To create vector images from photos, draw over your photos or change the filters.
To create vector images from photos, you can either redraw the image and add colors or stylize the image using filters. The advantage of redrawing the image is that you can modify it using anchor paths. The advantage of filters is it's faster and you can vary the effects.
Adobe Photoshop is used by professional photographers to edit photos in just a few steps. GIMP can create vector images from photos by using a number of filters. GIMP offers 21 layer modes. Inkscape has been created with drawing vectors in mind, so you can use it to redraw shapes indefinitely using nodes.
Instructions
Adobe Photoshop
1. Open Adobe Photoshop. Go to "File," "Open" and search for the photo you want to vectorize. Click "Open." Go to "File," "Save As" and select "Photoshop" (*.PSD, *.PDD). Click "Save."
2. Go the "Layers" palette. Double-click on the layer that has a lock. Give this second layer a name and click "OK." Go to "Filter," "Artistic" and choose "Cutout." Set the "Edge Simplicity" to "5" and the "Edge Fidelity" to "3." Click "OK."
3. Go to "Filter," "Artistic" and choose "Poster Edges." Set the "Edge Thickness" to "2" and the "Edge Intensity" to "1" and set "Posterization" to "4." Click "OK."
4. Click on the "Layers" palette and click on the drop-down menu on top of the layer if you prefer not to use the "Filter" tool. Choose "Overlay."
5. Click on the "New Layer" icon at the bottom of the palette, click once more on the drop-down menu and choose "Hard Line." Go to "Filter," "Other" and choose "High Pass." Set the radius to "50."
GIMP
6. Open your photo in the free GIMP program. Go to "Filters," "Enhance" and choose "Unsharp Mask." Change the "Threshold," "Radius" and "Amount" until you reach a satisfactory output.
7. Click the "Duplicate Layer" icon. Go to "Layer," "Mask" and select "Add Layer Mask." Click on the back color in the "ToolBox" to fill the layer with black. In the "Toolbox," click on the "Brush" tool. Choose "Circle Fuzzy" and set the "Scale" value to "10.0" and the "Opacity" to "50.0." Click on the "Foreground Color" and choose white. Draw over the picture under the darker lines to contrast them.
8. Click the "Duplicate Layer" icon. Give it a name. Drag the new layer at the top of other layers. Go to "Filters, "Edge Detect" and choose "Neon." Set the "radius" to "6.0" and the "Amount" to "0." Go to the "Layers" palette and click on "Mode." Select "Screen."
Inkscape
9. Open your photo in the free Inkscape program. Click the "Calligraphic" tool.
Trace with the "Calligraphy" tool.
10. Click on the "Nodes" tool and adjust the lines to the lines of your photos. Click on the photo and pull it aside to see the drawing.
11. Click on the "Select" tool and drag it over the entire drawing. Click "Path" and choose "Union."
12. Click on a color at the bottom of your drawing board and click on the "Paint Bucket" tool. Click on the part of the image you want to color.
