Create in Photoshop drawing in the style of watercolor ink - Part 1 • Adobe Photoshop Tutorials

I am often asked how to apply the effect of watercolor and ink to photos. Although there may be different filters and effects that automatically reproduce this effect, illustrating that the drawing was drawn by hand, which will give you excellent results, as well as the greatest freedom of action. In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a watercolor and ink effect in Photoshop, as well as how to apply this effect to a photo. So let’s get started!

Final result

Video tutorial

Source materials:
Download the source materials for this lesson or pick up alternative images.

Motorcycle racer
Texture 1
Brush strokes 01
Brush strokes 028
Paint stain
Grunge texture 02
Grunge texture 1
Spray
Paint splashes 01
Paint splashes 03
Paint splashes 02

1. Create a Sketch

Step one

Create a new document, set the size of the document in accordance with the landscape format. Fill color Content Background (Background Contents) – white.

Step 2

Open the image (stock image) that you decided to work with. I chose a photo with a motorcycle racer because of the excellent angle of the picture and the angle of the motorcycle.

Step 3

Move the image from the motorcycle racer to our working paper.

Step four

Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), zoom in a little with the motorcycle racer. When scaling, hold down the (Shift) key to maintain the aspect ratio of the image.

Step 5

Next, reduce the opacity of the motorcycle racer layer to 46%.

Step 6

Create a new layer on top of the moto racer layer as a layer to create a draft. Name this layer ‘Outline’.

Step 7

Choose a hard round brush by default (usually, standard brushes by default are located at the very top of the brush set). The size of the brush is about 2px, the color of the brush is black (# 000000). Start applying black lines to the outlines of the image. At the moment, it does not require too high accuracy and perfect performance. Strokes should be slightly rough, and the picture should look like a sketch. Vary the width of the stroke (stroke) to diversify and add dynamics.

Step 8

Add shading to individual small areas using the crosshatch technique. In most cases, pay attention to the original image, but you can also choose the best solution yourself to add additional shadows to enhance individual areas and add extra volume.

2. Shading Pattern

Step one

Using tool Frame (Use the Crop tool (C), stretch the image a little to make it a little wider.

Step 2

Fill the background layer with a light shade. I used the color shade # d0b391.

Step 3

Open Texture 1, and then move this texture to our working document, placing it on top of the layer with the background.

Step four

Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), increase the scale of texture 1 in accordance with the size of the working document.

Step five

Change the blending mode for the texture layer 1 to Linear dimmer (Linear Burn).

Step 6

Reduce the opacity of layer 1 with texture 1 to about 42%.

Step 7

Create a new layer below the ‘Sketch’ layer. Name this layer Гон Racer Retouch ’.

Step eight

Hold down the Ctrl + A key to highlight the ‘Sketch’ and Гон Rider’s retouch layers, and then press the keys (Ctrl-G) to combine these layers into one group.

Step 9

Name the new group ‘Work Layers’ so that all layers are ordered, this will allow you to easily find the desired layer.

Step 10

Choose a brush Airbrush (Airbrush full), lower the brush opacity to about 29%. Start lightly retouching certain areas of the motorcycle racer while being on the Гон Rider Retouch ’layer. I used the color shade # 332822.

Step 11

Using the first slightly dark tones, begin to paint over the equipment of the motorcycle racer, it will give shape, and then go to the motorcycle.

Step 12

Create a new layer. Name this layer ‘Shadows’.

Step 13

Increase the shades slightly so that they are almost black. I used the color tint # 130f0c.

Step 14

Paint over the wheels and the motorcycle cover to give them a more pronounced shape.

Step 15

Create a new layer below the Гон Racer Retouch ’layer. Name this layer ‘Lighting Effects’.

Step sixteen

Choose an off-white color. I used the color shade # f4d2adc.

Step 17

Roughly brush over the light areas. Brush opacity low, approximately 38%

Step 18

Duplicate the ‘Sketch’ layer (Ctrl-J) (to make the picture more distinct, and also to have sketched line types)

Step nineteen

Create a new layer on top of all other layers inside the ‘Work layers’ group. Name this layer “Light highlights”.

Step 20

Using a lighter shade than before, using crosshatching, add light highlights. I used the color shade # fff8f1.

