Maybe the background should have been more subtle in the technique to soften. The bird bath is very real and the background almost non-objective. Try layers where the background is given an "effect" and then the isolated object is placed on top. Coloring is there and the subject and basin are not hard to isolate. Bill

Nice idea Randy Like the focus this treatment gives the subject. I think like Bill says you need to work another technique for achieving this, two layers would work well, so you dont get the effect the subject has been painted round. I would also think about the white areas, The lightest part of any picture draws the eye and having them in the background draws the eye away from the subject. Hope this helps. :O)

Thanks for the comments. I will play around with your suggestions.

I think in both cases you are learning the tools, which is the best part of the exercise. Good job! Then it just depends on what sort of creative statement you want to make. Photoshop (and similar tools) are very addictive. [You may want to check out my butterfly tutorial in the Resource Center.]

I'll vote for the stained glass effect as a picture. Saints are often shown in stained glass or near it. I often make two or three copies of an image and then combine effects and amount of transmission until I get what pleaes me. As Misha says, almost unlimited creativity available. Bill

Misha & Bill, Thanks for the comments. It was a good learning exercise.