Sparrow on a Tree Branch (Graphic Novel filter)

This picture started out somewhat awful. It wasn't my worst picture, but it had that nasty purple fringe that I sometimes get when I have a bright sky in the background of the image. Well, when you want to get rid of a nasty fringe... one option is to take out the color. I processed my image first in AuroraHDR. I then ran it through Photoshop's Graphic Novel filter. I used the Hard Edges setting, but I didn't like it because it didn't pick up enough of the detail on the bird. When I darkened it, however, I didn't like that either (it made a rather dark mess of things). So, I took the lightest version of the image and layered in gradually darkening versions of the same image and... voila! Today's photo. Thanks for stopping by and looking at my pictures! :)