VFX Atlas
M 094 / 18304 Print & Ditheralgorithm output

Pencil Sketch

dither, printing & texture

Typeface · Caveat

Real-world algorithm demonstration, applied to a NASA portrait.
Real-world algorithm demonstration, applied to a NASA portrait.Image: NASA / Eileen Collins · scikit-image (public domain)View source ↗

Prompt

Transform this image into a Pencil Sketch with delicate graphite-gray contours on lightly textured white paper. Emphasize fine edges, pale interior areas, soft rubbed shading, and restrained pencil grain, leaving highlights mostly unmarked. Avoid heavy black fills, colored marks, or painted surfaces. Keep the original subject and composition.

Paste it into LetzAI with your own image to apply the effect ↗

Identify

Grey lines and light areas are reminiscent of drawings.

Principle

Inverted blur1 and dodge blending2 emphasize image edges.

Try it out

Test the line hardness.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 8 images

Pencil sketch
02 Pencil sketchA portrait of a person in sunglasses is shown against a patterned backdrop. The image utilizes thin grey outlines and high-contrast white areas to simulate the appearance of a graphite drawing.Winnexjxjdjd · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “Standardgraph 2522 2.5–7 mm lettering guides”
03 Pencil Sketch, applied to “Standardgraph 2522 2.5–7 mm lettering guides”Lettering guides are rendered as thin grey outlines on a white background. The effect reduces the original tools to architectural-style line work.Lucasbosch (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “Salineras de Maras, Maras, Perú, 2015-07-30, DD 17”
04 Pencil Sketch, applied to “Salineras de Maras, Maras, Perú, 2015-07-30, DD 17”The terraced salt pans are defined by high-contrast dark edges and light interiors. Small details like the figure and rocky terrain appear as hand-drawn marks.Diego Delso (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “1000 Islands Tower view July 2015 panorama 5”
05 Pencil Sketch, applied to “1000 Islands Tower view July 2015 panorama 5”This panoramic landscape of islands and trees is converted into a dense network of grey lines. The sky is completely white, creating a graphite-on-paper appearance.King of Hearts (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “Carved wooden bench furniture and crafts at Heuan Chan heritage house in Luang P”
06 Pencil Sketch, applied to “Carved wooden bench furniture and crafts at Heuan Chan heritage house in Luang P”A wooden bench and interior room are shown through delicate grey contours. The intricate carvings and chandelier details are emphasized by sharp edge detection.Basile Morin (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “Bergtocht van Guarda via Ardez en Ftan naar Scuol. 20-09-2019. (actm.) 27”
07 Pencil Sketch, applied to “Bergtocht van Guarda via Ardez en Ftan naar Scuol. 20-09-2019. (actm.) 27”A stone building and surrounding trees are represented by light grey stippling and outlines. The textured walls show how the dodge blending handles mid-tone areas.Agnes Monkelbaan (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Pencil Sketch, applied to “Grey clouds over the luminous paddy fields in Don Det”
08 Pencil Sketch, applied to “Grey clouds over the luminous paddy fields in Don Det”A field and houses are depicted using fine, sketchy strokes that capture the grass and architectural shapes. Bright sky areas remain clear while edges are dark.Basile Morin (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons