Photoshop Getting Started Example: Convert Photo to Watercolor – Artistic Painting Effect

Step 1. Open the picture material.

Step 2. Duplicate the layer and name it “Blur Layer”, go to Filter >> Blur >> Special Blur, set the radius to 10 and the threshold to 30.

Step 3. Copy the original layer and name it “Stroke”, Filter>>Stylize>>Lighten the edge, edge width is 1, brightness 12, smoothness 15;

Invert (Ctrl + I), Image >> Adjustments >> Desaturate.

Step 4. Set the layer blending mode to “Multiply” and the opacity to 80%.

Step 5. Duplicate the blur layer, name it “Watercolor”, invert it (Ctrl + I), and set the layer blending mode to “Color Dodge”.

Step 6. Set the foreground color to black, select the dry brush as shown below, set the brush opacity to 10%, and apply the watercolor layer to get the following effect.

Step 7. Load the watercolor brush (click to open the download page), set the brush opacity to 50% and the size to 15px. Apply a random layer of watercolor to the cabin area.

Step 8. Adjust the brush size to 100 and paint the sky part.

Step 9. In the same way, complete the drawing of the lawn.

Step 10. Adjust the brush size to 30px and paint the lawn again.

Step 11. Duplicate the original layer, name it “Details”, and place the detail layer above all layers;

Filter >> Artistic Effect >> Watercolor, Brush Detail 12, Shadow Strength 0, Texture 3;

Set the layer blending mode to “Lightness” and the opacity to “25%”.

Optional steps, layers >> New adjustment layer >> Levels, parameters are 9, 1.07, 203 respectively.

Step 1. Open the picture material.

Step 2. Duplicate the layer and name it “Blur Layer”, go to Filter >> Blur >> Special Blur, set the radius to 10 and the threshold to 30.

Step 3. Copy the original layer and name it “Stroke”, Filter>>Stylize>>Lighten the edge, edge width is 1, brightness 12, smoothness 15;

Invert (Ctrl + I), Image >> Adjustments >> Desaturate.

Step 4. Set the layer blending mode to “Multiply” and the opacity to 80%.

Step 5. Duplicate the blur layer, name it “Watercolor”, invert it (Ctrl + I), and set the layer blending mode to “Color Dodge”.

Step 6. Set the foreground color to black, select the dry brush as shown below, set the brush opacity to 10%, and apply the watercolor layer to get the following effect.

Step 7. Load the watercolor brush (click to open the download page), set the brush opacity to 50% and the size to 15px. Apply a random layer of watercolor to the cabin area.

Step 8. Adjust the brush size to 100 and paint the sky part.

Step 9. In the same way, complete the drawing of the lawn.

Step 10. Adjust the brush size to 30px and paint the lawn again.

Step 11. Duplicate the original layer, name it “Details”, and place the detail layer above all layers;

Filter >> Artistic Effect >> Watercolor, Brush Detail 12, Shadow Strength 0, Texture 3;

Set the layer blending mode to “Lightness” and the opacity to “25%”.

Optional steps, layers >> New adjustment layer >> Levels, parameters are 9, 1.07, 203 respectively.