Linary Loc: UK

In response to a post in the Main Discussion here is my favourite method of creating a sketch from a photograph.

Load the image into Photoshop, select the Move tool. (This ensures all the shortcuts will work).
Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J)
Desaturate the layer (Shift+Ctrl+U)
Duplicate the desaturated layer (Ctrl+J)
Invert the layer (Ctrl+I)
Change the Blend mode to Colour Dodge (Shift+Alt+D) - This will make the image go completely white
On the menu, go to Filter - Other - Minimum, set to One pixel and click OK
Merge all the layers to a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E) - the new layer will appear at the top of the layers panel
Change the blend mode to Multiply (Shift+Alt+M) - This will darken the sketch, you can reduce the effect by reducing the opacity of this layer.
If you turn off visibility of Layer 0 copy (second layer from bottom) you will see one version of the colourised sketch
Leave the visibility on and continue
Select the Background layer and duplicate it (Ctrl+J)
Move this new layer to the top of the stack (Shift+Ctrl+]) That is a right bracket
Change the blend mode to Colour (Shift+Alt+C)
You now have a second version of the colourised sketch.
If you now turn off visibility of Layer 0 copy you will get a third version of the colourised sketch

Original Photo


Black and White sketch


First version of Colourised sketch


Second version of colourised sketch


Third version of colourised sketch

buddah17 Loc: The Bahamas

Thanks, I will give it a try..

buddah17 Loc: The Bahamas

BTW: Is there a way that I can make it a line drawing without the shading?

Linary Loc: UK

Sometimes, if you remove the shading, most of the image will disappear. However, here is a second method which has far less detail and retains most of the keylines.

MAKING A LINE DRAWING (nearly)
Load image in Photoshop
Copy layer
Add a Hue/Saturation layer
Reduce saturation to -100 (ie all the way left)
Click on Layer 1 to activate
Change Blend mode to Colour Dodge
Invert the layer (Ctrl I) (image should be pure white)
Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Increase the radius as required
Click OK
Choose Adjustment layer > Levels
Slide input (left slider) to right until things look good
If parts of the image are too dense, choose the Brush tool, Large brush, Opacity 40%, Foreground colour = black
Brush over areas which are too dense
Make a composite (Shift +Ctrl+Alt+E) and move this layer to the top of the stack
Brush = small, Opacity 100%, Foreground colour white.
Brush over areas to clean up.

If there is still too much gray detail, zoom the image until you can see the detail.choose Select > Colour Range
Choose Shadows, Fuzziness 0%, and Selection Preview = Quick mask
Increase the range slider slowly until just the important keylines have changed to the red masking colour.
Click OK
Press Ctrl+J which will send the selection to a new layer. This layer will have much less gray information.


There are other methods to create line drawings, one of the better filters to try is the Photocopy filter.