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Post by hmca on Mar 12, 2016 13:40:35 GMT
Introduced in the book How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 5, this technique is still one of my favorites. I look forward to seeing your results with this quick and easy tut! Making an Instant Watercolor Technique1. Duplicate Background Layer……name layer smart blur. Go to Filter > Blur > Smart Blur (suggested high for quality and mode normal) 2. Duplicate background layer again……name layer smart blur edges Position the new layer above the smart blur layer and highlight this layer. Choose Filter > Blur > Smart Blur and this time choose edge only from the mode menu. Increase the threshold setting to see fewer lines to your satisfaction.
3. Invert the Smart Blur Edges Layer (Control or Command I) Change the blend mode of this layer to Darken.
4. Create a new composite layer of all layers by pressing Ctrl/Command +Alt/Option + Shift + E. Name the new layer Texture Choose the texture layer and go to Filter > Texture > Texturizer. From the drop down menu choose Sandstone. Adjust the slider to taste. Scaling determines how coarse the texture is.
Here's a Before and After: You'll need to click on the images to notice the difference. I attempted rather poorly to cover the trucks with some branches in the painted image.
i.imgur.com/t8qWaGH.jpg
i.imgur.com/QO6kjd4.jpg
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 21:02:53 GMT
Thanks for this challenge Helen. I pretty much followed you directions and just played around with opacity a little here and there.
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Post by ritage on Mar 12, 2016 21:42:11 GMT
Thanks, Helen, for sharing this method. It really is almost instant. Once I got the idea it took me less than 5 minutes. Image from MorgueFile.
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Post by jackscrap on Mar 12, 2016 22:46:26 GMT
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Post by hmca on Mar 13, 2016 0:19:53 GMT
Simone....thanks for getting us off to a great start with your orchids. The colors and light are beautiful and your image is well-suited for this technique.
Rita.....what a sweet dog you chose to work with....the owner would be thrilled with this portrait, I think. Thanks to you and Billie Jean for letting us know about these borders (I think you've used one of the ones shared from the weekly photo theme post)....the one you chose for this image sets it off nicely.
Jackie....I know the effect is subtle but I'm having a hard time seeing it on your image. I'm wondering if you just added it to the boat? Your image isn't clickable so it's hard to tell.
EDIT...... if you check Jackie's gallery, you can indeed see the effect the tut has on the image.
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Post by blackmutt on Mar 13, 2016 1:24:59 GMT
Helen - great tut! Easy on this brain! I used a photo of some pillowcases I had made. I see lots of possibilities for this tut.
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Post by blackmutt on Mar 13, 2016 1:46:00 GMT
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Post by hmca on Mar 13, 2016 2:00:32 GMT
Judy....so glad you liked the tut.....I love the subtle painterly effect it gives an image. Very cool pillow cases..... I like the look it gives your leaves as well.
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Post by Sepiana on Mar 13, 2016 6:46:05 GMT
Helen, thanks for finding this nice 'n easy (yet effective) tutorial! I just followed it and then did this tweaking. - Used the Soft Light layer blending mode instead of Darken. - Applied two photo tints by Jerry Jones and one texture by Lenabem-Anna J.
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Post by hmca on Mar 13, 2016 13:47:47 GMT
Very nice, Sepiana. I like the mood you've created wth your extra steps!
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Post by Lillias on Mar 13, 2016 14:23:46 GMT
Pic from Morguefile
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Post by jjr1770 (Judy) on Mar 13, 2016 17:35:16 GMT
Followed the directions but added a texture from Lenabem-Anna.
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Post by hmca on Mar 13, 2016 18:18:41 GMT
Billie Jean, what a beautiful image you chose to create your watercolor! The pastel colors work beautifully.
Judy, because your image is so dominant in the frame, I think your choice of stronger color and texture works well. Where was your windmill picture taken?
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Post by jjr1770 (Judy) on Mar 13, 2016 19:10:59 GMT
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Post by jackscrap on Mar 14, 2016 1:06:37 GMT
Jackie....I know the effect is subtle but I'm having a hard time seeing it on your image. I'm wondering if you just added it to the boat? Your image isn't clickable so it's hard to tell. Helen, when I click on my image it becomes larger, don't know why it's not happening for you, however I did post it in my gallery and it shows up better there. I used Imgur to upload the image.
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