I am a software engineer but I also like becoming a good graphics designer but I don't know where to start.
I especially like mastering the skills necessary for designing textures and patterns but I am totally lost as most books and tutorials are about the tool set and not the theory and skills required to transform a pattern I see in the real world (e.g. a brushed metal surface) into a pattern or texture.
Also the texture/pattern tutorials on the Web are again very specific and not theoretical (e.g. they show you a finished example and the steps required to produce it).
So, how can I master the art of texture/pattern design