In this Photoshop tutorial, you'll learn how to change photo to watercolor in Photoshop. I will explain everything in so much detail that everyone can create the watercolor effect, even those who have just opened Photoshop for the first time.

If you would like to get watercolor Photoshop effect in just a few minutes, using only a few clicks, check out our Watercolor Photoshop Action.

What You'll Learn in This Photoshop Tutorial

• How to make texture background in Photoshop
• How can you turn a photo into a sketch in Photoshop
• How to use watercolor brushes in Photoshop
• How to change photo to watercolor in Photoshop
• How to use adjustment layers in Photoshop

1. How to Get Started

Step 1

First, open the photo that you want to work with. To open your photo, go to File > Open, choose your photo, and click Open. Now, before we get started on creating the sketch effect, just check a couple of things:

• Your photo should be in RGB Color mode, 8 Bits/Channel. To check this, go to Image > Mode.
• For best results, your photo size should be 2000–4500 px wide/high. To check this, go to Image > Image Size.
• Your photo should be the Background layer. If it is not, go to Layer > New > Background from Layer.

Step 2

Now we need to expand the canvas so we have more space around the subject. Go to Image > Canvas Size, check the Relative option, and use the settings below:

2. How to Create the Background in Photoshop

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create the background. Go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color to create a new solid color fill layer, name it Background Color, and choose the color #e5e5e5 as shown below:

 Step 2

Now press Control-Shift-N on your keyboard to create a new layer, and name it Background Texture. Then, go to Edit > Fill, and set the Contents to 50% Gray, Mode to Normal, and Opacity to 100%.

Step 3

Go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Texture > Texturizer, and set the Texture to Canvas, Scaling to 200%, Relief to 4 and Light to Top.

Step 4

Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Overlay.

 3. How to Create the Pencil Sketch in Photoshop

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create the sketch effect. Select the Background layer, press Control-J on your keyboard to duplicate it, and drag it to the top of the layers in the Layers panel. After that, go to Filter > Filter Gallery> Sketch > Photocopy, and set the Detail to 3, and Darkness to 5.

Step 2

Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Multiply, and set the Opacity to 40%.

Step 3

Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All to add a layer mask that hides the whole layer. Then, set the foreground color to #ffffff, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick a soft brush, and brush where you want to reveal the sketch. Lastly, name this layer Sketch.

 4. How to add watercolor effect in Photoshop

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create the watercolor effect. Press Control-Shift-N on your keyboard to create a new layer, and name it Temp. Then, hide all the layers except the Background and Temp layers, set the foreground color to any, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick a soft brush, and brush over the area where you would like to create a watercolor effect.

Step 2

Now Control-click on the Temp layer thumbnail to make a selection of this layer. Then, hide this layer, select the Background layer, and press Control-J on your keyboard to make a new layer using the selection. After that, drag this new layer just below the Temp layer in the Layers panel, and show the Background Color layer. 

Step 3

Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels, and set the Highlight Input Level to 180. Then, go to Filter > Adjustments > Threshold, and set the Threshold Level to 100.

Step 4

Now temporarily change the color of the Background Color layer to #ffffff, and press Control-Shift-N on your keyboard to create a new layer. Then, set the foreground color to #000000, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick one of the watercolor brushes (if you don't have any, you can download some of our Watercolor Brushes), adjust its settings (if you don't know how, check out this article on how to create and modify brushes in Photoshop), and brush over and around the black area where you want to create the watercolor effect.

Step 5

Now Control-click on this layer thumbnail to make a selection of this layer, select the Background layer, and press Control-J on your keyboard to create a new layer using the selection. Then, drag this new layer just below the Temp layer in the Layers panel, Right-click on the Layer 2 and choose Delete Layer to delete it.

Step 6

Select and hide the Layer 3, go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All to add a layer mask that reveals the whole layer. Then, go to Image > Apply Image and enter the settings below:

Step 7

Now Right-click on the Layer 1, and choose Delete Layer to delete it. Then, show the Layer 3, select its layer mask, press Control-I on your keyboard to invert it, and in the Properties panel, set the Density to 75%. After that, change the Blending Mode of this layer to Linear Light, and name it Watercolor_1. 

Step 8

Repeat this process to create as many watercolor layers as you want. Feel free to use different threshold settings, watercolor brushes, density setting, blending modes and opacities. Here is my result:

Step 9

5. How to Reveal the Photo Details

Step 1

In this section, we are going to reveal more subject details. Select the Background layer, press Control-J on your keyboard to duplicate it, and drag this new layer just below the last watercolor layer in the Layers panel. 

Step 2

Now go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All to add a layer mask that hides the whole layer. Then, set the foreground color to #ffffff, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick some watercolor brush, and brush where you want to reveal the original photo. Here is my result:

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Overlay, and go to Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All to add a layer mask that hides the whole layer. Then, set the foreground color to #ffffff, choose the Brush Tool (B), pick a soft brush, and brush where you want to reveal subject details. Lastly, name this layer Subject Details.

5. How to Make the Final Adjustments

Step 1

In this section, we are going to make the final adjustments to the watercolor effect. Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves to create a new curves adjustment layer, and name it Color_Look_1. Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, enter the settings below. Then, change the Opacity of this layer to 69%.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Press Control-Alt-Shift-E on your keyboard to make a screenshot, and then press Control-Shift-U to desaturate this layer. Then, go to Filter > Other > High Pass and set the Radius to 2 px.

Step 6

You Made It! 

Try a Watercolor Photoshop Action!

Watercolor Photoshop Action (ATN, ABR)

With this action, you can transform your photo to watercolor in no time. You simply brush over your subject with a color, and Play the action. The action will do all the work for you leaving you a fully layered results that you can further customize!