The 14 Best Apps to Turn Photos Into Art and Paintings
This entry was posted on April 28, 2023.
Less than twenty years back, we were all stunned by the inventions of mobile phones that could now capture photographs. Taking pictures was no longer not just something only people with cameras could do. Instead, it has become something that anyone with a mobile phone could do, which was much cheaper and more useful than a camera.
We have come a long way from there today with phones that can capture excellent quality pictures and videos, sometimes even better ones than cameras of the exact cost as the phone can take. We can take photos now and edit them to make them look much better by adding filters, color grading, and whatnot. Currently, there are even applications that can edit and turn your beautiful pictures and portraits into bitmojis or even into paintings in a matter of seconds.
That's right! Whether you're a professional photographer, an art enthusiast, or just looking to add a creative touch to your photos, numerous apps can help you turn your images into stunning works of art.
You no longer have to commission artists to get your or your cute pets' pictures into hand paintings. You can now subscribe to a good application that can convert as many pictures as you want to paintings of any style and design. Fourteen of the best such applications are discussed below in this article to help you choose the best option to subscribe to and use.
Top 14 Apps To Turn Photos Into Art and Paintings
Art and paintings have always played an important role throughout our history. We all, including animals like dogs, appreciate art, especially paintings. We also enjoy working with paint, learning to paint at least in a minimal way. We even enjoy making ourselves prettier by attempting face paintings and our pets cuter by painting their coat in different safe paints colors after taking the necessary safety measures.
The painting and art pieces we have now tell stories of when they got painted. Just like how we take photographs now of special moments and our pets, back then too, artists sometimes made paintings to remember favorite memories or of their pets which eventually became famous pet portraits to celebrate their life.
While capturing memories and making them immortal through pictures is more effortless, who wouldn't like to see at least some of them as paintings? Sure, you can learn how to paint or commission artists to paint some pictures in such a case. But other than that, you can now quickly turn your photos into paintings of different styles with applications in a matter of seconds.
From classic painting styles to modern graphic design, these apps offer a variety of tools and filters to transform your photos into artistic masterpieces. Have you always wanted to turn some of your pictures to resemble Renaissance paintings? You can do that now as there are even applications for that.
In this article, we'll explore the 14 best apps (free apps as well as premium ones) for turning photos into art and paintings. Let's get into the details of their features and benefits to help you choose the perfect app for your needs. Whether you want to create art styles like a classic oil painting or a modern graphic design, these apps will inspire your inner artist and elevate your photography to new heights.
1. Befunky
In this list of the 14 best apps to turn photos into art and paintings, let’s first look at an online photo editing tool with a photo-to-painting converter feature. This feature in BeFunky allows users to transform a digital photo into a painting in different artistic styles and effects based on their preferences.
Key features
1. Different art styles available
2. A variety of photo-editing tools available
3. User-friendly
4. Allows editing the converted picture
The photo-to-painting converter feature in BeFunky is very user-friendly and easy to use. You can find this feature under the ‘Artsy’ section of the website. However, you must upgrade from the free version to access this feature which will cost you $9.99 monthly or $59.88 for an annual subscription .
While there is a BeFunky phone app on IOS and Android, it is best to use the online editing platform as it is more accessible. On the website, you can upload your favorite photo by dragging and dropping them directly into the workspace. You can then select the painting style you want to apply and adjust the settings and intensity to your liking. BeFunky offers a range of painting styles, including oil painting, watercolor, and cartoonizer, among others.
One of the advantages of using BeFunky's photo-to-painting converter is that it allows users to customize their paintings by adjusting the brightness, contrast, and saturation levels. Users can also apply different textures to their paintings, such as canvas or paper textures, to give them a realistic canvas painting look.
Overall, BeFunky's photo-to-painting converter is a fun and easy way to turn digital photos into beautiful paintings. However, it's worth noting that the quality of the final result will depend on the quality of the original image and the settings used in the converter.
2. BeCasso
The next on the list of the 14 awesome apps to turn photos into art and paintings is the editing application called BeCasso. BeCasso is an iOS photo-to-painting converter application that uses artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms to transform digital photos into paintings. BeCasso offers a variety of painting styles, including oil painting, watercolor, pencil sketch features, and more.
