Heaven Scent

[iagman]

The Xara Art Gallery offers this invitation, “Have you created
something with a Xara product that you'd like to share?”
How much slack is in that invitation?
Not sure if Heaven Scent qualifies to be shown here
because it was not made entirely with Xara.
The original graphic was completed in Xara. A bitmap of
that graphic was imported into other app where the entire
image was given a brushed texture so it could be used as a
background . The textured background was then imported
back into Xara where it was merged with the original graphic.
The results of that operations is the first image shown above.
It is a result that could not be obtained using only the tools
available in Xara.

[wizard509]

I like it laqman. I would be interested in knowing what program you used to create those textures. My gut feeling is that it may be somewhat over done and that some areas may be better with no texture, but, still I like it.

[iagman]

Thanks, Wizard509, for the input.
I agree with comments about overdone texture. The
graphic was not a finished piece; it was an attempt to
learn how to better manage textures in Xara.
Remarks such as yours are a big help in understanding
how other folk view these graphics.
Here are two more versions of this graphic using the same
background. The first is a more painterly-realistic mode and
perhaps more in line with your comments regarding less texture.
The program that was used for the brush strokes was
ArtRage.

[wizard509]

Sorry lagman but I feel there is not enough texture this time. What I am thinking is the figure textured and the background not. or perhaps the other way round. OK on further thought perhaps the background texture subdued and full texture on the figure. This is interesting, I very much like the painterly effect and I realize that my suggestion entails a lot of extra work but I think the result would be worth it. As it stands now the textures are the focal point and not the portrait. Good luck.

[Ron Duke]

The original looks like it would go great on packaging for a 1890's-1900's consumer goods! Really nice rendering.
The textured BG looks ghostly.
Not sure about the combined result, though...

Really good work, iagman. Your contributions are very much appreciated. Very creative.

[gray]

Nice effects, iagman. It's always good seeing ways that Xara can be used. Good experiment.

[iagman]

<The original looks like it would go great on packaging for a 1890's-1900's consumer goods!>
Like this, Ron?

[Ron Duke]

Yes, iagman. Maybe on a cardboard box the size of an Arm & Hammer box.