Save the best for last, they say.
This resource file contains a single Macro category, but it’s a big one. This category is called Seth’s Specialized Looks, and it contains all of the macros for creating what might be termed “artistic filters.” The category contains 28 macros. The linked ZIP file contains the macros, a PDF with details about using them, and a video describing the most complicated one.
Click here to download:
Once you have un-zipped the downloaded file, you can import the macro category into Affinity Photo by (i) using the Import Macros… command in the dropdown menu of the Library panel; (ii) dragging the file from your disk over the main Affinity Photo window. The category, once imported, should appear in your Library panel.
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Here is a (very) brief overview of what you will find:
Seth’s Specialized Looks
Pencil Sketch Effect
This effect turns any photo into a “pencil sketch.” However, unlike other similar macros, this includes user options to vary the Pencil Width, Pencil Darkness, and the Whiteness of the background.
Colored Pencil Sketch Effect
This effect converts your photo into a “pencil sketch” with the addition of color. There is more filling-in of the background, and there are user options to vary the Darkness of the Shadows and of the Midtones.
Paint by Numbers
This effect converts your photo into a typical Paint by Numbers-like image. The image is posterized, and the individual color areas are outlined, as if to represent the areas to be painted. The user is given options to vary the Number of Colors, the Opacity of the Outlines, and the overall Brightness and Contrast of the result.
Graphic Novel
This effect is similar to the Paint by Numbers macro, but offers better control of the outlines. It gives a result similar to the images in a typical graphic novel, with the posterization and “grit” that these typically contain. There are user options to vary the number of colors, the Thickness and Smoothness of the outlines, and the overall Brightness and Contrast.
Cartoon Effect
Again similar to the Paint by Numbers and Graphic Novel effects, this macro creates a cartoon-like result. Your photo is converted to a posterized version with smooth, distinct areas of color and with outlines that are a bit less pronounced. User options are available to alter the Number of Colors, the amount of Edge Smoothing, and the Width, Darkness and Opacity of the various Outlines.
Black Paris Effect
The Black Paris effect is a specific one that lowers the luminance and saturation of all portions of your photo, with the exception of the Orange tones. It is quite striking, and can often be used effectively in architectural images, such as those of city streets.
Currency Effect v2
Simply put, this effect mimics the look of United States currency. It uses a gradient map with specific green tones and a linear halftone filter, and offers user options to set the Line Size and Angle, as well as the overall Brightness and Contrast.
Pastel Watercolor Effect
This lovely effect provides a watercolor effect for your image, along with some blurring to mimic the washed effect that these paintings offer. There are outlines of objects provided, with the ability to edit their Intensity. Additional user options allow for editing the intensity of colors, the amount of Pastel Blurring, and the overall Brightness and Contrast of the result.
Watercolor and Ink Simulation
Similar to the Pastel Watercolor macro, this creates a less stylized watercolor effect for your photo in which the subjects and background are better defined. The effect offers the ability to edit the intensity of the inked outlines, and the ability to edit the luminance and number of the colors in the end result.
Infrared
This effect gives a simulation of a photo shot with an infrared camera or filter. A red/blue channel swap is performed, and some modest desaturation and cooling of the image is also done. Layers (initially disabled) are added to (i) adjust the red tones; and (ii) add a soft glow, and can be enabled and edited if you like.
Soft Dreamy Light Effect
This effect adds blur and added luminance to your photo, to give a “dreamy” effect. There are options available to edit the Amount of Blur and the Darkness of the Shadows and Midtones. Additionally, an initially disabled Depth of Field Blur layer is added, which can be used to keep the subject sharper than the surrounding background, thereby adding to the overall “dreaminess.”
Orton Effect
This effect provides a simple but effective Orton Effect, typically used on landscapes to soften the resulting image. It is a very pleasing effect, when used in moderation. A user option is provided in the macro to edit the overall intensity of the effect.
