Lately I have been integrating AI into this process, starting with a photo or a drawing of mine, running it through a neural network to generate new shapes, and then painting on top of the output in PhotoShop. Sometimes repeating the process by feeding the finished product back into the AI again. Check this one out - started as macro photography of bubbles and ended as... something really strange :) EDIT - oops just realized I was logged in as an alt account - this is @carlgnash :)
https://steemit.com/artexplosion/@carlgnash/dreaming-of-the-dreamer-art-explosion-contest-week-6-surrealism