How to Turn Your Photos into Pencil Sketches with AI

With just one photo, you can transform yourself into a hand-drawn pencil sketch. And then animate it.

No artistic skills needed. Here's how to create a professional pencil sketch portrait with AI in a few simple steps.

Before We Start: See the Results

This workflow takes any portrait and turns it into a realistic pencil sketch, complete with intricate shading and fine line details. You can even create a video that shows the drawing process to make it look like an artist is sketching you in real-time.

The best part? You can use this same technique for your business. Interior designers can turn room photos into sketches. Architects can show buildings as hand-drawn renders. You can learn this workflow and apply it to your creative work

The Step-by-Step Process

1. Choose Your AI Image Model

For this workflow, we're using Google's Nano Banana from Gemini. Here's why it works:

• It's the latest AI image model from Gemini

• You can access it directly through the Gemini web or mobile app

• It's also available through other AI platforms

I personally use Freepik (all screenshots in this guide are from there), but this workflow will work anywhere you can access Nano Banana. The key is having access to the model and the ability to upload a reference image.

2. Upload Your Reference Image

You only need one good photo. Choose an image with:

• Clear facial features

• Good lighting that shows detail

• A neutral or simple background (the AI will replace it anyway)

The better your starting photo, the more accurate your pencil sketch will be.

3. Use This Pencil Sketch Prompt

This prompt was inspired from @LinusEkenstam and further tweaked and customised.

Here's the full prompt:

A professional, high-resolution, line drawing pencil sketch, maintaining the exact facial structure, identity, and key features of the person in the input image. The background is paper. Use black pencil with intricate, fine line detailing and shading. Show a right hand holding a pencil near the sketch, as if the artist is still working.

Customisation tips:

• Change "black pencil" to "blue pen" or "charcoal" for different artistic styles

• Adjust the background from "paper" to "textured canvas" or "sketchbook page"

• Remove the hand detail if you want just the sketch without the artist element

• Add specific shading instructions like "heavy cross-hatching" or "soft shading"

4. Upscale with Magnific AI (Optional But Recommended)

This step isn't necessary, but it significantly improves detail. Use your favourite AI upscaler to enhance (I use Magnific):

• Line definition and clarity

• Shading gradients

• Paper texture

• Overall resolution

This is especially important if you're planning to create a video in the next step. Higher resolution input means better video quality.

5. Animate Your Sketch (Optional)

Want to take it further? Turn your static sketch into an animated drawing process. (full video below)

I used VEO 3 (fast) on Google Flow with this prompt:

Close-up shot: A hand is sketching a detailed pencil portrait of a smiling man with a backpack. The camera slowly zooms in on the drawing process, highlighting the intricate shading and textures as the artist adds finishing touches. Sounds of the pencil on the paper.

The prompt gave me sound effects and I was happy with the first generated video. No retakes needed.

Video customisation tips:

• Change "slowly zooms in" to "pans across" for different camera movement

• Adjust "close-up shot" to "medium shot" or "wide shot" depending on your preference

• Modify the subject description to match your specific sketch

6. Add Finishing Touches (Optional)

Take your video to the next level:

• Add music to create mood and atmosphere

• Show a before/after by including your original photo at the start or end

• Add text overlays explaining your creative process

This is perfect for social media content. Quick, engaging, and visually interesting.

I used Freepik to add the soundtrack and adjust the audio levels. You can also use free tools like Canva or CapCut.

Real-World Applications

Here's how businesses can use this:

• Interior Designers: Turn room photos into artistic sketches for mood boards

• Architects: Show buildings as hand-drawn renders for client presentations

• Real Estate Agents: Create unique listing visuals that stand out

• Personal Branding: Use animated sketches for social media intros

• Portfolio Work: Show your creative process in an engaging way

The concept works for any visual subject. If you can photograph it, you can sketch it.

You're Done

That's it. You now have a professional pencil sketch created in just a few steps with Google's Nano Banana.

The workflow is simple, the results look hand-drawn, and you can customise everything from the drawing style to the animation. Try different prompts, experiment with colours, and see what works for your brand.