1. A method for generating a composite image having a plurality of composite image pixels, the method comprising: providing a decorative image having a plurality of decorative image pixels, a bar code having a plurality of bar code cells, and one or more filter patterns; positioning the bar code to coincide with a region of the decorative image; assigning one or more of the filter patterns to each of the bar code cells; and generating the composite image pixels; the step of generating the composite image pixels, each having a pixel position, comprising, for each pixel position: retrieving a decorative image pixel color at said pixel position; retrieving all filter pattern values at said pixel position; and applying all filter pattern values at said pixel position to the decorative image pixel color, this producing a composite image pixel color; whereby the composite image visually approximates the decorative image, yet the composite image is machine-readable by a scanner capable of reading the bar code, and the composite image encodes the same data as the bar code.