I think I have really turned a corner with this design. It's the next step in the learning curve from its immediate predecessor, "Castello Tartan" (the next to be featured here), enabled by the fact that I have finally figured out just a few of the things that can be done with layer modes. You can't do any complex graphic composition without using layers; it's the digital equivalent of assembling a collage. Layer modes, though, affect how higher layers interact with lower layers, leading to myriads of ways to create new patterns and palettes.
So, for example, this design resulted from manipulations of the following image, "Time Travel":
As a side note - at no time did I alter the colours of the design beyond a little saturation boosting.
This is a processed version of a photo I took in Venice, back in 2005 as all my European photos are from. There are a lot of things I like about this one. As a lover of distress, patina, and breakdown, the texture is very satisfying; lots of movement and variation. It's a great example of the cartooning/stained-glass technique I've been using to up-res photos that aren't big enough for crisp printing at large sizes. Follow this link for the Society6 page featuring this design; look for the product options thumbnail gallery near the bottom of the page for product options.
How that image turned into "Time Travel 3" does indeed involve manipulating layers, but it would be a little too inside baseball to detail it here. Suffice to say that I am champing at the proverbial to apply this technique to other images. "More Perfect Grey" comes to mind.
Also, this is the first time I have applied a design to shoes. So that's fun. Click on an image to go to that item in the store.
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