The Penny has dropped!

Last year I worked on an online computer program, but unfortunately, didn't spend enough time with it, and declared myself a failure.  With the help and encouragement of a fellow blogger and friend, Shirley I managed to find my feet a little with the GIMP program, as well as a more in depth look at my ADOBE PSE program.  I was reasonably happy with actual photo alteration, but just didn't seem to grasp brushes, tools, gradients, etc.  The first image above was some mishmash I 'created' in GIMP, saved and then reworked using a trial download from this site:  http://www.whizical.com/  I did purchase the kaleidoscope program, but this one is slightly different, ie it 'melts' sections of your image.  It's great fun, not everything it does is to my liking, but I think it's worth the small charge to 'own' it.  The second image is as it came from GIMP, and I'm sorry but I didn't catalogue my choices.

Continuing on the purple theme, I'll share this image, which is one of the first I did after the penny had dropped!!   I have used only very basic gradients, brushes and filters with this.

I then moved it to another program and added some depth to it, which I think improves it a tad.

And for those who like kaleidoscopes, I thought this one worthy of inclusion - quite dramatic when looked at in a different way!!

I suppose I'd better include something that isn't purple.  After all, I can't say it's my favourite colour, but sometimes I seem to go it more often than others!!  This one is a little more sedate, and still uses just basic brushes, etc.

I took the image to the liquidizing program, where you have the option to use a little 'comb'.  It made a lovely piece of marbling, another technique I've tried, albeit in a small way.








Thank you for looking. I hope these computer generated images stir creative juices in some.  I am still learning, and indeed feel I have a long way to go, but this is really interesting, so I wanted to share a few of my efforts.  I am fascinated by technology, and feel excited at the prospect of what more is in store for us, be it good, bad or otherwise.........