watercolor8

Step 9

I add a Curves layer (Clipping Mask) to brighten the branches a bit:

watercolor9

Step 10

Open branches 2 stock. I take a part from this pic and situate it at the top right of model head, then duplicate it twice, name them from 1 to 3. I flip 2nd horizontally, then position them around model head part. I use layer mask to erase the bottom of the third:

watercolor10
watercolor10a

Step 11

These branches look darker from background so I want to brighten them together. To do it, make these layers selected then hit Cmd/Ctrl+G to make group for them. Change the mode of this group from Pass Through (default group mode) to Normal 100%. On 3 layer, go to Layer-New Adjustment Layer-Curves:

watercolor11

Because the mode changed to Normal 100% so this Curves layer only affects the layers inside this group (branches 2 ones).

watercolor11a

Step 12

Make a new layer on the top. Set foreground and background to #a8ba81 and #012955. Use Rectangular Marquee Tool to make a square on the pic then go to Filter-Render-Clouds. After applying Clouds filter, choose Filter-Pixelate-Mosaic:

watercolor12

Filter-Distort-Polar Coordinates:

watercolor12a

Step 13

Convert this result to Smart Object then downsize it and change the mode to Hard Light 100%. Use Cmd/Ctrl+T to rotate it and move it to the right cheek of model and erase unwanted parts with layer mask:

watercolor13

Duplicate this layer and move to left cheek under the eye, hide the left part of it with black brush and layer mask:

watercolor13a

I use a Color Balance layer (Clipping Mask) to change color of this effect:

watercolor13b

Step 14

Make a new layer and use hard brush with color #012955 to make some dots under the left eye. Before spotting, press F5 to change settings for this brush:

watercolor14
watercolor14a

Double click this layer and apply Gradient Overlay for these dots:

watercolor14b
watercolor14c
watercolor14d

Step 15

Create a new layer and make selection for the lips, fill it with color #779370 then change the mode to Hard Light 100%:

watercolor15

I name it “color lips”.

Step 16

I use a new layer, change brush to splatter ones and set foreground to #83192d. Take brush number 681 with size about 100 px to spot over the lips. Hold Cmd/Ctrl while clicking “color lips” layer to load it selection then click Add layer mask button. After it, change the mode to Overlay 100%:

Pages: 1 2 3 4

81 responses to “How to Create an Amazing Watercolor Artwork in Photoshop”

  1.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    the butterfly is gone… it looks nice

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Great Job!!!! So creative!!!! I will be trying it!!! Thanks so much!

  3.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Thanks for this tutorial

  4. Barrack Obama Avatar
    Barrack Obama

    this tutorial is so poopy, i actually had a seizure while trying to read the directions, now i have to take meds daily so i don’t shake and die, thanks.
    Sincerely, Barrack O.

  5. haamidreza Avatar
    haamidreza

    its awesome

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Excellent tutorial Jenny! ??

  7. Ashley Avatar
    Ashley

    The model photo is not available for free anymore

  8. apu Avatar
    apu

    wwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh its really awesome

  9. Colin Avatar
    Colin

    Nice and clear tutorial

  10. Joseph Avatar
    Joseph

    HI, It was great to try out the example. Is there any chance we could get PSD .

  11. Ahmed Avatar
    Ahmed

    Good one

  12. Emi Avatar
    Emi

    This is absolutely amazing! Love it! Great job Jenny! I want to give this a shot. Love how you’ve provided step-by-step instructions!

  13. Lordan Avatar
    Lordan

    Wow. What an awesome picture! And I love how you broke it down, step-by-step. And though it may take some time, the effort definitely looks like it’s worth it! Thanks so much for this post. I’ll definitely be giving it a shot this weekend when I have some free time.

  14. Shohel Rana Avatar
    Shohel Rana

    Excellent tutorial indeed on photo manipulation and create nice watercolor. I have tried it several times and now I am able to do make watercolor artwork like this. Thank you so much for sharing. Great!

  15. Paula Avatar
    Paula

    i love your website thanks you very much sir create this website wornderful tutorials

  16. André Avatar
    André

    Unfortunately the result of the clouds/pixelate/polar coordinates gives me a complete different result :( any ideas?

