Turn a photo into a sketch

Turn a photo into a line drawing, or a picture into an outline, to trace, colour or print. Free and private: it runs in your browser, so your photo stays yours.

Photo → sketchRuns on your device
Photo of a golden retriever sitting on grass
Your photo
Line drawing of the golden retriever, made from the photo
The sketch
Line colour
Download PNG

Photo to line drawing in three steps

  1. 01Upload a photo, or try the example.
  2. 02Adjust Detail for more or fewer lines, and Darkness to pick up fainter edges.
  3. 03Download the sketch as a PNG, or trace it straight away with your camera or the light box.

Which photos make the best line drawings

  • A clear subject with good contrast against its background: a pet on a plain floor rather than on a patterned rug.
  • Even light. Hard shadows turn into lines too.
  • Faces work best close up and front-on, or in three-quarter view.
  • Busy photos (crowds, foliage) give busy sketches. Lower Detail to simplify them.

Make a coloring page from a photo

  • Pick a photo with a simple background: one pet, one person, one object.
  • Lower Detail until only the main shapes remain, and raise Darkness if the outline breaks up.
  • Download the PNG and print it. The lines are on white, ready to colour.

How the converter works

The converter looks for places where the photo gets darker than its surroundings, the same edges an artist would draw, and turns them into image line art. It runs entirely in your browser in a fraction of a second, with no AI service and no upload.

The result is a starting point. Trace the lines that matter, and leave out the ones that don't.

Questions

Can I turn a picture into an outline for a coloring page?

Yes. Download the PNG and print it. For a clean coloring page, pick a photo with a simple background and lower Detail until only the main shapes remain.

Does it use AI?

No. It's a classic edge-detection filter that runs on your device. That's why it's instant and private.

What size is the download?

Up to 1,000 pixels on the long side: plenty for tracing and for printing a page-sized outline.

Is my picture uploaded anywhere?

No. Your photo, the camera view and the outline are all processed inside your browser. Nothing is sent to us or stored on a server.

More ways to trace

Trace drawing with your phoneTrace any drawing or photo onto paper with your phone's camera.Use your phone or tablet as a light boxLight box tracing without buying a light box.A free tracing app, right in your browserA free tracing app with nothing to download.A camera lucida in your phoneThe camera lucida, the artist's drawing aid from 1806, rebuilt in your phone.