by Mario Perez

Created on: June 30, 2008   Last Updated: May 12, 2012

It had to happen eventually. Computers would find a way to enter the realm of the old-fashioned artist, the one who still uses brushes and paint to generate their artistic creations.

As an artist, primarily in watercolors, I did not want to swap my paintbrush for a mouse, my blank paper for a blank screen. While keeping the purity of my creative process, I have through the years become somewhat familiar with the capabilities of Adobe's Photoshop and have discovered ways in which Photoshop can enhance my artistic talents and therefore my results.

Since I paint almost all of my subjects from photographs, I started to enhance my photos in Photoshop before I sat down to paint. I take my subject matter photo and scan it into my computer. Once scanned, I open the photo in Photoshop and, proceed to enhance it. I can, at this point, enhance the contrast, brightness, color hue, saturation, lightness, color balance and sharpness of the photo.

All of the qualities listed above (except for the sharpness) can be altered by clicking IMAGE in the tool bar. Click then on ADJUST and in the drop-down window you can select individually what qualities you wish to enhance. The sharpness can be altered by clicking FILTER in the tool bar and then SHARPEN. Once I complete the enhancing phase, I print the photo and am ready for painting.

Another great way in which Photoshop has been helpful has been in determining the tonal values in my subject photo. It is not easy (at least for me) to compare, for example, a blue object and a red object, and determine how the tones of the two colors compare to each other (which one is lighter or darker).

Again, Photoshop rises to the rescue. I Open the photo in Photoshop and, click on IMAGE and then MODE and then GRAYSCALE. Click OK when the window asks you if you want to disregard color information. As a result of this, Photoshop transforms your photo into, basically, a black and white photo, with a full range of grays.

Armed with this grayscale photo and enhanced color photo of the subject, I am able to relate each of the colors in my painting to each other.

I have also used Photoshop to create a subject photograph for painting from two photographs. This is going to require more explanation. Doing this may or may not be possible every time. It is also going to require a bit more of know-how of Photoshop, perspective and scaling of subject. To expand, let me explain the dilemma I found myself in and how I used Photoshop to resolve it.

I paint a

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