How to convert photo to vector/line art (GTA style?)

[DaveG74]

I would like to learn how to convert a photo to a vector/line art/drawing style representation. Here's an example of what I'd like to accomplish:



Any insight on how to achieve this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[brucet]

First quick thought is to try a plugin such as Topaz Impressions. Maybe Nik ColorEfex pro will do the job. Or for smaller jpegs FotoSketcher. There are 'cartoon' presets that will give you a starting point.

regards

[JoeB]

First quick thought is to try a plugin such as Topaz Impressions. Maybe Nik ColorEfex pro will do the job. Or for smaller jpegs FotoSketcher. There are 'cartoon' presets that will give you a starting point.

I'm not the OP but when I open Nik ColorEfex Pro from the Nik Collection plugins in PSPX7 32bit or 64bit with a jpg open it opens the plugin interface then X7 crashes and closes.

[Ken Berry]

Hmmm... I just opened X7 and tried to apply Nik ColorEfex Pro 4 to an image, and like you, PSP crashed. However, it works fine in X9.

[DaveG74]

Okay, I must be missing something here.

Once I've installed the Color Efex plugins into the Plugins/Google folder, how do I find them in PSP X8?

I've already specified the folder in preferences --> File Locations.
But I cannot find how to access the plugins under the Effects menu. Please help...thanks!

[Kathy_9]

I would like to learn how to convert a photo to a vector/line art/drawing style representation. Here's an example of what I'd like to accomplish:

Any insight on how to achieve this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Topaz Clean should give you the effect you are looking for.

click for larger view

[brucet]

Sorry folks. I only use x8. So when I tried x7 guess what? It crashed.

Hmmmmmmmm.

[JoeB]

Sorry folks. I only use x8. So when I tried x7 guess what? It crashed.

Hmmmmmmmm.

it's amazing how poorly software that should be mutually compatible proves to be incompatible. PITA!

[Joelle]

If anyone wants to play, I have a script that might be of use (as you can see I made this in version X,but it runs fine in X9)

Joëlle
--
from PSPApp import *

def ScriptProperties():
return {
'Author': u'Joelle',
'Copyright': u'',
'Description': u'Like a pen & ink drawing with bright colours',
'Host': u'Paint Shop Pro X',
'Host Version': u'10.03'
}



def Do(Environment):
# EnableOptimizedScriptUndo
App.Do( Environment, 'EnableOptimizedScriptUndo', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# Texture Preserving Smooth
App.Do( Environment, 'TexturePreservingSmooth', {
'CorrectionAmount': 60,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# LayerDuplicate
App.Do( Environment, 'LayerDuplicate', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# DigitalCameraNoiseRemoval
App.Do( Environment, 'DigitalCameraNoiseRemoval', {
'SmallDetails': 0,
'MediumDetails': 0,
'LargeDetails': 0,
'Blending': 45,
'Sharpening': 29,
'LockDetailSettings': True,
'NoiseEstimates': ([3,87,93,249,3.78049,2.20184,5.19223,2.83533,0.417692,0.214891,2.05081,1.15566
,4.44815,2.69216,0.184856,0.112437,1.12382,0.961962,2.02798,1.24877,0.0878426,0.0522861,
0.803189,0.428652,1.80778,1.24706,0.375743,0.229682,0.471007,0.259417,1.26184,0.751829,0.196336
,0.127061,0.206373,0.150721,1.0202,0.688112,0.0651794,0.0486514,0.805333,0.410628,1.08772
,0.76197,0.795927,0.532458,0.45369,0.249758,0.869758,0.647534,0.366641,0.263733,0.281522
,0.199236,0.864613,0.609858,0.150776,0.118291],),
'NoiseColorAdjustment': ([4,2520,201,2520],),
'Hue': 0,
'Range': 0,
'MinimalLuminance': -1,
'MaximalLuminance': -1,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# LayerDuplicate
App.Do( Environment, 'LayerDuplicate', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# Edge Preserving Smooth
App.Do( Environment, 'EdgePreservingSmooth', {
'SmoothingFactor': 20,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# DigitalCameraNoiseRemoval
App.Do( Environment, 'DigitalCameraNoiseRemoval', {
'SmallDetails': 0,
'MediumDetails': 0,
'LargeDetails': 0,
'Blending': 45,
'Sharpening': 29,
'LockDetailSettings': True,
'NoiseEstimates': ([3,86,109,252,2.86778,1.74815,4.07242,2.17211,0.345098,0.197405,2.25918,1.21749
,3.20657,1.99957,0.232843,0.118856,0.846627,0.527682,1.59672,1.11569,0.098739,0.0748922,
0.682292,0.372578,1.52755,0.824574,0.298035,0.128302,0.649405,0.453144,0.823968,0.45624,
0.132145,0.0628223,0.548354,0.407967,0.593388,0.406098,0.0408686,0.0239133,0.98327,0.47043
,1.00813,0.574712,0.372049,0.218156,0.47882,0.328629,0.623047,0.379898,0.212414,0.126737
,0.353435,0.278881,0.515849,0.312339,0.0779801,0.0471748],),
'NoiseColorAdjustment': ([4,2520,201,2520],),
'Hue': 0,
'Range': 0,
'MinimalLuminance': -1,
'MaximalLuminance': -1,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# LayerDuplicate
App.Do( Environment, 'LayerDuplicate', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# ColorAdjustCurves
App.Do( Environment, 'ColorAdjustCurves', {
'CurveParams': {
'RGB': [(0,0),(49,44),(163,204),(255,255)],
'Red': [(0,0),(255,255)],
'Green': [(0,0),(255,255)],
'Blue': [(0,0),(255,255)]
},
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# LayerDuplicate
App.Do( Environment, 'LayerDuplicate', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# FindEdges
App.Do( Environment, 'FindEdges', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# Color Adjust Levels
App.Do( Environment, 'ColorAdjustLevels', {
'Levels': {
'RGB': (75,255,1,0,255),
'Red': (0,255,1,0,255),
'Green': (0,255,1,0,255),
'Blue': (0,255,1,0,255)
},
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

