A simple fun with new particles. Work took something about 3-4 hours including concept, making and rendering. All made with blender (all textures are procedural, internal render, zblur).
edit:
my server is overtransferred, so i attach the image to the post
It looks pretty good but I don’t think the lighting is convincing.
And how does a tree grow on a rock?
Perhaps if you gave it a martian atmosphere and surface texture. It would be very lonely indeed.
Trees have been known to grow on a perminently frozen surface. There roots spead out over the surface to capture any moisture they can. They don’t grow quite as tall though they remain quite close to the ground.
The little tree in this image perhaps is a bit big for such an uninhabitable spot
http://www.fukubonsai.com/3a3f.html
Palm trees have been known to grow in sandy soil (not much water required). If the surface of the stone you have the tree in had the indents needs for the palm to reside it would look more like it was a happy accident that put the palm there. As it is. The rocks on the boulder would have just as much trouble staying on as the palm would.
It’s a fun image though and looks like given a bit more work could be even better.
If you are perhaps not finished with this one or when you make something simular… A few thoughts.
I would perhaps give the boulder a bit more bumps and perhaps a crack(s) to give the roots a place to go and then reduce the tree about 25% get in a bit closer to the tree to offset the difference in size and you will have a really great looking image.
Ronson2k3
