Hello everyone! In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to convert any photo into a colorful vector, using only photoshop. The final result can be exported to any vector software like illustrator. And all these details are made without even using the Pen Tool! After completing this tutorial, you will be able to convert any photo into a vector in less than a minute! Please LIKE the video and let's get started! Step 1. Create the Vector Effect. Let's start by creating a New Document. Change Width to 3500 and Height to 2500 then click Create. Go to File> Place Embedded to import your image. Just select your image then click Place. Increase your image size so that the object fills the canvas, then press ENTER. Use any selection tool to make a selection around your object. In my case, since I have a lot of dark areas near these black tires. I will use the Pen tool for more accurate selection After making your selection, click on the mask icon to isolate your object. Now click on this lock icon to unlock your "Background" layer. Select both layers by holding the CTRL key,
then right-click and choose Convert to Smart Object. Double-click the smart object Thumbnail to open it. I've just added this white layer to the smart object...
to make the smart object dimension the same as the main document dimension. Now delete it, then press CTRL+S to update your smart object. Close the Smart object and get back to your main document. Now, select your layer, then go to Filter> Sharpen> and choose Unsharp Mask. Change Amount to 150, Radius to 1.5, and Threshold to 0. Then click OK. Since we are working with smart object, all filters will be applied as a smart filters like that. With your layer selected, let's apply the Diffuse Filter. Change Mode to Anisotropic and click OK. Apply it again from the latest applied filter. Now go to Filter> Stylize and apply the Oil Paint filter. Change Stylization to 3.5, Cleanliness to 2, Scale to 0.1, Bristle Details 0, and uncheck Lighting. Then click OK. You can skip adding the oil paint step if your oil paint filter is missing or doesn't work. Again with your layer selected, go to Filter> Blur> and choose the Smart Blur filter. Change Radius to 50, and threshold to 15. then click OK. Now go to filter> Blur> and choose Surface Blur. Change Radius to 15, and Threshold to 10. then click OK. As you can see, these filters have been applied to smooth your image surface like that. Now let's apply the Unsharp Mask again. Change Amount to 250, and Radius to 5, then click OK. Finally, Go to the Filter Gallery. And under the Artistic folder, choose the Cutout filter. Change it to 8, 4, and 1. This filter plus all previous filters together will give your image that cartoon look. Click OK, and let's move to the next step. Step 2. Vectorizing Everything I made an action to automate the process for you. You can download it from the description below. If you want to know how the vectorizing process works, please check the pinned comment on this video. Now let's go to Window> Actions, to open the Actions panel. And from this little icon, choose Load actions. Select your action and click Load. You will get 3 different actions. each action gives you a vector with a specific number of colors. Now select your layer, then Select the action you want, and click on Run. Wait a little bit. A color range window will come next, Just pick any color and click OK. do this until you finish all colors. These picked colors will be removed from your image and converted into a hidden shape layer like that. Let's speed up this part! After picking all colors, go and unhide them from this little eye icon. Here we have 16 customizable shape layers. You can also change the color of any layer by double-clicking on this little shape icon. Also you can use the Pen Tool or the Direct selection Tool to modify any layers like this. Step 3. Export to Illustrator. First, let's export this to illustrator or any vector software. Just go to File> and choose Save As Change file type to "EPS", then click Save. Leave these settings as mine, and make sure that "Include Vector Data" is checked. Then click OK. Now let's open that saved file. Here is our vector drawing! You can deal with it as a pure vector and modify it as you like. Now let's get back to our tutorial. Close this document, and let's move to the final step. Step 4. Repeat the process. First, You will need to update this existing image. Just double-click on the smart object thumbnail to open it. Now, we are inside the smart object, let's import the new image here. Resize it to make the object fill the canvas like that. After that, make a selection around your object using any selection tool. After making your selection create a layer mask out of it. Hide or delete the other layer. Press CTRL+S to update your smart object. Get back to your main document. Select your layer, then select the action you want, and click RUN. Then pick the colors like the same previous step. Unhide all layers. That's it for today! Please LIKE the video and SUBSCRIBE for more free tutorials! Thanks for Watching!
