Good afternoon chaps and chapesses,
I don’t know what’s happened but I posted yesterday, about 5pm with my choice ( or at least I thought I did.). I’ve just logged on and no post, a post I did on another thread is there. Strange that.
I’ll try again.
Good afternoon each, thanks for the good wishes. Getting old aint fun for some of us, but looking on the bright side, and as Henri Charierre, Papillon said, “I’m still here.”
The Otters were photographed at “The Tamar Otter and Wildlife Centre.” Launceston, Cornwall, a cracking day out if you want to get up close and personal with critters.
http://www.tamarotters.co.uk/
The judging, tricky this as I remember the subjects being more of a brown than grey colour, obviously you don’t have that as a reference so I will take that into account.
Darren.
A nice clean interpretation, though a tad over sharpened to my eyes. I would have liked to have seen the leaves in the foreground and the stray grass at the top left removed.
I like the colour of the grass.
Graham.
The transposition of the head is very well done as is the bubble, is it the right thing to do? It’s fun, but……..
Jim.
Your never too late.
Jim again I like the fun element, though on this occasion for you I think you have let your standard slip.
There is repetition of the grass on the upper left and ghosting on the foreground where you have taken out the leaves.
Neil.
A good edit, again I think the leaves in the foreground are a distraction. The overall clarity is good.
So who is it to be? It’s only a small field and I would like you all win , but “There can be only one.”, now where did I here that.
Well the Macleod of Macleod today, has to be, TARAA,TARAA……Graham.
It’s over to you then Graham.
My edit,
Changed white balance and upped the exposure by ½ a stop.
Got rid of the leaves in the foreground cloned out stray grass top left, dodged and burned then a tad of sharpening, especially the Otter on the right.
Added a border (stroke).
Added a signature with a custom brush.
This was the post on the other thread.
Judi has asked about making logo/brush in another thread.
I hope this process will be of use to someone..
To make the brush in PS.
Open a new white document 1000X500 pixels at 240 ppi.
With the type tool at say 36pt in whatever font and style you like, the colour set to white, type your signature. (You won’t see it, its white on white.)
Click the move tool.
Click on the “fx” icon at the bottom of the layers pallet. Click stroke. Set it to Size-3px, Position-outside, Blend-normal, Opacity-100%, Fill-Type-Colour, Colour-Black…..OK.
Now you can see it, move it to the centre, go to edit-transform-scale and with a finger on the shift key stretch it to fill the width of the document….OK.
Drag the background layer into the bin.
Now drop the fill slider to zero.
Now go to edit-define brush preset and in the pop up name it OK.
Your brush is now ready to use, it can be used like any brush, one click at 100% opacity (lower opacity will make it fainter) will apply it at whatever size and colour you have set.
I mainly apply it on a new layer as this gives even more flexibility.
If you want your written signature. Open ether by scan or photograph your signature written on white paper, into PS. Open in levels and make the paper max white and the signature max black, resize to 1000 pixels on the long side.
Then, edit - define brush preset - and in the pop up, name it. OK.
That is it, the brush is ready to use.
I think that’s it.
Rhodese.
PS If you see this post "elsewhere" please avise and I'll remove it. I must have been high on pain killers.
Rhodese.
, I hope it doesn’t get randy or there’ll be some strange offspring a Pantharoo, or a Kangarocapuss perhaps. I'll get me coat. 
I’m not sure that I would have picked mine. I quite liked Josh’s and Jim’s made I laugh 