Key features
1. Different art styles available
2. Converts pictures into traditional-looking realistic paintings
3. Produces high-quality pictures
4. Lets users customize the results
One of the advantages of using BeCasso's photo-to-painting converter is that it produces high-quality results that closely resemble traditional paintings. The algorithm used in BeCasso analyzes the photo's color, texture, and shape to generate a painting that looks like an artist created it.
The output resolution can go up to 4K, giving you a high-quality image, especially if you have upgraded to the premium version. You must pay $5.80 monthly or $39 annually to get the premium package. The application also lets you get a lifetime access package by paying a one-time total of $115.90 .
BeCasso's photo-to-painting converter also allows you to adjust the settings and customize the output. Users can alter the brush size, color saturation, and other parameters to create a unique and personalized painting.
Another notable feature of BeCasso is that it has a partnership with MyPost Card, which allows you to turn your painting into a postcard and send it to someone of your choice by providing their address. The application also collaborates with CanvasPop, which allows you to print your beautiful creation onto a t-shirt, poster, etc.
3. Prisma
Another great photo-to-painting conversion application is Prisma which is available for Android and iOS. The application is so good that it even received the ‘App of the Year Award’ from the Apple App Store, making it very popular among editing apps.
Key features
1. Wide variety of image editing tools available
2. 300+ paintings and art styles available
3. Allows to convert photos to painting styles of classic artists
4. Allows to customize converted paintings
Prisma has over 300 art and painting styles available, which you can use to convert your favorite pictures into paintings in countless ways. The application also has premium artistic filters that resemble the works of notable artists throughout history. Using Prisma, you can convert your selfie to resemble Dali’s or Picasso’s artistic-styled paintings.
After converting your picture to resemble a painting, Prisma also allows its users to adjust and edit the results to meet their preferences. Adjustments are available in the app for sharpness, contrast, and exposure. To access all the features the app provides, you can get Prisma’s premium subscription by paying $29 monthly.
4. GoArt Photo Art Maker
The fourth app we are discussing here in the list of 14 best apps to turn photos into art and paintings is the application GoArt Photo Art Maker. The application is available in both Google Play Store and iOS app store and is mostly free to use with in-app purchases to unlock some unique features.
Key features
1. Different art styles available
2. Lets you remove the backgrounds and add new ones
3. Free to use
It is a great app that uses the help of AI technology to convert your photo to paintings of different artistic filters. Like all other art picture apps discussed above, GoArt provides you with various styles, from pop art to oil painting.
All you have to do is upload your favorite pictures from the camera roll to the app to convert them into a piece of art. GoArt Photo Art Maker lets you remove the background of the image you uploaded, which is a great unique feature that enables you to get the perfect backdrop for your artwork.
Unlike the other apps mentioned above, GoArt does not have settings that let you modify the artwork result. However, there is a slider that enables you to alter the intensity of the filter.
5. Photo to Painting by Image Upscaler
Photo to Painting by Image Upscaler is an excellent tool that can seamlessly convert your photos into an amazing painting. Due to its impressive features of turning photos intoillustrations, Image Upscaler has made it to our list.
Key Feature
1. It is free to use without any sign-up requirement.
2. Converts pictures into watercolor painting in 5-30 seconds.
3. No manual editing is required.
4. Painting is available to download instantly.
Image upscaler
The Photo to Painting by Image Upscaler allows you to convert pictures into amazing paintings in any format, such as JPEG, JGP, WEBP, or PNG. It utilizes neural networks and deep learning to automate the conversion process. The best part about this tool is it is user-friendly, meaning even if you do not have a minimum knowledge about photography and painting, you can do the conversion in seconds.
Furthermore, the initial 5 photos-to-painting conversions are free; after that, you can buy from their pocket-friendly packages. Their starter plan gives 50 credits for only $6 a month, the premium plan contains 500 credits for $25 a month, and the premium plus plan contains 1000 credits for $29 a month. For your ease, your watercolor painting will be available without any watermarks.
Unlike other complicated photo editing and conversion tools, Photo to Painting does not require you to do complex conversion settings and editing to get the result you desire. Just give your image to Photo to Painting by Image Upscaler and let it convert your picture like a professional artist. Also, you can experiment with various styles such as sketch, cartoon, and anime in addition to converting to a painting style.
6. Tangled FX
Another fantastic application that lets you convert photos to paintings and give remarkable results is Tangled FX. While most such applications imitate classic painting styles, Tangled FX can generate results with artistic and aesthetic features unique to your images.
