From SketchUp to Digital Watercolor

In this tutorial I will be covering the basics of SketchUp to FotoSketcher (a free filter software)
and some Photoshop post processing to create a really nice digital watercolour painting.

Adjust Camera & Scene (SketchUp)

With your model textured to your liking in SketchUp, adjust the camera to Two Point
Perspective (Camera>Two Point Perspective) and when happy with the view save it as a Scene (
View>Animation>Add Scene then click Create Scene).

Two Point Perspective Scene

Image Exports (SketchUp)
Image 1 Select the Tech Pen Endpoints Style (Window>Styles and choose from Style Builder
Competition Winners collection). Set the Extension to 9 by going to the Edit tab in the Styles
dialogue box and adjusting the Extension value accordingly. Next export the Scene as a JPG
(6239 x 3000 pixels) by going to Export>2D Graphic.

Set Style and Export JPG 1

Image 2 Select the Simple Style from the Default Styles collection. We dont want lines
showing so make sure the Edges are turned off under Edit tab). Select Shaded with Textures
(View>Face Styles>Shaded with Textures),with Shadows and Sky background on.

Set Style and Export JPG 2

Photoshop Editing
Open your images in Photoshop and name your Line Export image Line and the other image
Shaded with Texture. With the Line Layer lined up on top of the textured Layer set the
blending mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 70%. Leave the textured Layer underneath set to
Normal.

Layer Setup
Curves and Color Balance Adjust the Curves and Color Balance as needed. These were my
settings for these images.

Curves & Color Balance

Flatten and Save your image.
FotoSketcher
In FotoSketcher open your image (Ctrl+O) and use the Painting 5 watercolor filter with the
following settings:
Strength of effect 200, Image simplification 10, Color intensity 41, Darken/Lighten 129,
Brushstrokes intensity 106. All other fields are left unticked.

Settings
Result so far after applying filter.

Result so Far
Photoshop Post Production
Open your image in Photoshop for further post processing. Go to Image > Adjustments >
Equalize.

Equalize
Next go to Image>Adjustments>Curves. I used the settings in the image below for this image.

Curves
Create a new Layer. We are going to paint on this Layer. Use the color as shown in the settings
below.

First Brush & Color

This is the settings for the second Soft Brush and color.

Second Brush & Color

With these colors applied and the Opacity of this layer set to 45%, it creates a slight color wash
effect.

Color Wash Effect

Flatten your image and Duplicate your Layer.

Duplicate Layer
Next go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and apply a Radius value of 18,6 pixels to the duplicated
Layer on top.

Gaussian Blur
Now set blending mode of the top Layer to Overlay with an Opacity of 35% and Flatten your
image.

Set Blending Mode & Opacity

Thats it..job done!

Final Image
Thanks for reading and I hope you can apply this technique or at least get a few tips from it to
help in your own works of art.
Nguyn Ngc Phc
Some more of Nguyn Ngc Phcs work :

Older Street

SketchUp Paper Style