Thank You, Shaka LMAC #25 Summer Special
BOOM!!!
What???
These two GIFs constitute my personal homage to @shaka's #letsmakeacollage contest. The contest is going into a brief (I hope) hiatus for the summer. In this blog I will try to describe what the contest has meant to me.
A couple of years ago I observed a milestone: three score and ten years on earth. The fullness of that time has given me the ability to appreciate joy in simple things. For the past several months, @shaka's contest has been one of those.
I've never been 'good' at art. That is, I can't get my hands to produce what my mind vividly imagines. This is not the case when I write. While I'll never garner a Booker or Pulitzer, usually I can bend words to my intention. And so @shaka's contest, which is a forum for both image manipulation and imaginative expression, is a special kind of gift. It allows me to exercise those creative faculties that are not verbal, but come from a different place. It allows me to train my hands to coordinate with my brain in a very particular way.
I don't want to get too nerdy, but this kind of activity is really good for the brain, the psyche, and for longevity.
So, thank you, @shaka, for the many gifts your contest gives me. And thank you, everyone who participates. Each week I'm inspired by your enthusiasm, your sense of community and your gracious acknowledgment of every effort.
Have the most wonderful summer, @shaka. Perhaps you'll post brilliant photos of whatever it is you're doing, wherever it is you're going. These photo essays are also great fun. They are virtual journeys for all of us.
Now for my entries in this weeks contest. I've already been wowed by some of what I've seen from other participants. You really do have to go over to @shaka's blog. You will be struck by the quality of the work.
The Original Photo, by @shaka
A review of contest scheme: @shaka offers a photo and he invites everyone on the Steemit platform to make a collage from this raw material. Each element in the collage has to be free of copyright.
BOOM!
The idea for BOOM came to me right away. I could see the large boulder opening and emitting volcanic fire and smoke. Then I thought that perhaps material might come to the rock and be consumed. My mind wandered to the magnetosphere and the vulnerability of earth without the protection of this invisible shield. The planet would be bombarded by objects, large and small, from outer space.
Hence, BOOM!
The extraterrestrial objects and orange flash came from Paint 3D. Special effects--lighting and frosty covering on surfaces--created with GIMP. There were many iteration of this idea before I got the impression I wanted.
This was one 'failure':
WHAT???
Blame this collage on the little girl in the picture. As soon as I saw her on Pixabay, I was captivated. She was so expressive. Very hard, though, to insert her in @shaka's picture. Literally, between a rock and a hard place :)
The little boy in my picture was actually fishing on Pixabay.
Crabs and the ship came from Paint 3D. Special effects courtesy of GIMP. Again, there were many iterations of this idea :) Here's the last one that was rejected:
Good luck to everyone who participates in the contest. And once again, thank you, @shaka.
Thank you so much! I wish you a great summer time too!
You are so welcome. When your collage challenge appears, it's always an adventure...magic from a mouse pad :))
Hello @agmoore my greetings, really that this type of contest makes creativity develop, it is not done only for the prize, it is done because I have seen a greater skill when editing, and I would like to improve more and more, We have great artists in the contest and I applaud that.
I was impressed by your stone collage, oh, the stone opened, ha ha, that was my impression.
Thank you, @tormenta! Certainly the great prize is the experience. The people, the learning, the creativity. Glad you came back this week. Hope there is peace where you are right now.
This is a terrific homage of appreciation! It's because of your entries into this contest that I want to give it a go one of these days.
Though I love the scurrying crabs and turtles in What??, my eyes keep going back to watch the colorful chaos in BOOM. It would make a great screensaver.
Thank you!! So much fun, and work. GIFs are getting easier, but not easy :))
I hope you dive in. There's really no downside. Once you put pride away, it's pure fun, and learning. At any age, we can still learn new tricks.
Thanks for your kind comments. Every time someone says something nice about my collage it look's better to me :)))
I like both :) First is great and dramatic, like a very cool short cartoon ... the second is funny :) and funny things are also cool
I'm so glad you liked them. My skills can only get better :) Even if they don't this is fun.
Hehe ,.. true ... but on the first one, your skills are absolutely up to the task, that one is seriously very good, it's like a little story and I like the visual style
You make me so happy :)) I look at it now and it looks a lot better after your comment :)))
:D
Yeah, nice ones full of Action! 😎
Thank you, @muelli. I'll have to keep my eye on your blog this summer...bound to be a lot of action and fun :)
You are very welcome! 😎
🙂
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