The artwork was originally done by free-hand pencil, then scanned into the computer. Then, I used a program called "The Gimp", similar to Adobe Photoshop, but for Linux, rather than Windows, to run a laborious "processing" of my own design on the original to produce the much superior quality picture of Devon Aoki you see here.
The background (everything EXCEPT Miho) was originally going to be hand-drawn, too, then processed (which is why I thought it would take a long time), but then I had the 'bright idea' to use an existing photo and some monkey-business with "cut-outs" and "see-through layers" to create the background.
The window is a single layer with the shapes cut out and the muntins (bars) added.
The cityscape was originally a day-time shot from some 1950's hollywood epic about romance in the big city (don't know which one). I used the upper left two thirds of it (exluding the happy couple), ran a process that Gimp offers to make it more "cartoonified", then cut out the sky and several other upper parts to make transparent holes. Behind this, I put another layer with the night sky/city night-glow and the full-moon (which I originally had on the wrong side!) on it.
Put 'em all together in the right order and, hey, very cool instant background--took only a couple hours to do, most of the time spent realizing/idea-izing how to do this new technique. I suppose this might be called "compositing" or "composting", or maybe even "collaging" or "masking". I don't know. But it sure works! Saved me HOURS drawing a city-scape by hand!
Above image: Miho on Car
Aaron Freed