abstract blur possibilities

This really did start out as a blur... As I was working on it, I thought it might be cool to take the image into DAP and try some different styles on it. This one was the "Sargent" preset with some tweaks made to it. I applied a bit of diffusion to the image and made it a base layer. The egret is from another image, I sized it down and applied Topaz Clean to it to give it graphic look that I was trying to achieve with the overall image. I think it ended up looking more like a graphic design than a photograph.

I really like what you did with this. The background is wonderful -- both the colors and the processing. Adding the egret was a great idea, especially with the way it echoes the background colors.

Great composite, Kerry! Wouldn't change a thing. Graphic design? Photograph?... Let's call it ART!

Beautiful, Kerry! Love the colors! A work of art!

I would also call it a great work of art Kerry! Outstanding work on the background, I love it, and the egret puts it over the top. Looks like a wall hanger to me!

Lovely, lovely work of art, Kerry. I'd hang it on my wall:S3:

I agree its a lovely piece of artwork, I've always said "computers have enabled me to create things that I can't with an easel and brush". A wall hanger for sure, love the background colors and that you took the time to apply some color to the egret...Well done

This is awesome! Love, love, love the bkgd!! The egret is a great counter-point to the bkgd and I really like how it appears he is flying through the colored haze.

This is a beautiful work of art, Kerry! I love the bright colors. I never thought of trying DAP on a blur before.

That's gorgeous Kerry! I like it a lot. Sorry for the newbie question, but what is DAP?

Jeannean, DAP stands for "Dynamic Auto-Painter". It is a wonderful program that takes your input image and applies a painterly style to it. It is fascinating to watch it work, as it starts with an underpainting layer, then applies some strokes, uses a dry-reveal brush, and then paints away until you are happy with it. While it can be run in a completely automatic manner, it is much more fun to modify different aspects and see what they do. Big fun.