Today’s post shows off a simple example of using the Watershed Sketch image operation effect. Watershed Sketch takes an image input and can generate a variety of colored sketch effects. While today’s post will use the Watershed Sketch effect to generate a raster sketch image, you can also use Watershed Sketch to generate bezier paths that can then be painted in by a paint synthesizer preset if you want to produce a wider range of stylistic sketch effects with more sophisticated paint fill for the individual sketch lines that the Watershed Sketch generates.
The example sketch effect shown above was generated by running the WatershedSketch effect twice with different parameter settings and adding a sketch mass for defining the edges. The paint action sequence (PASeq) used to generate the overall effect is shown below and you can download it here. Watershed.paseq
The first 2 watershed steps are show in the first two panels above. The first step in the PASeq is to put the source image into the canvas as the preset is using the current layer as it source. NOTE: Most every Image Operations preset needs to have a source image in the canvas.
The background is set to none so some of the the source image in the canvas will be there inbetween the vector lines. The hatching style is Spoke Cross. There are many styles to choose from and you can play around with those.
The 2nd Step is another Watershed and this one is using the Circle setting for the Hatch style. It is also using colored to BW.
The 3rd Step is a Mass Sketch Hatch that brings in detail to the edge. It is actually using the source image and Multiply 1 Compositing mode to layer on top of the other two steps.
The best way to get a feel for the range of different sketch effects possible with the Watershed Sketch ip op is to try out different parameter settings. You can also use Gallery Show with the Random Current Ip Op option for the gallery show Technique preference to automatically generate mutated variations on different Watershed Sketch (or other ip op) effects. This second approach is a great way to automatically generate different ip op effects variations to get a feel for the range of different visual styles a particular ip op effect can generate.
Note: You could also use the Watershed Sketch effect to build a set of bezier paths, which could then be painted in by a paint synthesizer preset. This approach allows for creating more interesting sketch paint effects for painting in the individual sketch lines.
First erase the existing bezier path frame prior to generating a set of new paths with an Ip Op (Path : Path layer Commands : Erase menu command).
Then choose Path : Generate Paths : from Ip Op menu command, followed by the Path : Paint Paths : Full Layer menu command (choose the paint preset you want to paint the paths with)
Here is a result of several passes of Painting the Paths Full Layer Command with different Paint Synthesizer Sketch Presets.
