Painting the Tulip Yellow This Time

Here is a photo of a "blown" tulip that I think is interesting. This is one of those varieties of tulips that have a tendency to open up wide in the morning (especially in a warm room in a vase) and then close at night. Also, did you know that cut tulips can "grow" as much as 2 inches in a vase?

Of course it was just begging to be photoshopped.

original

Here is the watercolour painting technique shown step-by-step.

The "watercolour painting technique" is:

• duplicate the background layer 3 times
• to first layer, filter>artistic>cutout>4, 4, 2 luminosity
• to second layer, filter>artistic>dry brush>10, 10, 3 screen
• to third layer, filter>noise>median 12 soft light

Layer 1:


filter>artistic>cutout>4, 4, 2 luminosity

Layer 2 added:


filter>artistic>dry brush>10, 10, 3 screen

The addition of Layer 3 gives you the finished "watercolour painted" product:


filter>noise>median 12 soft light

Here is what Fresco looks like:


filter>artistic>fresco>2, 8, 1

Here is what Rough Pastel (my personal favourite) looks like. There are many variables in Rough Pastel so it took a long time to get just the right look.


filter>artistic>rough pastels, stroke length 1, stroke detail 12, texture sandstone, scaling 100%, relief 10

Painting the Tulips Red

The tulips look gorgeous just the way they are, but I wondered what would happen if I used the "watercolour painting technique" and other filters.

The "watercolour painting technique" is:

• duplicate the background layer 3 times
• to first layer, filter>artistic>cutout>4, 4, 2 luminosity
• to second layer, filter>artistic>dry brush>10, 10, 3 screen
• to third layer, filter>noise>median 12 soft light

original

watercolour painting technique

Here is a close up of a tulip with one petal opening past what is our normal image of tulips. I think tulips past their prime are very interesting.

original

watercolour painting technique

Here the tulips are reaching towards the sun in the west which is streaming through them. It already looks like a watercolour painting.

original

watercolour painting technique

Here is where I used the actual "watercolour" filter.

artistic>filter>watercolour>brush detail 14

Of course, I had to see what it would look like posterized.

image adjustments>posterize>level 10

Instant Watercolour Painting

Here's how to turn this:

At the Smithsonian Flight Museum, Washington, DC

into this:

Little Butch

Open the photo (will be background).

Duplicate the photo (i.e. the background layer) 3 times.

On the first layer (from the bottom):

Filter>Artistic>Cutout, 4, 4, 2
Blend Mode: Luminosity

layer 1

On layer 2:

Filter>Artistic>Dry Brush, 10, 10, 3
Blend Mode: Screen

layer 2 (including layer 1)

just for fun here's what layer 2 looks like by itself

On layer 3:

Filter>Noise>Median>12 pixels
Blend Mode: Soft Light

Note: make all the layers visible to achieve the end result




Instant Watercolour Painting

I was having so much fun. Here's another one I did.


Beautiful BC Mountains

Just one more:


view from the tower in Policka

Policka, Czech Republic

I noticed the clouds disappeared so I may need to tweak some settings.

Clouds are back (I used cutout filter 8,4,2 instead of 4,4,2)