Turn a photo into a pencil sketch
Pencil Sketch draws the edges of a photo as grey lines on white. What kind of photo works, how to get clean lines rather than noise, the pen-and-ink alternatives, and how to keep the colour underneath.
Beginner2 min readUpdated 27 September 2026Effects · Pencil Sketch, Crosshatch, Stipple
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What works
- Clear subjects on plain backgrounds: products, buildings, portraits against a wall. Busy backgrounds become busy drawings.
- Contrast between parts: a face lit from one side sketches well; flat, even light gives faint lines.
- Large originals: Pencil Sketch works pixel by pixel, so a large photo gives finer lines on download than the preview shows.
Clean lines in the Editor
- Open the photo. Remove a busy background with Layer, Remove background and put a white layer underneath if it helps.
- Add Curves, click More contrast. Add a Blur adjustment at a low radius to soften skin and fabric texture.
- Add Filter, Artistic, Pencil Sketch. Adjust Line strength until the outlines are there and the texture is not.
- For colour under the lines, set the sketch filter layer to Multiply. For a colouring page, keep it on Normal and export PNG.
- For paper, add a new layer filled with an off-white on Multiply at the top, and a little Film Grain.
Other drawing looks
| Effect | Looks like | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Pencil Sketch | Grey pencil outlines on white | Line strength |
| Crosshatch | Ink lines on cream paper, more directions in darker areas | Line spacing: tight for fine pen, wide for bold |
| Stipple | Tiny ink dots, dense in shadows | Dot density, Cell size |
| Edge Detect, inverted | Crisp black outlines only | Threshold; see the comic book recipe |
Why is my sketch full of scribbles?
The photo has fine texture (skin pores, grass, fabric) that the edge finder draws. Blur slightly before the sketch filter and lower Line strength.
Can I make a colouring page?
Yes: Pencil Sketch at a medium strength on a photo with a plain background, then a Threshold adjustment above it to make every line solid black on white. Export PNG and print.
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