LMAC Contest Resumes: My Collage Today, Thirst!

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Still Collage

Collage With Action :)

The long hot summer is over! LMAC greets the fall with a stunning template image and an eye-popping prize pool of 174 Hive for its autumn debut.

Template Image for Round #181

In case you are not familiar with the prize distribution for this contest, 15 creative people place in the finals each week. Make a collage and become part of this pool. Look at the template photo and let your imagination roam free. You have until September 18, end of day (midnight UTC) to post an entry. The contest announcement, with all details, may be found here.

I don't compete in the contest. I just have a blast making collages :)

My Collage

As is always the case in my collages, I borrowed liberally from the LMAC Image Library, LIL. I think the idea for thirst came not only from the template, but also from the fact that we are coming into a period of fertile creativity on Hive. The idea of an oasis, and quenching thirst, may have come from that. Who knows? Imagination takes us where it will.

However, an oasis and simple satisfaction of thirst does not make for an interesting narrative. For me, collages are almost always narratives--stories, in a sense. A good story has conflict and in this case the conflict is the treacherous nature of the water source (note the partially submerged skeleton) the travelers are facing.

A healthy oasis is a self-sustaining ecosystem. One plant in particular, the date palm, plays a keystone role in this ecosystem.

Date Palm Cluster, Oasis in Boa Vista

Credit: Ximonic, Simo Räsänen on Wikimedia Commons. CC 1.2 license

These trees in an oasis are an ecological and cultural keystone. They provide protective shade for crops that grow beneath them. They offer shelter to human residents of an oasis, and to animals that live and/or migrate there. They are also a building material resource for the humans who reside on the oasis.

Also, the fruit from the date palm is a commercial resource that supports local economies.

Painting, Oasis in the Desert

Credit: Antal Ligeti, 1862. Fine Arts Museum, Hungary. Free of copyright restriction.

Although I have placed lizards and a snake in my oasis collage, these reptiles actually don't need water. Some may go their whole lives without ever drinking a drop. They get the moisture they need, which is very little, from plants.

Vultures are in my collage because they are essential to not only the oasis and desert ecosystem, but in nature as a whole. They are the 'cleaners'. They clear up detritus and help to keep the environment free of disease and harmful microorganisms.

Desert Locust Laying Eggs

Credit: Christiaan Kooyman on Wikipedia. Free of copyright restriction.

Most of us have heard of locust plagues. All locusts are grasshoppers but not all grasshoppers are locusts. The few grasshoppers in my collage would belong in a desert. When there are certain environmental pressures (climate, available resources, for example) grasshoppers may be forced together. When this happens they undergo a behavioral change. Their ordinarily solitary habits are abandoned and they become a swarm. That's when a grasshopper becomes a locust.

Collage Process

I began by clearing out the background and making the oasis appear as though it was entirely in the desert. The elements came rather easily. I knew I needed some thirsty humans in the distance. Mostly I rearranged the flora in the picture and then I added fauna (animals) until I felt satisfied with the result.

Inspiration definitely came from images in LIL.

I thank my LMAC colleagues for the following LIL contributions:

I thank these contributors to Pixabay for the following images:

After I made my still collage, I decided to give the piece a little life. Some of my readers like a little animation (my husband does!). I made the frames with the help of Paint 3D and GIMP.

LMAC and LIL

You can see that LIL, the LMAC Image Library, was an essential part of my collage-creating process. Anyone on Hive can contribute to the library and everyone can borrow from it. Learn about the procedure here.

Now that LMAC is back in competitive mode, I know this community will be buzzing with creative activity. Be sure to check back on the community feed to see the exciting collages come in.

Thank you for reading. Peace and health to all.

hive-174695 art science nature oasis ecology proofofbrain creativecoin animals desert
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25 comments
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I'm behind an air conditioned computer and just looking at your work made me hot. A great effectiveness in transmitting ideas. Best regards.

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just looking at your work made me hot

Thank you. That is the best compliment. I appreciate that you took the time to comment on my post. Take care, @nbarrios67

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Your collage is full of life and creativity. I love how you balanced with the circles of life to include the tree, birds, lizards, snakes, grasshoppers etc.

