Abstract Blends

**Ross Macintosh** · 09 June 2018, 01:28 PM

When you create abstract blends it is a interactive process where you can creatively respond to what you are seeing emerge from even subtle edits. Great fun!

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Here's how the image was generated: Overlaid on a rectangle with a four-color fill are two similar (but different) Xara multi-step blends superimposed over each other. Both use star-shaped vector objects with four-colour fills and repeating circular stained glass transparencies blended on an 's' curve. After their creations, the rear blend itself was given bleach transparency. The forward blend retained its original stained glass transparency. An exported jpg was processed in FotoSketcher v3 (free program) to create a 180-degree halftone. The halftone image was then imported back into the Xara document and overlaid on the original blends/background. The final image uses three superimposed copies of that halftone image, each with a different linear transparency. There are for instance both stained glass and bleached versions of the halftone image effecting specific partial areas of the underlying Xara blends/background.

Why would anyone do this? It is fun.

**Ross Macintosh** · 09 June 2018, 01:34 PM

Here's a zoomed view.

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**Jonopen** · 12 June 2018, 06:30 PM

Fantastic to see 'Xara' being used purely for experimental artistic exploration fun. I firmly believe it's one of its true hidden strengths as it's easy to export out then import back and seamlessly blend vector and bitmap. Having said that I don't personally like too much the bold bright colours, but that's just me being a bit boring.

**mwenz** · 12 June 2018, 06:46 PM

I like the blend, Ross. Reminds me of a hand bent back with fingers open.

I've posted one of these before, maybe both.

Blending in XDP is one of the funnest things for this button pusher.

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My general playing around is actually recreating book and magazine covers. Haven't had the inclination for a while though.

**Big Frank** · 13 June 2018, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Ross Macintosh

An exported jpg was processed in FotoSketcher v3

a delightful program that puts years of useless bundled xara filters to shame

**Big Frank** · 13 June 2018, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Jonopen

Fantastic to see 'Xara' being used purely for experimental artistic exploration fun.

ross is doing what he's been doing for years
still having fun
still teaching us new stuff

**iamtheblues** · 13 June 2018, 12:21 PM

I thought I'd try something Artistic (autistic?) in Xara's blend tool, I call it Splashdown. Using 2 x 50 step blends of a couple of fills (plasma and cloud).
Knock out a couple of these a day and I'll be rich beyond my wildest dreams.
Bob.

**wizard509** · 15 June 2018, 04:27 AM

I love those Ross. l saved your description for later use.

@Bob, I like yours very much too!

These are for you both.

>

**hseiken** · 22 June 2018, 08:58 PM

WOW! This is really inspiring! And they look super excellent and ... *GROOVY*...

I'm glad you also mentioned a little bit of the technicals as I've played around with blends here and there trying to make something...anything that looked a little like these and never hit the magic spot. Not only are these just super cool looking but I'm definitely learning something from them and appreciate that just as much as the way they look.