Again, I love the work this week.  There are some amazing pictures.  Will's image is really cool and I loved being able to watch as it was created in the WIP.  I'm a huge fan of Nick's work and I think that his picture is really cool.  Then there's always our favorite hamster which has a very interesting mood and is wonderfully rendered.  But all that being said, I'm throwing my vote in to Echo.  I love the piece that he put together.  I'm actually going to go back and look at it again, because I'm in awe.

WilliamB: It's actually two brushes. First I used a custom sponge-effect brush lightly to quickly mark out the areas I wanted the foliage (any slightly textured brush would probably work just as well). Then I used the "Scattered Maple Leaf" brush that comes with photoshop over the top. Set the opacity low or go in and adjust the settings a little to work with the way you paint because that brush works hard and fast! With it's original settings it can make quite a mess in my experience.

Bergy: Don't worry I do plan on finishing it, look out for it in the WIP forums :)

I knew I shouldn't have taken that extra shift at work...completely ran out of time this week.

My vote goes to Banjy.   

I vote Rent-a-goat (BJ)

Echo you must finish your work though  

I was nicely surprised this week - a lot of entries and great variety of setting. I really liked banjaxedmdt's "The final resting place of The Colossus", it reminds me of book covers I've poured over - I feel like I could walk into it and asked the figures there what the story is.

But I'm voting for Nickillus - for an image representing just a few yards of everglades it shows an awful lot of scale. I love it !

Some awesome images here - loved the lighting in Banjs and of course Wills work was top quality...but I was really drawn to Echoes in this one...just great use of brushes to create a interesting environment.

 Echo!

Blimey talk about cutting it fine matt you just sneaked in there. Yes, it is time. I Rent-A-Goat am he blessed with unnatural power by the fabledgoat to come in here and count up. Not only that but I am more than happy to abuse that power and declare myself the winner and ignore any vote not cast my way... ahem. results are:

edart

mattforsyth

banjaxedmdt = 4

Bergy68

GixGidea

Rabbit

zimfin

prawn cracker

Echo = 3

Nickillus = 3

Will Beck = 12

So the winner is... me, congratulations to m-- oh it's no use I'll never get away with it. Well done Will you winner you. If you'll be so kind as to set up the shiney noo challenge for next week.

Thanks guys, I'm really happy to have got a picture into this challenge and to win too, it's really good to get stuff finished and seen by people and to see everyone's different ideas as they evolve in the week.

OK, I'll get on with thinking and picking next week's theme, after I've checked my list of all the previous weeks so I'm not repeating anything.

Anyhow, I'm thinking of a one or two word theme again as it offers the most scope in a week and I reckon koshime should be the keeper of all things random and off-the-wall.

Congrats Will :D, I think that might even be the most votes anyone has ever got o.O" though I can't be sure of that ^^;