Turning photos into paintings is a fun way to give your images a creative, artistic look. Thanks to modern editing software and apps, it’s easier than ever to make your photos resemble paintings, from impressionist to oil on canvas.
There are a few different techniques you can use:
- Filter effects – Using filter and texture effects in programs like Photoshop or GIMP can make a photo look hand painted or abstract.
- Brush tools – Manually painting over a photo with brush tools can create a fine art feel.
- Mobile apps – Apps like Waterlogue, Prisma, and others have presets that instantly convert photos into paintings.
The approach you take will depend on the style you want and how much editing control you need. In this guide, we’ll look at the most common ways to turn photos into painted works of art.
Using Filter and Texture Effects
One of the easiest ways to make a photo look like a painting is by applying filter and texture effects. Most robust photo editing software like Photoshop and GIMP have these capabilities built-in.
Here are some of the best filters and textures for creating painted effects:
Texture Filters
Adding canvas or paper textures over a photo creates a convincing painted look. Try filters like these:
- Canvas – Overlays weave, fiber textures
- Paper or parchment – For softer, subtle effects
- Grunge or weathered – Adds vintage character
Adjust the blending mode and opacity to get the right effect strength. Many grunge-style filters will make the image look worn and aged.
Artistic Filters
Filters in the artistic category usually mimic painting styles like watercolor, crayon, or oil paint:
- Watercolor – Creates bright, saturated washes of color
- Palette knife – Thick, textured oil paint strokes
- Dry brush or crayon – Waxy, matte color
- Fresco – Bold brush strokes
Play around with the different artistic filters to pick the one that best matches your desired painting style. You’ll usually need to tweak the settings and layer blending to make it look realistic.
Impressionist Filters
Impressionist filters are great for turning photos into soft, blurred paintings reminiscent of Monet and Renoir:
- Pointillism – Dots of color blended optically
- Posterize – Blocky, flattened color
- Pixelate – Intentional low-resolution mosaic effect
- Diffuse glow – Overall softness and ethereal light
Using a combination of textures and artistic filters works well for simulating oil paintings. Try finishing off with some splatter brushes for extra realism.
Painting Over Photos
For precise control over the painted effect, you can manually paint over a photo using brush tools. Software like Photoshop and Corel Painter have tons of realistic brush presets to create convincing fine art looks.
Some tips when manually painting over a photo:
- Add an empty layer over the image to “paint” on.
- Start with broad strokes, then refine details.
- Use textured brushes and brush opacity/blending options.
- Sample colors directly from the photo.
- Add layers of splatter or speckles for texture.
It takes practice to get comfortable with digital brushes. Try mimicking the real painting style you want to achieve. Using a graphics tablet also helps for pressure sensitivity and stroke control.
For a natural paint look, avoid going overboard by hand-painting the entire photo. Just enhance certain areas or objects. Subtly is key for realistic results.
Impasto and Oil Brush Effects
Thick, textured brushes mimic impasto oil painting techniques:
- Load brushes with heavy, opaque paint.
- Vary brush size and stroke strength.
- Use round brushes for distinct strokes.
- Add palette knife marks for texture.
- Layer colors to build up thickness.
Watercolor Brushes
For gently washed out watercolor paint:
- Use wet, feathered brushes.
- Let colors flow and blend softly.
- Mask away rough edges after applying color.
- Reapply pigment to intensify color.
- Save some white space for paper texture.
You can hand paint as much or as little of the image as you like. Subtle splatter textures blended in can go a long way.
Mobile Photo Painting Apps
An easy shortcut for painting effects is using a dedicated mobile app. Here are some top choices:
| App | Features |
|---|---|
| Waterlogue | Mimics real watercolor paints. Advanced control over brush style. |
| Prisma | Transforms photos with different painted art styles based on AI neural networks. |
| Adobe Photoshop Sketch | Offers a range of realistic brushes with pressure sensitivity. Sketch over images or start painting from scratch. |
| Snapseed | Photo editing app with some nice painting filter effects using tools like Gouache and Illustration. |
These apps provide easy presets for turning photos into paintings in just a tap. Results can sometimes look a little cartoonish without fine control, but they’re great for casual use.
Combining Techniques for Realistic Effects
For paintings that look truly life-like, a combination of techniques works best:
- Textures – Add canvas, paper or brush stroke textures over the base photo.
- Filters – Use an artistic filter effect like oil paint or watercolor.
- Brushes – Manually enhance with scatter brushes, speckles, splotches.
- Color Adjustments – Boost vibrance and warmth for an artistic look.
- Lighting – Spotlight the focal subject, vignette around the edges.
Building up layers of textures, fixing small details with brushes, and tweaking the color and tone creates incredibly realistic simulated paintings.
It just takes some trial and error to find the right blend of filters and manual painting. Framing the photo composition intentionally also helps sell the painted look.
Conclusion
Turning photos into painterly works of art is easy and fun with the right software tools. While filters can do a lot automatically, taking the time to manually enhance the image makes a big difference in realism. Approach it like an artist interpreting a scene to make your photos look like true hand-painted canvases.