Download Source Files
Some time ago I wrote an article on my blog listing some fashion-style illustrations from really amazing designers such as Bruno Fujii, Margot Mace, Raphaël of My Dead Pony, Stina Person, and others. The coolest thing in their design work is their use of watercolor effects. So in this tutorial I will show a quick way to simulate that effect using only Photoshop and some brushes.
Final Image Preview
Before we get started, let’s take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the full layered Photoshop file is available via our Psdtuts+ Plus membership.
Step 1
Create a new document and a new layer. Rename the layer to “texture” and fill it with white. Make sure that the foreground is white and the background is black. Then go to Filter>Texture>Texturizer, and use Canvas for the Texture, 80% Scaling, and 2 for the Relief.
Step 2
Place an image in your document. The one used in this tutorial can be downloaded at this link. Then delete the background. You can use the Path Tool (P) or the Polygonal Lasso Tool (L). Tip: It doesn’t need to be perfect because we will apply some filters in the next step.
Step 3
Select the layer of the girl and go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. We want to increase the whites here. Then go to Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation, and change the Saturation to -65.
Step 4
Now go to Filter>Artistic>Watercolor. Use the following settings: Brush Detail 9, Shadow Intensity 0, and Texture 1.
Step 5
With the girl’s layer selected, go to Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal All. Then select the Brush Tool (B), with black for the color, and mask the body of the girl.
Step 6
We need the Bittbox Watercolor Brushes 2 that you can download at this link.
Next we create a new layer. Then with the Brush Tool (B) selected, choose the seventh brush from the BB Watercolor Brushes. Use black for the color. Then reduce its size to fit the document. After that, rotate and resize the layer. The idea is to create watercolor-style hair for the girl using the brush.
Step 7
Now go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Change the Fill Opacity to 0. Then select the Color Overlay option. Use red for the color and Multiply for the blend mode. For the Opacity use 70%. Then select the Satin option. Use Hard Light for the blend mode, purple (#5d085c) for the color, 20º for the Angle, Distance 4px, and Size 12px.
Step 8
Create a new layer. Then select another brush with the Brush Tool(B). I used the 17th Bittbox Brush. The concept we’re using is to design different creative-looking hairstyles. So let’s continue with that. On a new layer, paint some brush strokes in the middle of the screen. Then resize and rotate them until they look good. You should achieve a stylized hair look, as in the image below.
Step 9
Go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Set the Fill Options to 0. Then add a Color Overlay. Use Overlay for the blend mode, Blue (#002cec) for the color, and set it to 50% Opacity. Then select Satin. Then use the following settings: a slightly darker blue (#065795) color, a Linear Burn for the blend mode, a 100% Opacity, a 19º Angle, an 11px Distance, and a 14px Size.
Step 10
Let’s brush in some more hair. This time we’ll use green. Create a new layer, and select the Brush Tool(B). Then select another brush from the watercolor set. Select the last one, reduce its size, and paint more hair. Use just one click when brushing. After that you can resize and rotate it.
Now go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Again set the Fill Options to 0. Then add a Color Overlay, use Multiply for the blend mode, Green (#18ff00) for the color, and 100% for the Opacity. Then select Satin. Use the following settings: darker green (#0b9600), Darken for the blend mode, 100% Opacity, 19º Angle, 4px Distance, and 7px Size.
Step 11
Next we repeat the process one more time. Create a new layer. Then select the Brush Tool(B). Select another brush, reduce its size, and paint more hair. Adjust it by resizing and rotating it until it looks good.
Again, go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Change the Fill Options to 0. Then add a Color Overlay, use Hard Light for the blend mode, yellow (#ffe400) for the color, and 100% for the Opacity. Then select Satin. Use the following settings: darker yellow (#a2a406), Color Burn for the blend mode, 100% Opacity, 19º Angle, 17px Distance, and 73px Size.
Step 12
Now select the layer with the girl’s face. Change the blend mode to Screen. Then make some adjustments, like fixing the neck using a regular brush with a white color.
Step 13
Type the text you want; I typed Psdtuts+. Then go to Layer>Layer Style>Gradient Overlay. Create a gradient using Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue. Use 180º for the angle and Normal for the blend mode.
Create another layer, and make sure that the text is on top of this new layer. Then with the Rectangular Marquee Tool, create a rectangle selection and fill it with white. Next we merge these two layers (the text with the white rectangle). This is necessary to add some text effects; otherwise the filters wouldn’t work well.
Step 14
Now we apply some filters to the text. First go to Filter>Brush Strokes>Sprayed Strokes. Use Stroke Length 17, Spray Radius 0, and Stroke Direction Vertical. After that go to Filter>Artistic>Watercolor. Use the following settings: Brush Detail 11, Shadow Intensity 0, and texture 1. That will create a nice text effect, or you could experiment with different filters until you achieve optimal results.
