11 Apps to Turn Photos into Drawings on Android (2026)

Looking for an easy way to make your photos look like they’ve been sketched or painted? Before you head off downloading an app, see if your Samsung Galaxy phone already has one: Portrait Studio from Samsung can apply a watercolour or comics-like effect to selfies and pet photos. There are also apps in Google Play that will turn any image into one that looks like it’s been sketched in pencil or painted with oils. All third-party apps were checked on Google Play on 4 November 2026. Details are taken from the apps’ Google Play pages and developers’ websites.

The 11 options compared

Start with Samsung's built-in tools

1. 1

   Open a selfie or pet photo in Gallery

   Open a selfie or pet photo you want to use in Gallery. Portrait Studio is part of Galaxy AI, which Samsung's support page lists for select phones and tablets running One UI 6.1 or later.

2. 2

   Tap Photo Assist, then Portrait Studio

   Tap Photo Assist (blue circle with stars icon) > Portrait Studio. Depending on your software version, Samsung says you may need to tap Style > Portrait.

3. 3

   Pick a style and save a copy

   Select an artistic portrait style (e.g. Comic, 3D cartoon, Watercolor) > Generate. Swipe left or right to see other generated images. When you find one you like, tap Save copy to keep the artistic portrait without altering the original image.

For any other subject, Style takes an image and redraws it in a different style, handy if you love the composition of a shot but wish it had a different look. Both features require a Samsung account and an internet connection to use, and pictures created using either will have a Galaxy AI watermark added to them, according to Samsung. Meanwhile, Sketch to image works in reverse: it allows users to draw over an image using their finger or S Pen, and Galaxy AI will transform the sketch into a detailed image. The Galaxy AI camera features guide covers the rest of Photo Assist, and the Gallery app guide covers saving and sharing copies.

Painted and watercolour styles

Prisma

Filters can sometimes leave your images too dark, but you can tweak the exposure and sharpness afterwards in Prisma. With more than 500 filters and a new style added daily, according to its listing, Prisma is the most established filter app on this list. It has a free version with ads, and a subscription is available in the app.

Waterlogue

Waterlogue claims to bring real watercolour simulation (as opposed to generative AI) to Android, and to process everything on-device. It’s free with in-app purchases starting at $3.99 in the US. Waterlogue has been around since 2013, and according to its listing has sold “millions of copies”. This is a young Android app from developer Tinrocket, and it hasn’t racked up many downloads just yet.

Painnt

Painnt lists over 1,000 filters, including everything from traditional painting effects to mosaic and comic-book styles. The free version includes ads, a watermark, and capped export resolutions, but subscribing will lift these limitations. The app hasn’t been updated on Play since November 2022 at the time of writing, so consider it a legacy app.

DeepArtEffects

The available styles are based on the works of famous painters such as Van Gogh and Monet. DeepArtEffects Premium offers additional styles not available to free users, and removes the watermark. You can even upload your own image to use as a style! DeepArtEffects was last updated in April 2025.

Pencil sketches and line drawings

Sketch Me! Pro from XnView turns photos into sketches and cartoons. It's free (no watermark or restrictions, according to the app description) and also has pencil, colour and halftone effects, plus edge strength and contrast sliders. It was free in the US Play store at the time of research.

Photo Lab PRO ($29.99 in the US Play store) claims over 640 photo effects and frames, some of which are drawing/painting effects. Its listing says it's an online app (pictures are uploaded and edited online). We couldn’t find Photo Lab (free version) in the US or UK Play store at the time of research.

Picsart also has some stylised AI-powered filters/effects available in its photo editor. It lets you superimpose text or other images (collage) on your pictures, so pick this one if that’s likely to be a common requirement. Our Android photo editing apps guide has a comparison of the various editors available.

Cartoons and anime

From the same company as Photo Lab, ad-supported (and free) ToonMe converts your selfies into cartoon portraits and avatars. Similarly themed apps include Lyrebird Studio’s ad-supported (and free) Toonapp, which also has caricature and anime filter options. Owned by Fotor, GoArt also has anime filters as well as AI-generated art from text, though you’ll need a monthly or yearly subscription to unlock everything.

How to get a better result

• Try to use a well-lit and sharp image to begin with. The sketch effect will make noise and blur more pronounced. The sharper photos guide can come in handy when it comes time to do some shooting.
• Try to pick a picture where the subject is clearly defined against a plain background. Apps will have an easier time determining the outlines.
• Crop before applying the effect. The sketch effect will be calculated for the entire image in most apps.
• If there’s a strength slider, you might want to back it off a bit. You may get a more natural effect that way.
• Know if the app you’re using sends your photos off the phone. Waterlogue does its work on your phone, but Photo Lab PRO does its work online. This might be an issue if you’re sketching photos of people.

For portraits, shooting in Portrait mode will give you a softer background. This provides the cartoon and painting filters with a more defined subject.