# Layer Properties
App.Do( Environment, 'LayerProperties', {
'General': {
'Opacity': None,
'Name': None,
'IsVisible': None,
'IsTransparencyLocked': None,
'LinkSet': None,
'UseHighlight': None,
'PaletteHighlightColor': None,
'GroupLink': None,
'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Darken
},
'BlendRanges': None,
'Path': (0,0,[],False),
'ArtMediaTexture': None,
'BrightnessContrast': None,
'ChannelMixer': None,
'ColorBalance': None,
'CurveParams': None,
'HSL': None,
'Threshold': None,
'Levels': None,
'Posterize': None,
'Overlay': None,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Silent,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.AllAlways,
'Version': ((10,0,3),1)
}
})

[Jean-Luc]

Try www.cartoonize.net ...

[JoeB]

Try http://www.cartoonize.net ...

Just because I like to try stuff out, I have tried the Trial version of cartoonize and using Kathy's suggestion about using Topaz Clean to achieve the effect that the OP asked about. IMHO, the Topaz Clean method is much preferable. The main reason is that there are many more manual adjustments in Topaz that a user can use to modify the various presets to fine tune ('toon?) the effect. As well, simply mousing over the various presets instantly shows what it will look like on the image. With Cartoonize, the presets are pretty small and it's quite difficult to determine exactly what they will look like when applied. And it takes many seconds, after you click on a preset, for the program to process the change. Also, there's more you can do with Topaz Clean than just cartoonize.

Given that they both cost about $30.00, if it was me I'd choose Topaz, which is not only faster and has more manual fine tuning, but overall many more different things you can do with Topaz Clean besides trying to cartoonize an image. JMHO, of course.

[Kathy_9]

The other benefit to Topaz is their updates are always free.

[StoryMaker]

I doubt the effect would be as good as a professional tool, but you could try reduce the color depth of the image to a lower number of colors. It's certainly simple and probably doesn't look super great on a photo, but it's something to try if you're looking for a free option. I'm not sure if this can be done in a newer version of PSP; I've done it either in an old version (Jasc version 9) or with the free tool IrfanView. Afterwards, you'd probably want to convert it back to the normal color depth (16 million or whatever) so you can work with it without messing up any colors you add to it.

[JoeB]

I doubt the effect would be as good as a professional tool, but you could try reduce the color depth of the image to a lower number of colors. It's certainly simple and probably doesn't look super great on a photo, but it's something to try if you're looking for a free option. I'm not sure if this can be done in a newer version of PSP; I've done it either in an old version (Jasc version 9) or with the free tool IrfanView. Afterwards, you'd probably want to convert it back to the normal color depth (16 million or whatever) so you can work with it without messing up any colors you add to it.

Actually, I think that's a good idea, and one I never considered just using PSP tools. If you think about it, the pro tools like Topaz, etc., are doing the same thing in the end. They just make it easier because of the extra manual sliders you have for fine tuning within the same interface, whereas in PSP you still would have to go to other tools for fine tuning the result of your color reduction, so definitely the PSP alternatives would be more hit-and-miss with lots of undoes, retrys, and time spent to get where you want to get. But still, I think you pointed out a good start point for those wanting to just stay within PSP, and for any stalwart who feels the urge to create a script for just doing this type of cartooning effect.

[StoryMaker]

Glad you like the idea I think it's pretty fun to use, myself.

I just realized another way of doing this - using the Image Trace feature of a vector-editing program. I use Inkscape because it's free, but I know other vector-editing software has this feature.

You can also try the PaintShop Pro Posterize effect.