{"id":36895,"date":"2021-08-04T13:09:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T20:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/?p=36895"},"modified":"2026-10-23T05:50:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T12:50:03","slug":"say-hello-new-favorite-effect-sketch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/say-hello-new-favorite-effect-sketch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to turn a photo into a sketch effect"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The fastest way to a sketch effect that looks hand-drawn is a prompt in <a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/ai-playground\/\">AI Playground<\/a>.<\/strong> Upload a photo, pick an image model and describe the look. Your photo comes back as a pencil sketch, an ink drawing, clean line art or an outline over the original.<\/p>\n<p>Because the drawing starts from a description, you call the shots: the medium, the paper, the line weight and what stays exactly as it was. Below: what a sketch is good for, the five-step method, and a ready prompt for each look.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"What_you_can_make_with_a_sketch_effect\">What you can make with a sketch effect<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Redraw one photo and it can travel almost anywhere:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stickers.<\/strong> Line art on a transparent background becomes a hand-drawn sticker for any design.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Presentations and portfolios.<\/strong> A sketched portrait or product shot gives slides and case studies a crafted, handmade feel.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Profile pictures.<\/strong> A pencil portrait stops the scroll in a feed full of filtered selfies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gifts and prints.<\/strong> Sketch a pet or a couple in pencil and you have a card or a framed print.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"How_to_turn_a_photo_into_a_sketch_with_AI\">How to turn a photo into a sketch with AI<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The prompt route redraws the photo instead of laying a texture over it. So the result reads as a real drawing, with strokes that follow the shapes of the face and the scene. Five steps get you there.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 1. Open AI Playground<\/h3>\n<p>Open AI Playground and choose Image in the bottom-left switcher. Image mode makes your photo the starting point: the model works from it instead of generating an image from nothing.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2. Upload your photo<\/h3>\n<p>Add the photo with the Image button at the top of the prompt box. Pick one with a clear subject, visible edges and good contrast. Those become the lines of your drawing.<\/p>\n<p>Portraits, pets and landscapes all work. Side light is your friend: a face lit from one side gives the shading more to play with than a flat, front-lit selfie.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3. Pick the model for the look<\/h3>\n<p>Open the model menu and pick one of these:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/ai-models\/nano-banana-2-1\/\">Nano Banana 2.1<\/a><\/strong> for pencil sketches and sketches on a new background. It restyles the whole image and keeps the person recognizable.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/ai-models\/gpt-image-2-5\/\">GPT Image 2.5<\/a><\/strong> for ink sketches and line art. Its Sunburst variant handles fine hatching, and it exports PNG with a transparent background.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/ai-models\/ideogram-4-5-precise-edit\/\">Ideogram 4.5 Precise Edit<\/a><\/strong> for outlines. It changes only what you name, so the photo underneath stays pixel-intact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Step 4. Describe the sketch, then lock the face<\/h3>\n<p>Start with the change: the medium, the paper, the line weight and how much shading you want. &quot;Graphite pencil on off-white paper with light cross-hatching&quot; gives the model far more to go on than &quot;make it a sketch&quot;.<\/p>\n<p>Then list everything that must not move: the face, expression, pose, hairstyle and composition. That lock list keeps the drawing looking like the person in your photo, not a stranger drawn in the same pose.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 5. Generate and refine<\/h3>\n<p>Generate, then check the result twice: zoomed in on the face, and at the size you will actually use it. Small features like eyes and lips are where a sketch most often drifts.<\/p>\n<p>Fix it with a follow-up message instead of starting over. Ask for lighter shading, thicker lines or less background, one change at a time, and you see what each one did.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Sketch_effect_prompt_examples\">Sketch effect prompt examples<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Each example below is ready to paste into Step 4. Swap in your photo&#x27;s details and keep the lock list.<\/p>\n<h3>Pencil sketch<\/h3>\n<p>Reach for Nano Banana 2.1. A pencil portrait lives or dies on likeness, and this model keeps the person recognizable while it restyles everything else. It also refines in conversation, so lighter shading is one follow-up message away.<\/p>\n<section class=\"try_prompt_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"try_prompt_title\">Pencil sketch from a photo<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"try_prompt_card\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_try prompt\">\n        <p class=\"try_prompt_text\" id=\"try-prompt-6ae664143f916-text\">Turn this photo into a realistic graphite pencil sketch on off-white paper, with soft shading, visible pencil strokes and light cross-hatching in the shadows. Keep the face, expression, pose, hairstyle and composition exactly as in the photo. No color, no added objects, no text.