Apply Charcoal Drawing Effect using Photoshop

Before and After Charcoal Drawing effect using Photoshop.

In this tutorial I am going to show how you can apply charcoal drawing effect to your photos using photoshop.
Step 1: Open your image in photoshop (ctrl-o). I’ll be using this beautiful bride photo by papaleguas.

Open image.

Step 2: Add new layer (Shift+ctrl+N), let’s name this layer ‘paper’ and fill this layer with the desired color of your charcoal paper. Mine is #c5b88f

Fill layer with desired color of charcoal paper.

Step 3: Copy the background layer, place it on top of the stack of layers, then apply ‘glowing edges effect’ (filter > stylize > Glowing Edges Filter). Experiment with the sliders in the dialoque box to your taste.

Apply ‘glowing edges effect’.

Step 4: Now invert this layer (image > adjustments > invert) and make it b&w (image > adjustments > desaturate) to create black and white drawing

Create black and white drawing.

Step 5: Set the blending mode of that drawing layer to multiply. Here’s what you should come up to..

Set the blending mode.

Step 6: Copy your background layer, desaturate it (image > adjustments > desaturate) and place it on the top of your layer stack, and add some noise to this layer. (filter > noise > add noise > monochromatic & gaussian). Set the opacity to 75%

Add some noise and Set the opacity to 75%.

Step 7: Add a layer mask on that layer (layer > layer masks > hide all), select the charcoal large smear brush and paint with white on the mask to reveal the charcoal specks.

Select charcoal large smear brush and paint with white.

Step 8: Select the layer mask, and apply motion blur (filter > blur > motion blur). Still on the same layer mask, apply crosshatch brush strokes (filter > brush strokes > crosshatch)

Apply crosshatch brush strokes.

Step 9: Select the paper layer, and fill it with pattern (new fill layer > pattern). You can choose any pattern you like. I just chose the charcoal flecks pattern. Then change the layer blending mode to multiply

Change the layer blending mode to multiply.

Step 10: Copy your color layer, and place it on top of the stack of layers, change the layer blend mode to ‘color’ and from here you can add a curve adjustment layer to increase the contrast, play with the color balance and so on.. Here’s my final result:

Add a curve adjustment layer to increase the contrast.

Any design and graphics help please visit Clippingimages.com.

-Credits: DPHOTOJOURNAL