Christmas starts here

I have a favourite method of creating images. I start with a basic image which contains many elements. The base for this one is a picture taken in Glasgow at around 5.00pm tonight. I will then duplicate this image in my computer so that I have two images to work with.

I take the duplicated image and apply a strong painting effect to it, which usually means that you can no longer recognise the component parts.

I then clone in (paint over) areas in this new image with selected parts of the original image.

The end result is, I hope, a glorious mixture of photography and art - reality meets fantasy.

I also have a strict rule, which I call my "20 minute rule." This means that if I have not achieved a satisfactory result in 20 minutes maximum, then the project is scrapped, and I will not revisit that image again for at least a month.

This rule ensures that ideas are kept fresh.