How to (quickly) convert photos into cartoon drawings in Photoshop? [2019]

[sysedit212]

On my Android Phone I have half a dozen free apps -Sketch Camera, Cartoon Photo, and Sketch Camera Pro among them- that convert still images, photos taken with the phone's camera and even videos recorded live into a dozen different styles of cartoon images. I can't find similar tools for my Windows PC running Adobe Photoshop CC.

None of the filters in Filter > Filter Gallery really produce good cartoon-like images of similar quality.

The YouTube videos I watched about this issue, recommend rather cumbersome 20-25 step procedures that include a lot of Gaugasian Blur, Color Dodge, Inversion, Glowing Outlines, etc. but produce disappointing results.

I tried the free demo of a pay-for plug in (Toon It!) and the results are absolutely pathetic and way inferior to what I get on my Android phone for free.

What am I doing wrong or can somebody explain to me while I can get these free apps for my mobile phone that produce great results while nothing similar seems to exist for a Windows desktop or within Photoshop (I seem to remember that this was different 10-15 years ago when the artistic filters worked much better and were a lot more fun)?

I tried running the free Android apps on Android emulators for the PC but gave up because it seems too complicated. I have helped myself by downloading still images from my desktop to my smartphone where I then used the free apps to turn them into cartoons before moving them back onto the desktop and into Photoshop but that is obviously a very time consuming suboptimal process. 

Any thoughts, explanations, and assistance are highly appreciated!

P.S.

Attached is some output from an Android app called Sketch Camera Pro: I am looking for a quick way to achieve similar results

{Thread renamed by moderator}

[Sahil.Chawla]

Hi There,

Thanks for reaching out to the Adobe Community!

As you're lookingto add cartoon effect on images, you can use the Filter Gallery available in Photoshop to apply effects on the images and that should give you similar results.

Please have a look at these articles for more information: 
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/photoshop/using/filter-effects-reference.html
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/photoshop/using/filter-basics.html

Let us know if it helps.
Regards,
Sahil

[sysedit212]

Thanks, sahil, but although I am only an occasional Photoshop user I am familiar with the filter gallery. My issue is that these filters are rather tame or lame and that they don't create the desired cartoon effect. All YouTube tutorials about cartoon effects heavily mix and combined different filters and techniques to get closer to a cartoon-like image, i.e. the filters in the filter gallery clearly don't do it. There is also onky a very small number of filters, nothing like the variety you get on any free smartphone app.

[Nancy OShea]

I think you're missing the whole point.  Android apps like Sketch Camera are fine for amateurs who don't mind cookie cutter results.

Photoshop is preferred by professionals who want precise control over a 20+ step process to make their project unique.  Honestly, I can't recommend anything "quicker" except sketching by hand.

[sysedit212]

Nancy, sorry, but I think you don't get the point: there is nothing virtuous about doing something in 20+ steps instead of one quick step with a preview of the results. I don't think you have a mandate to speak for all Photoshop users. Nothing is wrong with standardized fast results that work if you run a business. I find it amateurish to wasted valuable time on 20+ steps if the same result could be achieved in one step. By the way, no further response from your side is required 😞

[340904261o9o.]

I agree, sysedit212. I have the same question (except not related to phones). It's sad that there are people who, instead of helping, come here just to insult you for asking the question.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

It's sad that there are people who, instead of helping, come here just to insult you for asking the question.

And what would you call it when people add their critizism to years-old posts on a Forum they don’t seem to be familiar with? 

I admit that @Nancy OShea ’s choice of words (»small guy«) seems confrontational, but considering the OP’s tone (»I don't think you have a mandate to speak for all Photoshop users.«) I would consider this a negligible slip-of-the tongue. 

But that’s just my partial interpretation because I know that Nancy has successfully helped people on these Fora thousands of times. 

[Trevor.Dennis]

If you don't mind investing in a plug-in or two, then look at the likes of the Topaz products.   Topaz Studio bundles several of their plug-ins, and represents good value at $99 — unfortunately Photoshop plug-ins are not like cell phone apps that cost just a few dollars.

https://topazlabs.com/studio/

If you want to learn how to do it with available Photoshop functions, then it pays to know which YouTube channels you can trust, and Jesús Ramirez (The Photoshop Training Channel) would be at the top of a lot of people's list.

https://www.youtube.com/user/photoshoptrainingch/featured

[sysedit212]

Yes, I have watched the Photoshop Training Channel and I like the moderator as well. Spending $99 on a bundle of plug-ins that are available for free on any smartphone just feels idiotic. That's just an insane premium for working on a desktop. It's just revolting.