These are all what makes life beautiful to live in. This sis such an awesome creativity.

I love it

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You are very kind, @iskawrites. Your comment reflects my world view--I am acutely aware of the circle of life. I'm glad that comes through in my collage.

Thanks very much for commenting.

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I love oasis because they're such a volatile environment and yet life has a way of taking root. I used to catch grasshoppers as a kid and had no idea that they altered their behavior based on conditions.

I enjoy watching a lady who rides her motorcycle around the world. She was recently in Morocco and stopped at an oasis, which the locals use to grow stuff. It's interesting and you might enjoy it.

Great to see your collage and learn more about this sensitive ecosystem.

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Thank you my friend, @litguru. Oases are fascinating. They have an almost symbiotic relationship between humans and the flora. Using traditional methods, the system is self-sustaining. Only when the over use the water resources for irrigation or development is this balance destroyed. Also the warming planet (a sensitive subject for you, I know) takes a toll on some long-standing oases.

Thanks for the video. I can only imagine that woman has a camera crew of she would not be safe by herself in that environment. I didn't understand a word the man said :))

Thanks for commenting 🌼

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I can only imagine that woman has a camera crew of she would not be safe by herself in that environment.

She does not have a camera crew. She does this by herself. Bravest woman on the planet. Right now she's traversing across Africa, all alone with her bike. She has tons of videos in which you can see how she does it.

The man was talking about the irrigation system and how the village uses the oasis to eek out a living. This is a harsh environment, so these oases have been a source of sustenance for them across centuries. Amazing ingenuity and a testament to human capacity for survival even in the harshest of environments.

The theory of anthropogenic global warming is really not something I lose much sleep over. I do lose sleep over those who would use the theory to advance political agendas, then I get feisty, and I turn into a science werewolf :)

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then I get feisty, and I turn into a science werewolf :)

😁

She does this by herself

😮

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I cannot say enough about her. She's alone out there with a bunch of cameras strapped to her helmet and bike. I don't think I've even seen a man do what she has done, so I guess it's one point for the ladies in the endless battle of the sexes. :)

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Un lindo oasis nos traes hoy amiga y lo mejor es la enseñanza que nos deja🤗

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Gracias!

A lovey comment. I appreciate that very much 🌼

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I would love to go for a stroll through there.
The kids are great.
.
We're having an hot summer day,
!HUG

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Thank you. I had fun constructing this scene. I'm glad you can see yourself there. Thanks for commenting, @adysscheryl

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A picture that is made by mixing the pictures is very beautiful as we can see that the weather is also very good and this bird is also looking very beautiful.

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I haven't had much time to check the collages of this round. But I couldn't pass without leaving you a comment.
I love the life you give to the collages through movement, it's something I have to learn.
Thanks for using the flowers from my gallery, they gave the pink color that was missing!
Hugs!!! 🤗

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My dear @mballesteros,
I know how busy you are and I really appreciate that you took the time to comment. Your flowers do add the color that was missing. They are perfect.

Animation is fun, and my husband is always amused by it, so that is it's own reward. Hope your life is peaceful and calm.

Warmest regards,

AG

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Always something interesting in your work, A.G. @agmoore. A lovely area for the birds and my grasshopper looks great hopping and in purple. 😊

Have a wonderful start to the week.

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Hello my friend @redheadpei,

Your grasshopper has featured in my pieces before. I like to characterize it in colors 😄. Thanks for your kind comment. I hope the storm did not disturb life too much up there. I was watching its progress and saw that you were not spared on PEI.

Have a great week🌼

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We survived the storm quite well. It mostly hit Nova Scotia and New Brunswick the hardest but we got lots of wind and heavy rain but thankfully didn’t lose the electricity.

These storms were something I never experienced growing up but seems part of life here now.

Have a wonderful week my friend. 😊

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I saw that storm threatening your coast. Very glad you didn't lose power. I don't remember that they would hit your area so often, especially when they skipped the area around Long Island.

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