In this 1-hour tutorial I will show you how to take a photo and turn it into a faux oil painting, in the style of Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It TV poster. You’ll learn selection techniques, how to use quick masks, how to add or change colors in your photos, how to do some basic compositing and how to paint in Photoshop. From the oil paint filter to using mix brushes, this is a pretty packed hour of Photoshop learning!

Download assets for this tutorial here.

Click here you want to skip straight to the painting aspect of the tutorial.

This is not a beginner tutorial. If you’re just starting with Photoshop, some of the techniques here may go by too fast. In that case, I’ve linked to some tutorials I suggest you check out before this one.

Wacom tablet I use: https://www.amazon.com/Wacom-Digital-Graphic-Drawing-PTH660/dp/B01MQU5LW7?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_2530755011I use the medium size. The small is too small and the large gets tiring as you have to move your arm around quite a bit to cover the entire canvas. I’ve used all three. Invest in the medium. It’s the most comfortable and the easiest transition from using a mouse.

For a cheaper option, go with this: https://www.amazon.com/Wacom-Wireless-Software-Included-CTL4100WLK0/dp/B079J2FSQ7?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_2530755011

Note: The audio has a bit of distortion. I tried to fix it up as best I could!

For more training on turning photos into paintings, check out my premium course here.