3. Earth Texture

Step one

Create a new group on top of the layer with the background and the texture layer. Name this group ‘Earth’.

Step 2

Open the next stock image Гран Grunge texture 1 ’.

Step 3

Move the texture to our working paper by placing it inside the newly created ‘Earth’ group.

Step 4

Change the blending mode for the texture layer to Multiplication (Multiply).

Step five

Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), place the texture in the lower left side of the scene, and then lower the opacity of the texture layer to about 80%.

Step 6

Duplicate the texture layer (Ctrl-J), move the duplicate layer to the opposite corner of the scene.

Step 7

Let’s go Free Transformation – Flip Horizontal (Free Transform> Flip Horizontal).

Step eight

Stretch the texture to create more ground.

Step 9

Duplicate the texture layer duplicate.

Step 10

Slightly shift the duplicate of the texture layer to the left.

Step 11

Using tool Free transformation (Free Transform), stretch the texture so that it overlaps with the texture on the left.

Step 12

Open the texture ‘Brush Strokes 01’.

Step 13

Using tool Rectangular area (Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), select the brush stroke.

Step 14

Without removing the active selection, hold down the key (Ctrl) and move the selected area to our working document, placing it inside the ‘Earth’ group.

Step 15

Let’s go Free Transformation – Flip Horizontal (Free Transform> Flip Horizontal).

Step sixteen

Stretch and apply distortion to fit the image to the right of the motorcycle racer.

Step 17

Change the blending mode for the brush stroke layer to Multiplication (Multiply), reduce layer opacity to 56%

Step 18

Once again, highlight the same brush stroke.

Step 19

Move the selected area to our working paper.

Step 20

Apply Free transformation (Free Transform), place this brushstroke behind the motorcycle racer.

Step 21

Change the blending mode for this layer with a brush stroke to Multiplication (Multiply).

Step 22

And also reduce the layer opacity to 49%

Step 23

Using tool Eraser (Erase (E), roughly treat the area where the brush stroke comes in on the image of the motorcycle racer.

Step 24

Select the brush stroke again, and move it to our working paper.

Step 25

Apply Free transformation (Free Transform), rotate the image, this time, positioning it to the left of the motorcycle racer.

Step 26

Also change the blending mode to Multiplication (Multiply), and reduce the layer opacity to 50%.

Step 27

Using the eraser, hide the areas of the image where the image overlapped with the image of the motorcycle racer.

Step 28

Open the ‘Splash’ image.

Step 29

Bleach the image (Ctrl + Shift + U).

Step thirty

Apply correction Levels(Levels (Ctrl-L). Apply the settings so that the gray image becomes black.

Step 31

Move the whole image to our working paper.

Step 32

Via Free transformation (Free Transform), flip the image with the spray clockwise

Step 33

Stretch the image horizontally, as if positioning along the surface of the earth.

Step 34

Change the blending mode for the spray layer to Multiplication (Multiply).

Step 35

Reduce the layer opacity to 85%.

Step 36

Next, open the texture ‘Spray paint 02’.

Step 37

Bleach the image (Ctrl + Shift + U).

Step 38

Apply correction Levels (Levels (Ctrl-L). Apply the settings so that the gray image becomes black.

Step 39

Move the whole image to our working paper.

Step 40

Apply again Free transformation (Free Transform).

Step 41

Further, Flip horizontally (Flip Horizontal).

Step 42

Position the spray in the direction of the front wheel of the motorcycle.

Step 43

Change the blending mode for this spray layer to Multiplication (Multiply).

Step 44

Reduce layer opacity to 90%

Step 45

Duplicate the splash layer (Ctrl-J).

Step 46

Mix the duplicate by placing it next to the rear wheel of the motorcycle.

Step 47

Apply Free transformation (Free Transform), zoom in a little.

Step 48

Duplicate the layer again (Ctrl-J).

Step 49

Let’s go Free Transformation – Flip Horizontal (Free Transform> Flip Horizontal).

Step 50

This time, position the spray even closer to the rear wheel.

Step 51

Finally, apply again Free transformation (Free Transform), this time apply the option Deformation (Warp) to get the bend, as shown in the screenshot below.