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How to Create an Illustration Photoshop Action (From Photo to Illustration)

Do you want to turn an image into an illustration in Photoshop? This is the tutorial for you! Learn to do it using a Photoshop action!
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Marko Kožokar
• 9 min read
English
Add-Ons Photoshop Actions Drawing/Illustration Adobe Photoshop

If you've ever asked yourself, "How do I turn a photo into an illustration?", we got you covered. No need to hire a professional if you want to turn a picture into an illustration. You can do it yourself using the illustration Photoshop action you'll learn to create in this tutorial.

Final product imageFinal product imageFinal product image
What You'll Be Creating

Wondering how to make a photo an illustration in Photoshop? In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create an illustration Photoshop action to turn a photo into an illustration. I'll guide you through the photo to illustration process step by step.

The photo to illustration effect shown above is the one I'll show you how to create. If you'd like to create even more advanced vector art style Photoshop illustrations using a single click and in only a few minutes, then check out Envato Elements' huge library of illustration Photoshop actions!

VectorArt Photoshop ActionVectorArt Photoshop ActionVectorArt Photoshop Action

Interested in photo to illustration video tutorials instead? Don't forget to visit the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel. You'll find amazing resources, like this new video on how to illustrate a photo in Photoshop:

How to Create an Illustration Photoshop Action (From Photo to Illustration)

What You'll Learn in This Photo to Illustration Photoshop Tutorial

  • How to create a Photoshop action
  • How to select the subject in Photoshop
  • How to turn an image into an illustration in Photoshop
  • How to create an illustration Photoshop effect

What You'll Need

To recreate the photo to illustration design above, you will need the following image:

1. How to Get Started

Let's learn how to make a picture into an illustration. First, open the photo that you want to work with. To open your photo, go to File > Open, choose your photo, and click Open. Now, before we get started, just check a couple of things:

  1. Since you'll be learning how to turn a photo into an illustration, your photo should be in RGB Color mode, 8 Bits/Channel. To check this, go to Image > Mode.
  2. For best results, your photo size should be 2000–4000 px wide/high. To check this, go to Image > Image Size.
  3. Your photo should be the Background layer. If it is not, go to Layer > New > Background from Layer.
checking image size and modechecking image size and modechecking image size and mode

2. How to Select the Subject in Photoshop

Step 1

In this section, we are going to make a selection of our subject and then copy the subject to a separate layer to do some illustration over the photo. Choose the Quick Selection Tool (W) and select the background of the photo. Use the Shift-Alt buttons on your keyboard to add or subtract areas from the selection. After you've made a perfect selection, press Control-Shift-I on your keyboard to invert the selection.

making selectionmaking selectionmaking selection

Step 2

Now go to Select > Modify > Smooth and set the Sample Radius to 5 px. Next, go to Select > Modify > Contract and set Contract By to 2 px. Finally, go to Select > Modify > Feather and set the Feather Radius to 2 px.

modifying selectionmodifying selectionmodifying selection

Step 3

Press Control-J on your keyboard to create a new layer using the selection. Name this new layer Subject.

creating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selection

3. How to Start Recording the Photoshop Action

In this section of our tutorial on how to make a photo look like an illustration, we are going to start recording the action. Go to Window > Actions, and in the Actions panel, click on the menu icon in the top right-hand corner, choose New Set to create a new set, and name it Illustration. Then, click on the same menu icon again, choose New Action to create a new action, and name it Illustration. This is where the magic to create an illustration from a photo will take place.

creating new actioncreating new actioncreating new action

4. How to Create an Illustration Background

When learning how to illustrate photos in Photoshop, creating a realistic background helps enhance the illustration look. In this section, we are going to create the background. Select the Background layer, go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color to create a new solid color fill layer, name it Background color, and choose the color #cfcac8 as shown below:

creating new solid color fill layercreating new solid color fill layercreating new solid color fill layer

5. How to Create the Illustration Photoshop Effect

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create the "illustration over photography" look. Select the Subject layer, go to Filter > Stylize > Diffuse, and set the Mode to Anisotropic.

adding diffuse filteradding diffuse filteradding diffuse filter

Step 2

Now go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set the Amount to 125%, Radius to 3 px, and Threshold to 0 levels.

adding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filter

Step 3

An important step to turn a photo into an illustration is to smooth out the different textures. Go to Filter > Noise > Reduce Noise and use the settings below:

adding reduce noise filteradding reduce noise filteradding reduce noise filter

Step 4

Now go to Filter > Blur > Surface Blur, and set the Radius to 5 px and Threshold to 15.

