Photoshop Tutorial | Watercolor Splash Effect

Watercolor Splash Effect Tutorial

Level : Intermediate 

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Note: If you want to download/preview a larger version of an image below, simply drag and drop into the search bar.

When choosing an image, look for images with a white background or preferably already in png form. This will be more convenient as we go along.

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How to make something like this: 

From a normal picture like this

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Another example:

(nana from after school)

Let's beginning:

You can either follow along and download the pictures i use or use your own resources

Okay i am going to start with this picture of Krystal.

after re-sizing it looks like this

Image > Adjustments > Threshold

I set my threshold level at (181) but every picture needs a different level. You want to adjust the level until the person's features are well defined in black.

For lighter images, adjust more towards the right

Here is how mine looks now:

Next i will be using this purple watercolor texture:

Copy & Paste this over the image you are working with

then set it's mode to "lighten"

This is what mine looks like now

You can move it around if you'd like. I moved mine, so the head looks a bit chipped off which turns out to add to the watercolor illusion nicely.

Then copy & paste this lovely rainbow texture on to your picture

set it's mode to "lighten"

i moved mine towards the top & erased bits on the bottom

to get this:

Next add this canvas texture

Set it to "multiply"

then

image > adjustments > hue & saturation

optional:

i lowered the saturation

& increased the light

only because i feel that the grey color is too strong

current result:

Next, i'm going too add a few more watercolor textures

to make the picture more colorful

Do the same with them as above.

(Copy + Paste, Mode --> Lighten)

Try moving them around, 

erasing bits

playing with hues & levels

Product so far:

Now i'm going to Copy & Paste

this file

Then change its layer mode to

"Darken"

but, the face is now covered with little marks

which is cumbersome to the eyes

& a bit crowded

so, i am going to take a 

"soft tip brush"

and lightly erase

the marks on the face

then i'm going to change

the 

hue & saturation 

(image > adjustments >hue & saturation)

and make the marks a more purple hue

this way, the colors aren't contrasting

we are pretty much done

minus a few final touches

(optional of course, but i prefer to make some minor tweaks)

i'm going to smart sharpen the 

amount: 42

radius: .7

and add a 

black & white gradient,

fade it (edit > fade gradient map)

mode: soft light

opacity: 58

and finally

selective color

here is my final result:

In my opinion, this is a quick & easy way to achieve an artsy effect on a photo.

Side note!

And if you have Topaz Clean, you can make it look even nicer

for example:

after topaz

Thank you for reading! Good luck with your editing!