Creating Textures

I love textures and combining straight photos with them to make one-of-a-kind images. At our most recent Creative iPhone Adventures class, one of the participants asked about textures. I promised to think about it and write my process here.

While I use Mextures app, A-layer app, and a host of others to "texturize" my photos, I occasionally use a texture I have photographed. For a long while, I have photographed interesting patterns in wood, stone, fabric and the like with the idea that I'd make my own textures. I might use one once and then forget about it.

Over time, as I've organized and keyworded my photos in Lightroom (a huge task and not for the faint of heart), I've put these texture photos into a smart collection. I decided that now is the time to dust them off, so here are a few that I apped in Snapseed - adding structure, lightening the center, and just generally making them look like an interesting substrate. Enjoy.

Sitting in a restaurant, I spied this interesting glass texture on a room divider. I took the color out in Snapseed.

In the Grand Canyon, there are these sculpted rock formations that I just love. This is the original color.

 

 I also like it with the color changed in Color Thief app.

This is wallpaper I saw in a bathroom somewhere.  Love the butterflies.

Alas, I can't remember where I got this one - I think it is rock.

This is a beautiful marble on a wall in the Madison, Wisconsin capitol building. It's almost a photograph just as is.

Lauhala is woven from the hala or pandanus tree - it's perfect for layering with hula or Hawai`iana images.

I became enamored with this tire tracks in sand. I might clean it up a little more before I use it. Or maybe not.

A broken windshield on an abandoned car made a really interesting fractured look.

I found this on a shed in a botanical garden in Honolulu. Love the color and rust.

Eventually, you'll start seeing textures everywhere once you decide you are interested in creating your own. Of course, if you google textures, you will find more options than you can imagine using - French Kiss has some yummy ones. And there are lots of free ones as well.

Next post, we'll deal with "making" textures as opposed to simply finding them as I did here. Happy apping!