Topaz

Be the Artist

Quick Start GuideImpression

AboutTopaz Impression

Topaz Impression is designed to effortlesslytransform your photo into a variety ofdifferent art styles and media types. With afew clicks you can create anything from animpressionistic oil painting to a realisticchiaroscuro.

Impression differs from our other art plugin,Topaz Simplify, in that both use a differenttechnology. While Impression has thecapability to create realistic and uniquephoto effects, Simplify tends to produceflatter, more graphical results. You mayshow your friend something you created inImpression and they might actually believethat you painted it (true story). 

Here at Topaz we've been using a variety ofmediums to create brush strokes and sketchlines (paints, pastels, crayons, colored pencils)on different substrates (watercolor paper,canvas, rock, brick, etc.). These have beenscanned, masked out using Topaz ReMaskand placed into the program's algorithm,providing even more options for creativeopportunities. 

Topaz Impression is designed to turn yourphotos into realistic works of art. 

Photo or painting? You be the judge.By forum user Tennie

Oil brush strokes drying.

Scanned strokes of different media.

Topaz Impression works as both a standalone editor and plugin. This means a compatible host editor is not required to use Topaz Impression, although you may access it as a plugin in a few compatible host editors.

System RequirementsMac OS X 10.8 or higherWindows 7 x64 + OpenGL3.2 (does not support 32bit Windows)

For additional information on OpenGL and your computer’s graphics card, please see pages 7-8 of our user manual.

Download Instructions

• To download Impression please visit topazlabs.com/downloads. • Locate Topaz Impression and click on the appropriate Mac or Windows button beneath that

product to start your download.• The download should start automatically, however if prompted, select ‘Save’.• The downloaded installer will then be located in your Downloads folder or desktop as an .exe

file (Windows) or a .dmg file (Mac).

The program will then install as a standalone editor to:Mac: Applications folder Win: C:\Program Files\Topaz Labs\Topaz Impression

Plugin CompatibilityImpression can be accessed as a plugin in:

• Photoshop CS4+• Photoshop Creative Cloud• Photoshop Elements 6+• Paintshop Pro X• Serif PhotoPlus X5+• Lightroom as an external editor• Aperture as an external editor• iPhoto as an external editor• NOT compatible with Fusion Express or PhotoFXlab

For installation instructions, please see pages 3-9 of our user manual.

Mac dmg Windows exe

Tech Specs

How to Use

Upon first entering Topaz Impression, you’ll see a screen containing presets inspired by art history and different art styles. This is a good starting point for creating your work of art.

Navigate between different collections of effects.

Should you want to customize the preset or make your own, you must navigate to the selective param-eters screen. These sliders are the backbone of the program (and how the presets were created).

The first way to get to selective parameters is to click on the actual preset. You’ll then see the selective parameters icon appear. Click on it to navigate to the selective parameters screen.

Another way is to click on the icon in the top right corner.

To return back to the presets, click on the icon.

To reset all parameters, click on the reset icon in the top right corner.

To create a new preset within the parameters, click on this icon.

Presets & Collections

Deletes preset

How to Use

Topaz Impression contains a variety of sliders and options that are fairly simple to use. By mixing andmatching sliders, you'll be able to create masterpieces in no time! Here is a definition of the function behindeach selective parameter. 

Selective ParametersYou'll be amazed at what you can create....

S T R O K EBrush Type: Choose between severaldifferent styles of wet and dry brushes. Brush Size: Determines the size of thebrush stroke.

Spill: Determines how clear the edge of thestroke is applied. Paint Opacity: Determines how transparentthe paint or other media is.

Brush Size reduced Brush Size increased Paint Opacity reduced Paint Opacity increased

Paint Volume: Determines the thickness ofthe selected medium. Increase this settingfor an impasto-like look, a technique thatinvolves a thick application of paint.

Paint Volume increased

Coverage: 0.24

Stroke Width: Determines how wide themedia strokes are.

Stroke Width reduced Stroke Width increased

Stroke Length reduced Stroke Length increased

Coverage: Determines how far the mediumis spread across the surface. Whendecreased, the edges of the background willstart to show.

Smudge: Blurs and smooths the edges of theimage. Use for a dreamy look.

Stroke Length: Determines how long themedia strokes are.

Impasto-like style of painting

Smudge: 0 Smudge: 1

Coverage: 0.07

Coverage Transition: Determines theharshness of the coverage.

