Monday, August 23, 2010

Designing with Computer Software


As I've noted before, working with photo manipulation software can be quite addictive. I've been playing more with the idea of coming up with additional designs I can print out for padfolios like the ones here. This time, I started with my day lily photo above. Its landscape orientation makes it easier to fit on my 8-1/2 x 15 inch template.


Previously I've done all the running through filters with the original image in its original size, then worked to make it fit on the longer orientation. This time I pasted the original image onto the padfolio template and stretched it to fit. Only then did I started playing with the filters with an eye towards designs that would look good as padfolios. Not all cool designs will work equally well I'm thinking. Remember that this fabric will fold at about the 5-1/2 inch mark and fold again to create a flap about 3 inches wide. I think this kaleidoscope filtered one would be pretty exciting, the center being offset on the back of the padfolio.


This kaleidoscope one is a bit tamer, but subtle can be nice too, and stitching will jazz it up.


Of course, if orange is not your thing, you can always play with the color adjustment bars.


And I couldn't resist running it through the "puddle" displacement map.


I perused my files of earlier photo manipulations and decided to work with this one based on azalea blooms. Rather than stretch or tile it as I've done before, I decided to play with varying sizes overlapping.



I have someone interested in some of these for the men in her life, so I was looking for colors and designs more applicable to that gender. My file of manipulations based on a photo of icicles provided some possibilities. Above are 2 different wave manipulations stretched to fit.



And these two use yet another wave manipulation. The top one uses the portrait orientation repeated side by side, but not sized down to fit the width. That allows the one on the left to be positioned slightly higher. The one below is the manipulation in landscape orientation and stretched to fit.


This one was the same icicles photo put through the pattern filter. It is tiled to cover the space to avoid the distortion that stretching would cause.


I'd also been playing with my pansy picture, the one I'd done a seamless tile on but hadn't come up with anything I liked. I stopped with this version, tiling the seamless tile across my template.


Then I got to work and stumbled on some great versions. This one quite stunning but I'm not sure it's padfolio material.


Another kaleidoscope I just love it reminds me of a china pattern.


This one was run through the displacement map filter set on wave zoom, but tiled instead of stretched. I played with the rotation a bit and really like what I came up with.



Three equally likable versions run through the wave filter.


And finally the "puddle" displacement map version - I have a lot to play with here! So a friend asked if, now that I have a printer that I can print my own fabric with, will I ever need to buy commercial fabric again? But of course! Woman cannot live by 13 x 44 inch fabric pieces alone! I doubt I'll ever not be enticed by batiks. No way could my limited imagination come up with everything I might need to pull off my quilt art. Not to worry, fabric stores - I'll be returning...

2 comments:

Sherrie Spangler said...

These are fantastic! I'd love to come out for a retreat and watch how you do this. Road trip?

The Idaho Beauty said...

Come on over - would love to have you visit. This is easier than you think!