Adding textures to photos is such an allurement for me, assuming it fits. It's the closest I'll get to creating a painting effect until, and if, I ever take up real painting. It has worked so well with self-portraits, so I imagine, this would carry over into any portrait, really.
I edited the Writer's Block photo previously posted, adding textures and luminosity. I used the same texture twice; keeping one with color, and desaturating the other. I masked some of the textures from my body to bring out the glow from the luminosity. And then I softened and blended. All this while working in layers, and then flattening the layers upon completion. Textures are so fun!
