Turn a photo into a pencil sketch: free, in your browser

How does the sketch effect work?

The effect draws the light parts of your photo as paper and the dark parts and edges as pencil marks. Cross-hatching appears in the shadows and a light paper grain covers the whole picture, so it looks like a hand-drawn sketch rather than a filter.

Step by step

1. Open AI Art; Pencil sketch is already picked. Add your photo.
2. In the Drawing tab pick Pencil sketch, Coloured pencil or Charcoal.
3. Tune it: Darkness sets how hard the pencil presses, Shading softness how wide the shadows are, Hatching the crossed lines in dark areas.
4. To leave the background as blank paper, turn on Subject only (AI): AI separates the person and the rest stays white.
5. Download the image.

Which photos work best?

• Portraits lit from one side, with shadows. Flat, shadowless light gives a pale drawing.
• Close-ups. In busy wide shots the details turn into tiny lines.
• With a cluttered background, turn on Subject only (AI).

Tip: Coloured pencil looks best on photos with strong colours (a red jacket, flowers, sky).

Similar drawing effects

• Line art — clean ink outlines only.
• Ink drawing — outlines plus solid dark fills.
• Spiral portrait — the photo drawn by one spiral line.
• String art — the portrait woven from thread.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn a photo into a pencil sketch?

Open AI Art, add your photo and pick Pencil sketch in the Drawing tab. Tune the darkness and hatching with the sliders and download.

Is it free? Is there a watermark?

Yes, it is free. No account, and no watermark on the file you download.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. The effect runs in your browser on your device; the photo is never sent to a server.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes, in the iPhone and Android browser. If you opened the link inside the Instagram app, use "Open in browser" for Safari or Chrome.