Just working on a design liberally based on this tutorial from syllie: http://verysimpledesigns.com/vectors/inkscape-tutorial-urban-design.html"http://files.myopera.com/llogg/files/patternedcircles.png" class="postimage" alt="Image" />

I like this!
I agree that the foreground circles all having the same pattern is a bit boring. But I think it wouldn't be hard to add some variety. Maybe make them look like gears or different kinds of wheels?

But I don't think the yellow stars are interfering with the cut paper look. I really like that part of the image. I think it might be neat to put some shadows under some of the foreground circles, to make it look like they are raised up as well, maybe at different heights? Or maybe make the black rings in those circle appear to sit above the yellow and orange "base"...or just some kind of depth to them.

Anyway, very nice

You might consider doing two versions.
Just duplicate what you have and make changes wholesale.
One version with the brighter colors and larger textures and drop shadows (the version you showed us) and one with no textures and more of the "classic" colors of this kind of art (meaning the art/style in the tutorial) and no drop shadows.
I have seen a lot of that kind art here and there and it seems that the strengths (what gives it that style) are the colors are more muted and relate to one another in a close way - like they are all of the same tone or set of colors or... - not quite sure how to describe it?
Most of this style art (that I have seen) is a bit more like silhouettes rather than floating objects with drop shadows and this could be a high point of the second version - sometimes with the only gradient being the background - really simple design.

You could see which style/version really gets your flow going and makes you smile. : )

On the first version consider giving the paper an edge/thickness and have the drop shadows depths adjusted to where they "sing" rather than show up - meaning that when you cross your eyes and look at them they vanish without vanishing.
You might consider also if "technically" the depth/height of the shadows works for the way you have one object being next to another - the highest object should have the deepest shadow and the lowest the shallowest etc.
Or perhaps, I missed the mark on what you are asking altogether...

thanks brynn for the comments. There are shadows under the foreground circles, they're just not placed very well.

VB: thanks for your suggestions. really helpful. I was trying to be a little bit different from the standard design of this type, though perhaps the reason there's a standard is because it works. Great suggestion on the shadows and depth of the objects (mostly applicable to the top layer of circles. I sort of like these colors other than the orange, which I don't think is the right choice.

Went with a more subtle color scheme but kept the orange as a highlight. Kept the yellow on the hand-drawn stars as well. Did away with the drop shadows and the texture. I might go back and try to better create the illusion of cut paper objects like I intended initially, but this is where it sits for now. Comments/critiques welcome.

I do like the new color scheme better, except the orange seems to stand out too much for me. Maybe if it were repeated elsewhere in image? And/or maybe toned down some? Love the variety in foreground circles! I'm not sure if it's the paper texture or drop shadows that I miss more in this version, but I'm a sucker for depth . I definitely don't think it can handle as much as in the original, but think some might work. Honestly can't decide which one I like most -- like the depth in the 1st and color in the 2nd -- if it helps. Still very nice work!

few other changes. ditched the orange and re-added the drop shadows. still undecided on the texture. thanks for the comments brynn.

In a way you have achieved 3 styles of art. Each is very different.
A version with no drop shadows, no textures and no black would be fun to see and might just possibly hit that "style" of the tutorial.
Each "color" could be a tone, and each tone could be a feeling - of the joy of art - like the keys on a keyboard - that progress in the level of raw excitement they bring the artist in a flow.

What is so awesome about inkscape, is one can have multiple versions - freedom.

If this was oil, I would not even consider making such a suggestion as multiple versions.

But the question remains, what gets your flow going and make you smile : )

Thanks for the comments VB. The suggestion to lose the black was a good one. I'm not trying to mimic the tutorial exactly, so, since I like them, I'm keeping the drop shadows. I don't think I'll put the textures back though.

Here's a "closer to finished" version. The top left circle: should the blue stars be the light beige color?

Geez VitalBodies:

In a way you have achieved 3 styles of art. Each is very different.
A version with no drop shadows, no textures and no black would be fun to see and might just possibly hit that "style" of the tutorial.
Each "color" could be a tone, and each tone could be a feeling - of the joy of art - like the keys on a keyboard - that progress in the level of raw excitement they bring the artist in a flow.

I like how you think!

llogg, I love it! I like the one with the "blue" stars best. On the one with the yellow stars, I find myself wanting to see the hand drawn stars circles to echo that "blue" color. It would probably draw too much attention away from the variety of foreground circles, but it was my first impression looking at that version. But I still like the "blue" star version better. Oooh, or compromise -- yellow star version, but change the black to the blue (only on that circle)? As you can tell, I like abstract art!

Just now, the drop shadows on the foreground circles remind me of an image I did quite a while back. It was my first attempt at simulating depth in an image, and not nearly as accomplished as yours. (At the end of the opening message in this topic viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1812&start=0) Not to draw attention away from yours, but just maybe where my desire for depth in your image came from...sort of like ESP ?

Thanks brynn.
When art becomes energy, the artist can hit that state of flowing frenzy that makes art happen and extend beyond the confines of the artist.

llogg wrote:Thanks for the comments VB. The suggestion to lose the black was a good one. I'm not trying to mimic the tutorial exactly, so, since I like them, I'm keeping the drop shadows. I don't think I'll put the textures back though.

Here's a "closer to finished" version. The top left circle: should the blue stars be the light beige color?

For my eyes/vision, with the beige stars I see the center blue circle come into focus, and with the blue stars I see the whole image in 3d...
I like the whole image in 3d.