Art Drix learns how to Photoshop. [Image heavy]

[Drix D'Zanth]

I don't really do this much.. but I've been dabbling in Photoshop. I would love to hear what you think of my work... but please understand that if you want to critisize- please offer suggestions that I can work from! That is, if you can offer photoshop advice, I'd value your opinions very much!
This one is dedicated to Annie (Athena). Funny thing is, I'm posting it here before I have had a chance to show her ^_^.
[b]Subaqueous Bonsai[/b]
[color=teal]1[/color]

This next image wasn't so much about the strokes in the back, but the depth I was trying to achieve with the color. I wanted to try and get a cool coppery effect
[b]Bloom[/b]
[color=teal]2[/color]

This image was made for my best friend Steve (he's not on OB). The only quirk I have with the image is that I could've tweaked the chrome on the bottom right to show a lot more of the color... Instead it looked way too bright. But I'm happy with the tarnished-metal look i got. Oh, and it has nothing to do with postmodern art.. i just like the word "postmodern". As for the text.. it was more of a gimmick than anything to be taken seriously.
[b]Postmodern punk[/b]
[color=teal]3

Sorry to kind of mess with this thing you've got going here, but I wanted to make find an alternative to inflating the screen size. >.o -Syk3[/color]

[Retribution]

[size=1]I immensely enjoy the textures of these -- particularly the last one. I'm guessing you're relatively new at Photoshop (no offense if you're not), and these are very good for a 'novice.' How did you achieve the effect in the second image? I'm pretty sure I know how you get the color (Color Balance, ctrl + b), so I mean the general shapes and patterns.

Keep it up![/size]

[fazz33]

Damn those look great, i dont know why but i really like the second one (it might be cuz green is my fav color) :) i think ur stuff is really good. Is is ok if i save the second one? i wanna use it as a background for my desktop ^_^

[Drix D'Zanth]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]I immensely enjoy the textures of these -- particularly the last one. I'm guessing you're relatively new at Photoshop (no offense if you're not), and these are very good for a 'novice.' How did you achieve the effect in the second image? I'm pretty sure I know how you get the color (Color Balance, ctrl + b), so I mean the general shapes and patterns.

Keep it up![/size][/QUOTE]

I am relatively new. I?ll talk to you about the second one in detail over AIM sometime, because it was somewhat complicated. A lot of the color has to do with the several layers I?ve used. I also had a kind of ?blooming? effect when I mixed the right combination of layers? I?ll try to dig up the exact steps and edit my post so you can give it a try (to most likely the more brilliant effect ^_^).

[quote name='fazz33']Damn those look great, i dont know why but i really like the second one (it might be cuz green is my fav color) :) i think ur stuff is really good. Is is ok if i save the second one? i wanna use it as a background for my desktop ^_^[/quote]
I?m flattered. I didn?t expect to receive compliments on my first pieces of art! I guess we?re our own worst critics? To answer your question, you are welcome to use the image however you like. As long as it?s not to gain a profit? ?cause I got to have a cut of that ~_^.

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=Indigo]You're new at this?
Could've fooled me! I've been at it for a long time now and I'm no where near doing something this cool. I love them all, but I think my favourite is the second one. Oddly enough, in some places, the texture reminds me of feathers. Perhaps I'm retarded? Either way, I enjoyed them alot. Keep at it![/COLOR][/FONT]

[Drix D'Zanth]

Here's one that I made prior to "subaqueous bansai" when I discovered how to make the liquid-metal effect. I also wanted to mess with the color efect so that there would be multiple bright colors on the same layer of metal... perhaps refecting some sort of brilliant explosion.

[b]Liquid flutter[/b]

[Riku]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=1][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Wow! These are really good!! And you said you just started learning about PS?? Pshaw, you're already better at it than I'll ever be for a while! I still don't know how to do that metal-like thing. My favorite ones are the metallic bonsai tree and the feathery-textured pic. They are really, really good. Seriously!!

I am totally jealous and whenever I see you around here, I will summon all my muffins to clobber you just because you are really good at this!! And not just any muffins... no.... CRANBERRY ONES!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! XD

Seriously, though... these are really awesome!! Mind if I add you as a friend?

Arg... XP[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='fazz33']. Is is ok if i save the second one? i wanna use it as a background for my desktop ^_^[/quote]

I was gunna ask that! That is until I saw liquid flutter, and now I want that one! Wow, Drix, these pictures totally kick ***! You're awesome for a new guy. I had photoshop for a while and I couldn't figure out anything.

[Drix D'Zanth]

[URL=http://img352.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nucleardawn16zt.jpg][IMG]http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/6049/nucleardawn16zt.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Here's my next peice called [b]Nuclear Dawn[/b]. It's an abstract idea my friend gave me. It really started with the "crystal burst" in the background, and I decided to build upon it. I hope you guys like it. I'm thinking of changing my technique to more photo-editing. We'll see what I can cook up.

[b]Flake[/b]
Ugh, this is more a cry for help than anything. I am having difficulty blending these images. I think it's the use of a lower resolution snakehead on a fairly high-resolution flamingo that is giving me the most problem. Does anyone have any hints/tips or links?

[URL=http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=flake0sk.jpg][IMG]http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4372/flake0sk.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[b]Ineffective Camo[/b]
This is a far better example of my learning how to diffuse layers and mask more efficiently. You'll see that (besides the eye), the entire snake's scales have a pattern of peacock feathering on them. I really like how this one turned on.. it fits well with the background. I count this amongst my sucesses. ^_^

[URL=http://img33.imageshack.us/my.php?image=montpelliersnakecopy7su.jpg][IMG]http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/1745/montpelliersnakecopy7su.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Delta]

[COLOR=#790A43][SIZE=1]Whoa! I absolutely *heart* the colors you're using! So bright! So vibrant! Love it, love it, love it.

[u][b]Flake[/b][/u]
If I haven't stressed it enough: I love the colors! Very tropical jungle-ish and it looks like something out of the pages of National Geographic. Also, good job on fitting the snake on the flamingo. The wonderful thing about it is how the snake is bent; it's as if it's just a natural extension of that pink-feathered fowl's neck.
The extraction needs a bit of work especially 'cause this is one high-res piece (the Pen tool can do wonders, I tell you! Miracles, even!). Then you can Feather the snake's body [just to soften the edges. Ctrl+click the layer then go to Select>Modify> Feather. Ctrl+Shift+I then hit Delete] and maybe slap on a high-res snake head.

[b]7.5/10[/b]
This one has great potential. Requires a bit more
TLC to bring that out, but in the end it's worth it.[/SIZE][/COLOR]