Turn Photos into Paintings: 3 Minutes to Become a Digital Artist

How to turn photos into paintings using an AI image generator

The AI tools offer many advantages that traditional tools can not. These tools can understand your photo's content and apply creative styles in seconds, making turning photos into paintings a breeze. As one of the leading AI painting generators, Dreamina cuts steep learning curves by transforming text prompts and reference images into vibrant, high-quality paintings. Whether you want to cartoonize it, ask for a 3D doll design, or a Ghibli-styled transformation, Dreamina image-to-image generator will deliver your request with stunning results.

Steps to turn your photo into a painting with Dreamina

Are you ready to turn your photo into a painting with Dreamina? Follow our simple steps below to get started for free. Start by clicking on the link below to get a free account on the Dreamina platform:

STEP 1
1. Upload your photo

The Dreamina homepage is where the process begins. Locate the AI image tab at the top of the screen. The Reference button is represented by a box with a plus (+) sign on the left of the text prompt box. Click on the "Reference" button and upload your photo from your device. Ensure your image is of good quality for a stunning output. After that, describe with a clear prompt your desired style, whether oil painting, watercolour, or impressionist style.

Example prompt: Generate an oil painting style of painting with the reference image. Detailed and deep tone, soft lighting.

STEP 2
1. Generate your painting

Next, you need to do some settings for your output. Continue by choosing a model (e.g., Image 3.0), resolution, aspect ratio (1:1, 16:9, etc.), and click on the star icon in the top right corner of your screen to generate. A tip for you here is to select the resolution based on the platform you want to use the image. For instance, 16:9 will favour YouTube images.

STEP 3
1. Download

Generation usually takes a second, 1 minute at most. After generation, browse through the generated images and click on your favourite. Click on download to save the final painting to your device as a JPEG.

Discover more AI magic

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1. Style blender

Dreamina's "Blend" feature allows you to merge two styles or elements into one stunning painting. Simply upload your base image, select a second reference, and let Dreamina generate a creative hybrid. It's perfect for experimenting with mixed aesthetics, enhancing portraits, or building unique art pieces that feel personal and polished.

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1. Creative expander

Dreamina's "Expand" tool is a game changer for users who want to stretch their scene beyond the original frame while keeping colors and style consistent. It's perfect for widening landscapes or adding more background context. The result gives you something that is professional and you can use on all platforms without distortion.

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1. HD upscaling

With one click, Dreamina can double your image size and sharpen details. The "HD upscale" feature boosts resolution and clarity. If you're envisioning your generated images to be used on bigger screens, using this tool is ideal. Upscale your painting so it comes out solid, blurry-free.

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1. Smart inpainting

Dreamina AI lets you make changes to a portion of your painting instead of starting from scratch with its "Inpaint" tool. The tool uses AI to redraw the part of the image you highlight. It can modify colors, add or remove objects, or restore missing details in your oil painting. Want a new hat, different brush texture, or to fix a broken vase? Just prompt it, and it fixes it naturally.

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1. Background remover

Dreamina's "Remove background" tool removes your painting background with precision. The feature, when you click on it, can identify the subject and remove the background surrounding it so that your image comes out clean and transparent, ready to be used in your designs. It leaves a clean, professional look, so your subject pops without distractions.

How to turn a photo into a painting with a neural filter

How to turn a photo into a painting in Photoshop is straightforward for those with design skills. Adobe Photoshop provides built-in filters and effects to make photos look like paintings instantly. In just a few clicks, you can apply watercolor or oil paint effects and fine-tune them with sliders. For example, Photoshop's Watercolor and Oil Paint filters give photos a painterly quality, and you can adjust brush detail and lighting until it's just right. This method is excellent if you already have Photoshop and prefer a manual approach.

Steps to turn a photo into a painting in Photoshop

STEP 1
1. Open and duplicate your photo

To turn a photo into a painting with Photoshop, go to the platform and upload your image. Next, open your image and duplicate the Background layer. You can use the shortcut keys (Ctrl+J) to keep a copy of the original.

STEP 2
1. Apply a painting filter

With the top layer selected, go to "Filter," then click on "Stylize" and then "oil paint." Choose a filter like Watercolor or Dry brush (to mimic oil paint).  Adjust sliders for Brush Detail, Shadow Intensity, Cleanliness, and other things until the effect looks good to your appeal.

STEP 3
1. Fine-tune and save

Press OK to apply the filter. For a more illustrative look, you can add a Find edges layer and set its blending mode to Multiply. Finally, merge layers and save your new "painting" by clicking the download button.

Key features

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1. Full control over artistic edits: Photoshop stands out because it gives you complete freedom. You're not stuck with one-click filters; you can control how much texture, detail, and brush effect you want. You can sharpen one part of the image while softening another. This is ideal if you want the photo to feel custom and more artistic.
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2. Work with layers to experiment safely: When turning a photo into a painting, it helps to experiment. Photoshop's layer system lets you add effects on top of your original without changing the base image. That means you can try different painting styles, undo changes easily, or blend looks without losing your starting photo.
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3. Built-in filters that imitate real paint styles: Photoshop includes filters designed to copy classic art styles. Options like Oil Paint, Dry Brush, and Watercolor give your photo a soft or bold artistic feel. Each one can be adjusted by strength, texture, and angle. These built-in filters are designed and optimized professionally to give you a touch that's real enough.

