In this tutorial, we’ll walk through the process of using Affinity Photo’s Paint Mixer Brush to turn a photo into a hand-painted texture. This is great for artists or designers who want to give their photos a painterly, textured look without using a traditional painting tool.
Step 1: Set up the project
1. Launch Affinity Photo and open the image you want to transform into a hand-painted texture. I am using a tileable texture map I made in a previous tutorial. The link is in the description.
2. Duplicate the Photo Layer by using CTRL +J to keep the original intact. Hide the original layer.
3. Make sure you have your final resolution set for this layer because we need to Rasterize it.
4. Right-click on the Layer and choose ‘Rasterize’.
Step 2: Set Up the Paint Mixer Brush
The Paint Mixer Brush is a powerful tool that simulates traditional brush techniques and allows you to blend paint and create textures in a more realistic manner. Here’s how to set it up:
1. In the toolbar on the left side of the screen, select the Paint Mixer Brush.
2. the Brushes Panel, click the drop-down and choose a brush that mimics a natural media look. You can use a soft round brush or any texture brush you prefer.
3. Set the flow to a medium level (around 30–50%). This controls how much “paint” is applied as you brush.
Step 3: Start Painting
Now, let’s get creative and start using the Paint Mixer Brush to apply a hand-painted effect.
1. Adjust the brush size based on the area you’re painting. This can be done quickly by using the right and left bracket keys. Larger areas require larger brushes, while smaller details need smaller brushes.
2. Start painting over your photo. The brush will pull colors from the photo and blend them as you paint. You can use different strokes and apply more paint in some areas and less in others to mimic a hand-painted texture.
o For light stroke, use light, quick strokes to build up texture slowly.
o For heavy strokes where you want more intense paint, apply more pressure or larger strokes.
You can also use the ‘Clean Brush’ button to clear out any color you have from various sections you have already painted. Think of this as washing a real-world brush in some water to clean it off.
Remember that painting is about experimentation, so feel free to make random strokes to see how the texture evolves.
Conclusion
Using the Paint Mixer Brush in Affinity Photo is an excellent way to create realistic, hand-painted textures from your photos. With the right adjustments to brush settings, layer management, and post-painting effects, you can transform your photographs into beautiful, artistic pieces.