Cow skull

Here is my first attempt at this process. Chris, without your detailed tutorial I never would have known how to even start. Thanks! I used a few of the Shadowhouse textures and then soft light blending mode and then curves, etc. I used a splatter paintbrush for the edge effect. Actually I deleted and reworked parts so many times I really don't know now exactly what I did :). But it was fun.

I love the wagon wheel and the skull. They go together well. I like the way you processed this. I'm thinking that the border tones don't match the tones of the rest of the image-but let's see what others say. Maybe that was your intention? Nice work Nancy, I need to follow Christopher's tutorial too!:)

Excellent job, Nancy. The juxtaposition of the cow skull and wagon wheel makes a perfect old-time subject. I think that it might look better with the border having the same sepia tone as the rest of the image, but I'm not sure. Glad you found the tutorial so helpful! :)

Beautiful composition, Nancy. Very nicely done. I am with Denise and Christopher on the border.

I like the image and the effect. Do consider choosing a different color for the border. I wish only that you have given the two main subjects a bit more room all around.

Hi Nancy, Love the subjects. Just perfect for the effects you created. Maybe just a different tone on the border. I like the splatter paintbrush stokes.

Nancy: Good job for a first! I know just what you mean about making so many changes you aren't sure what you did. :-) Nice subject matter. Great tones and textures. I agree with others about the border--I would make it more narrow and make it dark, rather than light.

Thanks all for your helpful comments. I couldn't figure out how to change the border color so I made an entirely new, much more subtle border. I'm not sure it adds much. I also added room to the right, I didn't have any more on the bottom. This has been a big learning curve of techniques of which I will probably forget most :o.

Nancy, The re post looks better.:)

I like the repost better too. Your textures work well!

Nancy, I like the repost better. I love the subject and the textures you used.:)

The repost definitely improved it, Nancy. Well done! :)

Congratulations!