Photo to pencil sketch
This tutorial will show you how to easily transform a photograph to a pencil sketch using only Photoshop’s built in tools and filters.
Before and after:
Step 1
You need to start off with a good quality image
Crop the image so you have not much more than the face
Image>Image Size – set the width to 1000, auto height
Duplicate the layer
Rename this layer ‘base’
Duplicate the layer
Step 2
Image>Adjustments>Desaturate
Duplicate the layer
Step 3
Image>Adjustments>Invert (Ctrl + I)
Set the layer mode to Color Dodge (you will see very little on the screen right now – don’t panic!)
Filter>Other>Minimum – apply the following settings:
Step 4
Set the opacity of base copy 2 layer to 85%
Set the opacity of base copy layer to 68%
With base copy 2 layer active
Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur – apply the following settings:
This setting is totally dependent on the image you are working with – set the blur to whatever looks good
Step 5
Make the base layer active
Filter>Brush Strokes>Sprayed Strokes – apply the following settings:
Click on the new layer icon at the bottom of the filter gallery screen as indicated in the screenshot above
Select Angled Strokes and apply the following settings:
Step 6
Duplicate the base layer
Image>Adjustments>Desaturate
Lower the layer opacity to 40%
Add a layer mask by clicking on the icon at the bottom of the layers palette
Select a soft, round brush and mask out the eyes and the lips to make them brighter
Step 7
Make the base layer active
Select the Brush tool, set the opacity to around 35%, foreground colour black
Paint over the areas that are showing too much colour, ie the red speckles on the rim of the hat – you may have to go over this a few times until you are happy with the result
The image below shows before (in the frames) and after painting and masking:
The finished project: