Converting a Photo into a Painting in Paint Shop Pro X

The "Brush Strokes" effect in Paint Shop Pro can make a photograph look like a painting.   Here is a way of using layers to enhance this effect and create even more artistic, hand-painted results.

1. Open an image to serve as the basis of your painting (for example: "Original Photo" in Artistic Effects). 

2. Adjust the size, contrast and brightness and color saturation of the image as desired (Adjust =>Smart Photo Fix..).  Sometimes exaggerating the color saturation and contrast of an image will give interesting painting results.  A good size is at least full-screen or larger; use Image =>Resize to change the size. 

3. Select Edit =>Copy.   

4. Select Edit =>"Paste as New Layer". This creates a two-layer image with the same image in both layers.  

5. Select Effects =>Art Media Effects =>Brush Strokes.  Select a coarse, broad stroke brush (such as Length=15; Density=26; Bristles=256; Width=6; Opacity=0; Softness=20) and click OK.  Wait for the processing to be completed (may take 10 seconds or more, depending on the speed of the computer).

6.  Click in Background in the Layer Palette. This will switch to the background layer. (This will have no visible effect, because the background layer is temporarily obscured by the upper layer).  Select Effects =>Artistic effects =>Brush Strokes and define a smaller, detailed brush stroke for this layer (such as Length=5; Density=13; Bristles=120; Width=2; Opacity=25; Softness=5) and click OK. Wait for the processing to be completed.

7. Select File =>Save As and select PSPIMAGE from the "Save as type..." pop-up menu.  

8. Click on Raster 1 in the layer palette.

9. Select the pencil eraser tool .  Try experimenting with different eraser sizes and settings in the eraser tool options palette.   (If  the Tool Options palette is not visible, click View => Palettes => Tool Options). 

10. Now use the eraser tool to "paint" over those bits of the image that you want to have more detail, especially the highlights and edges of the main subject matter. Zoom in and out (click the icons) so that you can work more precisely.  If you erase too much, you can "un-erase" by erasing with the right mouse button. If you like, you can open the original photo along side your painting to serve as a guide.

11. If you want to send the image via email or put it on a Web page, save it in "JPG JPEG"This format does not preserve the separate layers. To preserve the layrers, save it in PSPIMAGE format.

Note: If you get confused about which layer you are on, look at the Layers palette.  This lists all the layers in the picture and shows the currently active layer with a check mark.  To make any layer active, select it from this list. 

As an alternative to the above technique, try experimenting with a solid color top layer:  

1. After completing steps 1 and 2, select Layers =>New Raster Layer and click OK.  
2. Select the Flood Fill tool , select a background color (such as black, white, or any color you like) from the color palette on the right of the screen, and click anywhere on the image.
3. Double-click on Raster 1 in the Layer Palette and set opacity to about 80%.  (If  the Tool Options palette is not visible, click View => Palettes => Tool Options). 
4. Skip steps 3 - 5 and continue with step 6. Try experimenting with different eraser sizes and brush styles.  To see the final effect, double-click on Raster 1 in the Layer Palette and set the opacity to 100%. 

Other ideas:  Make the top layer black-and-white (Adjust => Smart Photo Fix.. and set the Saturation to -100), then erase just one object to reveal its color.  Or blur the top layer (Adjust => Blur => Blur more) and erase the main subject in that layer to make it stand out from the background.  

                                                       (c) Tom O'Haver (toh@umd.edu), February 2006