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This tutorial is presented to you by Janine Smith who is also known as Landailyn on Twitter.

Work is a wonderful thing when you freelance or own your own business, no doubt about it! But sometimes things get so incredibly crazy that something has to give. This either means you have to let something that needs doing go, or you need a little help to get things done! That’s the wonderful thing about a support network of people you can count on. I’m a firm believer in helping friends out as I know very well that what goes around comes around and when it does come around, it doesn’t hurt to have a little credit on account!

Last week marked the end of an era when Bert Monroy announced that Pixel Perfect would be no more and that he needed to concentrate on his epic “Times Square” project. It was a sad day for those of us who follow Bert and who loved to learn from him each week. In honor of the last Pixel Perfect, and Bert, Firgs followed along with his tutorial on making a photo look like a drawing/painting – putting a bit of herself (or Figifying it) into in the process. When she posted it on Facebook, there were immediate calls for a tutorial! She thought that was a great idea, only this last week has been one of those overwhelming times for Firgs when something had to give! When I mentioned I was having an idea block and couldn’t think of anything to write for this weeks tutorial, she generously asked if I’d like to use her Bert inspired PSD file of her sketch to pick apart for a tutorial! I was very excited about that, because I could see possibilities for use on old family photos for display! And if you tune in to TipSquirrel.com, I’ll be going over that on Wednesday!

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Note from Firgs: Poor Janine. I just threw the PSD at her and ran out of town and I wasn’t available for questioning. Some friend I am! I just wanted everyone to know that I think she did a great job with this especially considering that I deserted her! She was so nice about it too! As for the photo used in my original PSD, I was unable to let Janine use it for her tutorial as although it is an image I shot, I do not have a model release for that particular photo. If anyone has any questions on my sketch and how it might differ from the tutorial, please feel free to contact me and ask! And Janine… I owe you one!! THANKS!

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I’m starting with an iStockphoto file, which is also this weeks free file (available here). I extended the actual size of the photo, first. Not necessary, but if you’d like to write a name or add any text, it might prove helpful. Simply put the photo on a larger canvas (or extend the existing canvas) and add a blank layer behind. Since the background of the photo, what there is of it, is very dark I filled the blank layer with black and blended the photo into it (feathering or a low opacity eraser tool would both work. Use your favorite method!)

The first thing you’ll want to do it to select the entire photo (Cmd or Ctrl +A) and save it as a pattern (Edit > Define Pattern). Now, duplicate the background (Cmd or Ctrl +J). Go to Filter > Stylize > Find Edges.

Still on that layer, go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate…

…and set the Layer Blend Mode to Multiply.

Now for some Firgification! Where Bert added a nice, simple canvas textured background, Firgs took it in another direction with a cool, paper texture green grunge background which can be found in her Grunge Background Pack available for download! Add the background texture layer in between your original background and background duplicate layers, as shown below.

Here’s another piece Firgs added that really adds to the look and feel of the finished piece! Duplicate the top layer. Go to Filter > Sketch > Reticulation. This filter gives a really great grainy look and also takes the feel from pencil sketch to charcoal. Play with the settings, remembering to keep the feel on the lighter side.

Bring the opacity of the Reticulation Filter layer down to around 80%. Leave the Layer Blend Mode set to Multiply.

Add a new, blank layer at the top of the layer stack. Select the Pattern Stamp Tool (The ‘rubber stamp’ tool, but the one with the little checkerboard pattern on the upper left…), and then select the pattern you  made at the beginning of this tutorial.

Choose a nice, soft brush, or a specialty brush to “paint” the pattern back in. Firgs found a wonderful set of watercolor brushes on Brusheezy.com, (made by McBadShoes) one of which I used to paint. You can download them or find a brush set you like to use!

Paint back in the major areas of the picture, like the face, and subtly in the nearest surrounding areas. I painted the face with the brush opacity at 100%, then made a new, blank layer and painted some of the surrounding areas with the brush at a lower opacity. Set the layer opacity (be sure to do this for all layers if you do more than one) to around 80% and the Layer Blend Mode to Hard Light.

If you’d like to add a name or text, DaFont.com is a wonderful resource for free fonts with tons to choose from! The particular font that Firgs choose to use is called Pencil Pete.

Thank you, Bert, for inspiring this project and thank you Firgs for taking it to another level!! You are both inspiring to those of us who love to learn new ways to use Photoshop!

Join me on TipSquirrel on Wednesday for a way to use these steps to make your old family photos into works of art you’ll be happy to display!