Impressionist plugin: Custom styles (member posted)

[DannyRaphael]

The purpose of this thread is to share custom Impressionist styles created by RetouchPRO menus.

The following topics are addressed in this post:
* How to prepare and upload your custom styles
* How to install custom styles, brushes and papers
* A "Danny's favorites" collection of styles to get you started

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WANTED: YOUR CUSTOM STYLES

If you have custom Impressionist styles you have created that you would like to share, there are 2 options for making them available to other members.

Option I: Preferred Method
See the TOP example in the Save Style options thumbnail below.

1. Save each style in a custom Category, for example "#Joes Chalk" or "#Joes Brushes." Be sure to precede the Category Name with a leading #. The leading "#" ensures the custom Catergory will display at the top of the Styles menu list.

2. The file name specified must be the same as the Category name, for example:
* Category: #Joes Chalk
* File Name: #Joes Chalk

This creates a .set file named #Joes Chalk.set.

3. Variant: This is the name of the custom style. Just remember it must be less than 31 characters, otherwise a corrupt entry is created that cannot be deleted.

When finished saving your custom styles...

4. Zip the .set file

5. Post a reply to this thread and upload the .zip file.


Option II: Acceptable Method
See the BOTTOM example in the Save Style options thumbnail below.

1. Save each style in an existing Category, for example "Charcoal."

2. The file name specified can either be "User settings" or a name of your choosing (better).

3. Variant: Precede your name with a character like "#" and your initials or name, e.g., "#Joes Kool Chalk." Doing this will distinguish YOUR custom styles from the rest.

Just remember the name must be less than 31 characters, otherwise a corrupt entry is created that cannot be deleted.

When finished saving your custom styles...

4. Zip the .set file

5. Post a reply to this thread and upload the .zip file.


When possible, include an example pic that illustrates the effect.

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INSTALLING .SET FILES or CUSTOM BRUSHES or PAPERS

For those who have not installed custom brushes, papers and/or settings, here's how to do it.

1. Unzip the file.

2. Before the next step, it's a good idea to backup the receiving folder. In Windows, hold down the Ctrl key, then click on the folder icon, drag/drop to copy it.

3. Copy the file(s) into the appropriate Impressionist folder:
* .set files into \User Settings. (If you don't have a \User Settings folder, create one in the same folder as \Brushes and \Papers.)
* .tif brush files into \Brushes (take note of the file names) **
* .tif paper files into \Papers (take note of the file names) **

For custom styles: The next time you open the Impressionist plugin, you will see a new category in the Styles menu. When you click on it, the new style(s) will appear.

** For new papers or brushes, they will show up in their respective windows in alphabetic file name sequence, hence the suggestion to note their file name(s).

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"MY FAVORITES"

When one first gets Impressionist installed, getting your arms around the 160 style settings can be pretty overwhelming.

The .set file attached is a collection of my personal favorites -- ones I thought were well suited for photo-art. Until you get the lay of the land, it's a good place to start.

Be sure to read the "readme" file.

Keep having fun!

~Danny~

[Fluffbutt]

Since 2004 member Fluffbutt has posted a number of custom settings and brushes.

For the sake of sanity, I've taken the liberty of collecting and condensing them into a single post.

IMPORTANT
* Many of Fluff's custom styles use custom brushes. Therefore you'll need to install the files from both the brush .zip files into Impressionist's \Brushes folder.
* Some of Fluff's settings take a long, LONG time to render -- even on relatively small, low-resolution images. It's not you or your computer... they just crunch a lot of pixels. Press ESC (and wait a few seconds) if you get tired of waiting.
* Some of Fluff's brushes are saved in separate custom categories, e.g., #Fluff Pencils.
* Others (from #Fluff Misc.set) are integrated among Impressionist's default categories. I've renamed these styles so the name is suffixed by "FB" to distinguish them from other brushes.

He's crafted some pretty spiffy custom settings and brushes.

Enjoy.

~Danny

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I hope you enjoy my custom settings.

Fluffbutt

[DannyRaphael]

Here's a style I used for the attached tulips pic.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Click HERE for a pencil sketch custom style and accompanying tutorial.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Manjumena: "We want to see more!"

Sure. Been meaning to post my custom collection (v2) for awhile. Here it is.

