You see something beautiful that gives you creative jitters? But you have left hands when it comes to artistic skills? Then there is hope thanks to the iOS and Android app Aquarella. Transform a photo quickly into a convincing (digital…) watercolor.
Not everyone can draw and paint, that is really – literally – an art in itself. But if you do not have that fine brush feeling in your fingers, and even if you do not have family ties with someone like a Van Gogh or Rembrandt, then you no longer have to worry about it in 2020. Thanks to modern devices such as smartphones and tablets, you can still create beautiful works of art. You just have to take a picture. And then the app goes Aquarella (as you can see, the maker has many more artistic apps ready) for you to start converting a photo into a very convincing digital watercolor work.
The operation is simple. Launch the app and open a photo from your camera roll. Aquarella instantly renders a preview. If you like it, you’re done. However: be sure to check the many customization options first. To start, tap the star button below the image. You can now choose from a series of techniques on a scrollable strip. Choose (of course) the preset that produces the best result. Via the button in the form of a “bullet list” you can fine-tune the preset even more if desired. You can choose a paper type via the button with the brush, the best fit depends on the subject on the screen and the chosen technique.
The last button Bloom Style also gives a different end result; by default it is on Inverse, so check if Normal may look even more beautiful. All these presets are of course also a matter of taste! You can always view the original photo as a reference via the button at the top left of the screen.
Also keep in mind that it is mainly photos with “big” details that work best. A landscape, a flower up close, a portrait, things like that. If you are satisfied with your creation, you can save it on the film roll of your device. Not? If you really can’t get it out, tap the dice button at the top right of the screen and you will be treated to a random setting: let yourself be surprised!
To export the digital watercolor as an image, tap the button with the house (below the image). Then tap Save and the image is on the Camera Roll. The Share button not only allows you to share images via, for example, email, but also (and that is a bit illogical) save custom presets as new presets. So that you know.
