getting a toon look from a photo image?

[90volts]

Hi. i am new with this program. been working mostly with photos but i am looking to try to make some pics for a logo. i have pictures of cars and i would like to make them into a cartoony/gif looking image to put together into a logo.

i've played around with the layers and paint brush on pics but they don't really get the smooth look i am trying to get. i know that "Illustrator" will do what I want but i do not have several hundred dollars to spend on something that is just for fun.

so if anyone has any sugestions i woud love to hear them. thanks.

[kImages]

A search of the EV forum shows this thread (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32058&highlight=cartoon) which has a number of suggestions on finding cartoon tutorials.

[90volts]

yeah, i've come up to that point with the pics, but not that shiny look. this ws using MS image composer but i don't think they make that anymore. not for awhile. anyway, this is what i am tying to do.

from
http://shutter09.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/21/009/7B/7F/40/D6/hm722q6q4TV8xvImrUvbmyAq5oLaFczs0300.jpg

to
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/403889.jpg

[90volts]

thanks, tried some of the tutorials, put some parts of some together with others and came up pretty decent!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/90volts/carl.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/90volts/Dune%20buggy/buggytoonbrownblock.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee301/delcocruisers/Materials/fun%20stuff/jimsfordinpink.jpg

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee301/delcocruisers/Materials/fun%20stuff/marksredtoon.jpg


basiclly used cutout, gausian blur,find edges,posterize and erasing.
any sugggestions appreciated. thanks again!

[japan05]

Man - that looks really cool... which tutorial did you follow - I would love to use this technique on some pics that I have.

[elwoodsusanm]

Yes,Me too!:)

[kImages]

Post 4 Image 4, I really like the way you retained the background but made it so muted. All were good implementations, but #4 stood out for me.

[lisabee]

Great results!

Lisa

[90volts]

thanks!

i started with this tutorial and expanded it.
http://groups.msn.com/DigitalArt101/membertutorials.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=35418&LastModified=4675565358930772663

this is what i am doing.

take a picture and make a duplicate layer. set the layer blend to 'soft light'

go back to the base layer. go to 'filter-artistic-cutout'. the setings i am using are: levels '5', simplicity '4' and fidelity '2'.

still on the base layer (which you just cutout) make a duplicate layer again. set the layer blend on this new level to 'soft light'. move this layer to the front by dragging up or going to 'layers-arrange-move to front'. go to 'filter-stylize-find edges'.

go back to the base layer again and adjust the brightness,contrast, etc as needed. it seems that more contrast will come out better in the next steps.

at this point you should have three layers. right click the base layer and select 'merge visible' to make a single layer for further work.

now go to 'filter-artistic-poster edge'. you may have to play with the levels but generally i will set the edge thickness and posterization (1st and 3rd settings) high (7-10) and the edge detail (middle setting) setting low (1-3). i think that on a white or lighter picture i have used a posterization setting of 0 or 1 and it sometimes comes out better though.

also, the preview does not quite look the actual picture many times so write down you settings. if you need to , you can undo the poster edge and have a place to start from with the previous settings written down.

now go to 'filter-blur-gaussian blur' the setting i use is usually 1.1%. that seems to work for my eye 95% of the time.

at that point the toonish portion is done. the background i am sure i am doing the hatrd way. there has to be an easier way. but i'll tell you what i do anyway. (and accept any suggestions on a better way to do it gladly!)

first i make a duplicate layer. then i make a 'new' layer. i place the 'new' layer in between the two duplicate layers.

select the 'new' layer. using the paint bucket, color the layer with white or black.select the top duplicate layer. now carefully erase around the subject. this will leave the white 'new' layer exposed so you can see what you need to erase.

with the background erased you can do a couple of things from here. one is to highlight the base layer and blur it for a clear subject and blurred background. delete the white 'new' layer and it is done.

or highlight the base level, blur it, change the color on the white 'new' layer to a complimentary color and then change the opacity so that the blurred background will show through with a tint of color over it.

or copy and paste a background picture (which will create a new layer of its own) and arrange it below the erased , top duplicate layer and above the white 'new' layer. you can even add it below the white 'new' layer, colorize the white layer, set the opacity lower and have the new colorized background... all kinds of mix and match things that can be done.

hope this will help someone in the future. it's lots of fun!

thank you for all the help, ideas and kind words.

[elwoodsusanm]

Thank you, this is really good.:)