Step 1 - Start with a Good Photo

Your original photograph doesn't have to be perfect. If it captures a scene or an expression that you love, you're all set to go. If it needs some improvements, you can tweak it with the help of a free online photo editor.

I uploaded this shot of my grandson CJ to the Aviary photo editor at FreeOnlinePhotoEditor.com. Using their easy free tools, I cropped the shot, enhanced it with their preset button, and increased the sharpness and color saturation a bit.

Those last steps brought out a little rash under CJ's nose. I used the blemish tool to get rid of that. Then, I used the focus tool to fade out everything but CJ's face.

The little bits of bright areas in the background bushes were distracting, so I brushed them out with with the drawing tool.

After that, it was just a matter of saving the enhanced photo and downloading it to my computer, with a new name, so that it didn't replace the original shot.

Click to learn how easy it is to edit and enhance any of your photos at FreeOnlinePhotoEditor.com

Of course, if your original photo is perfect, you can skip this first step entirely.

Step 2 - Add Oil Painting Effects

Picture2Life.com is a free, web-based photo editor that offers special effects that you can apply to any of your digital photos.

I uploaded the enhanced photo and chose the "Fun Stuff" selection on Picture2Life. Scrolling down, I found and clicked on the "Oil Paint" tool. Then, using the #3 brush size, I applied the effect four or five times. Each time that I applied the oil paint effect, the photo looked more and more like a painting.

You'll have to experiment a bit with your photo. Try different brush sizes and apply the oil paint effect any number of times. Don't worry about ruining your project. Picture2Life's "Undo" arrow can take you back as many steps as you like.

You can save and download your creation whenever you want. I was happy with how CJs photo looked, above, so I stopped and saved it.

Click here to learn how to use Picture2Life's free online photo effects editor

Step 3 - Touch Up The Photo Painting

So, my new "painting" looked pretty good, but it wasn't perfect. The oil paint effect blurred the details enough that the sparkle in CJ's eyes was lost.

Fortunately, replacing it was an easy fix. I uploaded the photo painting back to FreeOnlinePhotoEditor.com and used their drawing tool to add small spots of light on CJ's eyes and lower lip. I used their eraser tool to smudge the spots a bit to make them look painted-on. As before, I saved it and downloaded it to my computer.

Look carefully at your photo painting. Compare it to your original shot. A few quick touch-ups can go a long way to making a great finished picture.

Step 4 -  Print and Frame Your Masterpiece

All right, it's not a Van Gogh. But, I made a nice-enough picture, from a point-and-shoot snapshot, in well less than an hour and with no messy paint and brushes to clean up. CJ's grandma liked it enough to ask for another one of CJ's little-brother. How many repeat customers did Van Gogh get?

I printed the final photo painting with my HP Photosmart on matte photo paper from Staples and it came out well. Then, I tried Fredrix Desktop Inkjet Canvas from the art store and it came out even better. That was after I experimented a bit and intensified the colors on the printer's controls.

You'll have to experiment when you print your photo painting too. Every printer is different.

A store-bought mat or frame will add the finishing touch. 

Best of luck with yours. Let me know how it comes out.

Don Berg, Today's Plans, don@todaysplans.net