
In this tutorial I'll show you a new technique I use for making different photos to look like paintings or just to turn them to sketch.
Final Result:

1.Step. First open a new photo, it can be whatever you like. I have tried it on different photos and it worked very well. There was just some minor differences in the settings I was using.

Step 2. Duplicate the layer once. I don't like working on the original very often.

Step 3. Next I use Filter - > Stylize - > Finde edges

Step 4. After I use this filter, I use desaturate image. CRTL+SHIFT +U

Step 5. Next I use Levels (CTRL+L) and here the settings for every photo will be a little different. But just a little, every black and white photo with more white and less black have a simmiliar look like in the image below:

Step 6. Image - Adjustment - Threshold

Step 7. The settings for every photo wil lbe little different again, but not that much, simmiliar to mine:

Step 8. Use filter - Blur - Gausian blur to smooth this lines a little.

Step 9. Here you can use the eraser tool and remove some of the black spots you don't like, but this is if you like. I'll leave them like this and next I'll use the filter FIlter - > Artistic - > Cutout

Step 10. Here the settings I use:

Step 11. So the sketch version is ready now. On the next few steps I'll show you how I turn it to look like a painting. Duplicate the first layer again.

Step 12. Move the duplicate layer on top and change the layer mode to Multiply

I want to show you 2 different methods for different results.
1. From step 13 to 16 I will show you how to make it look like an unfinished painting.
2. And after step 17 I'll show you how to turn the whole image to look like it's a painting using some filters again.
Step 13. Here's the first way: For example I want to delete the sky and leave the boat like it is. I'll hide the new layer and on the sketch layer I'll select the white area where the sky is.

Step 14. Using quick mask tool I'll add some Gausian blur. I know I can use Select - Refine edges. But this is my preffered way in this tutorial.

Here 2 ways again:
1. Delete the white area on sketch in step 15. or
2. Delete the sky on the new layer in step 16.
Step 15. Hit delete. I thing the effect in the next image also looks interesting that's why I am showing it to you.

Step 16. Another thing you can do here is not to delete the white layer of the sketch. Instead un-hide the last layer and while it's selected hit delete. You'll have then something like this:

I thing this too looks good, it's interesting an you can experimetn a lot now. In this way you can add for example another sky beyond or some other background. I thing this open a lot of different possibilities. You can expeiment.
Now let's get back to Step 12 and continue from there. I hope I did not confuse you with this extra steps but I wanted to show this. I was having just the new duplicated background layer and it's layer style was set to multiply.
Step 17. Use Filter - Noise - Median on this layer.

Step 18. And I'll use some levels adjustment on this layer.

Step 19. THe last thing I do is to duplicate this layer once. use filter blur and set the layer style to overlay, reduce the opcaity to 50. Then duplicate it once again use the Filter - Blur - Radial blur andchange the layer style to screen, reduce the opacity to 50.
FInal result:

I hope you like this tutorial. Thanks for reading this and feel free to post your replies with questions, suggestions and critique.
i used CS2 and the result does not look the same ON :2009-11-20 13:17:10
Hi Ivy, I don't use filters which are unavailable in CS2 so If you're having different result, possible reasons are: 1. You missed some step. 2. Maybe you use different photo and the settings for the photo will be a little bit different. 3. Look and read carefully at Step 20. Hope this helps. If you need help post a link to your work. ON :2009-11-20 13:54:11
Excellent work my dear brother ! ON :2009-11-20 19:17:04
Thank you bro :) ON :2009-11-21 02:26:12
Seems to miss step 9 ? cant really get my photo to work...maybe because that is missing ? ON :2009-11-23 10:03:18
No there is no missing step 9. All steps are here I just made mistake with counting. Sorry It's fixed already. If your photo is not working the reason is another. If you want upload your photo somewhere I'll do it for you. It's very easy for me. ON :2009-11-24 02:18:03
i've used kinda the same methods a few times. if it does not work it can be using an image where the lines are not clear enough. if photoshop can't find the edges, than the rest of this tutorial is useless. ON :2009-12-13 23:49:01
Yes, it depends what kind of photo is used. But the effect is easy to achieve with good quality photos. The settings will be little bit different for every photo off course and this is normal. ON :2009-12-14 06:20:24