Coverage: 0.35, Transition: 0.15 Coverage: 0, Transition: 1

Overall saturation: 0 Altered overall hue

C O L O ROverall Hue: Allows you to alter the overallcolor of the hues in your image. Overall Saturation: Allows you to adjust theoverall intensity of the colors in your image.Overall Lightness: Determines how bright ordark the colors are in the image.

Hue altered in orange & blue Lightness decreased in blue

Tip: Hover over an individual color tosee where it appears in your image.

Individual HSL adjustmentsSelect an individual color to adjust the hue,saturation and lighting specifically within thatcolor.

L I G H T I N GBrightness: Determines how bright or darkthe effect is. Does not affect the background.Contrast: Determines the separationbetween the darkest and brightest areas ofthe image.Vignette: Controls the darkening of theimage corners as compared to the center.Use a vignette to draw eyes towards thecenter of the image and away from theedges. Vignette Transition: Determines thehardness of the vignette.

Vignette 0.35, Transition: 0 Vignette 0.35, Transition: 0.18

Light Direction: Works specifically withPaint Volume and Texture to alter the waylight hits the canvas. Light can be adjustedhorizontally (x-axis) and vertically (y-axis).Note: you must increase the TextureStrength slider for this option to appear.

x: 1.00, y: 1.00 x: -0.37, y: -0.29

T E X T U R EStrength: Determines the strength of thetexture. Size: Determines the scale of the texturefrom small to large.

Rough gesso texture Cave texture

Background: Allows you to choose abackground color other than the defaultwhite.

Different background color options

VII

Tip: To reveal more background, tryadjusting the Coverage, Strength,Stroke Width, Stroke Length andHardness sliders.

T E X T U R E T Y P E S

Angled WeaveAsphalt Damaged, Rough SmoothBrick New, WeatheredCanvas I-VICardboardConcrete Mixed, Painted, Rough, SmoothCracked SurfaceFabric ThinGrass Full, PatchyLeather I-IIMarble I-IIMetal Clean, Holes, Leaf, Sheet, Shingle, TreadPaper I-XIIPlaster I-IIIPorcelainQuiltRock Granite, Marble, Mixed Stone, Roughh I-II,Stones I-IIRustSoil I-IIStone PavementTight WeaveTile I-IIITree BarkWood Grain I-II, Particle, Plank I-III

Porcelain Metal Shingles

Asphalt DamagedBrick

Tutorial

Impressionism is a style of painting that was formed in 1874 in Paris by a group of painters who were rejectedfrom the art establishment and decided to start their own exhibition. Impressionism is defined by an unfinished,sketch-like appearance with rapidly applied brush strokes. Another characteristic is the subject matter -landscapes and scenes from daily life are common subjects found in impressionistic paintings. Rather thansitting in a studio, painters like Monet, Renoir and Degas painted en plein air. They had to paint quicklyoutdoors, hence the need to capture quick impressions of any given scene. 

Create an Impressionistic PaintingTurn your image into a masterpiece

1. To start, open up a landscape or nature photo.

2. Choose the 1st brush under Brush.

3. Navigate to the Lighting panel. Impressioniststypically did not use black paint, so decrease theContrast slider. Increase the Saturation sliderfor more vibrant colors.

4. Navigate to the stroke panel as we'll now beworking with the shape and size of our brushstrokes.

6. Impasto is a technique where paint is laid onthickly to the canvas - this style was commonlyfound in impressionistic paintings. Increase thePaint Volume slider to convey this style.

7. Impressionist painters painted with a varietyof brush strokes from long applications to shortdabs. Adjust the Stroke Width and StrokeLength sliders to create a brush stroke that fitswith your mood and the subject you havechosen.

8. Increase the Brightness under Lighting.Since Impressionists painted outdoors, muchwhite pigment was used in their paintingsto depict the natural outdoors.

9. You may also choose to work withindividual colors in the image, such as thegreens and blues, adjusting the saturation,hue and lightness. Simply select the coloryou wish to work with and adjust the Hue,Saturation & Lightness slidersunderneath as desired.

10. We will not be making any textureadjustments. Since the paint has been laidon thickly, there will not be any texturecoming through on our painting.

11. Once finished making adjustments,save your preset for future application ifyou desire. Name the preset somethingmemorable, like "Sun-drenched Meadow"or "Misty Day".

Final Masterpiece:

5. Impressionist paintings usually have anopaque surface, so increase the Paint Opacityslider to make the brush strokes more apparent.

Examples

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Examples

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