<\/p>\n\n        <button type=\"button\"\n                class=\"try_prompt_copy\"\n                data-copy-target=\"#try-prompt-6ae664143f916-text\"\n                aria-label=\"Copy prompt\"\n                title=\"Copy prompt\"\n                data-pulse-name=\"try prompt - copy\">\n            <img class=\"try_prompt_copy_icon\"\n                 src=\"https:\/\/cdn-cms-uploads.picsart.com\/cms-uploads\/79a9b2ac-f4c9-436b-b388-a05a484adf00.png\"\n                 alt=\"\"\n                 width=\"20\" height=\"20\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">\n            <svg class=\"try_prompt_check_icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <polyline points=\"5,12 10,17 19,7\"><\/polyline>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span class=\"try_prompt_copy_tooltip\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copied<\/span>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>Want a rougher, unfinished study? Ask for loose construction lines and leave the edges of the paper blank.<\/p>\n<h3>Ink sketch<\/h3>\n<p>Go with GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst, which renders sharp detail and rich texture. Ink is less forgiving than pencil: every line is dark and final, so the precision variant is the safer pick.<\/p>\n<section class=\"try_prompt_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"try_prompt_title\">Ink sketch from a photo<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"try_prompt_card\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_try prompt\">\n        <p class=\"try_prompt_text\" id=\"try-prompt-6ae664143f937-text\">Redraw this photo as a black ink pen sketch on white paper, with confident fine lines, dense cross-hatching for shadows and clean white highlights. Keep the person&#8217;s face, proportions, pose and the framing of the photo exactly the same. No gray wash, no color, no text.<\/p>\n\n        <button type=\"button\"\n                class=\"try_prompt_copy\"\n                data-copy-target=\"#try-prompt-6ae664143f937-text\"\n                aria-label=\"Copy prompt\"\n                title=\"Copy prompt\"\n                data-pulse-name=\"try prompt - copy\">\n            <img class=\"try_prompt_copy_icon\"\n                 src=\"https:\/\/cdn-cms-uploads.picsart.com\/cms-uploads\/79a9b2ac-f4c9-436b-b388-a05a484adf00.png\"\n                 alt=\"\"\n                 width=\"20\" height=\"20\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">\n            <svg class=\"try_prompt_check_icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <polyline points=\"5,12 10,17 19,7\"><\/polyline>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span class=\"try_prompt_copy_tooltip\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copied<\/span>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>Craving a vintage feel? Add warm paper texture and light film grain to the same prompt.<\/p>\n<h3>Turn a photo into line art<\/h3>\n<p>Use GPT Image 2.5. Line art strips the photo down to its contours, and the transparent PNG is ready to drop onto any design, sticker or print.<\/p>\n<section class=\"try_prompt_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"try_prompt_title\">Line art from a photo<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"try_prompt_card\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_try prompt\">\n        <p class=\"try_prompt_text\" id=\"try-prompt-6ae664143f957-text\">Convert this photo into clean black line art with a single even line weight, tracing only the main contours and key facial features, on a transparent background. Keep the subject&#8217;s face, pose, proportions and composition exactly as in the photo. No shading, no fill, no background details.<\/p>\n\n        <button type=\"button\"\n                class=\"try_prompt_copy\"\n                data-copy-target=\"#try-prompt-6ae664143f957-text\"\n                aria-label=\"Copy prompt\"\n                title=\"Copy prompt\"\n                data-pulse-name=\"try prompt - copy\">\n            <img class=\"try_prompt_copy_icon\"\n                 src=\"https:\/\/cdn-cms-uploads.picsart.com\/cms-uploads\/79a9b2ac-f4c9-436b-b388-a05a484adf00.png\"\n                 alt=\"\"\n                 width=\"20\" height=\"20\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">\n            <svg class=\"try_prompt_check_icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <polyline points=\"5,12 10,17 19,7\"><\/polyline>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span class=\"try_prompt_copy_tooltip\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copied<\/span>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>Making a coloring page? Ask for slightly thicker lines and closed shapes.<\/p>\n<h3>Outline a picture<\/h3>\n<p>Use Ideogram 4.5 Precise Edit. Unlike line art, an outline sits on top of the photo. This model changes only the area you name, so the picture underneath stays exactly as you shot it.<\/p>\n<section class=\"try_prompt_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"try_prompt_title\">Outline effect on a photo<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"try_prompt_card\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_try prompt\">\n        <p class=\"try_prompt_text\" id=\"try-prompt-6ae664143f96a-text\">Add a bold white hand-drawn outline that traces the edges of the person, slightly offset from the body like a sketch stroke. Keep the photo itself, the person&#8217;s face, pose, colors, background and composition completely unchanged.