(124) Clasina, nice frog!

Cyan, very cool!

Nice post Vinnie.

(125) William, like the slow shutter.

(126) Pretty post Pam, nice color...

Andrew, convoluted is excellent!

Thanx Swede, #2 for me, love the dimensional look and colors.

Clasina, nice texture.

Laskalass, that is gorgeous!

Thanx William.

Nice play Pam,DANG chores!

(127) Thank you Simon :D

WOW Andrew...download is incredible!

Pam wicked sunflowers.

Ziastars, I feel your pain.

Unfortunately, to be able to take advantage of the incredible power of most editing programs, one has to resign oneself to the fact that there is a learning curve that has to slogged through before one can do many of the creative things these programs are capable of doing. In the beginning, this can be frustrating and annoying, but have faith. Much of what you find numbingly complicated now will seem easy and routine later, if you just stay patient and focused.

The good news is that digital editing tools exist in a digital world. There is a mountain of good books, magazines with free discs containing tutorial, and tons of free how-to articles and videos online. You mentioned you have GIMP; do a search here on Hog. I recall one member posting a LONG list of links to detailed tutorials for that program. (actually, I think it was just posted recently in the now active thread about jpeg vs. raw). Start there and start mastering the program. Eventually, the creative techniques you seek will be within your grasp.

Side note: in my constant quest to improve the world, I have been working in my lab to create a program that would allow novices and masters alike to edit their images near instantly by simply envisioning the final outcome in their mind. Think it and the program effortlessly translates your thoughts into a finished image! I'm getting close. The stumbling block is every time i use the program my result seems to come out the same: a picture of Angelina Jolie walking on the beach wearing a bikini! :P

Bada-boom.

Ziastars, I feel your pain.

Unfortunately, to be able to take advantage of the incredible power of most editing programs, one has to resign oneself to the fact that there is a learning curve that has to slogged through before one can do many of the creative things these programs are capable of doing. In the beginning, this can be frustrating and annoying, but have faith. Much of what you find numbingly complicated now will seem easy and routine later, if you just stay patient and focused.

The good news is that digital editing tools exist in a digital world. There is a mountain of good books, magazines with free discs containing tutorial, and tons of free how-to articles and videos online. You mentioned you have GIMP; do a search here on Hog. I recall one member posting a LONG list of links to detailed tutorials for that program. (actually, I think it was just posted recently in the now active thread about jpeg vs. raw). Start there and start mastering the program. Eventually, the creative techniques you seek will be within your grasp.

Side note: in my constant quest to improve the world, I have been working in my lab to create a program that would allow novices and masters alike to edit their images near instantly by simply envisioning the final outcome in their mind. Think it and the program effortlessly translates your thoughts into a finished image! I'm getting close. The stumbling block is every time i use the program my result seems to come out the same: a picture of Angelina Jolie walking on the beach wearing a bikini! :P

Bada-boom.