"Watercolor"

Watercolor has long been a defining Photoshop filter, though the crucial illusion of one color running into its neighbor is only partly achieved. Use the Smudge or Healing Brush tool to help the illusion. If you're looking to imitate gouache painting, however, search no further — the slight darkening around the edge of each patch of color perfectly reproduces the effect of this more opaque pigment.

How It Works
STEP 1
The dialog box offers three sliders. Though Brush Detail can be invoked across the whole scale, the remaining controls usually make a color image impossibly dark once pushed past the halfway mark.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 2
Settings of 14, 14, and 1 will produce a reasonably painterly result.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 3
On a monochrome image a "stippled" appearance results from setting Brush Detail at 14, and both Shadow Intensity and Texture at 3.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
Using The Watercolor Filter
Although it's tempting to be gentle with this filter, often what's required is bravura painting.

STEP 1
The ocean scene and distant prospects provide scope for brushwork.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 2
Apply the filter to test the waters. Here, we've used Brush Detail 14, Shadow Intensity 1, Texture 1. As you can see, the initial application is excessively dark.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 3
It's a good moment to retreat and try another approach. Go back to the original, and this time use Blur > Motion Blur with a Distance of 6 pixels to break up the image details.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 4
Continue with the Diffuse filter from the Stylize menu. Choose Lighten Only and apply the filter several times in succession by selecting Filter > Diffuse (or Ctrl/Cmd+F).

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop
STEP 5
Finally, apply the Watercolor filter again but with Brush Detail 14, Shadow Intensity 0, and Texture 3. The result is not a bad approximation of a watercolor painting.

Photoshop Filter Effects Encyclopedia Cookbook - Sample Chapter - Tips For Using The Watercolor Filter In Photoshop

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