1. Posterization

Edit > Tonal Correction > Posterization:

can be used to simply color palettes; maybe worth experimenting with using it with gradient maps to alter colors.

2. Gradient Mapping

Edit > Tonal Correction > Gradient Map:

can be used to apply/change the color of an image by value. I like to use them to add hue shifts to my shading if the value changes look too flat but theres definitely room for a lot more applications.

3. Artistic

Filter > Effect > Artistic:

similar to the posterization tool, can also be used to fake lineart. I only use it on free-to-use images i use in the background of sketches.

4. Mosaic

Filter > Effect > Mosaic:

“pixelizes” the image (does not actually make pixel art for you). Can be used at 100 strength to create color clouds/color palettes from an image (bright colors will probably get smudged)

5. Distort Wave

Filter > Distort > Wave:

Shape: Rectangle

• Number of waves 20, amplitude maximum 50, Horizontal and Vertical ratio 50, all other values 0 or 1: can be used as an overlay to create a nice “canvas” texture


• Number of waves 20, wavelength (min and max) 20, amplitude (min and max) 20, horizontal and vertical ratio 100: creates a “block puzzle” pattern from the image, ratio values determine how far each square will be from their source position. Can be overlaid as a fun glitch texture. Wavelength and amplitude values may need to be changed depending on the size of the image.


• Mismatching the wavelength and amplitude values can still result in some fun glitch textures

Shape: Sine/Triangle

• number of waves 20, amplitude min and max 20, Horizontal and Vertical ratio 50, all other values 0 or 1: A decent bumpy glass texture

6. Perlin Noise

Filter > Render > Perlin Noise:

• Generates a texture from black and white; amplitude determines the contrast of the values, attenuation determines the fidelity/resolution


• Low scale, high amplitude, high attenuation creates a nice paper texture


• 75~ scale, 1.0 amplitude, 0.5 attenuation creates a “cloudy” paper texture

7. Sharpen and Sharpen More

Filter > Sharpen:

can actually help your lineart seem a bit cleaner/crisper (best to apply to isolated lineart layer)

8. Extract Edges

Layer Property > Effects > Extract Edges:

another way to edit lineart or emulate watercolor edges. I recommend removing the directions of detection to just 2 directions

9. Tone

Layer Property > Effects > Tone:

used to render screentones. I usually duplicate the original source layer and overlay it over the tone layer to keep the colors