<\/p>\n\n        <button type=\"button\"\n                class=\"try_prompt_copy\"\n                data-copy-target=\"#try-prompt-6ae664143f96a-text\"\n                aria-label=\"Copy prompt\"\n                title=\"Copy prompt\"\n                data-pulse-name=\"try prompt - copy\">\n            <img class=\"try_prompt_copy_icon\"\n                 src=\"https:\/\/cdn-cms-uploads.picsart.com\/cms-uploads\/79a9b2ac-f4c9-436b-b388-a05a484adf00.png\"\n                 alt=\"\"\n                 width=\"20\" height=\"20\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">\n            <svg class=\"try_prompt_check_icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <polyline points=\"5,12 10,17 19,7\"><\/polyline>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span class=\"try_prompt_copy_tooltip\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copied<\/span>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>The same prompt stretches to playful looks too: a double outline, a mirrored outline on the opposite side of the subject, or an outline built from small shapes. Neon pink or yellow lines on a dark photo push the effect into &#x27;90s graphic design.<\/p>\n<h3>Sketch on a new background<\/h3>\n<p>Send your subject somewhere new, even outer space, and sketch them in one step with Nano Banana 2.1. The model changes the setting while keeping the subject recognizable.<\/p>\n<section class=\"try_prompt_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"try_prompt_title\">Sketch on a new background<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"try_prompt_card\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_try prompt\">\n        <p class=\"try_prompt_text\" id=\"try-prompt-6ae664143f97b-text\">Turn the person in this photo into a pencil sketch and place them on a deep blue starry space background with soft glowing planets. Keep the person&#8217;s face, pose and proportions exactly as in the photo, and keep the sketch lines black and white.<\/p>\n\n        <button type=\"button\"\n                class=\"try_prompt_copy\"\n                data-copy-target=\"#try-prompt-6ae664143f97b-text\"\n                aria-label=\"Copy prompt\"\n                title=\"Copy prompt\"\n                data-pulse-name=\"try prompt - copy\">\n            <img class=\"try_prompt_copy_icon\"\n                 src=\"https:\/\/cdn-cms-uploads.picsart.com\/cms-uploads\/79a9b2ac-f4c9-436b-b388-a05a484adf00.png\"\n                 alt=\"\"\n                 width=\"20\" height=\"20\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\">\n            <svg class=\"try_prompt_check_icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <polyline points=\"5,12 10,17 19,7\"><\/polyline>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span class=\"try_prompt_copy_tooltip\" role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copied<\/span>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <\/section>\n\n<p>Prefer a plain backdrop? The <a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/background-changer\/\">Background Changer<\/a> swaps in a ready-made background or one you upload.<\/p>\n<p>Most weak sketches start with the photo or the prompt, not the model.<\/p>\n<p><section class=\"tips_block\" data-pulse-section-group=\"blog article\">\n    <h3 class=\"tips_title\">Tips for a cleaner drawing effect<\/h3>\n\n    <div class=\"tips_list\" data-pulse-section=\"blog article_tips\">\n                    <article class=\"tips_item\">\n                <div class=\"tips_item_header\">\n                    <span class=\"tips_item_icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n                    <h4 class=\"tips_item_title\">One medium per prompt<\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <p class=\"tips_item_body\">Pencil plus ink plus watercolor in one go muddies the strokes. Pick one, then try the next as a follow-up.<\/p>\n            <\/article>\n                    <article class=\"tips_item\">\n                <div class=\"tips_item_header\">\n                    <span class=\"tips_item_icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n                    <h4 class=\"tips_item_title\">Name the paper<\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <p class=\"tips_item_body\">Off-white, warm or plain white paper changes how finished the drawing feels.<\/p>\n            <\/article>\n                    <article class=\"tips_item\">\n                <div class=\"tips_item_header\">\n                    <span class=\"tips_item_icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n                    <h4 class=\"tips_item_title\">Change one thing per follow-up<\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <p class=\"tips_item_body\">Shading, then line weight, then background, so you can tell what each change did.<\/p>\n            <\/article>\n                    <article class=\"tips_item\">\n                <div class=\"tips_item_header\">\n                    <span class=\"tips_item_icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n                    <h4 class=\"tips_item_title\">Simplify busy backgrounds<\/h4>\n                <\/div>\n                <p class=\"tips_item_body\">A cluttered scene turns into a tangle of lines, so ask the prompt to drop it or keep only the main subject.<\/p>\n            <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<br \/>\n<section class=\"section_faq\" id=\"faq-faq-6ae664143fd3a\">\n            <h2 class=\"faq_title\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n    \n    <div class=\"faq_items\">\n                    <div class=\"faq_item faq_item--active\">\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"faq_question\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n                    <span class=\"faq_question_text\">How do you outline a picture?