Why Powerpoint to Photoshop

Mystic Weaver stopped by to see my Still Life Challenge 2 postings and wondered why/how I used Powerpoint & Photoshop to do the designs with the 'tree & me' shadows, taken at the beach. First, no I don't have any fractal design programs and second, I used Powerpoint because I did them during lunch-time at the office and that was the only program the computer had which would allow me to manipulate a photo in several ways to produce a repeating pattern. Unfortunately, I only had the simple red, green and yellow background versions (all shadows black) at the office, so I did the cutting, pasting, flipping, mirroring, distorting with those and emailed them to myself.

At home I downloaded the file and then in Photoshop changed the colors enough to give them a more individual character since the red-green-yellow-black versions were a bit strange at first glance, i.e. if you didn't know they were just for shape. Of course, there is so much more that could be done next by changing colors of the individual elements in the designs (like any patchwork quilt design) but for the purpose of this exercise, I was more interested in how the two shadow shapes allowed for these abstractions by simple repetition and inversion.

Since I enjoy printing, have considered cutting 2 stamps with the shadow shapes and using those to print up one of these patterns on cloth or, as with the last challenge, printing the designs onto cloth and then letting the quilt stitches & embelishments further develop the design. Each would provide a totally different result.

Then again, I'd like to finish the small quilts that are fused and ready to sew, plus a batch of art cards and I still have to decide on my '5 similar objects' for this month's challenge.

But not tonight...woke up with a slight fever this morning and much congestion and swollen glands (after three days of sneezing & runny nose) so going straight to bed when I get home after work. Thanks to all who have sent me emails with encouraging comments. They are very much appreciated!