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Here I show you how to drape, or distort, an image over a pattern of cubes. This is a specialized effect that you might not use very often, but that can be quite effective for some images. The key to a good output is in choosing a suitable image for this treatment. The best images for this have good contrast and bright saturated colors, with a straightforward subject matter that will not compete with the strong shape of the cubes.
I start with a finished picture I created previously. Process your base image before you use distort. Make sure your base image has good contrast and good color contrast and saturation. Also, you don't want a subtle base image or one that is too complex, because the cubes are such a strong visual element you need a clear strong base image that is easily grasped when distorted.
When you have a nice clean image you want to distort this way, create a blank canvas the same size as your image. You can do that by importing the image into iColorama, then using Adjust/Exposure with the brightness slider all the way to the right. Then save.
Then go to Texture/Metal and look for the preset with the large cubes. There is also one with small cubes. Use the sliders to get the size cubes you want. Save.
Then go to Effect/Distort and using the little "Photo" button at the bottom right, select your previously finished photo from the camera roll. You can move this image around and you can also use the various sliders to adjust the image until you have what you want. Then save. At this point you may want to crop a bit and also fine tune the color, contrast, smoothness/sharpness and so on. That's it!
Experiment with the different blending mode buttons in Effect/Distort. Some images work best with Normal mode. Many images look great with multiply. But often one of the other blending modes is better. Try them all, because sometimes you want a glassy transparent look, sometimes a solid opaque look, and sometimes a flatter shattered look. You can get these with the different blending modes in Effect/Distort.
This is a selfie. I processed it in iColorama for color and smoothness. I sized the cubes rather large, using the Size slider in Texture>Metal. After distorting the selfie over the cubes, I added the little golden rectangles, which are a preset in Effect/Light. Their shapes mimic the big cubes and add a touch of color.
You can warp or deform the blocks in various ways before distorting. You can use Form/Warp, Form/Deforms, Form/Glass, and other tools in iColorama. Below are some examples. I've uploaded these patterns into Donald Bishop's iColorama background exchange, so feel free to use them.
Below are some examples of the cube technique using these deformed cubes.
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