the drybrush filter was used to calm down this very contrasty photo
I use the ‘Drybrush’ filter in photos that are already fairly contrasty (above). It has a softer effect than the watercolour filter. It also works well on photos that are slightly out of focus in a critical area (below).
the ‘sharpening’ tool was used to bring the slightly out-of-focus centre of the fern fiddlehead back into focus; then the ‘drybrush’ filter was applied to get rid of the over-sharpened look.
For more on Fave Photoshop filters: http://www.albatz.com/photos/faves_plus/filters.html