Photoshop has all the tools to turn any picture into a painting withing minutes. No special tools are required, just a few simple filters and blending modes.
Take a look at these before-and-after pictures:
Looks quite good, isn’t it?
Read on:
1. As always, first step is to find yourself a nice source picture and open it in Photoshop. I took this calendar-picture from Rachel Steevens to work with:
2. Let’s start with the filters. First, make the image blurry: filter>blur>gaussian blur>2,4
Then apply the filter>artistic>paint daubs with these values: brush size=8, sharpness=7 and brush type=simple.
3. Make a copy of the layer by choosing layer>duplicate layer from the menu.
Now apply the same filter>paint doubts with other settings: brush size=25.
Set the blending mode of this layer to “soft light” and the opacity at 50%.
4. It isn’t actually necessary, but I added a layer filled with the color 463B44 and blending mode set to “color” with opacity at 50% to give it a special touch.
At this moment you should have something like this:
Wich looks already “painted”, but tho finish it off, we’re going to overlay an actual canvas-texture. I found a high-res one here.
Place this image on top of the other layers, set blending mode to “overlay” and opacity to 30%.
Now it should look fine!
Click for the complete image: 
Also interesting:
A cheap hosting site does not necessarily have to be a bad one too. If it comes with email hosting, than most probably it fulfils the internet marketing criteria. For web page hosting on such service, one would not require the need of search engine marketing services either. All one needs is wireless internet providers and some knowledge regarding sem methods like cpc and ppi to get started.
February 10th, 2006 at 7:46 am
Nice tutorial,
great job on the site so far, I really liked the last step, I might use that canvas image that you found for some of my pictures.
February 10th, 2006 at 8:36 am
thanks a lot because it helps me to learn new things in photo effects i hope theres a lot new things to know…
February 10th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Great ,fast and easy Thanks …..I have tried other technics but there were to long and complicated ..thisone is the best.
February 10th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
It’s nice to hear that you found it helpfull!
A friend inspired me by asking how they make those painting-fotof*cks at Worth1000; so I started experimenting in Photoshop. I knew there were special filters in Photoshop to achieve a painted effect, but only applying a filter won’t do the trick …
It’s often a littlebit hit ‘n miss: checking some different blending modes until you come up with an interesting effect
February 12th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
This is really great! I’ve seen this done before, but everyone always stops at the second to the last step. The canvas reallly made it!
Good tut!
February 15th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
I understood everything except the end. How do you fill a layer with colour? How do you place images on top of other layers?
February 15th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Fill a layer with color: keyboard “G” to select the fill-tool and then click on the workfield.
Place an image on top of other layers: if you select the upper layer (by clicking on its name in the layers palette), and then drag in an other image, or paste an image, it’s autimatically added on top of the other layers. Afterwards, you can change layer order by dragging them in the layer palette ..
February 21st, 2006 at 11:48 am
Very good tutorial…
I applied it to a Federica Fontana’s photo… i think it’s well done… Here’s the link -> http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/3706/effettoquadro8uh.jpg
What do you think?
Thanks a lot again for the guide!
February 21st, 2006 at 5:56 pm
@Cortez: Very well done, indeed!
March 16th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
[...] Photoshopblog.net » Make a Painting on canvas from a picture. (tags: Photoshop Tutorials) [...]
March 24th, 2006 at 8:05 am
thanx man…works gr8
April 18th, 2006 at 12:49 am
This is a nice effect but it still looks fake I added some airbrushing effects but in the end it doesn’t compare to some of the digital paintings some artists create.I like it though you can make a really neat airbrush style vector even though that style doesn’t exist…yet.^^
May 6th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
Your home page its great
May 6th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
So interesting site, thanks!
May 7th, 2006 at 1:04 am
Very good site. Thanks for author!
May 14th, 2006 at 1:09 am
Great website! Bookmarked! I am impressed at your work!
May 14th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Hello Jane, great site!
December 13th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for the canvas texture link. Respect!