Turn Any Portrait Photo Into a Colored Pencil Drawing
The pencil is a universally accessible medium with a rich history dating back to the 16th century. When discussing pencil mediums in art, it is crucial to highlight the existence of varying pencil types, such as graphite, charcoal, and colored pencils. Each medium bears unique characteristics, catering to different artistic tastes and techniques.
Colored pencils are often associated with childhood scribbles, but they are actually a very versatile medium. When applied to portraits specifically, colored pencils can be used to highlight facial features, create depth, accentuate colors, and apply gritty texture.
With AI-powered features like BeFunky’s Photo to Art effects, avenues for artistic expression are far more accessible, providing a platform for anyone to turn their portrait photos into colored pencil drawings. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use Photo to Sketch to turn your portraits into colored pencil drawings using Color Sketch GFX.
Choosing the Right Portrait Photo
Your portrait should have defined lines and balanced exposure, and the eyes, nose, and mouth should be well-defined. Color Sketch GFX will mimic the vibrant hues and imperfect, soft lines of a colored pencil drawing, making this the ideal effect for those seeking to add a touch of playful nostalgia to their image.
How to Turn Portraits Into Colored Pencil Drawings
The Color Sketch GFX effect replicates the color and texturing techniques of traditional colored pencil drawings. Let’s apply this to a portrait to transform it from a regular photo to a work of art!
Step 1: Upload Your Portrait
First, head to the Sketcher category to get started, which can be found in the Artsy tab in the left-hand menu. Next, select the image you want to edit by dragging and dropping the image directly onto the canvas.
Step 2: Select and Customize Color Sketch GFX
After selecting the Color Sketch GFX effect, your portrait will instantly transform into a colored pencil drawing. Select the Settings icon to adjust the Amount, Fidelity, Smoothness, and Variation. I play around with these settings until I get the desired effect. Remember, we want to adjust these sliders to bring out the dimensions of the subject’s facial features.
Smoothness refers to how blended you want the line work to be. The lower this is, the more textured the pencil lines will look. I generally keep this low so that it looks like there are more pencil strokes throughout.
Variation allows you to toggle through several different versions of your image. Our AI will produce multiple versions of the same effect for you to choose from. Each option will feature differences in linework, shading, and the overall interpretation of your subject's facial features.
Fidelity measures how closely a copy resembles the original portrait. The lower the Fidelity, the more abstract the AI gets. Keep it towards the middle to maintain your subject's defining details.
Lastly, I like to adjust the Amount slider on colored pencil sketches to create pieces that look natural and realistic. Adjusting this slider will blend the original photo with the effect for a seamless look. Once finished, select Apply.
Step 3: Save Your Portrait
Save your photo by using the Save dropdown menu at the top of the screen. Select your desired location and file type. eFunky also offers an easy way to print your design on products like canvases or even mugs. To print with Zazzle, select Print Products.
It is that easy to transform your photo into colored pencil art! Take a look at the before and after of this image that transformed from a photo into a colored pencil drawing:
More Ways to Turn Your Portraits Into Sketches
If you're looking to transform your photos into artistic portraits, you've come to the right place. Our Sketcher effects produce refined pencil and charcoal sketches that capture intricate details in a captivating way. Just remember to use images with clear, simple backgrounds to ensure the final result isn't too busy.
Pencil Sketch Portrait
Sketcher GFX analyzes your facial features and contours, creating a stunning, refined pencil sketch that simplistically captures intricate details. The resulting portraits showcase prominent facial features, emphasizing the essence of the subject while retaining clean, simplistic lines.
Charcoal Portrait
Charcoal GFX will automatically convert portraits into stylish charcoal artwork, giving you the timeless charm of charcoal art. Due to the bold linework, complex backgrounds can make the drawing appear too busy. We recommend choosing a simple subject.
Cross Hatch Portrait
Cross Hatch GFX turns your portraits into bold, highly detailed works of art by layering lines in different directions on top of one another, artists can create the illusion of three-dimensional shapes and give their sketches a bold and highly detailed look.
Turn Your Portrait Into a Colored Pencil Drawing!
With BeFunky's photo to sketch effects, it's easy to elevate your portrait photography in just seconds. But beyond portraits, there are so many uses for Color Sketch GFX. Try creating personalized greeting cards, standout social media posts, and more. Try out BeFunky’s other Sketcher effects on all of your portraits to see them transform from a traditional photo to a work of art!