  17. Eclipse-Web Avatar
    Eclipse-Web

    very nice

  18. Bennyqibalart Avatar
    Bennyqibalart

    This is awasome explain

  19. Jo Avatar
    Jo

    one of the resources are not available

  20. ASHWIN KUMAR Avatar
    ASHWIN KUMAR

    SUPERB EFFORT..

  21. mashell Avatar
    mashell

    amazing like alwways

  22. Arlene Shipley Avatar
    Arlene Shipley

    PSD file please – amazing job

  23. Onno Veerman Avatar
    Onno Veerman

    Thanks, very useful and instructive workshop. My result is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52473811@N06/23637066279/in/dateposted-public/

  24. Noroz Mayar Avatar
    Noroz Mayar

    Nice work.. related to some work at site http://www.tutsgeek.com . work is good and Awesome .keep it up

  25. skullboy Avatar
    skullboy

    For those having trouble with step 12, getting the clouds to show foreground and background colors…
    I had this same problem. Go to Image – Mode – 8 bit. That trick only works with 8 bit files, not 16 bit.

  26. YazolinoGirl on DeviantArt (.com) Avatar
    YazolinoGirl on DeviantArt (.com)

    Wonderful!! Thank you so much for the effort to create this tutorial… would love to see some video tutorials (with voice and slow/ not the fast ones, please). Your work here is just beautiful and the concept is striking. Thank you so much.

  27. clippingpatharea Avatar
    clippingpatharea

    I like the idea of this tutorial, it’s very creative and the result looks great.

  28.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    psd file please

  29. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    wow.. Fantastic steps.. I really like it. keep up :-)

  30. Milana Avatar
    Milana

    Thank you for the tutorial! I have made it a bit different, as a beginner I am missing some information here – where exactly to place each layer, in which sequence – above or under the main and etc.. Here is my version: http://milanaserk.deviantart.com/art/Duality-479211677

  31. Thruchelvam Avatar
    Thruchelvam

    Thank you so much this become inspiration to create poster for my friend birthday

  32. Ben Hughes Avatar
    Ben Hughes

    I Like Watching And Not Knowing Interesting New facts from photoshop tutorials can you recommend any Good ones

    Sincerely Ben Hughes

  33. Hen poughes Avatar
    Hen poughes

    Greetings I have taken this tutorial into account and it has interested me much.

    Many thanks Hen Poughes

  34. Withinboy Avatar
    Withinboy

    nice work, appreciate this tutorial

  35. A.Blum Avatar
    A.Blum

    This is a real good Tutorial. I did it with a picture of me and it works :) see it here. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201256036832771&set=a.2337217919695.2099441.1527282977&type=1
    Thank you!

  36. PGJ Avatar
    PGJ

    In step 7, which blend mode is used on the new layers?

  37. Meg Avatar
    Meg

    Hi jenny,
    just trying to work through your tutorial and in step 12, i am filling in the right colors for background and foregound just when i do Filter-Render-Clouds and so forth it looks a bit different and my end result after Filter-Distort-Polar Coordinates it turns out more like a few bumpy semi circles emerging from the base rather than the shape you have. Are there any ways to fix this or have i missed something?
    Thank you so much for your time

    1. skullboy Avatar
      skullboy

      I had this same problem. Go to Image – Mode – 8 bit. That trick only works with 8 bit files.

  38. Lloyd Street Avatar
    Lloyd Street

    Very nice work, thank you for the inspiration.

  39. Edino Avatar
    Edino

    thanks

  40. Karina Avatar
    Karina

    Hi

    First of all thanks for the brilliant tutorial both in subject matter and in your way of presenting each step. I am however miserably stuck on step 12. Everything is fine until I get to the polar coordinates then it looks nothing like yours. Mine are waves upon ways of rounded off squares. I have no clue what I’m doing wrong here. Everything is set us as in the tutorial. Any idea what I’m doing wrong?

    Thanks :)

  41. Sandi Avatar
    Sandi

    As a retoucher I went through hundreds of tutorials through the years and this is one of the easiest to follow because of the way you explained it and showed every screen shot with setting and even your masking. Great job!

