This is a neat trick that is easy and creates a subtle painterly effect with just two filters. First, find an image and open it inside of Photoshop. Then, hit Command +J (Ctrl + J on the PC) to duplicate your background layer. Do this twice, because we are going to use 2 filters to create this look.
On the top layer, change the blending mode to soft light via the layers panel. The go to Filter>Other>High Pass. Normally, this will sharpen your images, but now, Hit Command + I (Ctrl +I for PC) to invert the layer. This will give it a soft glow.
On the middle layer, the one in between the top and the background layer, choose Filter> Other>Minimum. This spreads the dark area of an image into the lighter areas. This filter is really powerful, so it is a good idea not to push it up to any more than 2 pixels. Combined, these filters create a softly blended painterly effect. Lower the opacity of the layer that we used the minimum filter on if your image is too dark.
