Foliage Circle - probably a failure

I have been working on another globe-Catherine Nelson-type image.

I tried another type of leaf doing it in a similar way. I wanted to add some water through it. Please ignore the bit around the edges. I am just storing bits of foliage there.

In the 2nd last image I have put more colour into the leaves & I think I like that.

In the last image I have turned the light in the water down & I dont think that works. In fact that sort of water may not work at all. I have started to curve the water to see if that helps but it is not even yet so cant tell. I quite like the light through the image - may try another way to do it. It seems to give it a 3D feel.

Dont know whether I am waisting my time on this as I think it doesnt work. BUT I think I probably need to do more to it before I toss it out or keep it.

SO MANY LEAVES _ takes ages to build up!

I might even turn it into a giant glass globe by adding a big light reflection area - something to think about. Might also fill empty areas with grass to break up the mass of similar foliage.

LILIES cont

This is where I am up to with this. In this I have turned off the mist - looks better with mist.

I have added medium sized leaves in the mid area.

I have lightened the area close to the edge trees.

I think these 2 steps above have made it more spherical.

I have added reflections around the edge.

Have shrunk edge on top right area- not so dominant.

To do now:

Add some more medium sized leaves & maybe delete some of the little ones.

Tree reflections to be completed

Some blurring to be added in med-far parts - dont intend adding too much there as Catherine Nelson didnt.

I have attempted another one of these but it was a failure - will write up soon.

Babies on Moon cont

I have changed the colours. New babies & shadows & reflections to come.

I reckon it looks better. No more bananas.
13 April:

Babies on moon

This is one of my moon shots. I decided not to use it as when I enlarged it it became unclear. So decided to make it from scratch using 4 layers of different colours & masking through so it gave it a 3D shape. Having tried it earlier in the week & failed, I was reasonably pleased with it. I added a few scratches for interest.

Then I added some red clouds from filter render clouds. increased their size to get better clouds & then added a yellow one.

I divided the sheet in half so I could get reflections & then made the cloud reflections.

Added babies - I"M NOT USING THESE BABIES. I just roughly selected them to get the ides of where I am heading. So when Twins arrive, will replace these babies & do reflection.

Added southern cross!