Dragan Effect
This effect adds increased contrast and texture to photos, and is often used to create dramatic portraiture. It is particularly effective when attempting to maximize the grittiness of a portrait, such as when emphasizing the wizened and wrinkled look of the elderly. A user option allows you to set values for the Amount of Sharpening, the overall Luminance and Saturation of the image, and a separate setting to adjust the Saturation of the Red tones (which can be helpful when used in portrait editing).
Ansel Effect
This somewhat complicated macro produces a high contrast, black and white version of your photo, similar to the photos that Ansel Adams made famous.
Warm Color Enhance
While this effect may be more of a color grading technique, it is a nice way to add Warmth, Vibrance, Brightness and Contrast to your image. When used with an appropriate image, it can generate very pleasing results.
Dark Moody Effect
This effect, also similar to a color grade, produces a desaturated and more orange-dominant image. A vignette is added, and some desaturation of the blues and cyans is also used. The shadows are also darkened to heighten the moodiness of the result.
High Key Effect
This effect increases the overall lightness of your photo, while also desaturating it slightly and adding a bit of diffuse glow. A nice effect for baby pictures, but also for other applications as you may find helpful.
Technicolor
This is a color treatment which works similarly to the older technicolor technique of early color films. Manipulation of color channels is the primary culprit here, and a result similar to the color grading seen in those films (think of “The Wizard of Oz”) is provided.
Retro Halftone Effect
This effect provides a black and white, halftone version of the original image. Using multiple layers, the effect gives you the opportunity to change the black, white, and grey points, and to vary the degree of desaturation you might desire. Also provided is the ability to alter the size of the halftone dots in the effect.
Retro Film Effect
This effects creates a retro-styled image, with slight greenish-brown color cast, a red-cyan glitch, and fairly substantial film grain. User options are provided to edit the overall Brightness, Contrast, and Grain Intensity and Size.
Vintage Faded
This effect produces a vintage-style photo that includes film grain, desaturation, matted tonality, and a faded blue-yellow color grade. A soft vignette is also included. User options are available to tailor the Intensity and Size of the Grain, the strength of the Color Grade, and the Size, Shape, Feathering, and Opacity of the Vignette.
Vintage Blue Yellow
This effect give another vintage-style result with a blue-yellow color cast, a matted tonality, a vignette, and a Perlin Noise texture overlay. User options allow for editing the Strength of the Fade and of the Texture, as well as all aspects of the shape and size of the Vignette.
LOMO Simulation
This effect approximates one of the effects you might achieve with lomography. Multiple adjustments and filters are added, including adding a peripheral blur, a dark vignette, added contrast, and a color cast. The end result might be technically terrible, but gives a good approximation of shooting with an old Russian Lomo LC-A camera from the 1980’s. User options are available for adjusting the amount of noise and peripheral blur, as well as the size, shape, feathering, and strength of the vignette.
Add Film Grain - simple
Add Film Grain - by tonal range
Two macros are provided which add adjustable film grain to your photos. Both of these macros allow the user to set the Size and Intensity of the film grain to suit their photos. The second macro (that creates film grain by tonal range) adds the ability to set the Opacity of the grain differently for the highlights, midtones, and shadow portions of the photo. This latter capability allows for more refinement in the placement of the grain, which may suit many users.
Bleach Bypass Effect
This effect results in a colder, desaturated photo with more grit and grunge. Grain is added to add additional texture.
Reticulated Gradient Map
This effect provides a specific effect that adds diffuse, reticulated edges to a gradient map when applied to your photo. It is a highly stylized effect, and a more specific description is available through the PDF attached to the download.
Obama Hope Poster v2
This macro applies a gradient map to your image to convert it into an Obama Hope poster (popularized during his 2008 presidential campaign). Also included is a Curves layer that can be used to redistribute the colors as desired.
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But then, realizing that nothing I could do would diminish some of the very dark lines in my original image, I switched to "The Orton Effect." So I edited this post, removed the watercolor image, and replaced with this one.
