Here is a slideshow of the options I've come up. I'd suggest using the numbers at the bottom to keep track of versions, but playing it as a slideshow lets you see how they change. 1-3 go together, 4 is by itself, 5-6 go together, and the last two are the uncropped versions, which can be cropped tighter if there is a specific zoom you want.
#6 has the smoothest background. The backgrounds in 7-8 can still be manipulated a little, but the backgrounds in the others are pretty much as they're going to be; manipulating the workflow and brushes produced the different effects/ looks. but each process had its own limits.
#6 has the smoothest background. The backgrounds in 7-8 can still be manipulated a little, but the backgrounds in the others are pretty much as they're going to be; manipulating the workflow and brushes produced the different effects/ looks. but each process had its own limits.