Line Art, Color Sketch in Photoshop CS

Converting a photo to line art is no big deal in Photoshop. It is easily done. What you need is an image, preferably a high resolution one. I will be using a free stock image which you can download here. I will show you to apply a number of filters, including Halftone Pattern and Lighting effects. I will also show you how to make a vignette, besides using Layer tyles.

!his is the free stock photo I will be using. It is from http"##morguefile.com#

tep $ " Press Ctrl%& to duplicate the 'ackground Layer. ( new Layer $ forms )red arrow*. Click off the eye icon in the 'ackground Layer )green arrow*.

tep + " Press Ctrl% HI,!%- to desaturate the image.

tep . " /o to ,ilter0'lur0 mart 'lur.

tep 1 " !he mart 'lur dialogue opens. I have set the 2adius at 13 and !hreshold at +4. !here is no hard and fast rule for this. 5ou should set it according to your image. Click 67.

!his is how my Photo looks like.

tep 4 " Press C!2L%I to invert. !his is how my photo looks after inversion.

tep 8 " /o to ,ilter0(rtistic0Poster 9dges.

tep : " !he Poster 9dges dialogue bo; opens filling you screen.

tep < " In the controls at the top right I have set the 9dge !hickness at $3, 9dge Intensity at $ and Posteri=ation at 8. (gain, there is nothing hard and fast about it. 5ou can e;periment. Click 67 after you>re finished.

!his is how my photo looks after applying Poster 9dges.

tep ? " /o to ,ilter0(rtistic0Cutout.

tep $3 " In the controls at the right these are the three settings I have given. Click 67.

!his is how my image looks. If you want to apply the last filter again press C!2L%,. I have applied it twice.

tep $$ " Click on the (dd @ew ,ill#(dAustment layer icon )black arrow*. ,rom the popu menu click on /radient Bap.

tep $+ " !he /radient Bap opens. Click where the arrow points to open the /radient 9ditor.

tep $. " !he /radient 9ditor opens. !he Presets are at the top.

tep $1 " I am clicking on one of the Presets.

tep $4 " Change the /radient type to @oise.

tep $8 " Check the (dd !ransparency bo;. !hen press the 2andomi=e button repeatedly till you are satisfied with the effect. Click 67.

!his is how my Photo looks like.

tep $: " Click where the arrow point to, to bring up the 'lend Bodes in the Layers pallette and click on 6verlay.

!his is how my photo looks.

tep $< " /o to Layer0,latten image.

(ll the Layer have been merged into the 'ackground Layer.

tep $? " Press (L! and double click the 'ackground Layer and it changes to Layer 3. !his is to make the layer editable.

tep +3 " Click the 9lliptical BarCuee !ool.

tep +$ " Press hift and draw out a perfect and large circle. Place the cursor within the circle and move it so that the eyes, nose and lip fall within the selection.

tep ++ " Click on the (dd Layer Bask button and a layer Bask forms ne;t to the layer thumbnail on Layer 3.

!his is how the photo looks like.

tep +. " /o to ,ilter0'lur0/aussian 'lur.

tep +1 " I have set the 2adius at .3 because I am using a high resolution image. Click ok.

tep +4 " Press C!2L and click on the (dd @ew layer icon. ( blank layer DD Layer $ forms DD below Layer 3.

tep +8 " Bake sure your 'ackground color is White.

tep +: " Press C!2L%'(C7 P(C9. !he layer fills with white.

Look in the Layer pallete, Layer $ has filled with White.

tep +< " Click back on Layer 3. Click directly on the Layer Bask. Erag the Layer Bask to the trash bin at the right bottom.

tep +? " !his dialogue bo; opens. Click (pply.

tep .3 " Press C!2L%(. ( column of marching ants surround the image.

tep .$ " Click on the Bove !ool.

tep .+ " Look in the top panel. Click the +nd and 4th icons shown by the red arrows.

tep .. " (s soon as you click the circular vignette moves to the e;act centre of the White layer.

tep .1 " Click on the (dd Layer tyle button and from the popup menu click on Erop hadow.

tep .4 " With the Layer tyle open place your cursor on the image and you will be able to move the Erop hadow anywhere.

tep .8 " In the controls I have dropped the 6pacity down to 13 F. Eo not click ok.

tep .: " Click on 'evel and 9mboss and Contour.

tep .< " In the controls I have dragged the i=e upto +3. @ow click 67.

(nd this is how my picture looks like.

tep .? " Click on Layer $.

tep 13 " /o to ,ilter0 ketch0Haltone Pattern.

tep 1$ " !he Halftone Pattern dialogue bo; opens.

tep 1+ " I have given these settings for i=e, Contrast and Pattern !ype. I have chosen Line as the Pattern !ype. !here are two other setiings that you can give.

(nd this is how the image looks.

tep 1. " /o to ,ilter02ender0 Lighting 9ffects.

tep 11 " !he Lighting 9ffects dialogue bo; opens. I am leaving them at the default settings and clicking 67.

(nd there is my finished image.