[Nancy OShea]

I'm not speaking for all Photoshop users.  Never said I was.  My experience as a business owner and long-time Photoshop user tells me you want what every small guy craves and can't have -- cheap, fast and good.  Unfortunately you only get to pick two.

[340904261o9o.]

Wow. So rude. I have the same question as the person originally asked. You've done nothing at all to help and have only insulted and argued and stated falsehoods. I'm new to this website, and you make me not want to use this site at all because you are arguing, spreading misinformation, and not helping. I'm an old lady. I've been using Photoshop as a professional photographer since the very beginning of Photoshop, and guess what, kid -- everything you've claimed is 100% false. Photoshop is not intended for people to spend all day on something that can be done in 10 seconds. It is exactly the opposite.
If YOU want to spend all day on what is, for every true professional, a quick thing, go for it. But don't go onto sites where people have questions so you can specifically NOT help and insult them and lie to them instead of helping. That's as much a waste of time as spending all day on something you can do in 10 seconds.

Now, if anyone has an any actual advice, THAT is what I'm here for. Not for someone who keeps arguing and insulting the person who originally asked the question.

[faithdwsn]

I rarely come onto the Adobe Community forum for that very same reason. Too many people go out of their way to cut others down who are simply trying to learn. Your question was reasonable. 

[rayek.elfin]

FilterForge includes a huge range of creative effects that result in similar output as the ones you attached.

I have to say, though: do you really feel that those Sketch Camera Pro results look acceptable? To my eyes they all fall flat on their face, i.e are not convincing in regard to quality. Frankly, those are... not good. That app makes a mess of things...

Instead, get G'MIC and try out the Photo to Cartoon and other Artistic filters. It's free & open source, and a Photoshop compatible plugin is available for download.

https://gmic.eu/

Couple of quick examples (here and there I combined the output of two filters):

...or use a GenAI img2img app to convert your photos to 3d and painted cartoons 😉

(AI Runner generated)

 

[rayek.elfin]

Woops, responded to a necrothread here. Ah well. Advice stands. Filter Forge is great for artistic effects, as is G' MIC.

I omitted Filter Forge's web address: https://www.filterforge.com/

(not free, btw, but worth it)

[timothyj10468475]

THIS IS EXACTLY MY DLIEMMA TOO!

[Peru Bob]

Since this thread was resurrected, if you want that feature, ask for it here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem/ct-p/ct-photoshop?page=1&sort=latest_replies&filt...

but read this first:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/how-do-i-write-a-feature-request/idi-p/1238...

[pix37551296xxzz]

It's understandable that you're frustrated with the cumbersome processes in Photoshop and the lack of easy alternatives for Windows. While Photoshop is a powerful tool, sometimes it doesn't offer the quick, streamlined options that mobile apps do. I've faced similar challenges before, and I've found a few solutions that might help you.

Firstly, the steps you've mentioned in Photoshop are indeed quite involved and not always user-friendly. However, the mobile apps like Sketch Camera and Cartoon Photo often use AI-powered algorithms that make the conversion process much more efficient. This is where AI-powered tools on desktop can really make a difference.

For a simpler and quicker solution, you might want to explore some desktop applications that utilize AI for photo editing. One such tool is AirBrush. It offers a feature called Photo to Cartoon which can quickly transform your photos into cartoon-like images with just a few clicks. The results are often comparable to, if not better than, those from mobile apps. The best part is that it’s designed to be user-friendly, so you won’t need to go through a lengthy process like in Photoshop.

Another great advantage of using tools like AirBrush is that they often come with a suite of other features that can further enhance your images. For example, you can easily use Remove unwanted object or Background Remover to clean up your photos before converting them to cartoons.

If you're looking for convenience and efficiency without compromising on quality, I highly recommend trying out AirBrush. It’s specifically designed to simplify the editing process and can save you a lot of time and effort compared to traditional methods in Photoshop.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions or need further assistance.