How to turn photo into painting online free with preset templates

To turn a photo into a painting with templates can reduce your time on creation and give you time for element editing. Meanwhile, online platforms make it simple to turn a photo into a painting without software. Canva offers a Photo to Sketch feature and other style applications. With one click, you can apply sketch or art filters to your images. This is great if you want a quick result or a free solution: upload any photo and choose from preset artistic styles.

Steps to turn photos into paintings with Canva

STEP 1
1. Upload your image

Go to the Canva platform, sign in and navigate to "Photo to sketch". If you're new, it only takes a minute to create an account. Once you're in, click "Upload photo." Next, upload the photo you'd like to edit by dragging it in or choosing from your library.

STEP 2
1. Apply an artistic filter

Click on your image to select it. At the top, you'll see the "Edit" option. Click that and scroll through the effects menu. Look for sketch or painting-style filters. Canva usually groups them under "Photo to Sketch" or "Artistic." Choose the one that fits the mood you want. Also, you can make use of the built-in Sketchify feature to simply apply the filter.

STEP 3
1. Make minor tweaks, then download

Once the filter is applied, you can adjust how strong it looks or layer on other design elements. Consider adding a border, some text, or keeping it simple. When you're ready, click the "Download" or "Share" button in the corner, to save to your device or share with your network.

Key features

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1. Preset art filters: Canva offers a wide selection of preset filters that mimic real art styles. From pencil sketch and ink to bold paint and watercolor, each filter gives a new mood to your image. This saves you time since there's no need to adjust individual settings, just apply and go.
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2. No design experience needed: Even if you've never edited a photo before, Canva makes it easy. Every tool is clearly labeled, and the interface is drag-and-drop. That's why Canva is great for beginners or busy users who want fast results without installing anything on their computer.
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3. Online and free to use: You can access Canva directly from any browser. Many features, including the painting filters, are available on the free plan. This makes it a good option if you're looking to turn a photo into a painting online free, without using paid tools like Photoshop.
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4. Multi-use templates and exports: After transforming your photo, you can place it into Canva's ready-made templates for posters, cards, social media posts, and more. You can also export your artwork in various sizes and formats—ideal for printing or sharing digitally.

Expert tips: 5 secrets to turning photos into paintings like a master artist

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1. Choose the right source photo: Start with a high-quality image; this matters more than many think. The photo should have good lighting, clear focus, and solid contrast. If the subject is blurry or lost in a busy background, the painting will lack depth. Tools like Dreamina, Photoshop, or Canva will all give better results when your photo is sharp and clean. A portrait with an intense expression or a landscape with distinct light and shadows works best.
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2. Match painting style to photo mood: Think of the emotion behind your image. A bold, dramatic shot, like someone standing in the rain, looks excellent with oil painting textures. A light, dreamy portrait suits watercolor tones. Nature shots often go well with impressionist brushwork, giving that soft, classic art gallery look.
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3. Adjust artistic intensity: Not every photo needs to be fully transformed. Sometimes, subtle edits are better. Dreamina, for example, lets you pick the strength of the painting effect. This helps preserve facial features or key details while still giving it an artistic vibe. Start light, then layer more intensity if needed.
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4. Consider color palette: Every time, color tells a story. If your original photo has dull lighting or odd shadows, tweak it before generating the painting. Increase brightness, adjust contrast, or even shift hues slightly. Then, when you feed it into Dreamina or another tool, the result feels more polished. Some tools also let you guide the color mood to shape the look further.
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5. Blend multiple techniques: Your painting doesn't have to come from one tool alone. You can mix things up. Start with a base version from Dreamina, then do minor edits in Photoshop, maybe smoothing some lines or changing the background. Or layer one painting style over another to create something truly one of a kind.

Conclusion

Whether you want to use Dreamina AI to turn photos into paintings or Photoshop's filters, or Canva's free templates, the point is that turning your photo into a painting is easier than ever with these innovative tools. No matter which path you take, you'll be impressively close to creating art in just minutes. Among the three methods, AI tools like Dreamina stand out by handling everything in one place, you upload, describe, and refine. Dreamina offers the quickest results and a generous free tier, making it ideal for most users. Ready to experiment? Try it out with Dreamina AI, turning photos into paintings of different styles-no limits, just creativity!

FAQs

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1. Can I turn my photo into a painting for free?

Yes, some tools offer free plans to turn your photo into a painting without paying. Dreamina, in particular, gives you multiple free credits every day for enough creativity. More importantly, this AI tool requires no more than minutes long tapping and entering, and outputs the desired painting in your vision. Simple like your chit-chatting with your friends. Try Dreamina for free and see how easily your photos turn into art.

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1. How to turn a photo into a painting and add my signature?

Traditionally, you could paint a signature with online edit tools like Photoshop, which offers brush and text tools. As an alternative, Dreamina's AI makes it simple. You can incorporate your mark either before generation (as a prompt) or after (as an annotation). After generating your painting, you can use the "Add text" feature to type your name or signature onto the image. Choose fonts, colors, and placement freely.

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1. Can I turn photo into a painting with different artistic styles?

Yes, you can turn photos into paintings with the above tools that let you specify or choose from many styles. Canva offers multiple style apps (like VanGoit for Van Gogh or anime filters). Photoshop has various filters (oil, watercolor, etc.) that you can combine. However, if you prefer custom styles instead of preset styles, Dreamina is your DIY designer. In Dreamina, you can prompt the AI for different effects ("watercolor", "impressionist", "pop art", etc.) and even do style transfers by providing a reference style image. In short, you have complete control to create your photo painting in any style you like. For a fast and seamless approach, try Dreamina AI today.