Be sure to read the "readme" file.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Steve LeQuier (aka: Trimoon) crafted these custom Impressionist styles (Chalk and Watercolor).

Unfortunately in the cpt.set available at www.Trimoon.com, he chose to integrate these styles among the default Impressionist styles. Many folks (myself included) were not able to find them.

So...

I repackaged them into #Trimoon.set and while I was at it added a bonus (softer) variation of his Watercolor variant (suffix: "-djr"). After dragging #Trimoon.set into \User Settings, these settings will show up under the "#Trimoon" entry in the Styles dropdown menu.

Enjoy.

~Danny~

[jch71566]

My two favorites are attached.

JCH VanGogh works best if you create a brush stroke direction file for it. The best way to do that is to open the image in Photoshop, duplicate it, convert it to Grayscale, manipulate the tones with levels, curves, channel mixer, threshhold -- whatever way you like.

Then save as a .bmp file. When JCH VanGogh is invoked via the Impressionist dialog, click the More Controls button, choose Orientation from the dropdown menu, and File... from the Orient the Strokes menu. From the File... dialog, choose the grayscale .bmp format orientation file.

Caution: This setting RENDERS SLOWLY, but the results can be very cool.

JCH Painter works all on its own, but it renders rather slowly, too!

Now, what I do to give these some more personality, is to vary the brush size and background color. Often, I make selections (feather them), and use different brush sizes for different areas.

Well, I'll give more specific examples later, but you can get started now.


Thanks, everyone, for contributing here!

-Jeff

[DannyRaphael]

This .set file contains 31 custom styles I've saved while experimenting with "pencil sketch" effects.

Does anyone need 31 styles on one category? Definitely not. But I figured I'll make the whole bunch available and you can pick/choose which to keep or toss.

==> Be sure to read the ReadMe file.

The attached image is based on layers created by duplicating the background numerous times, applying the following customs styles and blending them with layer masks:
0 100 V Detailed II (SLOW)
2 085 Soft detail brightness
4 097 Loose Conte Faithful
8 090 Conte Unsmudged Mono
9 070 Very Loose & Wide 60

There’s no practical way to describe steps in detail. It’s just a matter of blending/experimenting/combining/cloning until you like what you see.

Have fun.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Here's a pretty neat setting (Panter1) from digital artist extraordinare, Mike Finn.

You can see by the example attachment it is fairly aggressive.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

These two styles (watercolor A, watercolor B) can be used in conjunction with other effects to render a very convincing watercolor effect.

Examples:
* http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/att...chmentid=15424

Method to create this look:
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...76164#poststop

Important:
* Download and unzip the .zip file
* Put the .set file inside Impressionist's \User Settings folder
* Put the .tif custom brush in the \Brushes folder

BIG THANKS! jaykita for sharing your settings.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

I was experimenting with the Impressionist > Texture > Crosshatch Web - Monochrome and came up with three variations that I thought rendered sketch-like effects that had possibilities.

#1 - Detailed
#2 - Detailed, but softer (not as sharp) than #1
#3 - Loose with little detail

(Like all Impressionist custom brush sets, upzip the .zip file and drag the .set file into Impressionist's
\User Settings folder.)

I applied each brush style (in #3, #2, #1 order from the bottom up) to copies of the base image (click HERE).

Hide all layer masks (Layer > Add Layer Mask > Hide all) were added to the top two layers. The foreground color was set to white (press D and X keys). Using Photoshop brush Chalk 36, I airbrushed white on each layer mask to selectively reveal detail.

A new layer was added and the three layers below were combined into it by entering Alt + Ctrl + Shift + E (or Alt + Layer > Merge visible). A reveal all (regular) layer mask was added to the new layer (Layer > Add Layer Mask > Reveal all).

A new layer was added under the combined layer and filled with white (Edit > Fill > White).

Back to the combined layer, I clicked on the layer mask thumbnail to activate the layer mask. The foreground color was set to black by pressing D and black was airbrushed around the outside to isolate our cute, little girl.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

Well, the Mad Scientist was at it again. I was experimenting with the Stamp > Dry rag style, substitued a "smudge" brush, tweaked the Size settings (min, max, width, height) and came up with this set of three.

Smudge Paint 1S = Smallest strokes
Smudge Paint 2M = Medium strokes
Smudge Paint 3L = Large strokes

The basic method I use is to duplicate the original background three times and apply a style to each copy, with smallest to largest applied top to bottom.

