Artistic Effects Using Adobe Illustrator

How would like to be able to create a watercolor out of your photograph in less than 5 minutes? How about a pen and ink version in the same amount of time ? How could that be possible you say? Not artistic? Doesn't matter when you use artistic effects in the Adobe Illustrator software program.

With the invention of software programs like Adobe Illustrator CS2 , creating fine works of art from your photographs has never been easier than with the click of a button.

Since I am a also a traditional artist working in mediums such as watercolor and oils (the old fashioned way), Adobe has allowed me to do things that I would have never considered doing before. Those beautiful photographs that would once take days and hours to complete by hand can now be created at the blink of a click (well not quite that fast but much faster than the traditional way of painting)

Using the artistic effects filter in Adobe is one of the latest "mediums" I've added to my career- in fact it's revolutionized the way I look at art. Like I fondly say, it's not a replacement for traditional methods- it is simply another medium, and another tool to add to my arsenal.

To use the artistic effects in Adobe Illustrator you want to go into the toolbar and select filter. You will then get a drop down menu and you will select "artistic". You will then be given many different choices of what to do with your photograph. In the example of the sunset in this article, I have rendered the original photo in 5 different ways using the dry brush effect, the film grain effect, the fresco effect, a glowing edges rendition and also a neon glow effect.

The really great thing about using this filter is that you can take the photograph and make it look like it's been hand painted, then send it out for development just as you would any other picture, make a custom greeting card with it, blow it up and make into a poster, or even make wallpaper with it (no kidding) . The creative uses are endless.

So the next time you look at that photograph and wish it was done in watercolor instead...guess what? You can do it yourself. Put on your Rembrandt hat, pick up that mouse and open the artistic effects filter in the Adobe Illustrator program, and voila- a masterpiece is born!