red water and the seal hunt bubble make a strong statement in #2.
ELLEN H: I love the gold fish in the background! and those steely eyes....
HILMA R A: I like the way you incorporated the seal whiskers into the moth wings -- neat idea! Cute pun in #2.
JACK S: That menacing shark looks familiar!
JOHN E: Nice color variations.
KATHY N: Throw that seal a fish -- those big eyes really get to you.
KIMI B: I love the way you turned the seal's whiskers into fireworks!
MALCOLM D: Interesting blur effect.
PAT C: Nice job submerging the seal.
RITA G: Neat animation -- were you inspired by the old Irish legend? I like the seal cameo ring in #2.
RUSTY A: Good to see some companions for our seal.
TAB A: Cute duck in #1, but I have to go with the $3.00 pun in #2 as my pick.
WARD G: Love the Britney references, but the bathing cap has to be my favorite here.
WENDY W: Nice job inserting the seal & water into the seal-soup series. I like the 'watered' silk in #3, too.

Bob Warren
http://www.rewarren.com/challenge/chl212.htm
RANDOM GALLERY:
http://www.rewarren.com/challenge/random.html

[BobWarren]

Wendy --
Thanks for your comments. I made the seal in #1 by rotating the head until the nose line was vertical, then taking the left half and duplicating and flipping it so I had a symmetric head. I then duplicated the head and applied the glowing edges filter and set the blend mode to color dodge, then created a composite layer and applied the paint daubs filter. The red eyes were added with a brush. The frame is a stroke on a selection made from a rectangular marquee and the subtraction of the selection of a block I had warped with the shear filter.

Bob Warren
http://www.rewarren.com/challenge/chl212.htm
RANDOM GALLERY:
http://www.rewarren.com/challenge/random.html

[Ward Grant]

Bob
Thanks for the comments and the details on how you created your Number 1-quite a dramatic presentation.

[Ritage]

Bob,
thank you. I had a vague memory of a story of seals changing into mermaids, but did not remember it's Irish in origin. Now I have to check it out.
Rita

[Ellen]

Thanks Bob from me too for commenting on everyone's images. Your first was probably what fish see in their nightmares - very striking.