Photoshop Filters

Filters > Artistic

Photoshop filters are useful, essential and fun - sometimes all at the same time.

We'll start by looking at some of the arty built-in filters and how to get the most out of them.

The first category is Artistic, which are designed to recreate fine art painting effects. Most of them are self-explanatory in their use, but a few of them have some special features.

When a Photoshop filter's name is followed by three dots (Plastic Wrap...), it means there is a dialogue box where settings can be changed.

• Open an image you want to mess around with. For speed and convenience use a very low resolution image - something in the region of 800 pixels on the longer side.

• Go to Filters > Artistic > Colored Pencil. This filter replicates a rough crosshatch technique.
  Enter values of Pencil Width, Stroke Pressure and Paper Brightness.
  The result can be seen in the large Preview box.

• To reduce the size of the Preview, click on the minus sign;
  to increase the size, click on the plus sign.

This filter is a bit unusual in that the colour set as the background colour in the toolbox will show through the smooth areas of the image.
Use a different colour for the background and the image result will change considerably.
This area can be adjusted further by changing the Paper Brightness value.

If there is a small flashing line under the percentage figure, it means the filter is still being rendered, or prepared, for the Preview. Even on a powerful computer, some filters can take a while, but on a very low-res image
the result will be instantaneous.

Place the cursor over the Preview image and it changes to the hand icon. The portion of the image in the Preview can then be moved around.

With many of the Photo shop filters, it's best just to experiment
by trying out a large variety of settings.

Film Grain is intended to give the grain effect found on photographic film. Large areas of plain colour can result in an uneven gradation of tone, known as banding. A low application of the Film Grain filter can cover this up and help blend in elements used from several images.
It sort of works, but the Noise > Add Noise filter usually does a better job.

• Some, like Paint Daubs, have an extra menu with more choices.

• Under Brush Type there are such things as Simple, Wide Blurry and Sparkle.
  The range of the filter is increased considerably this way.
  
  

• Rough Pastel and Underpainting have a Texture option making it appear that the image is painted over a texture like Sandstone or Canvas.

• Scaling will enlarge or reduce the size of the texture on the image.

• Relief will adjust the depth of the texture.

• They also have sliders for their brush details.

• Light changes the direction of the light source on the image.

• Invert will reverse the light source.

• A number of Photoshop filters in the other groups have a similar dialogue box.

• The Watercolor filter can simulate a watercolour painting, but it helps to know what such paintings look like for real - probably most photographers don't unless some research is done.
  Brush Detail determines how wet the image looks.
  A high Texture creates more of a 3D look.

Filter > Brush Strokes

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