Cool mate :) looks like spider :) nice blue color :)good one :)

cool effects here and colors

very nice image - kinda reminds me of a crown - i dont think it looks amateur

I don't personally like the frame but not because it looks amateur. I just hardly ever like frames and I just don't think they work well for desktops. That's a minority view, though, I think. As frames go, I see nothing at all wrong with this one and rather like the subtle, understated texture - it adds interest without being distracting.

Great colours. Neat design, though I maybe prefer some of your other work more, but probably just a matter of taste. I would think more in terms of fitting a background to the flame, rather than framing it, but again, that's me. I tend to like backgrounds which are part of the image rather than external to it, if that makes sense. But it is really personal, so I'd say it is most important to think about what you want to do with the flame - what effect you want to achieve and then think about how to achieve that.

- cfr

The frame does seem to take away from it a bit but all togehter a very nice one my friend.

Perhaps just a little more substance for the imagination would help.

Thanks all. I really do appreciate the input. I'll have to do a repost when I work on it next. -mike-

Well, wait...not without my input ::LOL::: I'm perpetually behind these days in my comments. I like it. It looks like a crown of sorts, and I see nothing wrong with it at all...there...now I've said my peace!!!

♥PJ♥

I like the frame. I have no clue how to do any of this so I always admire the work of those who do!

Hmm ... looks like you used a selection tool to extract the colour of the frame.

I have done likewise and now, until I understand those tools better ... don't. As you say, it tends to come out looking 'amateurish', and I don't say that to be harsh.

Just in case this turns out to be a saving grace, as I came across this information ... try using 'Relative', instead of 'Absolute'. Or vice versa, depending on which generated the results for you here.

Need coffee, what can I say?

*hooks up caffeine I.V. drip* ... ahhh ... much better ... still can't recall though ... if and when I do, I'll pass that info along to you Mike.

I do have something to bring to the table though ... try entering an ungodly number for the render quality. Manually, that is ... as the drop down menu stops at 4000. I use 8000, and was quite surprised at what was revealed ... and remedied, in terms of the infamous and much beligned 'grain.'

I think that your flame here would be perfect to marry and blend with another to create some expansiveness. I agree with John that as a stand alone ... it needs some propping up.

This is not the definitive example, but see if you can see where I am going with this ...

Your other image? "Trouble On The Horizon"? I can imagine in my minds' eye placing this crown here on the cloud portion of that image. Creating sort of a story in an picture of some fantastical Arthurian like legend of some mystical and magical crown that exists somewheres in the heavens.

One sec ... *pulls out I.V. drip*

This is still quite good. Make no mistake about allll of my words, lol. Some tweaks and an addition ... whichever, look forward to seeing what you come up with.

It ain't easy to have produced what you have here ... and for that I give you your props. It is a good, clean render and an interesting design.