Here's the steps for the new watercolor technique I've been experimenting with lately (and created an action for here)
1. On original image, duplicate "Background" layer and click on the eyeball icon to make the layer invisible, then rename the dulicate to "Anisotropic", then apply Stylize>Diffuse>Anisotropic hit Ctrl + F to reapply the filter to get more of the effect -- optional but creates a smoother look>
2. Duplicate "Anisotropic" layer, and rename "Find Edges" (it should automatically be above "Anisotropic", and if not, then move above it). Apply Stylize> Find Edges filter, then change blending mode to Overlay and reduce opacity to 75%
3. Dupe "Anisotropic" layer again, and rename to "Solarize" and move above the "Find Edges" layer. Apply Stylize>Solarize filter and change blending mode to Linear Dodge and reduce opacity to 75%
4. Dupe "Anisotropic" layer once more, and rename to "Watercolor", and move above all other layers
Apply Artistic>Watercolor filter (Settings:
Brush Detail = 13
Shadow intensity = 1
texture = 1
these settings are what I used and found to work best for that particular photo, but it can be played around with)
and change blending mode to Linear Dodge
and reduce opacity to 75%
5. Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + E or Layer>Merge visible. Thats it, finally done!!
you can play around with settings in the watercolor layer, and the layer order to get different effects depending on the image (for example, on a portrait of a person, you'd want to use more detail then on a landscape or animal photo)
attached is a before and after watercolor action shot of the jake and joey photo.
- David
1. On original image, duplicate "Background" layer and click on the eyeball icon to make the layer invisible, then rename the dulicate to "Anisotropic", then apply Stylize>Diffuse>Anisotropic hit Ctrl + F to reapply the filter to get more of the effect -- optional but creates a smoother look>
2. Duplicate "Anisotropic" layer, and rename "Find Edges" (it should automatically be above "Anisotropic", and if not, then move above it). Apply Stylize> Find Edges filter, then change blending mode to Overlay and reduce opacity to 75%
3. Dupe "Anisotropic" layer again, and rename to "Solarize" and move above the "Find Edges" layer. Apply Stylize>Solarize filter and change blending mode to Linear Dodge and reduce opacity to 75%
4. Dupe "Anisotropic" layer once more, and rename to "Watercolor", and move above all other layers
Apply Artistic>Watercolor filter (Settings:
Brush Detail = 13
Shadow intensity = 1
texture = 1
these settings are what I used and found to work best for that particular photo, but it can be played around with)
and change blending mode to Linear Dodge
and reduce opacity to 75%
5. Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + E or Layer>Merge visible. Thats it, finally done!!
you can play around with settings in the watercolor layer, and the layer order to get different effects depending on the image (for example, on a portrait of a person, you'd want to use more detail then on a landscape or animal photo)
attached is a before and after watercolor action shot of the jake and joey photo.
- David

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