[sources: X / X / X ]

[sources: x / x / x ]

(eyestrain warning for the last png/pattern, as it uses a pseudo-glitch effect)

6 patterns made in GIMP, 4 of them as PNGs, with stock images from pexels.com.

Thing is, when I got back into making stuff in GIMP, I noticed how it changed my perception of my surroundings; I now go through the world looking for inspiration or mulling over how people achieved certain effects in their art.

So it is not surprising I saw a pattern I really liked 'out in the wild' and my first thought was 'I wonder if I can create something like this in GIMP' - and yes, apparently I can. Which is awesome! So I made some mildly similar patterns.

I combined this with some effects and filters I was trying at the time, and the results were a few patterns I wanted to show/share. They should seemlessly repeat, so in theory one could use them for prints, blog backgrounds, wallpapers etc.

And ideas what other patterns I could make? Lemme know!

"Eyes (Dithered)" (Stamps)

[sources: x / x / x / x / x ]

5 digital stamps in two different dithering styles made in GIMP. Made with free stock images from pexels.com. This set focuses on eyes and uses Bayer and Floyd-Steinberg style dithering. The stamp borders are self-made/my own.

Further thoughts below the cut:

It seems I am terribly indecisive; not only do I make variations of the artpieces I make, but sometimes I cannot decide on a style for pieces either. I liked both the Floyd-Steinberg and Bayer dithering for these pieces, so I decided to make a batch with both. I am curious if anyone has a preference?

Fun and relatively quick to make, these with the previous ones also helped me figure out some tricks using templates with borders in GIMP. I like how these came out.

Any suggestions for other stamps I could be making?

[sources: x / x ]

"Intersect"

A digital collage and a variation, both made in GIMP with screenshots from "The Oldest View" by Kane Pixels, which includes use of the Julien Reverchon Giant made by Kevin Obregon.

Additional thoughts beneath the cut:

Two more of the 'practice' pieces I made before I made the movie poster; I did sooo many variations. Figures, since cutting out the silhouettes took a bit of work, so I wanted to get as much use out of it as possible.

I really like how the crop makes it look as if the in-set screenshot is Wyatt standing on the escalator, staring down in terror and confusion at the Giant which has just chased him up there. Also, I like how the piece with the overlap turned out. The only thing I am not 100% happy with is the one flower hand.

Again, lots of fun to play around with this kind of collage and concept. Kinda gives me some mild Rene Magritte vibes.

Getting a new game announced by Garage Heathen AND a new TOV(-related) video by Kane Pixels all within the span of like 24-36 hours is *wild* in the best way.

"The Flower Giant"

[sources: x / x / x / x / x / x / x / x ]

Digital collage made in GIMP with a picture from the Rolling Giant Archive page and various free flower stock images from pexels.com and unsplash. The Rolling Giant aka Julien Reverchon statue was made by Kevin Obregon.

(Also, yes, the background is made of forget-me-nots. They not only fit the sky color but tie in nicely with 'The Oldest View' and its themes.)

Further thoughts below the cut:

So considering the Giant has flower hands and is based on a botanist (Julien Reverchon), it makes sense I eventually got the idea to recreate the Giant in a flower collage style. While this piece is not quite the end result I was going for, it is a great first step/attempt in my opinion. Maybe one day I will try again.

I actually kept the base of the Giant and overlaid it with different flowers, sometimes recolored them, and then also kept the original image and added some shadows/highlights to keep the contours of the Giant.

Also, on a personal note, I think the statue looks even more uncanny now than it originally did. Which to me is a feature, not a bug, hehe.

"Basilisk 2000" (CD Cover Mockup)

[source: x Sternum and right side of rib cage: seen from behind. Line engraving by A. Bell, 1798, from the Wellcome Collection]

CD cover mockup for the game 'Basilisk 2000' by Akuma Kira @stylishkira, made with Aseprite and GIMP and using an image from wikimedia commons (CC BY 4.0). The font name is Dogica Pixel Bold.

This is a by-product of another art piece related to 'Basilisk 2000' that I recently finished and will eventually upload.

I found out via a tutorial that Aseprite has a color indexing option that allows artists to use color palettes while indexing, allowing me to make stuff that looks like old web/low poly/2000s graphics.

This is a result of pixelation (in GIMP), color indexing (in Aseprite) and then further editing the picture in GIMP. I immediately liked the way it looked, kinda ominous and foreboding. I played around with size of the picture and ended up with a CD cover I quite liked. So I decided to finish and post it.

The piece also fits with the theme(s) of the game - an 'unfinished' ribcage and an unfinished game, a ribcage split in two like a certain character in the game, plus it references the 'recipe' that the player can find and the menu screen of the game.

Also, side note, I discovered this game through the video essay by Sagan Hawkes on YT ('The Disturbing Development of a Haunted Game...'), which I (re)watched while making this piece.