Line drawings from photos

[rpcrowe]

I need some line drawings made for my images becase I want to have them printed on a monocolor banner. I am presently using PSE10 but will switch to Photoshop CS6 as soon as I get it (I expect it to arrive within the next day or two).

Anyway, I opened the image in PSE10 and selected edit. I then chose filters, sketch, graphic pen: I get a blank white screen. I get some images when I select other filters but, not all of the choices provide an image.

If I remember in my Photoshop CS3 it was very easy to switch from a photographic image to a pen and ink drawing. Should I wait until I have CS6 installed?

[Kris V]

Maybe this will work for you?
http://www.fotosketcher.com/
It's a free program.

[Manfred M]

I finally hobbled down to my computer and tried the techniqe I suggest. No - does not work. I must have used it for a more limited type of image, so I deleted the comment.

Some of the filters in PS6 should get you close - try the "find edges" under Stylize or open the Filter Gallery and under Sketch. look at the "photocopy" selection.

This is sort of the direction I was trying to head in:

[John Morton]

Hi, Richard;

I'd say wait until you have loaded Photoshop CS6 into your computer. THat program has the new "Divide" blend mode and you can use it to get the kind of line art you need.

I am still using Photoshop CS4 (because I haven't upgraded to a 64 bit computing system yet) but I do have a "Divide" function in one of my plug-ins (under "General Math in Fovea Pro 4.0) so I can wing it; but it would be much easier with CS6.

Anyway, I have in fact been playing around with that (just over the last few days, coincidentally) so I'll show you the kind of results I am getting. By way of example, a black and white photo of a friend:



So what I've been doing (and it works just fine with color images; but a smooth or unicolor background does help simplify things) is duplicating my base image into versions labelled "Blur" "Line" and "Blend." I apply a Gaussian blur of say 1.95 or 2.95 pixel radius to the "blur" image; and then I divide it into the "line" image by a factor of 0.005 or thereabouts.

I'll drag the result onto the "blend" version (shift drag for accurate placement) if I am working with a color image; but lately I've first been duplicating my initial line version and stacking it onto itself so that I can enhance the line effect before adding it to my "blend" version.

I suppose I could just duplicate an extra layer in the "line" version but hey as I said I'm still experimenting! (Okay just tried that it works fine; am using "Color Burn" as my blend mode).

Anyway, after some thresholding and playing with blend modes between layers I end up with something like this:



So the nice thing about doing this with CS6 is that you'll be able to just duplicate layers in your base image; apply a Gaussian Blur to the second layer from the top; and set the top layer to "Divide" blend mode. Now, since you are in CS6 you can convert the Gaussian Blur to a Smart Filter and you can adjust the settings on the fly until you get the kind of line effect that you are looking for... at least I think that's how it will work but as I said I'm not using CS6 so you might have to play around a bit to find out exactly how to get what you are after.

Me, I have to go through trial and error but hey that's fine it is a learning process.

[Ken MT]

IN Elements 9, tried filter -find edges, invert image, midtone contrast, decreased brightness. Results as below.