No Hocus Pocus Here

Missbev asked me how I do the pictures that I enhance to make look like watercolor paintings.  So here's how, Bev.

Original Photo by Chris Duffy

First of all I look at the photo and ask myself, "What's wrong with this picture?"  That's what my sister Alice said that I should do and since she's the artist in the family I put a lot of stock into what she says.  So, what IS wrong with this picture?  Plenty.  I don't like the power lines and I wish the fire hydrant wasn't there, along with the parked cars and the DO NOT ENTER sign. 

Altered Photo - Step 1

So I removed them . . . by cropping and/or using the clone tool in Paint Shop Pro.  I also use the "Color/Adjust/Contrast" tool to give the picture more contrast and definition.  I sometimes also use the "Color/Adjust/Saturation" tool to punch up the color if it needs it.

Altered photo - Steps 2 and 3

I then use the "Edge Preserving Smooth" tool to get rid of the minute details.  Depending on the subject matter and the desired effect I'll use this tool once, twice and sometimes even three times. The Brush Strokes tool is what I use next to add the desired brush strokes.

This next part is not very pretty, but it's worth it.

Altered Photo - Steps 4, 5 and 6

What I do is make a COPY of the altered picture and use the "Hot Wax" tool on that copy to get the above look. 

 
Altered photo - Steps 7-8 and 9

Then I copy THAT picture back onto the altered picture AS A LAYER (that's important) and use the "Layer Palette" tool to back off that layer to anywhere I choose from 100% to 0% . . . usually somewhere between 50% and 75% for me. Then I merge the two layers.

Altered picture - Steps 10-11 and 12

And for the last three steps I use the "create or edit text" tool to sign my name, then the "texture" tool to create the look of textured watercolor paper, and finally the "Image/Add Border" from the menu to add a very small black border around the finished picture. 

And many many thanks to my sister Alice who pain stakingly taught me how to do this.  I have more fun taking my photos and "playing" with them in Paint Shop Pro.  And we're planning on a trip to Northwest Arkansas this year, which ought to provide each of us with hundreds of pictures.  We can hardly wait.