retired_mmacdone

I took over as web designer for this company and they like the watercolor type edges to the attached graphic, but I don't know how to do that to new images that I'm getting.

Can anyone help me ?

Kevin Plested

tranquil222

Well to do a watercolor, there is a filter under the artistic filters. I personally think that Photoshop is kind of extreme with this filter so I usually follow it up by an Edit-->Fade command(which is what I didi in the middle) another filter to try is "underpainting" which will give a textured paper/canvas effect on the edges. I don't know exactly how to reproduce the above effect, but if anyone would like to step in and say, im curious too. [excited]

retired_mmacdone

but, it's not what I want.

If anyone can help me (and now tranquil222, since he/she is interested) that would be great. I want to know how to make the outer edge look "painted"/"wet edges".

In other words, I want to take a new image and make it have those edges.

Even if it's close, I'd love it.

Kevin P.

Rantin Al

Hi Kevin,

A quick way is to do this through masks.
It looks as if you have:

A full colour layer with a broad area masked out.
A desaturated layer below that, slightly narrower masked area.
Another desaturated layer with a narrower mask, plus the opacity reduced.
Put another 'base' layer to match your web background layer.

It's not complicated, just use a large 'rough' brush and paint with black on each of the masks in turn.

Al

tranquil222

I have no clue how to achieve that effect. It looks like it might be a 3rd party plugin or from another piece of software.....or, it was all manually done, which as you know, would be a pain. Sorry I couldn't be of assistance but i can't waste anymore time at work right now


[shhh]

Blinky2004

Extensis "Photo Frames" or AutoFX "Photographic Edges".
Check em out.

That's how i believe THAT specific image was done. But that's not to say it can't be "reasonably" faked with just PS.

At the moment, i'm late for bed so unless someone else jumps in here, i'll have to get back to this abit later on.

For now, here's a quick one done using Extensis Photo Frames.

Stroker

My favorite method:

1. New Alpha channel.
2. Big square filled with white.
3. A big, fat Gaussian Blur.
4. Use any artsy-fartsy filter you want.
5. Apply the resulting Alpha as a Layer Mask.

wbiss

Welcome kevmuskoka!

I'm not familar with the plug-ins that Mark (theKeeper) has pointed out, but judging from the example that he posted, it seems to be the ideal solution for ya. Just apply the effect to a textured background!

Have to check these out myself, Mark! B7

Otherwise, layer masks of varying sizes and opacties and handpainted would be my choice of route to go too.

retired_mmacdone

that's what it was ... the photoframes thing. (at least, it looks that way, I haven't downloaded the demo to make sure it is yet).

You've solved all my world problems.

Kevin P

Blinky2004

Wow Kev if that's the extent of your "world problems"... congratulations! [bustagut] [righton]

I agree though with Wendy and Stroker... this effect can also be done in PS by itself. The plugins aren't doing anything PS can't... they're just doing it a bit faster.

Try Stroker's suggestion... and i'm gonna give this a proper go later tonight. See what i can come up with.

PS: yes Wendy... i've had the Extensis plugins for a long time. They were very good and slightly ahead when they first cam out. Now though, PS has the Layer Styles, which cover most of the Extensis effects. The PhotoFrames one though is still a good one to have.