Re: please help with illustration strategy and brushes to achieve look
Can I say right at the start you need PhotoShop as your tool to get the effect that have given with your examples. Firstly the blending modes used in PS are much more sophisticated than the ones used in the transparency modes in Xara products. The next ones again is the super brushes which can give you the required look. #BigFranks tutorial is a goer if you have a few hours to spend achieving that look but it does use a photo which has good contrast in the image to get that effect.
In a vector programme it is easier and sometimes quicker to make a caricature of a bitmap as in here: http://designinstruct.com/drawing-il...h-illustrator/ I also sometimes use the photo on a different layer and do a contone effect and sometimes I apply this effect on more than one copy: http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/wo...workbook_4.htm
There are no right and wrong ways to get this effect no single plugin that you can use with one click. Do a search on "photo to watercolour using PhotoShop/Illustrator" try both. I used to do a simple one which you can do using Live Effect tool in Xara using Glowing edges, threshold and levels then back into main set of tools and used a bleach type of transparency along with the blur tool. I did a quick search but couldn't find a tutorial to show what can be done. If I have a bit of time later I might have a try to put something together but don't hold your breath as my garden needs my attention and we have a dry day today. Do a search and have a look your self using Adobe products tutorials and if you see one and if you cant figure it out come back with the link and we will try and sort it out here using Xara.
Design is thinking made visual.
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