<\/span>\n                    <svg class=\"faq_chevron\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                        <path d=\"M6 9L12 15L18 9\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/button>\n                <div class=\"faq_answer\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n                    <div class=\"faq_answer_content\"><p>To make an outline of a picture, upload it to AI Playground, pick Ideogram 4.5 Precise Edit and describe the outline while asking for the photo to stay unchanged. Name the line color and thickness for a specific look.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"faq_divider\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"faq_item \">\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"faq_question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <span class=\"faq_question_text\">Where is the sketch effect in Picsart?<\/span>\n                    <svg class=\"faq_chevron\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                        <path d=\"M6 9L12 15L18 9\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/button>\n                <div class=\"faq_answer\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-collapsed>\n                    <div class=\"faq_answer_content\"><p>The [sketch effect](https:\/\/picsart.com\/photo-effects\/sketch\/) sits in the Artistic collection of the photo editor, in a pencil and an ink version. For more styles, like line art or an outline, describe the look in AI Playground.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"faq_divider\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"faq_item \">\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"faq_question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <span class=\"faq_question_text\">How do you turn a photo into line art?<\/span>\n                    <svg class=\"faq_chevron\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                        <path d=\"M6 9L12 15L18 9\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/button>\n                <div class=\"faq_answer\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-collapsed>\n                    <div class=\"faq_answer_content\"><p>Upload the photo to AI Playground, choose GPT Image 2.5 and ask for clean black contours on a transparent background. Name the face, pose and composition as things that must not change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"faq_divider\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"faq_item \">\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"faq_question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <span class=\"faq_question_text\">What is the best way of converting a photo into a pencil sketch?<\/span>\n                    <svg class=\"faq_chevron\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                        <path d=\"M6 9L12 15L18 9\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/button>\n                <div class=\"faq_answer\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-collapsed>\n                    <div class=\"faq_answer_content\"><p>Prompt Nano Banana 2.1 in AI Playground with the medium, the paper and the shading you want, then lock the face. Refine the shading with follow-up messages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"faq_divider\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"faq_item \">\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"faq_question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <span class=\"faq_question_text\">Is a sketch filter different from a drawing effect made with AI?<\/span>\n                    <svg class=\"faq_chevron\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                        <path d=\"M6 9L12 15L18 9\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/svg>\n                <\/button>\n                <div class=\"faq_answer\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-collapsed>\n                    <div class=\"faq_answer_content\"><p>A sketch filter applies a fixed look you fine-tune with sliders. A prompt-made drawing effect can change the medium, line weight and background in one step.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"faq_divider\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n    \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"How do you outline a picture?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                \"text\": \"To make an outline of a picture, upload it to AI Playground, pick Ideogram 4.5 Precise Edit and describe the outline while asking for the photo to stay unchanged. 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A prompt-made drawing effect can change the medium, line weight and background in one step.\"\n            }\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n\n<script>\n(function() {\n    var container = document.getElementById('faq-faq-6ae664143fd3a');\n    if (!container) return;\n\n    var items = container.querySelectorAll('.faq_item');\n    items.forEach(function(item) {\n        var button = item.querySelector('.faq_question');\n        var answer = item.querySelector('.faq_answer');\n        if (!button || !answer) return;\n\n        button.addEventListener('click', function() {\n            var isActive = item.classList.contains('faq_item--active');\n\n            if (isActive) {\n                item.classList.remove('faq_item--active');\n                button.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');\n                answer.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');\n                answer.setAttribute('data-collapsed', '');\n            } else {\n                items.forEach(function(other) {\n                    var otherBtn = other.querySelector('.faq_question');\n                    var otherAnswer = other.querySelector('.faq_answer');\n                    other.classList.remove('faq_item--active');\n                    if (otherBtn) otherBtn.