"Cityscape"

The images on this page are done using a technique that I've adapted from one that Hameed Bhatti used in one of our classes. The basic procedure is:

1. Duplicate the background layer.
2. Apply "Colors|Negative Image" to top layer.
3. Optional. Apply "Colors|Grey Scale." This applies to both layers and changes the image to 256 colors. Increase the color count back to 16 million colors with "Colors|Increase Color Depth."
4. Change the blend mode of the top layer to "dodge." Your image will now appear totally white, or almost so.
5. Apply your choice of filter, effect or deformation to the top layer. Occasionally, you may find that a blend mode other than "dodge" works well, especially if you lower the layer's opacity.

So here are the variations I tried. The colored ones omitted step 3.