{"id":7482,"date":"2023-04-25T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T16:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/us\/?p=7482"},"modified":"2024-03-21T17:10:26","modified_gmt":"2024-03-22T00:10:26","slug":"turn-your-photo-to-an-illustration-with-just-one-filter-in-photoshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/turn-your-photo-to-an-illustration-with-just-one-filter-in-photoshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn a photo into an illustration with just one Photoshop filter, with PiXimperfect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Maybe you\u2019ve been using <a title=\"Adobe Photoshop\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/photoshop.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adobe Photoshop<\/a> for a while, or maybe you\u2019re just getting started. There are many ways to do every type of edit in the software, as well as all kinds of tips, tricks, and hacks to do things more simply and easily.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Have you ever wanted to take a photograph of yourself, or a friend or loved one, and turn it into a cool illustration, perfect for a social media profile avatar or creative headshot? In this tutorial, Unmesh Dinda of <a title=\"PiXimperfect YouTube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PiXimperfect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PiXimperfect<\/a> will use just one tool -- called Cutout -- and mostly adjusting just one slider, to turn a photo of himself into a vector-style illustration. Check out <a title=\"Day Into Night Youtube tutorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LiSu5KmZp_Y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the video below<\/a> for the Adobe Photoshop tutorial, or read on for a summary of how to achieve the effect.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The \u201cCartoon Filter\u201d in Photoshop!\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K_0uTftGu-s?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Found in the <strong>Filter Gallery<\/strong>, <strong>Cutout<\/strong> functions like an advanced version of the Posterize filter with three sliders: <strong>Number of Levels<\/strong>, <strong>Edge Simplicity<\/strong>, and <strong>Edge Fidelity. <\/strong>These dictate the amount of detail and the smoothness of your edges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Smart Objects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After opening the source image, the first thing Dinda does is duplicate the image\u2019s layer, then go to the Filter menu and select \u201cConvert for Smart Filters,\u201d changing the new layer into a <strong>Smart Object<\/strong>. For those less familiar with Adobe Photoshop, this converts the layer into a \u201cfile within a file:\u201d In order to edit it, you open it in a new window, then save and close it when you\u2019re done just as if it were a different project. This allows you to create more complex compositions that include multiple smaller images, while keeping them all editable. Any filter put on a <strong>Smart Object<\/strong> is naturally applied as a <strong>Smart Filter<\/strong>, meaning it too can be adjusted at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut1.jpg\" alt=\"PiXimperfect Screentshot PixIllTut1\" class=\"wp-image-809099\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut1.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut1-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut1-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Applying the Cutout filter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Tip:<\/strong> If the Filter Gallery option is grayed out, that\u2019s because your image is in 16 or 32-bit, but the Filter Gallery can only be applied to images in 8-bit. You can convert your image to 8-bit by going to <strong>Image &gt; Mode<\/strong> in the menu bar and selecting 8-bit.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On opening Filter Gallery, you\u2019ll find <strong>Cutout<\/strong> under the first tab, <strong>Artistic<\/strong>. A guide to its sliders:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Number of Levels<\/strong>&nbsp;is the closest direct equivalent to Posterize; it cuts your image into sections of flat colors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Edge Simplicity<\/strong>&nbsp;is exactly what it sounds like. Dinda describes this one as \u201cthe main game,\u201d making it his primary tool for controlling the output illustration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Edge Fidelity<\/strong>, the third slider, is mostly a supplement to Edge Simplicity, controlling exactly how much of the image\u2019s fine details the filter tries to preserve while still reducing the number of colors. This makes the cutout\u2019s lines more complex and jagged, though, so Dinda advises keeping it at minimum for a cartoony look.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut2.jpg\" alt=\"PiXimperfect Screentshot PixIllTut2\" class=\"wp-image-809100\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut2.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut2-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut2-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Layering Cutouts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dinda goes on to make multiple duplicates of the image with Cutout filters applied at different intensities, from a highly abstract first version, which he emphasizes you should keep as minimal as possible while still capturing the resemblance, to more detailed second and third variants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then he creates a layer mask on the latter ones, clears them so none of the layers are showing, and with his <a href=\"https:\/\/estore.wacom.com\/en-us\/tablets.html#wacom-intuos-pro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wacom Intuos Pro pen tablet<\/a>, carefully paints on the masks so that the more detailed images will only show through on the parts of the face he wants to be more defined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Painting corrections and highlights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, he creates a new Normal layer and uses a <strong>Hard Round Pressure Size brush<\/strong>&nbsp;to paint highlights in white to take the illustration to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut3.jpg\" alt=\"PiXimperfect Screentshot PixIllTut3\" class=\"wp-image-809101\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut3.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut3-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut3-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The end result is a composite of multiple versions of the same image with different Cutout filter settings applied, and an extra layer to add hand-painted highlights \u2014 but it coheres flawlessly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut4.jpg\" alt=\"PiXimperfect Screentshot PixIllTut4\" class=\"wp-image-809103\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut4.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut4-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/04\/PixIllTut4-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1080px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also uses this technique extensively in a related tutorial, <a title=\"PiXimperfect video GTA character tutorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=A_25g6tKAvg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Transform Portraits to GTA Characters in Photoshop<\/a>, which demonstrates a very similar process, but with more detail and extra steps. So check that out if you want to go further in depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Extra Tip:<\/strong> If you have a little digital painting experience and want your shapes to be neater, you can also eyedropper a color and then use a Hard Round Brush to fill in the lines\u2019 jagged edges.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/01\/CS_Jones_avatar-300x300-1.png\" alt=\"CS Jones avatar\" class=\"wp-image-809159\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/01\/CS_Jones_avatar-300x300-1.png 300w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/01\/CS_Jones_avatar-300x300-1-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2023\/01\/CS_Jones_avatar-300x300-1-100x100.png 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About the author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cameron \u201cC.S.\u201d Jones is a West-Philly-based writer and illustrator who\u2019s been contributing to Wacom for three years now. You can see more of his work, including most of his contributions to this blog, at <a title=\"thecsjones.com\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecsjones.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thecsjones.com<\/a>, or follow him on <a title=\"CS Jones Instagram\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thecsjones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a> or <a title=\"CS Jones Twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thecsjones\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unmesh Dinda of PiXimperfect shows you how to convert a portrait to an illustration with just one filter in Adobe Photoshop!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":809902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2338,2552,2550,2336,2341],"tags":[135,180],"class_list":["post-7482","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-learn-photo-editing","category-learn-to-draw-with-wacom","category-photography","category-software","tag-adobe","tag-piximperfect"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7482"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7482\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/809902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}