As an artist and designer, there have been many occasions when I needed to change a photograph into a line drawing that would resemble a pen and ink illustration. Although Photoshop offers several filters to do the job, I was never completely satisfied with the end results using the filters.

The idea for this tutorial came about while watching a Scrapbook TV show. The original tutorial was created using Adobe PhotoShop Elements. I reworked [and added additional steps] to the initial tutorial to make it Photoshop compatible. Below is a quick tutorial illustrating how easy it is to achieve a hand-drawn look from a color photograph.

[Note: This tutorial was created on a PC, utilizing Adobe Photoshop CS3, however, similar results can be achieved using a Mac on previous versions of Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro.]

Step 1: Open an image from your files [File/Open], and duplicate the image so that you are not working on the original. [Right Click on the original image's Title Bar and Click Duplicate].

 

 

Step 2: Working on the copied Image, duplicate the background layer [Control J].

Step 3: With the duplicate layer selected ... On the Menu Bar, select: [Image>Adjustments>Black and White].

 

 

Step 4: Within the [Black and White] menu, change all the percentages to 50% and click OK.

 

 

Step 5: Duplicate the black and white layer [Control J].

Step 6: With the new duplicated layer selected ... On the Menu Bar, select [Image>Adjustment>Invert].

 

 

Which will give the image a film-like negative appearance.

 

 

Step 7: On the Layers Palette, click on the top left box [normal].

 

 

Step 8: Scroll down to [Linear Dodge], which will cause the image to turn white.

 

 

Step 9: On the Menu Bar select: [Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur]. Making sure the preview button is checked, adjust the Radius slider until you achieve the desired look. Moving the slider to the left will give a sketch-like appearance. Moving the slider to the right will give the image a pencil, or pen and ink appearance. When you're satisfied, click OK.

 

 

Step 10: On the Layers Palette: Deselect the background layer [the original colorized image] and either Merge Down or Merge Visible Layers.

 

 

Step 11: With the merged black and white layer selected ... select the Dodge Tool, to lighten any areas that may appear too dark. Adjust the brush to the appropriate diameter. For Range, select Highlights. For Exposure select 10%. Carefully move the Dodge Tool over any of the areas that need to be lightened.

 

 

Step 12: With the merged black and white layer still selected ... select the Burn Tool to darken any areas (such as hair, eyes, and lips). Adjust the brush to the appropriate diameter. For Range, toggle between Shadow and Midtones (Do Not use Highlights). Toggle the Exposure between 17% and 31%. Carefully move the Burn Tool over any of the areas that need to be darkened.

Step 13: When satisfied with the image's appearance, duplicate the image twice, so that you now have three identical images with layers (do not flatten any of the layers yet).

Step 14: Save one image with layers (again, do not flatten the layers of this image) close the file and name it reference.psd. This will be your reference image for future use.

Step 15: Flatten the second image. Save in either a Photoshop format or a jpg, depending on how you wish to utilize the new black and white, pen and ink image.

As a bonus, you can also create an image that will produce an illusion of a black and white hand-colored photograph. Using the third image, make sure the black and white layer is selected, and move the Fill slider on the Layers Palette to 60%. Flatten the layers of the new hand-painted image and save (again either as a Photoshop format or a jpg).

 

 

Final Results: Below are the three versions: the original color photograph, the pen and ink drawing, and the hand-colored B&W photograph.

 

 

Get to know industry leaders and professionals
as they sit down and talk candidly with
Contributing Columnist, Dee-Marie.