Art: TARDIS Dream

This is the artwork "TARDIS Dream":

(This was done using Gimp 2.2.)

This is made up of six layers.

1. This picture of the TARDIS, which is used as the base, but in the end, it's hidden.
2. A pretty cloudscape (prettier than the original clouds in the background of the TARDIS image) which is in Normal mode; this is the real background.
3. A lovely starscape, which I probably got from Astronomy Picture of the Day. This is supposed to blend with the clouds because we have dreamy clouds and dreamy space because the TARDIS goes through space.
   1. Add layer mask.
   2. Gradient Fill the layer mask black to white from bottom to top.
   3. Layer mode Overlay.
4. A copy of the TARDIS layer; this is supposed to be semi-transparent because it is supposed to be dreamlike.
   1. Add layer mask.
   2. Paint out everything but the TARDIS.
   3. Layer mode Overlay.
   4. Opacity 50%.
5. A copy of the TARDIS layer; this layer is used to make the TARDIS have deeper colours and more stylized.
   1. Filters -> Color -> Retinex
   2. Add layer mask.
   3. Copy the layer mask from layer #4, and paste it into this layer mask.
   4. Layer mode Overlay.
6. The swirly layer. This is to put the final touch on the dreaminess. I'm glad I figured out how to make this effect.
   1. New transparent layer
   2. Select all
   3. Shrink selection by 100
   4. Feather selection by 100
   5. Filters -> Render -> Clouds -> Solid Noise
   6. Filters -> Distorts -> Whirl and Pinch with a big whirl and biggish pinch and radius of 1.2
   7. Because the radius was 1.2, then there were bits at the edge which had been pulled in transparent; fuzzy select these bits
   8. Grow selection by 1
   9. Script-Fu -> Enhance -> Smart remove selection (this uses the resynthesizer plugin) If you don't have this plugin, use the Clone tool to fill in the bits at the edge.
   10. To tweak this further; Add Layer Mask
   11. Gradient Fill black to white bottom to near top
   12. Layer mode Hard Light