Add Hide All layer masks to the medium and small layers and with foreground color set to white, paint on the layer masks to restore as much detail as you like.

See this thread for before and after examples.

[DannyRaphael]

For those who have read Jeremy Sutton books or viewed his DVDs, he uses a method in Painter that he calls "mucking up" (that's muck, with an M) for creating an underpainting. This is essentially an application of digital "paint" that very, very loosely resembles the final result. It becomes a background onto which varying degrees of detail are eventually applied.

While experimenting with Impressionist the other day I came upon a custom style that "mucks up" an image Jeremy style. There are three variants: Medium (M), Large (L) and Extra Large (X).

Perhaps you will find them useful in your creations.

~Danny~

[DannyRaphael]

I was *sure* I'd posted this .set file a long time ago, but I sure cannot find it...

I must be getting old -- in fact, I know I am. Here it is anyway.

Click here for one example and the attachment below for another. Both have a layer created by duplicating the Background and applying Impressionist custom style "#Mosaic > Square variable on white".

On top of the mosaic layer is a layer of "lines" created by duplicating the Background again, dragging this layer above the mosaic layer, applying Stylize > Find Edges followed by Image > Adjustment > Levels (to eliminate some noise). Changing the blend mode of this lines layer to Darken neutralizes the white allowing the mosaic layer below to show through.

Have fun.

~Danny~

[Neve]

Thank you. I missed the muckup one altogether and really appreciative as I'll certainly try this one out very soon.

[DannyRaphael]

These settings are courtesy of Kent Christiansen ("Thanks, Kent"!).

One I find especially interesting is his "Van Gogh" style.

[Alcar]

The photo Danny referred is from digitalnuts weekly challenge. My Vincent style now has four versions. In the photo I used versions 2 and 3 with with modifications to the size and orientation parameters. Each modified version was painted into the picture using a black mask (hide all) and white brush. The layers were then merged and duplicated before painting the next area. Below is the new Vincent set and photo.

Alan

[raniday]

Here are some presets I came up with for Impressionist, and here's a painting I did with one of them. Hope you like 'em, and many thanks to everyone who has posted presets before me!

Larger view:
http://www.pbase.com/catbounds/image/51449047

[Janet Petty]

Way cool Cat. I like the way you have been able to control the direction of the strokes and how they interact. I think I'll give this one a try. Thanks.

Janet

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by raniday

Here are some presets I came up with for Impressionist, and here's a painting I did with one of them. Hope you like 'em, and many thanks to everyone who has posted presets before me!

Thank you for sharing your creativity, Cat. The style that creates the larger watercolor strokes is especially impressive. I'm looking forward to digging into that one.

Keep on building those custom presets!

~Danny~

[raniday]

Thanks, Danny & Janet. Creating these presets is sort of addictive, buy I always figure there are worse addictions

[lkroll]

Well, I couldn't decide which one I liked better so I saved both presets. Just remember that each requires the target file original.bmp for the orientation (so you will need to click the More Settings option in Impressionist and have some fun).

lk

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These presets can be downloaded from post #28 below...

[GOLDCOIN]

Thanks.. lkroll. Agree with you, hard to know which one to use, they both came out so well..

Later..
Gad..I need help with this...never have understood adding an extra file dealie.

Could you explain in more detail... What pix do I use to save as bmp? Also what size should it be and where do I store it? Know I go thru "file" to get it..then what??

[lkroll]

Originally Posted by GOLDCOIN

Thanks.. lkroll. Agree with you, hard to know which one to use, they both came out so well..

Later..
Gad..I need help with this...never have understood adding an extra file dealie.

Could you explain in more detail... What pix do I use to save as bmp? Also what size should it be and where do I store it? Know I go thru "file" to get it..then what??

Just save your target image as a bitmap and call it original.bmp. It has to be a .BMP, .TIF, or .Targa for this Orientation file since that's all the choices Impressionist gives you. You could just browse for the file, but I don't want to complicate matters. Just save this .BMP file in the same place where your target photo resides and everything will go well. Hope that helps.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by GOLDCOIN

Gad..I need help with this...never have understood adding an extra file dealie.

Could you explain in more detail... What pix do I use to save as bmp? Also what size should it be and where do I store it? Know I go thru "file" to get it..then what??

