Photo to painting and sketch prompts

An AI can redraw your photo in almost any art style. These prompts cover the classics, such as graphite pencil, charcoal, watercolour, ink wash and Renaissance oil, plus print and craft looks such as pop art, linocut, stained glass, mosaic, layered paper and cross-stitch.

There are also simple line drawing and colouring page prompts, which make good printable gifts and activity sheets for kids. Each prompt asks the AI to keep the face accurate and recognisable.

15 prompts · Works in Gemini and ChatGPT · Updated 10 October 2026

Hand-drawn pencil sketch of your photo

Redraw this photo as a detailed graphite pencil sketch on [PAPER, e.g. cream] paper. Keep the face accurate and recognisable.

Fine hatching for shadows, smooth blending on skin, a few visible construction lines, slightly unfinished edges around the shoulders, soft vignette. No colour, no digital look.

Customise in the builder Copy & open Gemini ↗

Full prompt page: fill-in boxes, tips and the common fix →

How to use it

Three steps, about a minute

1
Choose a photo with good light and shadow on the face. Flat, dark photos make flat drawings.
2
Upload it to Gemini or ChatGPT, paste the style prompt and fill in paper or colour choices.
3
For printing, ask for the frame size, like "A4 portrait" or "square".

Make it yours

Paper: "cream paper", "toned grey paper" or "rough watercolour paper" change the feel.
Detail: "loose and expressive" or "detailed and realistic" sets how finished it looks.
Gifts: watercolour and pencil portraits make good birthday and anniversary gifts.
Kids: the colouring page prompt turns any photo into a printable outline.

If it goes wrong

It looks digital: Add "visible pencil strokes, paper texture, no digital look".
Face not accurate: Reply "keep the face accurate and recognisable" and use a sharper photo.
Too much colour in a sketch: Say "no colour, graphite only".
Background is busy: Ask for "unfinished edges, plain paper background".