Photo to Sketch: what it does
Turn a photo into a drawing that looks sketched in pencil. The tool finds the edges in your photo and draws them as soft pencil lines on white paper, the classic “colour dodge” technique digital artists use. Line width sets how thick and soft the strokes are, and Darkness how heavy the shading is. Choose Coloured pencil to keep a light wash of the photo’s colours. It is plain image processing, not AI, and it runs in your browser at full resolution without uploading the photo.
How to use it
- Drop a photo into the box, paste it with Ctrl+V, or tap to choose one from your phone.
- See the effect straight away. The thumbnails show every other effect on your photo too.
- Adjust the settings, and hold “Hold to compare” to see the original.
- Download at full resolution as JPG, PNG or WebP.
Tips
- Photos with good light and a clear subject give the cleanest lines. Very dark photos turn out grey.
- Thin lines (2–5) suit detailed portraits and buildings; thicker lines (8–14) give a looser, hand-drawn feel.
- Raise Darkness if the sketch looks too pale on a phone screen.
- For a comic or print look, try the halftone effect instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn a photo into a sketch?
Add the photo and it is turned into a pencil sketch straight away. Adjust Line width and Darkness, choose Pencil or Coloured pencil, and download.
Is this an AI drawing?
No. It is a classic image technique (blending the photo with a blurred negative of itself), so the drawing follows your photo exactly and nothing is generated.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The sketch is made in your browser on your own device.