Convert photo to line drawing

[active_Brilliance1549]

This should be fairly simple, but I am having a lot of trouble converting a photo to a line drawing.

 I thought there was once a filter for just that, but maybe I am dreaming that. Any suggestions?

[D Fosse]

There's Filter > Stylize > Find Edges - but it does just that. I can't guarantee that you'll be happy with the result.

[Stephen Marsh]

There's Filter > Stylize > Find Edges - but it does just that. I can't guarantee that you'll be happy with the result.

By @D Fosse

Keeping this in Photoshop, in addition to the filter mentioned above, there is also Filter > Filter Gallery > Stylize > Glowing Edges.

This can also be performed using the custom filter. Here are some actions that I created many years ago using various custom convolution kernels:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/v39rtjk2o5d4dv4zwgr4x/Custom-Convolution-Kernels.atn?rlkey=i6rad9i14q...

In most cases, one may need to pre-process before using any edge-finding filter, to simplify or remove noise etc.

[davescm · Accepted solution]

If you have Adobe Illustrator in your subscription package you might want to look at Illustrator's image trace options

Dave

[active_Brilliance1549]

Thanks. I do have a subscription, but I am not very well-versed in AI. I will give it a try.

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

Hi @active_Brilliance1549 

The basic steps in Illustrator are:

• Start a new file in Illustrator and choose File > Place to place your photo
• Select the image
• Choose Image Trace from either the Control or Properties panel
• Try the Presets to see which is closest — some create fills, some paths, some both
• Adjust the setting in the Image Trace panel (Window menu, Control panel, Properties panel)
• Be sure to expand the "Advanced" section
• When it looks good, Expand (Properties or Control panel) to convert to vector
• It is now a Group of vector objects

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/image-trace.html

~ Jane

[active_Brilliance1549]

  Thanks Jane. This helped immensly. 

[jane-e]

You're welcome, @active_Brilliance1549, happy to help!

~ Jane

[jane-e]

@Subrata_Biswas1828 

Do you have a question about how to use Photoshop?

Jane