Stage I
We are huge fans of the work of Anahata Joy Katkin, easy to see at your local independent greeting card shop. You can also order her cards online. In studying her work, we saw that she starts with collage, and then integrates typographic elements. We decided to try this approach, not even worrying about which quote to choose. We selected a range of images, some of which are shown above.

Stage II
We then began the collage process, adding elements to take our beautiful (yet delicate) Victorian lady of fashion to a mythic level. The real feathers are looking pretty un-feathery, and we want to integrate the whole piece more. Onward!

Final
Do we love this? We love this! (We're allowed to love our own work…says so in the Cairril.com Empire Handbook somewhere.) We cut much of Victoria's background to focus on her lovely, luminescent skin and sensual back and shoulders. We blur the feathers twice to soften them and, lo & behold, they create a great complementary "slash" of action on the page. We change her headdress to a larger, more metallic look to give her some oomph.

We finally chose an appropriate quote by the late, great R. Buckminster Fuller to match our burgeoning butterfly. Then we spent an inordinate amount of time on the type (compare it to the original!), adding alternate characters everywhere in order to add visual interest plus integrate it with the image. The final integration choice was to add a filter to the type so it changes color based on the background behind it.

We love this! Now go forth and find your inner butterfly!