Photo to pencil sketch
Thin lines, and the greys kept.
Drop files here
or click to choose from your deviceAccepted: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP, AVIF, GIF, BMP, HEIC, HEIF
Up to 3 files per runUp to 20 MB per file10 runs per dayRemove limits with Pro✓ Works offline
Your files stay on your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and you can even turn off your internet connection before you start.
How it works
- Add a photograph. Good light and a clear subject sketch best; a flat, grey photo gives a flat, grey sketch.
- The page starts on fine lines, which is what makes it read as pencil rather than as an outline.
- If the face or the detail is getting lost, move up to medium. Bold turns it into an outline drawing, which is a different thing.
- Download the PNG.
Frequently asked questions
- How is this different from the line drawing page?
- Weight and shading. This one starts fine and in pencil, so the mid greys survive and the result looks drawn. The main line-art page starts at medium, and the colouring page is bold ink with no greys at all — outlines to fill in.
- It looks too faint.
- A soft, evenly lit photograph has little for the pencil to find. Try a picture with stronger light and shadow, or step up to medium lines. Raising the weight is usually better than raising the contrast of the original.
- Can I get it on a transparent background?
- Yes — the transparent line art page is the same engine with the white taken out, so the greys become partly transparent instead of sitting on paper.
- Is the photograph uploaded?
- No. The sketch is made in your browser and the photograph never leaves your device.
Made for a specific use
Related tools
✎ Photo to line drawing Flat areas go white and only the lines stay — as pencil or as clean ink. ✎ Coloring page from a photo A photograph reduced to its outlines, ready to print and colour. ◐ Black and white image Grayscale for photos, crisp black and white for scans and signatures, sepia for an old look. ▩ Pixel art converter A picture redrawn in big blocks and a small palette, like an old game.