How to Turn photo into line drawing in Photoshop: Quick 2 method

Do you want to learn how to turn photo into line drawing?  You can do it easily using Photoshop or Illustrator. Here we’ll explain two quick methods for Photoshop to help you turn your photos.

You can do it using:

• Photoshop Filters
• Photoshop Action

This technique can be useful for artists, graphic designers, and hobbyists looking to create digital illustrations or stylized versions of photos.

Anyways, by the end of this article, you can take any photo and turn it into a beautiful line drawing. Here we will cover everything you need to learn.

So let’s get started!

Why turn image into Line drawing 

If you turn photo into line drawing, its details will be simplified. Even it allows you to focus on the essential shapes and outlines. 

This makes the image clearer and easier to understand without distractions. 

Line drawings are also ideal for coloring, whether in books or digital art, and they give a clean, stylized look that many people enjoy. 

Additionally, line drawings are easier to trace, which is helpful for those learning to draw. 

Overall, transforming an image into a line drawing makes it more creative, clear, and fun to use.

How to Turn photo into line drawing Photoshop

However, now you may be learning the reason for line drawing an image. Let’s read the process of converting photos into line drawings. If you have Photoshop, go with our below two methods.

Method 1: Convert image into line drawing Photoshop Filters

For the first method, you need to use the Photoshop filter to turn photo into line drawing. You can use this tool to correct imperfections, add artistic touches, or create dramatic visual effects.

However, let’s see how to do it!

Step 1: Open Your Image in Photoshop

Open the image you want to transform into a line drawing in Photoshop. Go to the file menu and click open. Then select your desired photo.

 For best results, select an image with a simple, clean background. A less cluttered background helps the line art focus on the subject without unnecessary details.

Step 2: Set Your Foreground and Background Colors

In this method, you will primarily be using black and white to convert the image to line art. 

At the bottom of the Tools panel, click on the foreground color box to open the Color Picker.

Set the foreground color to black and the background color to white. Click OK to confirm.

Verify Colors: Ensure black is in the foreground and white is in the background. This setup will be used to create a high-contrast effect.

Step 3: Apply Photocopy Filter

Once your colors are set, apply the Photocopy filter to create a high-contrast line effect.

1. Go to the top menu. Then choose Filter.
2. Choose Filter Gallery from the drop-down list.
3. In the Filter Gallery window, click on the Sketch tab on the right side and select the Photocopy filter.

This filter creates a high-contrast image with the appearance of photocopied lines. Adjust the Detail and Darkness sliders to fit your image. 

For example:

• Set Detail to 2 and Darkness to 50 for a balanced appearance.

Step 4: Refine Image Using Diffuse Filter

While the Photocopy filter is a good start, the lines might need smoother. To refine the lines further:

1. Go back to Filter in the top menu.
2. Select Stylize, then choose Diffuse from the options.
3. In the Diffuse window, select Anisotropic mode and click OK.

This step softens the lines and makes the drawing appear more natural.

Step 5: Increase the Lines with Levels Adjustment

To enhance the line drawing further, use the Levels adjustment layer.

At the bottom of the Layers panel, click on the half-filled circle icon (which represents Adjustment Layers) and choose Levels. Here, A Levels panel will appear, showing three sliders: dark tones, midtones, and light tones.

In the Levels panel, adjust the three sliders to control the intensity of the lines:

• Black (Shadows): Move the leftmost slider to the right to darken the lines and increase the overall contrast.
• White (Highlights): Move the rightmost slider to the left to brighten the image and enhance the lighter areas.
• Gray (Midtones): Adjust the middle slider to fine-tune the midtones and balance the overall contrast.

You can tweak these settings based on your preference. Yet small adjustments generally allow better results.

Step 6: Add Color to Line Art using Gradient Map

If you want to give your line art a splash of color, go back to the half-filled circle icon and choose Gradient Map. Then tap on the gradient bar. Now the Gradient Editor will be shown.

After that, double-click on the black color stop at the bottom of the gradient, and change it to the color of your choice. For instance, change black to blue for a vibrant line effect.

After adjusting the gradient colors, click OK to finalize the effect. This will overlay your line drawing with the chosen gradient, giving it a colored effect.

Step 7: Make Background Transparent

To remove the background and retain only the line art, merge all layers:

1. Select all the layers by clicking the top layer, holding Shift, and then clicking the bottom layer.
2. Right-click and choose Merge Layers.

Once merged:

Add a Layer Mask by clicking the rectangle with a circle at the bottom of the Layers panel. With the mask selected, go to Image > Apply Image.

In the Apply Image dialog box, check the Invert box and click OK.

This step will give you a clean, transparent background and leave just the line art.

