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Watercolor Artist Action Set from Adobe Create Magazine?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
November 20, 2020
7 replies
47353 views

Does this work for anyone with Adobe Photoshop 2021? It would be an amazing action set to have, but it just errors out saying "Could not rasterize because the selected pattern is not available." and that a bunch of the actions just don't work or aren't available.

This would be so cute and useful... if it ever worked. THe original article outlining the steps of how to use it is here Transform Photos into Watercolors with a Free Photoshop Action.

EDITED BY MOD: Deleted dead hyperlink.

Correct answer Nu1

Hi, Im running Photoshop 25.5 and the action is still not running smoothly. can you confirm the action is able to run on this version_

Hi! Just wanted to point out that the links in the official Adobe Discover page are now working with and updated version of Watercolor Artist (update late March 2024, tested on PS 25).

You can delete the previous version and use just this one.

Here is the link:

https://creativecloud.adobe.com/cc/discover/article/transform-photos-into-watercolors-with-a-free-photoshop-action?locale=en

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WaltB01

Participant

FYI, I have tested BOTH the CS6 version and the PS 2022 version of the Watercolor Artist action set within Photoshop Elements 2023 and to my surprise they both work just fine with two minor stoppages that one can click through:
1. Box Blur is missing
2. Command "Set" cannot be found.
Just remember that you must install 3 separate components before running the two scripts (Setup; Watercolor Artist): Select the Pattern Brush and use the brush menu to load the Watercolor Patterns (navigate to your saved location). Select the Brush tool, open using the Brush menu (hidden near the brush) and load the Watercolor Brush set (navigate to your saved location). Finally, open the Actions Panel and use the menu to load the Watercolor Action (navigate to your saved location). I highly recommend images that are 4800px X 6000px (16"x20" output) for best looking results. Now that you have your ~50 layers of transformations go through each and every layer to hide/display/modify. I feel many of his settings and effects are inappropriate and need to be removed/added/adjusted.

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WaltB01

Participant

All of my work is created using this action set but I do use CS6. In my zoomable galleries section you can pan, zoom and soak up every little pencil sketch, brush stroke and paint splattter (on simulated paper texture as it will appear in final print)! Be sure to use the accompanying toolbar to enable FULL SCREEN mode for a truly immersive experience.

[website removed by moderator]

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WaltB01

Participant

I see the moderator removed the link to my website which shows many examples of the application of this Watercolor Artist script. Simply do an internet search for the term: Lakeshore Digital Art.

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That Girl There

Known Participant

I have CS5 and the action would crash on it. So I finally subscribed and the action still doesn't work.

I'm saddened by this.

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laurelinr57839868

Participant

I was able to edit this action to make it work for Photoshop 2022. I have attached two screenshots. There is a step in the action that says "Select and Mask" (screenshot shows surrounding steps so you can find it - it's fairly close to the end of the action). Double click on it to edit that step. For Refine Mode select "Object Aware" instead of "Color Aware." Click OK. So far it's working fine for me now. I love using this action. Glad to have it working again.

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ashley.schneider10

Participant

Thank you for your fix! It worked for me also. The only difference is that the "Select and Mask" option was almost at the top of the list instead of near the bottom where yours was. So strange. And I found exactly where yours was but it wasn't there for me. For some reason it was somewhere else. Hopefully it continues to work!

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laurelinr57839868

Participant

So glad it's working for you. It's still working fine for me also. I'm guessing we might have different versions somehow which is why the step is in a different place? In any case, I'm glad this helped.

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Donald24092948z4jt

Participant

I have a Mac Studio with the latest version of the OS. Parts of the action work, but most do not. This actions looks like it could produce some good results, but as it is, it is worthless.

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Michele2275563297lu

Participant

I'm having the same issue - so many of the commands can't be found so it creates a dark artistic image - really disappointed as I think it would look amazing!

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Cader

Participant

I tried the Watercolour action for the first time and it worked perfectly. The second time when I click on "Setup" I get an error message "The command Select is not currently available" I then click continue and it creates the focus mask as in the instructions. I then click the Watercolour Artist link and it starts to process the image but then stops after a few seconds with a message "Could not rasterize because selected panel is not available. I am new to photoshop and have read through the insructions but cannot find what the problem is. Any help would be apreciated

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Cader

Participant

I finally found out the problem by looking at the video tutorial. I had reinstalled the actions but hadn't added the brushes and patterns so that is where the problem was. The only issue now is after the watercolour process is complete it looks as if it is causing my PC to buffer. I have just upgraded to a high spec PC so it cant be a hardware issue surely

Kukurykus

Legend

Please link us to that video tutorial.

JJMack

Community Expert

The Second Action hangs for many users when player in 22.0 and 22.0.1 in one of the Actions invert step. You can break out it the hang using ESC key. There seem to be some issue in Photoshop version 2021 with that Action.

JJMack

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richardb89536042

Participant

I have not been able to have it finish a run when using PS 2021. The ESC key does not break it out of the hang. I must force quit PS.

broacher

Inspiring

I've messaged the author of the actions, Nuwan Panditha (Milan), and I will report back once I get his reply. I'm running 22.2.0 and the same thing happens to me: hangs in the second action, at 'Back Filling' step. Pressing ESC multiple times did manage to break the loop, however.

TeireAuthor

Participant

OMG folks. Okay. SO OF COURSE, as soon as I posted this, I discovered the steps for Adobe Photoshop 2020:

https://creativecloud.adobe.com/discover/article/transform-photos-into-watercolors-with-a-free-photoshop-action?trackingid=3SH1B79Y&mv=email&locale=en

So. I installed as per this documentation on Adobe Photoshop 2021, used a 3000 pixel image, and it took a good 5 mins on my laptop, in order to complete, but this Action Set works. And I quite seriously got the shakes somewhere in the middle there -- not gonna lie -- because it works so well. The output, given a photo with good dark and light values, is ridiculously beautiful.

Charles Purdy, wherever you are: Thank you!

EDITED BY MOD: Removed dead hyperlinks.