Here are the steps in how to do a watercolor portrait effect in photoshop. Click here to see the video.
1. Open up an image (portrait or other).
2. Make a duplicate of the image background layer (using layer panel option).
3. Create a new blank layer (using layer panel option).
4. While working in the new blank layer go to the top menu “Select > all”
5. Then go to top menu “Edit>fill>scroll to white”__make sure “preserve transparency box is unchecked”.
6. While the background layer is highlighted go to top menu “Select>all.
7. Go to top menu again “Edit>copy”.
8. Create an alpha channel in the channels panel.
9. Make sure the Alpha 1 channel is selected and then go to top menu “Edit >paste”
(now the digital selection mask is created in Alpha 1)
10. Find through a Google Search an interesting watercolor or oil texture at least 2 megabytes in size. Drag and drop that image onto a Photoshop layer.
Make sure the image fills up the entire Photoshop canvas .
11. Go to the layers panel and drag the white pixel layer so that is is directly below the watercolor layer.
12. Select the watercolor layer and then go to top menu “Select>load selection>
Alpha 1.
13. Now hit the delete button while selection Alpha 1 is active in the watercolour layer. The image should now appear. Go to top menu and “Select>deselect”