How to Turn Your Favorite Photos Into Cartoons
The Cartoonizer effect is one that’s close to our hearts. You see, it was our ability to create the most amazing cartoon effects on the web that saw BeFunky launch back in 2007. Fast-forward to the present day and our Cartoonizer effect is still our most popular, causing us to create not one, but seven different types of it!
Back in the day, you'd mail us a photo to have one of our cartoonists turn it into a cartoon by hand. Then, we’d mail it back to you. Things have come a long way since then, as you can now achieve this same, awesome effect with just the click of a button! Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about our Cartoonizer effects.
An Overview of Our Photo to Cartoon Effects
Remember how we mentioned that there’s not one, but seven amazing Cartoonizer effects? Let’s delve into what each of these does, as well as how they can turn your photos into the coolest cartoon art.
Cartoonizer 1
Do you adore cartoon-style artworks of talents such as Los Angeles-based artist Mister Cartoon? Cartoonizer 1 quickly and easily mimics this aesthetic, featuring bold lines, block shadows, and a brilliant brushstroke effect.
Cartoonizer 2
If you like your cartoons slightly more abstract, then this is where Cartoonizer 2 comes in handy. It amps up the contrast, turns shadows into bold shapes, and lines take on a sketched effect. Your photo will instantly look like it belongs in a graphic novel.
Cartoonizer 3
If a watercolor artist was to paint a cartoon, this is how it would look. Cartoonizer 3 creates softer lines and shapes, whilst keeping the photo’s bold colors for a more "sophisticated" cartoon.
Cartoonizer 4
If you’ve ever wanted to turn your own photo into something reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s pop art, then you’re in luck. Cartoonizer 4 creates those same bold lines in your photo, whilst incorporating hundreds of tiny dots into your image to really make it pop. (No pun intended!) The thick black border which comes with this effect is the cherry on top, turning your photo into something straight out of a comic strip.
Cartoonizer 5
For a cartoonized effect that looks as though it was hand-painted, Cartoonizer 5 is perfect. Lines are detailed and bold, while colors are balanced out for a ‘flatter’ look. In just one click, your photo becomes a cartoon that’s worthy of belonging on canvas.
Cartoonizer 6
The best way to describe Cartoonizer 6 is that it is similar to Cartoonizer 2, yet without the abstract aesthetic and bold shapes. It smooths out hues and simplifies the image down to its most essential parts: something any great cartoon artist would do.
Cartoonizer DLX
When it comes to Cartoonizer effects, this one takes the cake. Our beautifully restyled Cartoonizer DLX effect can be found in our Deluxe Edition Digital Art section. In just one click, you can turn your chosen photo into the most detailed and eye-catching cartoon. It’s so good, in fact, that it will look as though a professional cartoonist has spent hours hand-drawing it.
Whatever look you're going for, BeFunky has all the Artsy effects you need to turn your photo to cartoon, all in a single click! We'll show you how in the next section.
How to Go From Photo to Cartoon With BeFunky
Ready to cartoonize your own photo? To get started, head to BeFunky’s Photo Editor.
Step 1: Choose a Photo
Once you open the Editor, upload the image of your choice by using the Image Manager tab. Or, you can choose an image from our vast Stock Image Library. Either way, simply click on the photo once it appears in your Image Manager, and click on the thumbnail to set it as the background.
Step 2: Add and Adjust the Effect
Next, open the Artsy tab in the menu on the left to locate our Cartoonizer effects. Today, we’ll be using the Cartoonizer DLX effect, which is located in the Digital Art category. All of the other photo to cartoon effects can be found in the Cartoonizer category.
Simply click on the effect to add it to your image. After a few seconds, your image is instantly transformed into a cartoon. You’ll also notice some additional options, including a slider (to increase or decrease your effect), as well as three buttons: Settings, Cancel, and Apply.
By clicking on Settings icon, additional options are available. For this particular effect, you have the ability to adjust the amount and strength. You can also use the Erase tab of this menu to adjust where exactly the effect is applied.
Pro Tip: Accidentally painted the Cartoonizer effect onto the wrong part of your image? Simply use the Erase tool to erase the effect away. You can also click Reset to undo all of your paint mode brush strokes.
Once you’re happy with how your image looks, just click the blue checkmark button to apply the effect.
Step 3: Save Your New Cartoonized Image
Then, all that’s left to do is to save your cool, Cartoonized image. Click on Save at the top of your screen to save your work to your computer, as well as Facebook, Dropbox, and more! If you want to come back to your project at a later date (i.e., to add some extra effects to it), then we also recommend the Save as Project option.
Before and After
Forget taking Cartoon Drawing 101. With BeFunky’s incredible Cartoonizer effects, all you need is a photo and the click of a button to create the cartoonized image of your dreams.
Go From Photo to Cartoon in Seconds!
Ready to see what all of the fuss is about? Try our Cartoonizer effects for yourself and see results in seconds.