adding surface blur filteradding surface blur filteradding surface blur filter

Step 5

Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set the Amount to 250%, Radius to 3 px, and Threshold to 0 levels.

adding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filter

Step 6

Artistic filters can give you a great head start to turn a photo into an illustration. Now go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Artistic > Cutout, and set the Number of Levels to 8, Edge Simplicity to 5, and Edge Fidelity to 1. This gets us a step closer to solving the age-old question, "How do I turn a photo into an illustration?"

adding cutout filteradding cutout filteradding cutout filter

6. How to Create Subject Outlines

Step 1

In this section, we are going to create subject outlines. This detail makes the photo into an illustration effect more believable. Control-click on the Subject layer thumbnail to make a selection of this layer. Then, select the Background layer and press Control-J on your keyboard to create a new layer using the selection. After that, drag this layer to the top of the layers in the Layers panel.

creating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selection

Step 2

Now go to Image > Adjustment > Levels and enter the settings below:

adjusting levelsadjusting levelsadjusting levels

Step 3

Go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Sketch > Stamp, and set the Light/Dark Balance to 25 and the Smoothness to 5.

adding stamp filteradding stamp filteradding stamp filter

Step 4

Now go to Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint, set the Stylization to 5 and Cleanliness to 4, and uncheck the Lighting option.

adding oil paint filteradding oil paint filteradding oil paint filter

Step 5

Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set the Amount to 250%, Radius to 5 px, and Threshold to 0 levels.

adding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filteradding unsharp mask filter

Step 6

Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Multiply and set the Opacity to 32%. Name this layer Subject Outlines.

changing blending mode and opacitychanging blending mode and opacitychanging blending mode and opacity

7. How to Make the Final Adjustments

Step 1

In this section, we are going to make final adjustments to the design and save the action to create an illustration in the future. Control-click on the Subject layer thumbnail to make a selection of this layer. Then, select the Background layer and press Control-J on your keyboard to create a new layer using the selection. After that, drag this layer to the top of the layers in the Layers panel.

creating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selectioncreating new layer using selection

Step 2

Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Color. Name this layer Subject Color.

changing blending modechanging blending modechanging blending mode

Step 3

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves to create a new curves adjustment layer and name it Color Look.

creating new curves adjustment layercreating new curves adjustment layercreating new curves adjustment layer

Step 4

Now double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, enter the settings below:

adjusting curvesadjusting curvesadjusting curves

Step 5

Press D on your keyboard to reset the swatches. Then, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Gradient Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer and name it Overall Contrast.

creating new gradient map adjustment layercreating new gradient map adjustment layercreating new gradient map adjustment layer

Step 6

Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Soft Light and set the Opacity to 63%.

changing blending mode and opacitychanging blending mode and opacitychanging blending mode and opacity

Step 7

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Vibrance to create a new vibrance adjustment layer and name it Overall Vibrance/Saturation.

creating new vibrance adjustment layercreating new vibrance adjustment layercreating new vibrance adjustment layer

Step 8

Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail and, in the Properties panel, set the Vibrance to +45 and the Saturation to +22.

adjusting vibrance and saturationadjusting vibrance and saturationadjusting vibrance and saturation

Step 9

Double-click on the thumbnail of the Background Color layer and choose the color #cfecfe as shown below. Then, go to Window > Actions, and in the Actions panel, click on the rectangle icon in the bottom left-hand corner to stop recording the action. Then, in the same panel, click on the menu icon in the top right-hand corner and choose Save Actions to save the action.

adjusting solid coloradjusting solid coloradjusting solid color

You Made It!

Congratulations, you have succeeded! You've learned how to make a photo into an illustration in Photoshop. Now you can transform any photo into an illustration.

You can also apply the effect to a photo and then add it as a background. This is the stock photo I chose. Here is the final result:

final resultfinal resultfinal result

Take It to the Next Level!

If you would like to create the even more advanced photo illustration Photoshop effect shown below, using just a single click and in only a few minutes, then check out the VectorArt Photoshop Action and even more from Envato Elements.

With this vector art style Photoshop action, you can turn an image into an illustration in Photoshop with only a few clicks, even if you are a complete beginner. Simply open your photo, brush over your subject, and run the action.

action final resultaction final resultaction final result

Check out other amazing actions to turn a photo into an illustration in Photoshop, such as this Vector Illustration Photoshop Action. You don't need to learn how to illustrate photos in Photoshop from scratch with this premium action.

Discover More Photoshop Tutorials and Resources

Now that you know how to create an illustration from a photo, turn a photo into an illustration on Photoshop using other media and effects. Here are some other tutorials you may also like:

Add-Ons Photoshop Actions Drawing/Illustration Adobe Photoshop
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