[DannyRaphael]

Forgive the brevity. I've got the flu. I'll populate this post with the traditional verbiage tomorrow.

Picture by Art Hill.

For the record I screwed up last week. THIS is the image that was supposed to have been posted for the mini-challenge. Second chances are good!

[catia]

Adjust levels.
Duplicate layer (BG copy #1) and set Brightness = 15, contrast = 20.
Duplicate layer (BG copy #2).
On BG copy #1 apply cutout (8,3,3)
Select BG copy #2, set blend to soft light and opacity to 80%.
Merge down.
Smart blur (2,20,low,normal)
Hue =5, Saturation =20
Apply Sandstone texture
Sign, flatten, resize and save.

Catia

[Cheryl H]

My goal was a watercolor over sketch look. This process is still wobbly--the top 2 layers vary by image in the blending mode that's best. Also, while I used the find edges method for the sketch on this one, I find that the soft sketch (gaussian blur method) is frequently better.

Make 3 duplicate layers from the background. We'll start at the bottom and work our way up. Leave the background layer untouched. Each number represents a layer.

1. (bottom duplicate) Filter--Brush Strokes--Sprayed Strokes (20, 25, right diagonal); Filter--Brush Strokes--Sprayed Strokes (20, 25, left diagonal); Edit--Fade--65%; Filter--Artistic--Sponge (10, 0, 15)
2. (middle duplicate) Filter--Artistic--Sponge (10, 0, 15). Set Blending mode to Lighten. (sometimes other blending modes look better--it depends on the image)
3. (top duplicate) Filter--Stylize--Find Edges. Set to Overlay blending mode (try others modes) at around 30% (note: good values for this layer vary by image--anything from 20-70%)
4. The image is probably overly washed out. Add a new Levels Adjustment layer and clip the ends to the ends of the histogram.

[lkroll]

Just playing around. Not pretty to most, but I enjoyed the challenge.

[Steve Conway]

Watery color..............

Steve

[Legacy~Art]

Oh Wow Steve that is a lovely watercolour and you used psp9 too, well done!!! Steve reminds me of paint by numbers!!!

I got carried away again with trimoon tuts.

[Steve Conway]

I thank you kindly. I am not a great watercolor fan, but thought this rendering was ok.

Steve

Originally Posted by Legacy~Art

Oh Wow Steve that is a lovely watercolour and you used psp9 too, well done!!! Steve reminds me of paint by numbers!!!

[lkroll]

Good job Steve. Humbled I am.

[Chance_1]

Catia: like your colorful watercolor like effect.
Cheryl H: Cool looking transparency effect you have obtained.
Steve Conway: Cool looking water color.

Here is my water color, in Painter 9, painted on wet layer with dry camel brush with high opacity to give it a night time effect.

[Kraellin]

chance,

that's quite a bit different. i like that.

Craig

[Chance_1]

Thanks Kraellin! I need to figure out how to get an avatar going !

[Kraellin]

you're welcome.

dont know if you can upload an avatar to here. i put mine on another site and link to it from here. use your profile to add the link, if that's how you do it. i suppose you could just make a thread here, attach a picture, and link to that. shld work.

Craig

[ydelle]

Danny great second try -howed you do that???

[Steve Conway]

No offense or "humbling" intended. Your version showed a lot of imagination and was quite well done. I only have the guts to post what I do because I believe in "the eye of the beholder" idea. And what looks great to some will look like junk to others. 8-)

Thanks for your kind comments.

Steve

Originally Posted by lkroll

Good job Steve. Humbled I am.

[Swampy]

Danny, ya caught me in an arty mood. Fun project!

Photoshop CS

1. Ran a sketch filter and adjusted the levels on the result
2. Painted on a new layer with a Dry Brush
3. Added frame