Be the Artist

Topaz
Impression
Quick Start Guide
 About
Topaz Impression
Topaz Impression is designed to turn your
photos into realistic works of art.
Topaz Impression is designed to effortlessly Here at Topaz we've been using a variety of
transform your photo into a variety of mediums to create brush strokes and sketch
different art styles and media types. With a lines (paints, pastels, crayons, colored pencils)
few clicks you can create anything from an on different substrates (watercolor paper,
impressionistic oil painting to a realistic canvas, rock, brick, etc.). These have been
chiaroscuro. scanned, masked out using Topaz ReMask
and placed into the program's algorithm,
Impression differs from our other art plugin, providing even more options for creative
Topaz Simplify, in that both use a different opportunities.
technology. While Impression has the
capability to create realistic and unique
photo effects, Simplify tends to produce
flatter, more graphical results. You may
show your friend something you created in
Impression and they might actually believe
Scanned strokes of different media.
that you painted it (true story).

Photo or painting? You be the judge. Oil brush strokes drying.

By forum user Tennie
 Tech Specs
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 Requirements
Mac OS X 10.8 or higher
Windows 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).

Mac dmg Windows exe

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

Plugin Compatibility
Impression 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.
 How to Use
Presets & Collections
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.

Deletes
preset

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.

 How to Use

Selective Parameters
You'll be amazed at what you can create....
Topaz Impression contains a variety of sliders and options that are fairly simple to use. By mixing and
matching sliders, you'll be able to create masterpieces in no time! Here is a definition of the function behind
each selective parameter.

STROKE
Spill: Determines how clear the edge of the
Brush Type: Choose between several
stroke is applied.
different styles of wet and dry brushes.
Paint Opacity: Determines how transparent
Brush Size: Determines the size of the
the paint or other media is.
brush stroke.

Brush Size reduced Brush Size increased Paint Opacity reduced Paint Opacity increased
Stroke Width: Determines how wide the Smudge: Blurs and smooths the edges of the
media strokes are. image. Use for a dreamy look.

Stroke Width reduced Stroke Width increased

Smudge: 0 Smudge: 1
Stroke Length: Determines how long the
Coverage: Determines how far the medium
media strokes are.
is spread across the surface. When
decreased, the edges of the background will
start to show.

Stroke Length reduced Stroke Length increased

Paint Volume: Determines the thickness of

the selected medium. Increase this setting Coverage: 0.24 Coverage: 0.07

for an impasto-like look, a technique that

Coverage Transition: Determines the
involves a thick application of paint.
harshness of the coverage.

Paint Volume increased Impasto-like style of painting Coverage: 0.35, Transition: 0.15 Coverage: 0, Transition: 1
COLOR LIGHTING
Overall Hue: Allows you to alter the overall Brightness: Determines how bright or dark
color of the hues in your image. the effect is. Does not affect the background.
Overall Saturation: Allows you to adjust the Contrast: Determines the separation
overall intensity of the colors in your image. between the darkest and brightest areas of
Overall Lightness: Determines how bright or the image.
dark the colors are in the image. Vignette: Controls the darkening of the
image corners as compared to the center.
Use a vignette to draw eyes towards the
center of the image and away from the
edges.
Vignette Transition: Determines the
hardness of the vignette.

Overall saturation: 0 Altered overall hue

Individual HSL adjustments

Select an individual color to adjust the hue, Vignette 0.35, Transition: 0 Vignette 0.35, Transition: 0.18
saturation and lighting specifically within that
color. Light Direction: Works specifically with
Paint Volume and Texture to alter the way
light hits the canvas. Light can be adjusted
horizontally (x-axis) and vertically (y-axis).
Note: you must increase the Texture
Strength slider for this option to appear.

Hue altered in orange & blue Lightness decreased in blue

Tip: Hover over an individual color to

see where it appears in your image.

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

TEXTURE TEXTURE TYPES
Strength: Determines the strength of the
texture. Angled Weave
Size: Determines the scale of the texture Asphalt Damaged, Rough Smooth
from small to large. Brick New, Weathered
Canvas I-VI
Cardboard
Concrete Mixed, Painted, Rough, Smooth
Cracked Surface
Fabric Thin
Grass Full, Patchy
Leather I-II
Marble I-II
Metal Clean, Holes, Leaf, Sheet, Shingle, Tread
Paper I-XII
Plaster I-III
Rough gesso texture Cave texture Porcelain
Quilt
Background: Allows you to choose a
Rock Granite, Marble, Mixed Stone, Roughh I-II,
background color other than the default
Stones I-II
white.
Rust
Soil I-II
Stone Pavement
Tight Weave
Tile I-III
Tree Bark
Wood Grain I-II, Particle, Plank I-III
VII

Different background color options

Porcelain Metal Shingles

Tip: To reveal more background, try

adjusting the Coverage, Strength,
Stroke Width, Stroke Length and
Hardness sliders. Brick Asphalt Damaged
 Tutorial

Create an Impressionistic Painting

Turn your image into a masterpiece
Impressionism is a style of painting that was formed in 1874 in Paris by a group of painters who were rejected
from 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 than
sitting in a studio, painters like Monet, Renoir and Degas painted en plein air. They had to paint quickly
outdoors, hence the need to capture quick impressions of any given scene.

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

2. Choose the 1st brush under Brush.

3. Navigate to the Lighting panel. Impressionists

typically did not use black paint, so decrease the
Contrast slider. Increase the Saturation slider
for more vibrant colors.

4. Navigate to the stroke panel as we'll now be

working with the shape and size of our brush
strokes.
 5. Impressionist paintings usually have an 9. You may also choose to work with
opaque surface, so increase the Paint Opacity individual colors in the image, such as the
slider to make the brush strokes more apparent. greens and blues, adjusting the saturation,
hue and lightness. Simply select the color
6. Impasto is a technique where paint is laid on you wish to work with and adjust the Hue,
thickly to the canvas - this style was commonly Saturation & Lightness sliders
found in impressionistic paintings. Increase the underneath as desired.
Paint Volume slider to convey this style.
10. We will not be making any texture
7. Impressionist painters painted with a variety adjustments. Since the paint has been laid
of brush strokes from long applications to short on thickly, there will not be any texture
dabs. Adjust the Stroke Width and Stroke coming through on our painting.
Length sliders to create a brush stroke that fits
with your mood and the subject you have 11. Once finished making adjustments,
chosen. save your preset for future application if
you desire. Name the preset something
8. Increase the Brightness under Lighting. memorable, like "Sun-drenched Meadow"
Since Impressionists painted outdoors, much or "Misty Day".
white pigment was used in their paintings
to depict the natural outdoors.

Final Masterpiece:
Examples

Before

After
Examples

Before

After