imho: play around with contracting and feathering your selection. applying an outside bevel can also provide some interesting results. (ref: psp7)

nice technique, looks good.

Many thanks. I actually followed a tutorial I found at the paint.net website. 

Here is the link. http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/12293-interface-orbs-long-and-image-heavy/.

I then used the metallize effect on the smaller one then inserted the lens. Here's another I did. It turned out a little better.

I'm trying different techniques I pick up from these tuts. I'm also curious. Does WC have these sort of tuts on the wiki. I haven't looked yet.It would be great if there were. They'd be great as icons, rainies, etc.

(BTW...this isn't, like...spam...is it. I don't want to get into trouble...lol)

much better results

would be nice but... I don't think so.

I also ask this question... Paint.net (in my humble opinion) is just a cheap program that the kids can use to make pretty scribbley lines. Kind of like Ms Paint.

I'd at least trade up to Gimp. And if that is too daunting, you could always get GimpShop which emulates Photoshop relatively well. And would get you ready to make that leap into the arms of Adobe.

I use PDN because I can't afford the high price of photoshop. Last I heard it was well over a few hundred dollars as opposed to paint.net and or Gimp which are freebies. Besides...I added a few plug ins to PDN and it does not bad. I'm still getting the hang of using it and the gimp after being out of touch for awhile. Here's a preview rainy I'm workin' on done in paint.net.

It's still a WIP.

GIMP is a really good Photoshop substitute. The are a few things that GIMP can't do that photoshop can, but I started out using GIMP and once I got Photoshop, I fell right into it without having to learn much. They are very similar, and I recommend GIMP to anyone who can't afford Photoshop.

This is what these forums are for....

Uvah...I prefer the 'metal' effect of the first image...the one in "#3" suffers from the issue of symetry.  It's better when it's not symetrical...

Jafo, that should be symmetry, and symmetrical..........

 ROFLMAO!!!! 

Thanks guys. The second metal one I should have said was a flop. Going through my images I realized it was the wrong one. That one there was a first try and since been deleted. Here's the one that should have been there. This one is a variation on a theme. I'm sure you recognize the panda. I wanted him to dance inside the ball. I didn't know it doesn't work like that. Did ya notice I figured out how to get rid of the text that comes with the image.

With the generous help of a good friend

who rescued me from the depths of despair

from an app (PdN) that lost it's flair

with the Mercedez Benz of graphic trends (photoshop)

Here's my first rendition to replace the refridgerator magnet. I think it's not too shabby for a first go-round in photoshop.

BTW - I never said I was good at poetry. Lets hear it for WebGizmo. You ROCK my friend!!!!!!!