This was a photograph I took of my cat, Dusky, looking hyperactive as usual. Selective coloring is a technique that can be overused, but it seemed appropriate for this picture with those glowing eyes!
“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.”
- The Hobbit
This was made in the Terragen 3D landscape generation software. I was using the original version of the software, now known as Terragen Classic, which didn't allow for any objects such as plants, just a basic landscape and atmosphere. It was also the freeware version not for commercial use, so I couldn't render very big images or sell prints of them. But it was a good basic introduction to 3D landscape software.
The golden spiral can be found frequently in art and nature, including some galaxies and nautilus shells. I was playing around with this shape and with a fractal design in a similar spiral, and came up with this geometric design.
I found these wildflowers blooming beside my doorstep several years ago. A bit of research showed that they were Violet Wood Sorrel. Because of the clover-like leaves it is sometimes considered to be the traditional Irish shamrock. There are several patches of them in my yard now, and I enjoy seeing them bloom every spring.
This picture came from my playing around with shapes in Paint Shop Pro. I started with a spiky silver shape and repeated and rotated it until it seemed to make a good setting for an Easter egg, and the rest of the design followed from that. And I love all the shades of maroon, pink, lavender, and blue that come out in the spring and summer!