Helps to have some time on my hands (got laid off Friday) too.

Anyway, I did cheat (using Amphisoft's Xylograph), but the change in my flow is to dup, run Saul's Quantize on the base layer and run an Adaptive Edge detect on the top layer (after ACE on top layer). Once I do this, I run G'MIC's Anisotrophic preset (modified it which I call fake smudge) and then heavily sharpend this result before setting it to Multiply. The result actually looks good as is, but then, I flatten, dup, and run Xylograph on top layer (thanks to Shell-out and XnView) then blended to taste.

ref: http://www.fontplay.com/freephotos/seve ... 107-03.jpg

That is terrific Lylejk and I know too what it is like to be laid off (twice!) but it was also an opportunity to change/improve my life!

Back to the image ... I am in awe of what you experienced guys can create; do you typically set out with a specific objective, knowing well all the different components you want to apply, or does your workflow just take you on a journey to the end result whatever that may be.

Currently it is the latter path that I seem to (have to) follow ... not really aware of what to apply or what effect will result, probably because there are so many to learn about.

Lyle, The combination of effects are nicely done and with the eyes in that image very interesting (almost spooky).

Thanks for all the comments. In reply to oldmangrumpy, when I see an image, I want to know if I can create it. The trick is to be relentless. For example, it took me well over 10 years to be able to come close to mimmick Jigsaw Image Mosaics, and then, one day, a fantastic coder created a way for me to so. Also, for over 5 years, I wanted to create circlism renders and then David (G'MIC) came to the rescue. Once you have something that you want to do, it's just a matter of time before you either find the solution yourself, or, in my case, someone comes to the rescue and gives me the solution. lol

It may take years, like I said, but don't give in. That's how you learn to use GIMP too. It literally took me over two years to get layers for instance, but then, it just clicked. Now, I pretty much rarely do straight renders; always depend on layers, layer masking and layer properties for my results.

Nice image Lyle.

Thanks Wallace.

Your result is very impressive and more interesting than the original thou it's nice photo.

Lyle, your outcome is excellent.
From my side, I must be very unlucky with such a kind of filters:
a) I wasn't unable to run ZebraTrace according to the info received by Rod (see that other topic)
b) and I am unable also to run Amphisoft's Xylograph under Xnview: I have the plug-in (but the LE version, the one which is free, maybe is there the problem?!) under the appropriate folder (8bf) of Xnview, it shows up but...it abends forcing to close Xnview itself...maybe it's not compatible...sigh!

The LE version (had this plugin for a few years before I purchased the full version nearly a decade ago; lol. It use to work in PSPI before they messed up GIMP with all the updates.) works for me too Dinasset (just tried it to see if there's an issue since I re-installed XNView). Not sure what version of XNView you are running. I'm currently using version 2.24.

Thanks Lyle.
I had version 2.22
Downloaded the last one (2.25, full)
Removed the existing Amphisoft Plug-in
Installed the complete Amphisoft Plug-in Demo
Copied the latter under 8bf folder in Xnview
Tried to lanch the Amphisoft directly from Xnview (just to avoid interferences with Gimp+Shellout)
I see all the Amphisoft plug-ins
Tried to execute the Xilograph
... same result
I attach here the screenshot (sorry for the Italian version, but I guess tou can understand)


edit: put the Amphisoft Demo folder under the Plug-ins folder of PSP-X5, and Xylograph is working there....)

I wonder if it is a language issue that's causing the plugin to fail; it should be. Weird. Here's a screenshot of the same plugin when I use it (which I launched via shellout). I later compressed the result so I wouldn't take up too much of Tux's space.

thanks, Lyle
maybe it's like you say
I will survive until some guru in python language will take the challenge to create from a standalone Zebra (in python) a gimp-plug-in....