Key features
1. Classic painting styles available
2. Lets you fine-tune the generated painting
3. Allows to upscale pictures
4. Converts your uploaded photos into a higher resolution
This application, which is only available in the iOS store, provides you with sixteen different visual styles for you to choose from. Once you upload your favorite photographs to the images, a few clicks are enough to convert them into paintings. After the results get generated, you can fine-tune them based on your art preferences.
Not only does Tangled FX let you convert a picture into a painting, but it also lets you upscale small photos. The app can automatically turn your pictures into high-resolution ones while editing. You can access and unlock all of the app’s mentioned features and more by paying just $2.99.
7. PicsArt
PicsArt is one of the most popular photo editing apps with excellent editing tools. The application is a ‘photoshop’ app similar to Adobe Photoshop. It is available for phones with a tremendous number of features, some of which are unlockable by taking their premium subscription.
Key features
1. Large number of photo editing tools
2. Variety of artistic filters available
Besides many photo editing tools like filters, text options, collage makers, etc., PicsArt also allows you to change your pictures in the camera roll into paintings. After uploading your favorite photograph you wish to see as a painting, you can canvas through art effect tools to get the suitable artistic feature you want.
Surfing through the different painting filters to get a suitable artistic-looking painting feature may be challenging, especially for a beginner. But once you get the hang of it, you will not pay attention to the issue as this is hardly a negative compared to all the features and tools the application provides.
Picsart is a one-stop photo editing application that is free to download in the Google Play and iOS App stores. But if you wish to access more exclusive features, subscribe to their premium version, which will cost between $55.99 to $74.98 based on the preferred edition.
8. Brushstroke
Another great application to turn your favorite pictures into unique works of art is Brushstroke. Once you upload your picture in the application, it will start turning it into a painting. The results the app can provide are so beautiful and unique that it is one of the most featured art picture apps when it comes to digital painting.
Key features
1. Different available painting styles
2. Allows to choose the preferred kind of canvas
3. Allows to select the color palette
4. Lets users sign the final result
The Brushstroke app not only allows you to choose the painting style but also lets you select the canvas type you prefer. This is a very unique and excellent feature that can create art with more variations through texture.
Another feature of the application is that it lets you choose the color palette, unlike many such photo conversion apps that lock them using the original painting style. Brushstrokes also enable you to sign the pictures after applying the painting styles. All these features make it a unique app and undoubtedly one of the best among the many photo-to-painting converter apps.
However, you can only access Brushstroke in the iOS App Store after paying $4.99. Considering all the unique features that the application features, this one-time subscription price for the app is relatively inexpensive compared to many other applications requiring monthly or annual subscriptions with far fewer features.
9. Portrait Painter
As the name of the application suggests, it is a portrait maker that works best for portrait images of people and pets. The application, only available in the iOS app store, is very popular among people who enjoy converting pictures into painted portraits.
Key features
1. Lets ellipsing areas that do not require brushstrokes
2. Converts pictures into life-like paintings
The user interface of the application is straightforward. It has an ellipse tool that enables you to mask areas and control the brushstrokes’ detail within the designated space. You can also choose the paint surface you prefer to get the perfect texture to make the painting look life-like.
As mentioned above, the application Portrait Painter is only available in the iOS App Store. You can access the app and all its available features by paying a reasonable price of $2.99. You can also access the illustration effects and video packs that are available in the app by paying an extra fee.
10. Adobe PaintCan
Adobe PaintCan is another excellent application that can transform your picture into a painting, making it essential to discuss it in the list of 14 best apps to turn photos into art and illustrations. The app can mimic the beautiful brushstrokes of artists depending on the style you want to apply to your painting.
Key features
1. ‘Smart brush’ feature to use the apt brush to produce realistic paintings
2. Free to use
Adobe PaintCan uses a feature called ‘smart brushes’ that configures what kind of brush must be used based on the photo you uploaded and the style you chose.
The editing and converting process of your picture into a painting is designed to make you feel you did the painting on your own. This unique quality of the application makes you feel like you have more ownership over it.
AdobePaint Can is available only in the iOS app store. This application is more remarkable because it is free to download, making it a viral photo-to-painting convertor.
11. Waterlogue
Waterlogues is another application available only on iOS App Store that converts your favorite photograph into a painting. Unlike many other applications that let you choose different painting styles, Waterlogue only has one type, a watercolor filter.