  42. emma alvarado Avatar
    emma alvarado

    I WANT TO TELL YOU COULD MAKE EVERY STEP TUTORIAL ENJOY EVERY DAY, WISH YOU HAVE SUCCESS ALWAYS BLESSINGS

  43. meimei Avatar
    meimei

    I Like this tutorial. So I want to make this art.

  44. Tyler Avatar
    Tyler

    I have no idea what you did to do step 4.

  45. leila Avatar
    leila

    How I do step 12!!! My cloud goes black and white!!!!

  46. leila Avatar
    leila

    I don’t know how to do step 3

  47. flobee Avatar
    flobee

    Had fun! Your directions were simple to follow and usually that never happens for me.

  48. Callie Avatar
    Callie

    Hi! I followed your tutorial and got a really nice image. My friend wanted to know if he could use it as an album cover, and I’m going to be tweaking it a little to make sure none of the images I used are copyrighted. Would you mind me using it? I just wanted to ask because I learned how to do it from your post.

    1. Jenny Avatar
      Jenny

      Of course you can, thanks for asking :).

  49. bartolomeus Avatar
    bartolomeus

    Really nice tutorial! It turns out really good!
    Next time you could think about mabye using stock photo providers that don’t need a paying registration.
    And i feel sometimes that you just assume that the reader know how to do a special command or feature.

    Otherwise, really one of the best so far! :D

    Thank you very much! :)

  50. thais estevão Avatar
    thais estevão

    keep these cool tutorales coming!

  51. Anil Chauhan Avatar
    Anil Chauhan

    psd file please

  52. El Duce Avatar
    El Duce

    I’m newer to photoshop and having a small issue with step 4 and getting the picture to fade like it does with the layer mask. Any tips? I’m using a different photo but a similar post. I’ve extracted the photo correctly but just can not get that same effect.

    Thanks.

    1. Jenny Avatar
      Jenny

      Hi El,
      First i used soft brush with 100 opacity to remove the hard edges of the woman then i lowered brush opacity and flow (about 30-50%)when painting on the head, shoulders and hands. Hope it helps :).

  53. Anil Chauhan Avatar
    Anil Chauhan

    Wonderful

    But why photoshop tutorial do not give the downloading for these pages as it is…
    PSD file required net connectivity to see it again…

  54. jeff Avatar
    jeff

    I wouldn’t say that if looks anything like Garrets.

  55. Akram Mellice Avatar
    Akram Mellice

    very nice tutorial, i’ve followed it with couple of changes, you can see the result on my 500px:

    http://500px.com/photo/45595724

    thanks again!

  56. Akram Mellice Avatar
    Akram Mellice

    very nice tutorial, I’ve done it with couple of changes. you can see it on my 500px:

    http://500px.com/photo/45595724

    thanks again!

    1. Anonymous Avatar
      Anonymous

      LIKE!

    2.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      I really want to see your work but the link isn’t working :(

    3.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Can you repost your work?

  57.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    哦,nice

  58. parveztrina Avatar
    parveztrina

    Your tutorial is so easy to understand and you express it very cleanly. Photoshop is really a wonder

  59. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    This looks difficult

    1. Jonathan Deitch Avatar
      Jonathan Deitch

      It’s not. I completed a photograph in under 2 hours. It’s mainly layering watercolor paint images, set to multiply and mask out what you don’t want; in a nutshell.

      See it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23859710@N02/12805900225/

  60. Walter Avatar
    Walter

    Beautiful….

  61. Garrett (Zef) Avatar
    Garrett (Zef)

    hmm similar to a poster i made back in July
    http://zefhd.deviantart.com/art/Enlightenment-388744102

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      not really though

    2. michiel Avatar
      michiel

      Naaahh this one is much better

    3. Alma Avatar
      Alma

      Yes, you have used similar texture …but where or what is the concept of your artwork?

  62.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Jenny, all I can say is WOWWWW!!!!

    Thank you!

  63. ashs Avatar
    ashs

    is there any fees for tutorials

  64. Raouf Avatar
    Raouf

    The psd file please

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