Sunset Approaches

The parts of the source I needed to create my entry.

Using the Wrap tool with all the parts I created the lower part of the dress.

Using the green part a few more times to create the upper dress and also the torso, head and arms. I colored the "corset" so I could see it better.

In order to complete the next step I needed a couple of reference pics.
Links:

http://www.stockxpert.com/browse.phtml?f=view&id=6665251
http://www.stockxpert.com/browse.phtml?f=view&id=2087181

I repeat, they were used as reference ONLY.

Using the Liquify filter I refined the torso and the hands, as well as the corset which now has sleeves. It's all still pretty basic.

I had to decorate the dress a little more. I used the upper orchid details again as a whole to decorate the sleeves and part by part to decorate the neck-line.

Using the Liquify filter again, I had to refer to my reference pics once more to create the final shape of the hands.
I also had to fix the torso which seemed a bit too long, and the skirt which seemed a bit too dull and short. So I drew some basic lines which I will later use as guides when I'm shading the dress.

Also painted the hair with the Pen tool.

The skirt was still too dull, even when I shaded it with the Dodge and Burn tools. So I created my own pattern (as you can see it's all standard custom shapes) and applied it to the skirt as a texture. I really hope you can see the detail.

This is the most experimental step. I've done so much, yet all simple, but I'll try to explain it below:

1. the skirt - as i was playing with the settings and blending modes in order to achieve better visibility for the pattern, I came up with this color. But since the skirt still looked dull, I wanted to add something more. What you see is made with just one of the standard brushes and changing the blend mode.

2. the petals - ALL standard brush and eraser job. Really experimented a lot. Also some Dodge and Burn where needed.

3. hair - Dodge and Burn and Hue/Sat.

4. make-up - brushes and blending modes.

5. overall shading - Dodge and Burn.

6. eyelashes - I used the built in grass brush and wrapped to suit the eye shape.

I was aiming for a slight art nouveau look in terms of environment.

For the floor I used the floor source I mentioned in the sources list.

The glass wall in the back is made like that:
1. render -> clouds
2. gaussian blur till I was happy with the result.
3. distort -> ocean ripple
4. using two of the standard custom shapes (I hope it's obvious enough) I made some cuts in the glass.
5. adding stroke and perhaps some duplicating and changing blending options again till I was happy again.

What's not listed in this step:
1. Later on I added the forest background.
2. I duplicated the glass wall layer and applied Radial Blur.
3. Recolored it with Variations.
4. Changed the blending mode.
5. Some Dodge and Burn to the floor, some Dodge to the girl's hair.

And we're done. :)