Whenever you use a File with Impressionist, it MUST be:
a) The exact same size and resolution as the image you're working on. One way to ensure this requirement is met is to duplicate the image you're working on and save the duplicate as "the file" for the intended purpose. You can assign whatever file name you like. ##
b) In either .bmp or .tif format, even if the original is, say, .jpg or .psd.

In other words, from Impressionist HELP,

The file can be in TIFF (.tif), bitmap (.bmp), or Targa (.tga) format. Note that the file selected must have identical dimensions to the original input image.

After the file is read in, it is converted to grayscale (if it is not already) and the strokes are oriented according to the brightness of the file image at each stroke location. For example, in bright areas of the file image, the strokes will be oriented one way and in darker areas of the file image the strokes will be oriented another way (depending on the Number of Angles, Start Angle, and Range of Angles settings).

## When Lyle created his custom style, he had created and specified a file named original.bmp. So, when his style is imported into your Impressionist enviromement and you try it, it's going to be looking for file original.bmp, which it won't find.

To get around the error:
* click OK (to close the error message)
* click More Controls
* Choose Orientation from the dropdown menu
* Open the "Orient the Strokes" menu and choose By File...
* Navigate to YOUR orientation file
* Click Apply to render the effect

Does this help?

~Danny~

[lkroll]

To simplify things I took the liberty of consolidating Lyle's presets into two .set files...

The settings in the 1st file, #LK all.set, use Orientation option "Optionally". Just apply these like you would any other Impressionist style.

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The settings in the 2nd file, #LK all with file.set, use Orientation option "By file..." and require what's known as a stroke direction file named original.bmp. Optionally you may specify another file. See Impressionist HELP topic Orientation Controls for more information on stroke direction file requirements.

IMPORTANT: When you attempt to apply any of the presets in the second collection for the first time, you will get an error message indicating a missing file, in this case "original.bmp".

For corrective action click here and scroll down to the section that addresses

Symptom: Message "[file name]." The system cannot find the path specified."

==================

Thanks again, Lyle, for crafting these custom styles.

~Danny~

[starimagephoto]

Hi, I see that people have posted sets and Brushes but dose anyone have papers too?
Thanks,
Robert

[GOLDCOIN]

Okay, just played for hour with this new skill.. Works great, changed both brush & color palette..Wow
Thank you both lkroll & Danny. Couldn't yet find a pix that showed off this effect to its best.



Robert... you can make your paper, saving it as a "Tif." I did using Painter's & Trimoon's paper ...Think the size was about 400, then stored them with the paper as a separate folder. After you make your paper, create a folder, put all of your new paper in it & move that folder into the Impressionist paper folder. It shows up, when you under "more control,' ...opens the paper screen under "custom."

[lkroll]

Originally Posted by GOLDCOIN

Okay, just played for hour with this new skill.. Works great, changed both brush & color palette..Wow
Thank you both lkroll & Danny. Couldn't yet find a pix that showed off this effect to its best.



Robert... you can make your paper, saving it as a "Tif." I did using Painter's & Trimoon's paper ...Think the size was about 400, then stored them with the paper as a separate folder. After you make your paper, create a folder, put all of your new paper in it & move that folder into the Impressionist paper folder. It shows up, when you under "more control,' ...opens the paper screen under "custom."

Glad you figured out how; took me a little longer than an hour on my attempt reading both Danny's notes and others so you got one up on me. It's just cool that when you do figure out all those little settings that you get that Ah Hah feeling. That's cool. I again want to thank Danny for all the earlier posts that lead me to not only figure out some of the power of Impressionist, but also even create my own presets. Now, after seeing some of the fantastic results, I need to get a copy of Gertrudis (link thanks to Craig, a.k.a., Kraellin). I guess I need to start saving up.

[lkroll]

Well I'm finally ready for prime time with this simulation. Trust me I had to do a lot of playing for it to look right. You can find the reference image here since I started the whole idea on this thread (no pun intended ). After applying the preset, just sharpen it up a bit.

Edit: figured out my single stitch method out too, so I just uploaded new presets. Click on the attachment again if you haven't seen this message before and already downloaded the preset. Here's a sample of this.

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Thanks, Lyle. These are very cool.

NOTE: These custom styles can be downloaded from post #27 above.

~Danny~