Key features
1. Converts pictures into only watercolor paintings
2. Fourteen presets available that can change the consistency of the paint
3. Allows to customize the result
Thus, Waterlogue may not be as broadly applicable as other apps with several features and options, but it applies the only feature it has very well. Waterlogue has different colors and pen outlines for its fourteen different presets. These presets can change the paint's consistency. So just like when we use watercolor on paper, they allow you to make different colors run together and keep the shapes distinct.
Other than this, this application does not allow you to edit or add different effects to the painting that it provides. You can, however, adjust the lighting of the image. You can access Waterlogue from the iOS app store by paying a one-time fee of $3.99.
12. Photo Lab Picture Editor
Photo Lab Picture Editor is a great application that lets you experiment with funny, creative, and beautiful painting filters. It is thus great for photo editing and converting your favorite photos into paintings.
Key features
1. Use of AI-driven tech to convert pictures into paintings
2. Many artistic filters available
3. Free to use
You can easily upload the pictures that you want to see as paintings in the Photo Lab application. This photo-to-painting application uses AI-driven tech to convert your favorite images into paintings and to crop and edit them automatically.
Many painting filters are also available in the app that can help give different artistic techniques to the pictures. You can install Photo Lab from the Google Play Store without paying any subscription fees.
13. Insta Toon
One other application that is worth mentioning in the list of 14 best apps to turn photos into art and paintings is Insta Toon: Cartoon and Art Cam. The app has become popular in recent years for its reputation for generating results in the way users want.
Key features
1. Many artistic filters available in different styles
2. Lets you convert the final result into a photo, GIF, or video
3. Allows you to save the final image in any resolution
Unlike many other applications mentioned above, Insta Toon is not a photo editing app and only has a few editing tools. The application merely serves the purpose of converting your favorite pictures into paintings.
You can upload the picture you want and add a painting effect directly from the camera roll to the application. Then, you can scroll through the filters available for different artistic styles, including watercolor, black and white sketch designs, oil paintings, comics, etc., until you find the perfect one for your picture.
Another great feature of Insta Toon is that it allows you to save the result that you get as an image, GIF, or even a video. It also has a direct option to share it in any messaging app or social media. You can save the result in different resolutions, like Full HD, HD, and SD. However, Android users are unlucky as the application is only available in the iOS App Store.
14. Glaze
Glaze is one of the oldest applications to introduce the picture-to-painting conversion feature, and it continues as an impressive application that serves this purpose well. The application can generate results that strongly resemble hand-drawn paintings, making it one of the best on this list.
Key features
1. Generates a number of versions
2. Several artistic styles
3. Lets users edit the result
Glaze has a ‘Studio Mode’ that generates a few versions of the same picture you uploaded, allowing you to choose the best one based on your liking and preference. Besides this, their Workshop also has a massive range of variations and styles you can explore.
Once the app generates a result, it allows you to paint masks to either show brushstrokes or cover them in areas where they appear. You can also make custom styles by blending available styles in the Workshop using Glaze. Depending on what you think is perfect for the painting, you can also edit the result to get different orientations, like portrait or landscape photos.
However, Glaze is only available for iOS users and is not in Google Play Store. For iOS users, it is free to install from the App Store, and Glaze has in-app purchases to let its users access more unique features.
Bonus Tool
15. Fotor’s GoArt
Fotor GoArt, even though it is mentioned here in the list of 14 amazing apps to turn photos into art and paintings, is not an app. It is a free-to-use online image editor website you can use on your desktop. It holds several different artistic styles for you to choose from.
Key features
1. Many artistic styles available
2. Free to use
However, one drawback of Fotor’s GoArt is that, since it is an online website, the conversion process may not be as fast as in applications. But, you can ignore the drawback, considering you do not have to pay anything to use any features on the website.
Conclusion
Paintings have always been significant in expressing thoughts, love, devotion, etc., throughout history. They still play an essential role in this 21st century serving similar purposes as they always have.
However, in today’s world, creating a painting effect has simplified a lot from the hectic process it once was. Sure, we have better paints, different kinds of brushes, etc., to make manual paintings, making the process easier. But we also now have applications that can easily convert photographs captured on cameras to paintings of any art style in a matter of seconds.
This article has discussed 14 applications that can easily convert your favorite photos into art and paintings. So, you need not have to commission or learn how to paint to convert your favorite pictures into paintings anymore. All you have to do is choose the application you think is best from this list and use it to get excellent illustrations made from your portraits.
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