Here is an example of Virtual Painter using "Oil Painting".  I played around with the various settings and ended with this.  It can be more extreme, or even water colour, velvet or a few other choices of art technique.

EDIT:  You can see a larger version of the original in my gallery. It is the most recent upload.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi