Sketch Drawer: Effortlessly transform any picture into a crisp, printable stencil for creative projects.

1️⃣ Open Image in Sketch Drawer.
2️⃣ Select Preset for Stencil Conversion.
3️⃣ Adjust Sketch Details (Optional).
4️⃣ Convert Image to Stencil.
5️⃣ Save Stencil File.

I needed a bat stencil for a homemade bat signal. A regular photo was not cutting it, and scanning a drawing looked messy. I searched for photo to stencil magic. Sketch Drawer let me upload the bat picture and convert it with one click.

What you will learn

Sketch Drawer turns photos into artistic sketches.
Photoshop is software for image editing and graphic design.
Illustrator is a vector graphics editor for illustrations, logos, and icons.

Make stencils from pics two ways: with a SoftOrbits Sketch Drawer or Photoshop!

Download for Free

Windows 11 / 10Free trial, no sign-up

Why do you need a stencil from a photo?

To add detail or shading to your artwork.
To create a unique design.
To make a bold statement.
To have fun!

SoftOrbits Picture Stencil Maker: How to make a stencil from a picture without Photoshop

Open the photo

Open the program and pick one or more photos.

Make a stencil from a picture without Photoshop..

Select Preset

Select the panel and set the options you want.

Various tools and options

Set the line width, detalization level, and colors.

Covert and save

Click the Convert button and wait for the software to convert the picture into a stencil illustration.

Sketch Drawer

Want lifelike pencil shading from everyday shots? Our model was trained for just that - convert photo to sketch online free previews in seconds, then refine with presets if you like.

Download for Free

Video Tutorials

Way #2: How to make a stencil from a picture using Photoshop

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Photoshop offers more flexibility and options than Sketch Drawer but can be more complicated. You can download Photoshop here.

To create a stencil in Photoshop:

Open Photoshop and select File> New. Set the Width and Height to whatever size you want your stencil to be. Click OK.

Select File > Import and choose the picture you want to convert into a stencil. Click Open.

Select Image > Adjustments > Levels Curves or Threshold.

Select Filter > Stylize > Find Edges. This will convert the image into a black-and-white sketch with sharp edges.

Edit the sketch with Photoshop's tools and options. Save the finished image as a PSD or JPEG file for your projects.

Way #3: How to make a stencil from a photo in Illustrator?

Convert your image before opening the File with Photoshop and use Pen Tool.

Prepare Reference Image Find reference material that shows what it looks like when someone paints on top of another artwork while still seeing all around them.

Import that into vector software as an outline and practice working around the tools without worrying about misplaced pixels.

Create a stencil from a photo in Illustrator..

Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw anchor points along the outermost line of the image. Hold down Alt as you click to add anchor points and fine-tune the trace. With the image selected, go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke to turn it into a solid shape.

Apply a blur effect.

Go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a radius of your choice. I used a setting of 12px. Check the Preview box, then click OK.

Add your stencil to any wall in Photoshop or Illustrator as a layer with transparency set to Multiply.