wet floor
by Tiberius

Comment:
Startling, graphic distillation of this spiral staircase. Reminds me of an inner view of a chambered nautilus.

The river
by Sisto

Comment:
Handsome image that invites you to first explore the line of trees and the green parkland, then beckons you on around the bend of the beautiful blue river that's flanked by impressive cliffs. The painterly treatment is so subtle that I have a hard time discerning it. I like how the river goes from brown shallows into deeper blue water.

copse
by krnodil

Comment:
Though the trees and foreground are fairly dark, this merely serves to heighten the bright sunshine of the green field. We have a copse-eye view of the world beyond, an intriguingly unique vision. The mood is both bright and a bit ominous. I like the effect very much. The painterly treatment is subtle and enhances the overall tone. I like the dead leaves scattered across the lower left corner -- their realism draws you into the scene and is a transition to the inviting glow of the copse and field.

transience and imperfection
by skewsme

Comment:
Very appealing scene, in which you feel as if you've stepped into a breeze. The colors are harmonious with the season, and the mood is gentle. What I don't understand in the context of a painting is the focus. We are used to seeing part of a photograph in focus, here the tree leaves, with the rest of the scene being not being in focus, to the point of becoming bokeh. In paintings, however, and I might be wrong about this, this phenomenon is rarely present. The focus, if anything, fades out very little and very gradually. So in this particular instant, the photograph doesn't convincingly translate to a painterly version. I'm belaboring the issue because I otherwise like the image.

Oddly Enough
by Les_Feck

Comment:
Filling the frame with these stalks and spiky shoots is a bold statement that people will either like or dislike. I happen to like it. It feels like being lost in a corn maze, and having an interactive map, of course. It has a calligraphic feeling, again hidden. Interesting and provoative.

The last leaves of fall
by MargaretNet

Comment:
Lovely autumn scene. One can easily be seduced by the colors alone, but it's a living image, brought to this point by the graceful trees that front the simple road. In the modest composition the mass of trees to the left are balanced by corresponding road on the right. The painterly effect appears to be very subtle.

Fall Morning
by HUETH

Comment:
Fine-looking landscape and seascape. The colors are rich and sustaining. Although it's a scene of great breadth it's still intimate, I suppose because the trees invite you in and then you're led step by step into the distance. The clouds and sky are varied and interesting. The painterly processing is more than harmonious, it enhances look and mood of the image. Beautiful.

Conservatory
by jomari

Comment:
A very pretty, happy scene. I like the unusual composition of a vast wall of flowers grudgingly revealing some people on the path to the left. The spiky, crystalline treatment of the image works well for the flowers, though is, I think, a bit dicey for the figures. Very enjoyable.

Making Waves
by Pixelstate

Comment:
Great feel of time and place in this very attractive image. The limited palette yields a lush and sensuous result. Golden light suffuses the entire scene and might be said to be the real subject. Terrific perspective. Has the feel of a classic painting. A small, subjective note is that the texture of the canvas comes through rather strongly.

Paint the city
by Neat

Comment:
The bold lines and light are transfixing. The foreground white walls massively advance towards the viewer. The view through the opening is mostly blocked by a slanted plane of grid-like buildings, which further abstracts the image into a geometric study. The neutral palette, so nicely nuanced, is perfectly sparked by the colorful artwork at the end of the passageway. The painterly effect is just modest enough to take the edge off reality. An intricate, deftly handled marvel.
Another favorite of this challenge.