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');\n                    if (otherAnswer) {\n                        otherAnswer.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');\n                        otherAnswer.setAttribute('data-collapsed', '');\n                    }\n                });\n                item.classList.add('faq_item--active');\n                button.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');\n                answer.removeAttribute('data-collapsed');\n                answer.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'false');\n            }\n        });\n    });\n})();\n<\/script>\n<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Start_your_first_sketch\">Start your first sketch<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Pick a photo with a clear subject, open AI Playground and run the pencil sketch prompt first. Your drawing is one prompt away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fastest way to a sketch effect that looks hand-drawn is a prompt in AI Playground. Upload a photo, pick an image model and describe the look. Your photo comes back as a pencil sketch, an ink drawing, clean line art or an outline over the original. Because the drawing starts from a description, you &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/say-hello-new-favorite-effect-sketch\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to turn a photo into a sketch effect&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":134153,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"faq_show":true,"faq_enable_schema":true,"how_to_show":false,"how_to_show_on_single":false,"how_to_enable_schema":false,"how_to_is_upload":false,"faq_title":"Frequently asked questions","how_to_title":"","how_to_layout":"","how_to_cta_text":"","how_to_cta_url":"","how_to_image_alt":"","how_to_display_image":0,"faq_items":null,"how_to_steps":[],"prompt_box_show":false,"prompt_box_placeholder":"","prompt_box_deeplink":"","prompt_box_submit_label":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1673],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trends","category-how-tos","entry"],"acf":{"footer_banner_name":"Try out the latest AI models","footer_banner_link_":"\/ai-playground","footer_banner_button_text_":"Open AI Playground","faq_show":true,"faq_title":"Frequently asked questions","faq_enable_schema":true,"faq_items":[{"question":"How do you outline a picture?","answer":"To make an outline of a picture, upload it to AI Playground, pick Ideogram 4.5 Precise Edit and describe the outline while asking for the photo to stay unchanged. Name the line color and thickness for a specific look."},{"question":"Where is the sketch effect in Picsart?","answer":"The [sketch effect](https:\/\/picsart.com\/photo-effects\/sketch\/) sits in the Artistic collection of the photo editor, in a pencil and an ink version. For more styles, like line art or an outline, describe the look in AI Playground."},{"question":"How do you turn a photo into line art?","answer":"Upload the photo to AI Playground, choose GPT Image 2.5 and ask for clean black contours on a transparent background. Name the face, pose and composition as things that must not change."},{"question":"What is the best way of converting a photo into a pencil sketch?","answer":"Prompt Nano Banana 2.1 in AI Playground with the medium, the paper and the shading you want, then lock the face. Refine the shading with follow-up messages."},{"question":"Is a sketch filter different from a drawing effect made with AI?","answer":"A sketch filter applies a fixed look you fine-tune with sliders. A prompt-made drawing effect can change the medium, line weight and background in one step."}],"how_to_show":false,"how_to_show_on_single":false,"how_to_title":"","how_to_layout":"default","how_to_steps":null,"how_to_enable_schema":true,"how_to_is_upload":true,"how_to_cta_text":"","how_to_cta_url":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/create\/editor","how_to_display_image":null,"how_to_image_alt":"","prompt_box_show":false,"prompt_box_placeholder":"","prompt_box_deeplink":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/create\/editor?category=miniapps&app=com.picsart.aura","prompt_box_submit_label":"Create","try_prompt_show":false,"try_prompt_title":"Try this prompt","try_prompt_text":"","try_prompt_deeplink":"","tips_show":true,"tips_title":"Tips for a cleaner drawing effect","tips_items":[{"title":"One medium per prompt","body":"Pencil plus ink plus watercolor in one go muddies the strokes. Pick one, then try the next as a follow-up."},{"title":"Name the paper","body":"Off-white, warm or plain white paper changes how finished the drawing feels."},{"title":"Change one thing per follow-up","body":"Shading, then line weight, then background, so you can tell what each change did."},{"title":"Simplify busy backgrounds","body":"A cluttered scene turns into a tangle of lines, so ask the prompt to drop it or keep only the main subject."}],"cta_banner_show":false,"cta_banner_title":"Need more space?","cta_banner_subtitle":"Extend any image in any direction with AI.","cta_banner_button_label":"Expand image","cta_banner_button_url":"","related_tools_title":"Related tools","related_tools_items":null,"post_level":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to turn a photo into a sketch effect - Picsart Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Everything you need to know about using sketch effects, drawing filters, and easily turning a portrait into a drawing with Picsart.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/say-hello-new-favorite-effect-sketch\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to turn a photo into a sketch effect - 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