i would say that apart from that being difficult to believe, how long is it going to take me to acheive that standard???
your work looks very much like some of my favourite art, people like chris achilleos, roger dean, steven caldwell and all of the sci-fi books of yesteryear from paper tiger.
i have just borrowed an air brush to try out from a friend because i didnt know that kind of effect was possible otherwise. i guess its practice, practice , practice. i know i still have a lot to learn because i have only spent the last year really trying stuff out. very inspirational. i reckon i am going to have try stuff on a larger scale to create gradients like that.