Photo to watercolor

How it works

1. Add one or more photos.
2. Choose how loose the washes are, keep the paper texture, and add the pencil drawing for a sketchbook look.
3. Select Paint in watercolor and download the picture.

Frequently asked questions

How is the watercolor made?

The photo is smoothed and reduced to a few colours, which become washes. Their borders wander and bleed softly, as wet paint does; pigment collects darker along the edge of each wash and unevenly across it, and settles into the grain of the paper. The palest areas are left as bare paper, the way a painter leaves the highlights.

Why is it lighter than my photo?

Watercolor is transparent paint on white paper, so even its darkest colours let some paper show through. The effect lightens the photo the same way, which is what makes it look painted rather than filtered.

What does the pencil drawing add?

A light graphite outline of the shapes under the paint, as in a sketchbook or a book illustration. It brings back faces and small details that the washes soften.

Is my photo uploaded, and what are the free limits?

No. The painting is made in your browser, so the photo never leaves your device, and there is no watermark. The free plan allows 3 photos of up to 20 MB per run and 5 runs a day; Pro removes these limits.