How to Create a Realistic Painting Effect in Photoshop

Before Changes

After Changes

This tutorial is to help you learn how to create a realistic painting effect.  The filters in photoshop do a pretty good job, but this technique just adds a little to it.  Ok, once you have your picture open in photoshop:

1. Apply a Watercolor Filter to the picture, (Filter>Artistic>Watercolor).  The amounts shown on the left looked the best for this picture.

2. Duplicate that layer, (Layer>Duplicate Layer)

3. On the new copied layer you just made in step 2 apply an Emboss Filter, (Filter>Stylize>Emboss).  Use a Height of about 2 pixels and an Amount around 150 – 200%.

4. Change the Blending Mode for the Embossed Layer to Linear Light.