Conclusion
This tutorial presents a quick and easy way to create a nice design. We achieved this by mixing a photo with watercolor effects. We used some watercolor brushes and played with blend modes. Keep in mind though, if you can paint it for real, you will be able to create very original artwork, like the designers I mentioned before.
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Very strange as I cannot get past the first step.
I am using PS CS4 and it is not allowing to use the texture filter as you have described.
The problem is your color Mode. I’m guessing that you are in CMYK mode. You have to switch to RGB to use the Texturizer filter.
Go to Image –> Mode –> RGB Color …. Now see if Texturizer is available.
Love it
wow!! Great work..
good work
simple but great…
thank you so much!!! i just followed it and the results look awesome!
thanks alot! great tutorial for a great effect!
here’s what i came up with :
http://photos-c.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v1680/204/72/765933941/n765933941_1743818_5855.jpg
stunning work !!
thanks a ton for sharing the tutes !!
I really enjoyed this one, thanks.
awesome
Thanks for this great tutorial! Here is my try:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janverhulst/3228680789/
Very nice tutorial! Thanks!
it’s really nice….thanks…
I’d learnd a lot!!!!
VERY GOOD TUTORIAL TKS.
VERY NICE PLEASE VERY USEFUL FOR ALL THE GRAFIC DESIGNER
Very nice! I’m an idiot when it comes to photoshop but this turned out great, good job!
it;s really amzing<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
thanks
If someone could tell me how to get this smooth effect using the brush… I just can’t get it to be like a real painting, it looks very repetitive when I try to paint it on the image. Any setting to put ?
same
This is what i made!!! thanks!
http://cherryflip.deviantart.com/art/Dal-130490396
How do you get these ideas man! AMAZING!
Exelente obrigado pelo tutor ajudou muito!
abraço
man…tatappp…mantapppp
very-very cool tuts…
should try this one..!!
very interesting, specially the text effect looks really nice. Thanks for sharing the tut
nice tutorial
great work!
i learned a lot from this article
keep on posting!
geez…
cool
Interessante, grazie
tried it in a pic of mine and u know wt not bad at all >.<
thx alot xxx
awwwwww!!! <3 itttt!!
you guys have amazing tutorials thanks so much!
Súper! felicidades!
thank you
happy
Gracias, está bueno
Hey, Really Nice Work!!!!
yar alla vry vry nice
It’s nice tutorial…
Thank’s for your simple idea…
this is very nice. we like so much and its so simple
thank’s
this tutorial very help me to know the graphics desigens
Hi I see this tutorial called Watercolor Effects in Photoshop, this designe is to cool and I want to know how can I use this desinge for a company I want to start advertising. that way I can serve this tutorial to use it as a way to make my logo or if you can buy me this designe, please contact me for this situation, thanks for all. my e-mail is peroque-huev@live.com.mx
doesn’t work in cs4. can’t perform the texture ont he first step….
Very creative. Nice, simple, bold, classy. Definitely thinking outside the box. …nicely done
i love it, thanks so much, so simple and classy, great idea
Great tut! I am a novice trying to learn new techniques and found your tutorial to be very informative. Can you tell me where you come up with the color numbers; i.e. Purple 5d085c? Is there a chart I can purchase which will have these different colors and reference numbers? A response would be appreciated. Thank you for the tut!
Lowell
When you are in the Blend Options, and you choose color there is a color box (the default is red), click on that box and it will pop up another window where you change colors. If you look at the very bottom you will see a box that has a number (#) sign in front of it, that is where you put those number/letter codes. They are called Hex codes, you can google them to find a chart. It’s basically for every color this is a hex code to create it, and that’s happens to be the hex code for that color of purple.
I hope this helps.
Hello this is Geo.. I’m following your tutorial, I’m in set 6, i already picked the 7brush from BB watercolor brushes but is too dark , i had played with the opacity and fill but didn’t work .. can you give me more details also i don’t understand when it says (re size the layer) what layer, up to how big or small the size. Please send me an email, i would like to finish this tutorial. by the way I’m using adobe cs2
Hi,
I was trying to do this for myself, but I noticed that when I move the brush, even if I don’t click several times, all it does is make imprints of the actual brush like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gifted_designs/5042662538/
How do I make it fluid as you have?
Thank you!
Where can I download the brushes you used? =)
i downloaded the brushes but they don’t look smooth and like yours….
what am i doing wrong? if i reduce the seperation, i lose the texture, if i seperate it, it looks really gross
hey,
have a question:
what type of text you use?
i hate this. Next time let me know in the beginning that i have to download something
bcuz im at school and we are cheap and dont have the permission to download stiuff
Hey Fabio, I have serious trouble in step 6. Every time i apply the brush around the face, the brush colors the face too, not like your tutorial is showing, which the brush stroke is around of the face. I don’t know how to get through it, and would much appreciate if you helped me with details please ? sorry I’m a newbie. thank you very much !
I can’t get pass step 3… i can’t get get hue/saturation to work… please help me!
thank you