Final Results

You now have a detailed guide on turn photo into line drawing with the option for color and a transparent background.

Here, fine-tuning may be necessary to achieve the perfect look. If needed, use the Brush Tool (B) to manually adjust lines or add additional details.

However, as you may have noticed, this process can take time and effort. That’s where the second method comes in. Let’s try it! 

Yet you can also turn photo into line drawing in Photoshop using the pencil sketch app.

Method 2: Turn portrait into line art Photoshop Action

For those who want a faster and more efficient way to turn photo into line drawing or art, Photoshop actions can save you a lot of time. 

Fortunately, Photoshop Supply offers a free line art action that automates much of the process. 

Here’s how to use it.

Step 1: Download the Free Line Art Photoshop Action

The first step is to download the line art action from Photoshop Supply. Once downloaded, locate the .atn file on your computer. If it’s in a ZIP archive, extract it using a file extraction tool.

This file contains pre-recorded steps that automate the process of creating line art from a photo.

Step 2: Open Your Photo in Photoshop

As with the manual method, open the photo you want to convert into line art in Photoshop.

• Open Photoshop and navigate to File > Open. Select the photo you want to convert into a line drawing and click Open.

For optimal results, ensure the photo is high-resolution and well-lit, as this will affect the quality of the final line art.

 For this example, we’ll use a different image to exhibit how versatile the action can be.

Step 3: Load Photoshop Action

Now it’s time to load the action, go to Window in the top menu and select Actions to open the Actions panel. In the top right of the Actions panel, click the four-line menu and choose Load Actions.

Navigate to the folder where you saved the line art action and double-click the action file. The action will now appear in the list of available actions in the panel.

Step 4: Run the Action

To apply the action

• Select the first item under the action folder.
• Tap the Play button below the Actions panel.

The action will now automatically convert your image into line art. You can make small adjustments along the way, such as fine-tuning the levels to match your desired output.

Step 5: Fine-Tune the Line Art

After the action is completed, you might need to make some adjustments to perfect your line drawing. Add a Levels adjustment layer to refine the contrast or use the Gradient Map adjustment layer to change colors.

Use Layer > Adjustments to fine-tune any aspect of the line art to match your preferences.

However, most of the heavy lifting is already done for you by the action.

Step 6: Remove image Background (Optional)

If your action has included a background layer, hide it by clicking the eye icon next to the layer in the Layers panel.

To change the color of your line art, use Color Overlay under the layer’s effects. Right-click the line art layer, select Blending Options, and choose Color Overlay. Finally, adjust the color as desired.

Step 7: Save Your Image

Once you’re satisfied with the result, save your file in the desired format. Choose a format that supports transparency, such as PNG or PSD, if you want to preserve the transparent background.

Enter a filename, select the desired file format, and click Save. Adjust any export settings as needed to finalize your line drawing.

So, it is the complete guideline of turn photo into line drawing.

Final Results

This method is faster than the manual approach. You’ll achieve clean, professional-looking results in a fraction of the time. 

Plus, the flexibility of the action allows for further customization. So you can adjust the line art to suit your project’s needs.

Turn photo into line drawing online

Are you searching for an online platform or tools that can be used to turn photo into line drawing? There are several tools in online you can just for line drawing.

Here’s a list of some user-friendly, web-based options:

1. Prisma

Prisma is a popular app that offers artistic filters, including ones that turn photos into line drawings. It has both a mobile app and an online version.

2. Photopea

This is a free online Photoshop alternative. To turn a photo into a line drawing:

• Upload your photo.
• Go to Filter → Stylize → Find Edges or use Filter → Sketch for more options.
• Adjust contrast to emphasize the line-drawing effect.

3. LunaPic

This free, online photo editor offers an easy way to convert a photo into a line drawing:

• Upload your image.
• Go to Effects → Sketch → Pencil Sketch.
• You can adjust the intensity for different sketch styles.

4. Fotor

Fotor provides an online sketching tool that helps you create line art from a photo:

• Upload your image.
• Navigate to Effects → Sketch and apply different presets for various drawing styles.

5. RapidResizer

This tool allows you to turn photos into line art for free:

• Upload your image.
• Use the Photo to Line Drawing tool to adjust the thickness and clarity of the lines.

These tools can give you quick and easy results without the need for advanced software!

Conclusion

We hope you have got the process of ‘’ Turn Photo into Line Drawing in Photoshop ’ from the above article. 

With our detailed guide, you can now edit any type of photo in Photoshop. Whether you prefer the manual method for detailed control or the quick and easy Photoshop action, both methods deliver perfect results.

Now try yourself before calling a professional. If it seems hard to you, you can seek professional help or comment below. We have a professional photo editing service provider team. They will cooperate with you.